Bacalhau Boy and I are just a few hours away from hopping a flight to see my family in the United States. I am anticipating too much awesome board game playing and cupcake baking and historical sightseeing to actually have time to post anything to the blog until our return.
So while we are off having family fun, I am sharing two of my favorite new Portuguese foodie diversions to keep you entertained.
Sounds familiar, you say? That could be because this blog is by the authors of the recently released book, Eat Portugal. It is perfect if you are visiting Portugal and want help navigating menus so you can be adventurous and yet not get stuck with, say, roasted pig snout. (Unless you are into that...)
The blog has some great features on typical Portuguese foods, many written by one of my favorite bloggers, Lucy Pepper. So until my bacalhau pan is back in action in a couple of weeks-- try this out!
This show has me hooked! The original Australian version has intrigued me for years, mainly because there are an outrageous number of contestants, overly complicated rules, and what seems like eight shows in between each elimination.
On the other hand, the contests they devise encourage creativity that is actually achievable, and all the more interesting as a result. The Portuguese version is even more up my alley since the ingredients used are not the ones I would gravitate to normally. I can say it has taught me a lot about getting in a "Portuguese cuisine" state of mind.
See you again in October, refreshed and ready for more bacalhau.
Behold, my first attempt at recreating the deliciousness experienced in Alcobaça, which I raved about in a previous post. Monday was the Feast of Saint Anthony, a big holiday and day off in Lisbon, so what better way to fill my afternoon than with a couple hours of fussing over some delicious, drunken chicken stew?
About six months ago, I saw my first episode of the Biggest Loser. I had never wanted to watch it before, but as is the nature of living abroad, when you find English-language shows, you give them a try. And in this case... I was promptly addicted and I dragged Bacalhau Boy right down with me. (You're welcome, BB)
So, how thrilled were we when we found out that Portugal was getting its own version? (Answer: MUITO.)
Last night was the premiere episode of Peso Pesado (Heavy Weight). Bacalhau Boy was looking forward to seeing the presenter, Júlia Pinheiro-- a woman he claims has more in common with the Weakest Link's Ann Robinson than with sweetheart Alison "Sami" Sweeney. I was looking forward to seeing if they could find a Portuguese Jillian to be both psychologist and sadist extraordinaire.
In the end:
Júlia was not (very) scary, and it was too early to tell if the trainers were, either.
The first challenge was exciting, humiliating, and had an "oh, TWIST!" moment, which was excellent.
There is a new element of the show called the Comando who took aside two contestants and made them do push-ups while he splashed them with buckets of cold water. That was pretty awesome.
All-in-all, we will likely be as addicted to this show as to the original.
What surprised me the most, though, was the first Temptation. Júlia led the contestants out to say farewell to their "best friends"-- and there was a buffet of Portuguese food at its finest. (Skip ahead to 3:00 minutes to see the food--)
Now... at this point in the evening, Bacalhau Boy started to make noises. Noises like, "Uhhhh... Ooooo... Ohhhh... Mmmmmmm." I was rather startled. These are the noises that I usually make whenever the Biggest Loser tempts their poor contestants with delicious and fattening food. Not Bacalhau Boy.
"Ohhhh, that looks so good to me, I can really feel the temptation. I never feel that way when they show those nachos and cheeseburgers and crap on the other show."
I was stunned. "Nachos and cheeseburgers and crap"??? A sério? I guess the sliced meats and cheeses and olives looked lovely and if I were at a party I would try some, but suffice to say I would not have to work hard to resist them, either. Not like a cinnamon roll. Or a big plate of mac and cheese. Or nachos...
At this point, the cholesterol really hit the fan. The producers began to unveil plates of the contestants' favorite dishes. (Starting at 5:30" on the video)
And this-- this is when you know you are living in a different country. The Biggest Loser morphed into a scene from Fear Factor. The favorite dishes of the contestants include (in the order in which they are revealed):
Picanha with fries and rice: Picanha is the sliced rump-cap of beef, very popular in Brazil and Portugal. Bacalhau à Brás: Saltcod with eggs and fried potatoes Bacalhau com Natas: Saltcod with heavy cream and fried potatoes Lasagna: Errr, you know this one, right? Cachupa: A pig's foot, sausage, and bean stew from Cape Verde Dobrada: Tripe (pig intestine) and chickpea stew typical of Porto Beef in Mushroom Cream Sauce and fries Migas: A kind of bread stuffing served with fried pork
Somehow, I don't think that Peso Pesado is going to torture my natural apetite instincts the same way the Biggest Loser does. But what a way to get to know the food cravings of Portugal and pick up some new ideas!
In the past two years, I have managed to learn a bit of Portuguese. This is helpful for lots of reasons.
1. I can go grocery shopping and know what I am looking for.
2. I can talk with Pedro's family.
3. I can understand what our "mulher a dias" (equal parts cleaning lady and grumpy grandma) says when she criticizes my messy dresser drawers.
4. I can eavesdrop on public transportation. (Hey, it's good practice!)
But the BEST reason I have for learning Portuguese is Portuguese television. If eyes are the windows to the soul, then television must be the eyes of a nation. (Yeah, that's right, I was an English major, yo...)
Anyhow, since I can't offer plane tickets to Lisbon for all my family and friends, I had to at least share a few of my very favorite Portuguese shows with you.*
(And yes, there is a recipe at the end. So hang in there.)
*Note: I loved these shows long before I spoke Portuguese, TV being a visual thing and all. So I hope even if you don't know your obrigada from your chouriço, you will give these gems a try.
1. Home Makeover Show: Querido, Mudei a Casa!
"Honey, I Changed the House" is similar to the TLC show While You Were Out. There is a two-day makeover which is kept secret from one member of a household while professionals transform one room. Genius in any language!
There are certain hallmarks of this genre which are all here:
The Before/After Room Scan, complete with music which maximizes the chance you will oooo and ahhhh.
The BlahbittyBlah when the designer talks with the host about how awesome the room is while as a viewer you just want to get to...
The BIG REVEAL for the homeowner.
BUT-- watch the clip below and tell me if you do not notice one very glaring difference at around 5'45". Go ahead, I'll wait.
