Mama Maratona - Portimao

Phew – what a day. This morning, we took part in our first ever Marathon for the “Mama Maratona 7” in Portimao — a great event, to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer, as well as research and treatment for all types of cancer.

The turnout was fantastic – with numbers exceeding 2000 registered runners, and included a good mix from national athletes to mothers, daughters, grandparents, fathers, sons and friends. Everyone joined together to collectively bring attention to this important cause.

The race was scheduled for 5km, but the more advanced runners had the choice of doing an 8km run. If you’re wondering, Moses and I accidentally volunteered for the 8km, but glad we did. It turned out to be a good personal challenge. During our run, we managed to squeeze in some photos – although the pictures didn’t come out as great as we hoped, they did capture some of the highlights of the day. To see some of the photos, click on the image below.

We would like to thank our good friends Vi and Phil, the rest of the Mama Maratona organizers and the Algarve Oncology Association for putting together a well-organized event. Nicely done, and we’ll see you next year!

Better Living in Portugal Exhibition

Earlier today we drove over to Portimao all ready for a marathon Mama Marathona, but to our surprise, probably due to the lack of sleep from this past week, we were a day early for the race! The Mama Marathona is scheduled for October 14th : ) … so with no marathon to run, we put a plan B into action – fortunately we didn’t have to look far, because right behind us was the “Better Living in Portugal” (BLIP) exhibition. We had heard so much about it, we decided to take a peek for ourselves and glad we did. We found tons of varied exhibitors from private banking to an organic online grocery service – the BLIP is well organized and features a wide breadth of services available in the region for those already living or interested in moving to Algarve, Portugal.

Better Living in Portugal (BLIP)

The “Better Living in Portugal” (BLIP) exhibition will be open tomorrow as well (Sunday, October 14th), so if you’re in the area of Portimao, we recommend you stop by.

For more information, you can visit their website here.

World Travel Awards - Portugal Wins Best Boutique Hotel

The votes are in and Portugal is now well listed amongst the prestigious “Travel Oscars”, taking top honours for Best European Boutique Hotel, and top nominations in other categories such as golf and diving. With new projects breaking ground for a number of 5 star hotels & golf resorts in the Algarve and across the country, looks like this award could be just the beginning!

*Best European Boutique Hotel - Hotel Quinta da Bela Vista and runner-up, Vila Joya Hotel in Algarve
Conference Hotel - Pestana Palace
Golf Resort - Sheraton Algarve Hotel Pine Cliffs Resort
Leading Hotel - Pestana Palace
Leading Resort - Praia D’El Rey Marriotte Golf & Beach Resort
Leading Spa Resort- Convento do Espinheiro
Leading Suite - Royal Suite 1001 & 2001, Vila Joya

Now Drinking - Outono de Santar & Pasmados

I’ve had my first sighting of chestnuts, guess this means fall has officially arrived and it’s time to stock up on something appropriate. I’m talking wine of course, and like a kid at Christmas my “short list” is already 40 bottles long - I can hardly wait to try them all. My wine-sniffing nose smells trouble, already.

Not to get too overwhelmed, we’re starting with whites as an easy transition from all the Vinho Verde we drank over the summer. In my first outing in pursuit of new and different for fall, I immediately stumbled on “Outono de Santar” - bingo! Had never seen this beauty before. Its leafy amber color and description gave me a sense that it’s a perfect fall wine with cheeses, dates, raisins, sweet meats, pâté, but a little suspicious it might be a tad sweet. Regardless, it sounded too good to leave behind, and my search continued for something a little sharper. With a new dish already in mind, the second bottle couldn’t be far away, then I found it — “Pasmados”.

Outono de Santar & Pasmados

The label described this lovely, having aromas of green tea and hazelnuts…never imagined those two together, an interesting pairing with the nutty dish I’m plotting. Sold!

Here’s how they fared. Read more

Sailors Bacalhau Gratin - Bacalhau a Marinheiro

There are likely countless recipes of salted cod in Portugal’s history. Long before anyone thought of the modern invention we now know as the refrigerator, discoverers dried and salted cod as a way to preserve it for long voyages. Portugal being heavily Roman Catholic also meant there were many religious holidays where only fish could be eaten, so the use of bacalhau became a staple in Portuguese cuisine and remains so to this day.

Sailors Bacalhau Gratin

I have forgotten how many cod recipes I’ve tried over the years, what I remember of course are my favorites. The one that topped my list Read more

Caramelized Rocha Pears

Fall in the Algarve is a medley of sunny days, cool evenings and chestnut roasting vendors with billowing clouds of smoke that tempt from afar. Fortunately the chestnut roasters haven’t come out yet, and my compulsion to hunt them down is still a few weeks away.

Although I really really like summer, fall is one of my favorite times of year: roasted chestnuts awaiting me at every corner and all the comfort foods ahead makes saying goodbye to summer a bit more bearable. Roasts, lots of baked everything, fire in your chest drinks like Aguardente, Muscatel and Setubles, and let’s not forget the Ports! Ahhh fall here I come…

I don’t think there’s a better way to usher in fall than with our spiced up Rocha Pears, now in season. I’ve always been challenged by pears mostly because I haven’t’ come across a lot of great pear recipes. So this year I decided to take these sexy shaped vixens and have my way with them. The result: caramelized, drunken and sided up with some Dulce de Leche ice cream and topped with roasted almonds….its soo good to be bad sometimes.

Caramelized Rocha's