“MIRTILO”, is the name for blueberries in Portuguese but the fruit is barely known there.
In fact, most countries around the world have never ever seen or heard of the fruit.
The biggest producers of blueberries are the US and Chile but, blueberry production has exploded around the world since the benefits of blueberries as antioxidants. was discovered a few years ago.
At least 16 countries in Europe now grow blueberries including Portugal. “The Largest Portuguese production acreage for blueberries being constructed.The 60 hectare large acreage is located in Idanha-a-Nova. Three months after the symbolic opening ceremony for the project in Castelo Novo, most of the 20 young growers participating in the project are preparing the land for the planting of blueberries. The united growers already have trade relations with numerous European clients. The project is very promising for Portugal. Around 2 million Euro have been invested in the 60 hectares of blueberry fields.They are expecting the first blueberries to be ready for harvest by the second year. This means that, through export, the berry acreages will start to have a positive influence on the country from 2014 onwards.” (http://www.freshplaza.com/news_detail.asp?id=100403)
According to Driscoll Berries, VP of international business and global development, Soren Bjorn, in freshfuitportal.com, China is the next frontier.
Read more about blueberry production around the world here.
This recipe will make a large coffee cake that serves up to 12-15. You can also make muffins using this recipe.
The cake is a perfect summer bring along for a pot luck picnic or freeze half for the next time you need a treat with your morning coffee!
Blueberry Coffee Cake Recipe:
Ingredients:
2 cups Bisquick or any other biscuit mix
2 cups flour
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1/2 stick melted margarine
1 cup milk
1 — 6 oz package fresh blueberries
Crumb topping:
1 tbsp flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup quick cooking oats (if desired)
1 tbsp melted butter or margarine
Instructions:
In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar and eggs for 1 minute until foamy. Add the remaining ingredients except toppings and mix on low for about 1 minute. The batter will be slightly lumpy.
Grease a medium size deep baking pan approximately 13×9. Pour the batter into the pan.
Rinse and dry berries. Coat them with a dusting of flour.
Place the berries evenly spread on top of the batter .
Make the topping by mixing all the ingredients in a small bowl. Blend with a fork until it forms a sandy like texture.
Sprinkle the topping over the batter. Run a knife through the batter in 3-4 strokes.
Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes until golden brown and tooth pick comes out clean. Serve hot or cold. Enjoy!
There is no definition in any dictionary that translates the word Zen into Portuguese.
This tranquility does not exist in our culture. We have to much ambition, drive and determination. Perhaps it’s the reason why our ancestors sailed the oceans and at one time conquered the world. This type A personality, AKA (workaholics) is in almost every Portuguese person. This is the reason why we’re the best cooks, the best bakers, the best sailors and candle stick makers! Plus add what ever occupation you want to add to the list!
January is supposed to be a month of reflecting on the past and planning the future, but I have no intention of doing any of it!
To be honest with you, I found myself wiped out on the morning of January 1st, 2013. Maybe it’s because I was sick with the flu all through the month of December, or, it may have been from the hectic Holiday Season.
But for what ever reason, I was so glad the year was finally over. Instead of reflecting and planning, I’m doing a little Zen therapy on myself.
Join me, discover how the Portuguese got the world hooked on tea, bake yourself a deliciously healthy Carrot Cake and have your own Zen moment!
A Japanese priest in the 13th century wrote a lengthy treatise on the health benefits of tea stating, “Tea is a marvelous elixir of health that has the capacity to prolong human life. Most medicines treat only a single ailment, but tea is a panacea for all ills.” Gorreanatea.com
Maybe that Japanese priest was right? My parents drank chá de cidreira – (lemon balm tea) everyday and they lived until almost 90 years old. Like my parents I’ve turned into a daily tea drinker. Lemon Balm, Orange Pekoe and Tazo Zen tea are my favorites.
Growing up watching my parents drink tea, I never knew how it was made or where it came from. Many years later as I developed a taste for tea myself I discovered that it was the Portuguese traders that first introduced tea to Europe and even to India! It’s quiet fascinating that our Portuguese ancestors brought so many culinary influences around the world including tea.
