Food Fridays - Madeira
It’s been a few years since we took Food Fridays on the road and what better place to start again than a small volcanic island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
On Madeira, there is a very strong fishing and farming culture so there was no shortage of fresh food to try. We very easily found some tasty new dishes and new takes on some old favorites.
A new discovery while we’re here, the seafood rice is fantastic! It quickly became one of our favorite dishes of the trip.
First time trying espada or scabbard fish (not to be confused with sword fish…we saw one in the market in and it is definitely not the same). The salads here usually come with no dressing, but they put little bottles of olive oil and vinegar on the table ready to be of service.
Grilled octopus and boiled potatoes served in herbs and olive oil and garnished with a few beautiful olives. Olives always taste better over here.
A breakfast of presunto and egg on freshly baked bread and a cappuccino was one of our regular morning staples here.
Passion fruit cheesecake. Interestingly enough, some places forego the crust and then it becomes passion fruit pudding.
Skewers are also a popular option on the island and quite filling. This is a regular chicken one. We missed trying the Espetada which is seasoned chunks of beef skewered on a bay/laurel leaf branch (they have forests of laurel trees here) which is supposed to infuse the meat with extra flavor.
Traditional tomato and onion soup with a fried egg on top.
This delicious mixture is called Fejoada (and I totally butchered the pronunciation when I ordered it).
Bolo do caco a local specialty of a flat bread smothered in butter, herbs, and fresh garlic.
Passion fruit soda! So sweet and fruity. Surprisingly refreshing after a long day of walking.
Gelato by the shore. The flavors: nata (a.k.a. egg tart custard) and pineapple. Delicious combo.
Grilled squid with a balcony sea view.
Simply titled “Fish Soup” but oh so flavorful in a spiced broth that looks like it could be tomato-based, but isn’t.
“Picado” is a Madeira island speciality. Small cubes of meat in a secret sauce (every restaurant has a slightly different spin) served over fries.
Saving the best for last. An egg tart by the sea.