Taste from Afar: Azorean Pudim de Feijão
For Dreaming of: The smorgasbord of Portuguese Island cuisine.
Dessert
Eating in the Azores Islands is a bountiful, locally-sourced feast. Indeed, most of Mainland Portugal's milk and cheese comes from the green pastures of the Azores.
Undoubtedly, the fresh seafood from the pure waters of the Mid Atlantic is some of the best available anywhere.
Cozida das Furnas are the most visually-spectacular dishes served on the islands. Using the volcanic heat underneath the soil, stews and roasts are cooked in the Earth for hours before serving them at local restaurants. This short video from the BBC shows more:
But Portugal also has a way of seducing us with its sweets, and we delighted in our discovery of the retro-chic O Forno bakery in Angra do Heroísmo, with its bite-sized selection of island delicacies. Favorites included pumpkin tartlets, and almond wedding cookies wrapped in shredded tissue paper.
O Forno Bakery
But it wasn't until we went to the mega-popular Beira Mar Restaurante in São Mateus that we found a proper dessert menu with local (and unusual) desserts on it. We went for the most unique sounding option: Bean Pudding (Pudim de Feijão), and it did not disappoint. A departure from the typical flan, the base of this moulded confectionery was more like a sticky, sweet, moist bread pudding, solidified with a hidden (blended) base of white beans. It was something I'd never seen on any menu in Mainland Portugal after 4 years of living there, and something I'm still thinking about weeks later.
If you don't mind doing a little translation, this recipe adds port wine and cinnamon to the mix (which seems like the most authentic way of preparing the dish).
There's only one decent recipe in English, a bit of a simplified version. But you get the idea.
Photo: YouTube, BBC
Syllogi’s ‘Musings’ is a series helping you paint a picture of a destination while traveling from your living room. From relevant books and articles, inspiring movies and tv shows, to songs and even treats and dishes, our goal is to curate a sensory experience that will prepare you for an upcoming trip, reminiscence on adventures past, or simply to envision a place that exists in your bucket list fantasies.