The Portuguese were the first Europeans to import tea in large amounts to Europe during the Portuguese expansion of the 16th century. They took their word for tea (cha), from Cantonese in the 1550s when they had trading posts in the south of China, especially Macau. For those of you that aren’t familiar with Macau it’s a region off the mainland of China which was a Portuguese colony until 1999 when it was transferred back to China. Both Chinese and Portuguese are Macau’s official languages.
In 1750, tea experts from China began planting tea on the Island of San Miguel, Azores Portugal. Today, Gorreana Tea, founded by the Gago da Camara family, is the only remaining of the 14 original tea producing estates and has remained family owned and operated for 5 generations. Learn more about the history of tea in Portugal here.
In 1662, Catherine Braganza of Portugal married King Charles II and brought tea to the royal court of England for the first time. Still, much of the earliest days of European tea, was far too expensive at $100 a pound, to gain favor with anyone but the rich. Tea was not widely consumed in Britain until the 19th century.
How To Make The Perfect Cup Of Tea: From Gorreana Tea
Good water is essential
Fill an empty kettle with fresh cold water. If using tap water, let the water run for 5 seconds so that it is fresh. If you have hard water, for best results, use spring water.
Measure Your Tea
For loose tea, place approximately one teaspoon of tea leaves per cup into the pot, or into an infuser placed in the pot. If you don’t have loose tea, use one tea bag per 1-2 cups, depending on the size of the bag and personal preference.
Boil Water As soon as the water comes to a boil, remove it from the heat. Overheating the water causes the tea to taste flat. Immediately pour the water into the pot, cover, and let stand. If using green tea, allow the water to cool slightly before pouring onto the leaves
Steeping Your Tea
How long to steep depends on how strong you like your tea and the type of tea you’re using. Do not judge by color because some teas brew light while others brew dark. Most teas will taste bitter if you steep longer than FIVE minutes. If you have used an infuser or tea bags, remove them from the pot when the tea has reached the desired strength. Tea bags steep more quickly because the leaves are finely cut, so don’t let them steep too long. You may squeeze the bags gently before removing them from the pot to reduce drips. If you placed loose leaves directly into the pot, you may want to pour the tea into a second warmed pot through a strainer to separate the tea from the leaves. But if you plan to pour all the tea into cups soon, simply place a strainer over the cup and pour slowly from the original pot.
Perfect steeping time for tea
Adding Lemon, Sugar, Milk or Honey
If you add lemon and sugar to your tea, add the sugar first, since the citric acid from the lemon will prevent the sugar from dissolving. Milk is often used in full-bodied black teas such as our Broken Leaf Tea. (Don’t use cream as it interferes with the taste of the tea.) Also, Do not use milk with green tea (Many teas are better without). Adding a little honey to tea is a personal preference, but it is a delicious way of sweetening your tea.
Storing Tea
Tea to be enjoyed properly must be sealed properly! It is that simple. Teas are known for there taste, color, aroma etc, and are very easily affected by other scents-which could alter the quality of a good tea. Often times, people will notice if they leave there tea in a cupboard for many months without being stored in a proper package or container, that their teas have picked up other scents from surrounding foods and spices. Grown hundreds of miles away from industrial pollution using traditional farming methods, when you open your package of Gorreana tea the first thing you will notice is the aroma of the high quality tea leaves! Fresh never tainted!
How to make a great Carrot Cake!
This cake is very easy to make and I can bet that most of you have all of the ingredients in your pantry right now! If shredding the carrots intimidates you, don’t kill yourself, or your arm, just shred them in your food processor!
I find that using oil in carrot cakes often leaves the cake greasy so I use margarine and yogurt for moistness instead. After you try this recipe and see how deliciously easy it is to make, you’ll never buy a store carrot cake again! Enjoy!
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
3 eggs room temp
3 cups shredded carrots
1 stick margarine (soft)
1/2 cup Pineapple fruit on the bottom yogurt (or any you prefer)
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 cup raisins (optional)
Frosting:
1 Package cream cheese (room temp)
2 cups confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Instructions:
In a large mixing bowl, mix eggs, sugar, and margarine until creamy. Add Carrots and yogurt. Combine all other ingredients except walnuts in a bowl. Add dry ingredients to the wet batter and mix for about 5 minutes.
Add the walnuts and raisins if desired and fold into batter.
Poor into 2 greased 9 in round cake pans. Cook in 350 degree oven for 30 -40 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool and frost with desired amount of cream cheese frosting. Top with more walnuts!
(If you like lots of frosting, double the frosting recipe)
Watch this video from the beautiful Gorreana Tea estates, which uses my photo that I took of their tea last summer on my patio table.
This recipe for Torta (similar to a Jelly Roll) is easy to prepare and only takes 15 minutes to bake.
What’s great about this recipe is that you can change the fillings to any that you prefer such as; chocolate pudding, flavored jams, or fresh chopped fruits like strawberries, peaches, berries etc.
Lemon Vanilla Torte
Ingredients:
5 room temp eggs separated
3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp crated lemon rind
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 package instant Vanilla or Lemon pudding mix
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cups sugar
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease (Pam spray or margarine) and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper. Combine flour, salt, baking powder in a bowl.
In a large bowl beat egg yolks with 1/4 cup of sugar until lemony. Add flour mix, lemon zest and lemon juice and mix well for about 5 minutes.
In a separate bowl beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Add the 1/2 cup sugar gently into the whites until stiff peaks form.
Gently fold the egg whites into the eggs with a rubber spatula. Pour into the sheet pan spreading evenly. Cook for about 15 minutes or less depending on your oven. The cake should be golden light brown in color.
Prepare the pudding by mixing the contents of the package with only 1 1/2 cups of milk (not 2 cups as package directs).
Mix for 2 minutes, then place in fridge to thicken.
Place a clean linen white kitchen towel on the counter and sprinkle generously with granulated sugar. Slowly flip the cake pan onto the towel with the sugar.
Peel the parchment paper off the cake, then roll up the cake with the dish towel and let it sit for 5 minutes for the cake to cool.
Unwrap the rolled up cake let sit for a few minutes and spread the pudding (or any filling you prefer) evenly over the cake.
Gently roll up the cake without the towel leaving the edge on the bottom.
Sprinkle more sugar on top of the Torta to serve. Enjoy!
Carla Almeida sent me her recipe for Bolo de Bolacha Maria. “This is usually the recipe made by mothers in Portugal, especially in the summer. It’s fresh, easy and kids love it! It’s one of those Portuguese desserts that everyone has at one point or another tried. It is, probably, the dessert most loved by kids in Portugal. I remember that my mother baked it for special occasions, when she wanted to surprised us” She said. Bolo de Bolacha Maria
Ingredients:
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk 1 can (same can) milk 5 eggs 2 big packages of Bolacha Maria (Maria Cookies) 4 – 6 cups of strong black coffee 1 pint whipping cream 1 tsp of sugar or brown sugar Cinnamon powder
Instructions:
In a large bowl beat together the condensed milk, milk and egg yolks until creamy. Pour mixture into a pan on low heat and stir well until the mixture comes to a boil. Turn off heat.
Meanwhile dip cookies one at a time into coffee for about 5-10 seconds to coat with coffee, but don’t let them get soft. In a spring form pan or large platter, begin layering the cookies one a time then topping each with the egg cream until towers of your desired height form.
In small bowl beat the whipping cream with sugar until whipped. In separate bowl, beat the remaining egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the whipped cream gently. Top the cookie cake with the cream. Top the cake with desired amount of cinnamon and crushed Maria cookie crumbs. Put it in the fridge for about 5 hours, or overnight for best results.
Visit this youtube video Bolo de Bolacha for a demonstration of how to assemble the cake. The recipe is different but there are many variations of this classic. Carla’s recipe is unique!… Enjoy
Bolo Rei is Portugal’s king of cakes. It’s traditionally eaten throughout the Christmas season, but mostly on January 6, the twelfth day of Christmas, which is known as King’s day.
The date is when the three kings arrived in Jerusalem to greet the newborn baby Jesus. The legend is that the three kings were disputing which one of them would be the first to give their gift to Jesus. Upon their travels they met a baker who baked a cake with a bean inside it.
Which ever one of them got the slice of cake with the bean would give their gift first. Through the years coins and trinkets were added to the cake instead of the bean which would bring good luck upon the bearer. The cake without the fruit on top is often called Bolo da Rainha! My recipe inspired by Cascaistravel.com. Enjoy!
The cake was introduced to Portugal by theConfeitaria National bakery run by the Casteneira family for over 100 years.
Find the recipe in my Taste Portugal More Easy Portuguese recipes cookbook. Order on Amazon below:
Ingredients:
Yeast
2 tbsp active yeast 2 tsp granulated sugar
1 tablespoon flour 1/3 cup warm water
Dough
1 cup finely chopped assorted crystallized fruit NOTE: (I used dried apricots, dates, and raisins in my cake) 1/2 cup seedless raisins 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind 1 teaspoon finely grated orange rind 2 tablespoons port wine 2 tablespoons rum
1 teaspoon salt
1 and 1/4 stick butter (10 tablespoons) 1 cup granulated sugar 3 eggs 2 egg yolks 5 cups all purpose flour 1/2 cup warm milk
1/4 cup chopped almonds 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
Topping
crystallized fruit of your choice, such as pineapple, cherries, or figs 1 egg for egg wash confectioners sugar
Instructions:
Prepare the yeast mixture
In a small bowl mix together the yeast, sugar and flour and warm water. Stir and let sit for a few minutes for yeast to dissolve and activate.
For the Dough
In another bowl add the chopped crystallized fruit, raisins, grated lemon and orange peel, port wine and rum. Leave the fruit to soak up the liquid while you prepare the dough.
In a large bowl beat the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Beat in the eggs and egg yolks one at a time. Gradually beat in the flour and the milk. Then add the yeast mixture to the dough.
Add the almonds, walnuts and pine nuts and the crystallized fruit mixture.
Lightly mix in more flour as needed to create a sticky bread like dough.
Cover and leave to rise in a warm place for about one hour or until it has doubled in size.
Take the dough and knead for about one minute, then shape into a round loaf and place on a greased baking tray.
Using your thumbs, open up a hole in the middle of the dough so that you are left with a wreath shape, or crown. I used a greased and floured ramekin and placed it in the middle of the wreath to form the wreath.
Note: To add the surprise: Make a hole with a knife on one side of the wreath and push the wrapped broad bean into the dough. Choose another spot on the wreath, make a hole with the knife and push the wrapped coin into the dough.
Topping
Decorate the wreath with a few crystallized fruits. Beat the egg and brush over the wreath. Cover and let rise in a warm place for about one hour or until it has doubled in size.
Remove ramekin and bake in a preheated over at 375 degrees F for about 40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool and dust with powdered sugar.
Pão de Ló – “Sponge Cake” Just as the translation is easy, so is the recipe. This cake is so easy to make that you’ll find yourself making it again and again. The recipe uses no oil, butter or fats so it’s virtually fat free!
This classic dessert is so versatile that you can make it for all the holidays, special occasions, bring it to a pot luck diner as a dessert, or just make one when you’re craving a simple cake. Enjoy!….. and…..Happy Holidays!
This is a Christmas photo of the classic – Portuguese – Pao de Lo which I give as home made Christmas gifts for my family and friends.
*Please note: There is Silk – Poinsettia in the center
(Do not use real Poinsettias with food items)
Pao de lo recipe:
You will need an extra large bundt pan to cook the cake. If you don’t have an extra large pan be sure to use parchment paper all around so the cake doesn’t over spill.
Here’s our youtube video cooking the recipe.
Please subscribe and like our page for the latest video postings!
Ingredients:
10 brown eggs (room temp)
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups sifted flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp (grated lemon peel – Optional)
Preparations:
Make sure your eggs are room temp or place them in a bowl of warm water for about 15 minutes.
In a large bowl beat the eggs until foamy. Add sugar and beat for at least 20 minutes until batter becomes very thick, stiff peaks. (Add lemon at this point if desired)
Note: If using a kitchenaid mixer, mix for only 10-15 minutes until stiff peaks form.
While the sugar and eggs are beating, mix flour, salt and baking powder in a small bowl.
When the batter is ready, add the flour mixture very slowly 1/4 cup at a time on low speed or fold in with a spatula.
This should only take about 3-5 minutes. (Don’t over beat, this is important)
Grease a large tube pan. (Aluminum works best). If your pan is smaller, line the top few inches of the cake pan with parchment paper in case the batter rises over the top. Poor batter into the pan and shake slightly to spread evenly.
Cook at 350 degrees F. for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let the cake cool for about 10 minutes. Invert the cake pan right side up onto a serving dish.
(Note: This cake freezes well so you can make it ahead of time. Slice into pieces for individual servings or freeze the whole cake. Make sure it’s completely cooled, wrap in saran wrap and heavy foil or in Freezer bags.)
Just in time for Berry season. This recipe is similar to Pao de Lo, (Portuguese Sponge Cake) but the orange flavor really stands out. I was surprised at how easy it is to make. The best part of this cake is that it uses; NO OIL & NO BUTTER which makes it a great low fat dessert. All you need are 6 basic ingredients that most of you have on hand everyday so it’s a great go-to dessert when you need something easy and quick.
Ingredients:
5 eggs (room temp)
1 1/2 cups flour (sifted)
2 oranges
2 cups sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
Wash oranges and slice off peels into very thin slices trying not to leave on any white rind. Slice the remaining orange into slices and cut off any excess membrane.
In a food processor, add the orange peels and segments, 5 eggs & salt. Blend into a puree consistency.
Strain the batter through a fine strainer into your mixing bowl. Stir the batter with a fork to sift through stainer.
Discard any remaining segments left in strainer. Add sugar and beat the batter for about 15 minutes until very thick and foamy.
Sift flour and baking powder together into a small bowl and mix well. Add the flour mix to the batter 1/4 cup at a time on low speed until incorporated.
This should only take about 2-3 minutes. Line a fluted cake pan with parchment paper & slightly grease & flour the pan.
Add your batter and bake at 350 for about 15- 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let the cake cool for about 10 minutes, then invert right side up onto serving plate. Sprinkle with confectioner sugar and serve plain or with berries & whipped cream.
Enjoy!
Tia Maria
Find a Recipe
FIND RECIPES HERE
"Join me! Lets' s share recipes, learn how to cook traditional Portuguese dishes, or chat about our cuisine, culture and traditions. I want to share these recipes to preserve our Portuguese passion for great food and pass them along to the next generation. So come along, Let's cook Portuguese!"
Support Tia Maria's Blog page to promote our Portuguese heritage. SCAN QR CODE:
ORDER SET OF 1 REGULAR AND 1 SPICY JAR - FREE SHIPPING IN USA
BUY NOW ON PAYAPAL OR SCAN QR CODE BELOW
ORDER TASTE PORTUGAL COOKBOOKSON PAYPAL OR SCAN QR CODE -
FREE SHIPPING USA
TASTE PORTUGAL COOKS AVAILABLE ON AMAZON ALL AROUND THE WORLD: FREE Prime shipping in USA
COOK BOOKS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.CA (CANADA)
ORDER SET OF 2 TASTE PORTUGAL SEASONINGS ON PAYPAL OR SCAN QR CODE: FREE SHIPPING USA
COOKING PORTUGUESE IS EASY WITH TIA MARIA’S TASTE PORTUGAL PORTUGUESE SEASONINGS
LISBON BLUE ETSY SHOP – FREE SHIPPING IN USA
Shop at Gaspars online for great Portuguese Products
Portuguese Linguica and Chourico
Gift Packs
Gaspars Sausage Company
For nearly a century Gaspar’s Sausage Co., Inc. Has been recognized as the largest manufacturer of Portuguese smoked sausage in the United States. Order today! www.gasparssausage.com or call us at 1-800-542-2038
MY TASTE PORTUGAL SEASONINGS DISTRIBUTOR - GONSALVES FOODS.COM
GONSALVES FOODS
GONSALVES FOODS
The taste of Portugal here in America Your source for authentic Portuguese products We’re proud to offer a wide selection of authentic Portuguese foods from our Gonsalves and Bom Petisco brands as well as the leading Portuguese brands like Saloio olive
0
Now available in Canada – Amazon Canada
![LISBON BLUE ETSY SHOP Portuguese Inspired Gifts – Men, Women, Cooks, Mom, Dad, Grandparents](https://tiamariasblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/lisbon-blue-shop-e1613744481421.jpg" "Portuguese Inspired Gifts – Men, Women, Cooks, Mom, Dad, Grandparents")
LISBON BLUE ETSY SHOP
My appearance on RTP Portuguese TV Notícias do Meu País
No Kid Hungry | Share our Strength Help End Child Hunger in America
GONSALVES FOODS