Fast Food?

Olhao Fast Food Restaurant

 OMG ! We just realized that somehow we have journeyed to the end of the world . . . . . Regis and I just came back from a walk down along the Malecon, and chatting as we wondered through back streets and tiny cobble-stoned alleyways, we suddenly realized that there is no KFC in town. Wait a minute, there is no golden arches, no Starbucks. OMG we must have teleported back in time . . . . Seriously, there are NONE of the brand name restaurants. China had KFC, Japan had KFC, Brazil had KFC, Spain had KFC. There are none anywhere around us here.

Crepes with everything (Seriously!)

We actually have not exited the civilized world, Olhao actually has it's own 'fast food', and it is available in many popular establishments around town. The call it “Plata do Dia”. It is what ever seafood was plentiful at the daily market. Every local Snack Bar finds some delicious way to cook it up quickly. Want something quick and tasty – “Prato do dia” is it. . . . . . Portuguese fast food.

Now we have not suffered with this absence of KFC and Starbucks. One of the goals of the trip was to cook the local food and drink the local wine, and this we have been working hard at doing.

Fava & Chorizo

Day one was a simple pasta dish made with home-made tomato sauce and local Chorizo. Pete and Linda were happy with left overs when they arrived after their “Lost in Portugal” adventure. They even helped us finish off the bottle of “Welcome to Portugal” wine left by Colin & Suzanne.

The next day we explored the markets and had Pete figure our how to make the Sardines that this area is so famous for. He did a fine job, grilling them in local Olive Oil and the Popular local Port.

Linda made a delicious pork chop dish with a baby apple demi-glace reduction, Regis found a delicious recipe for a Portuguese Chick Pea stew, and I cooked up a local chicken with sea salt & Oregano with stuffing of chorizo, onions, mixed nuts and a corn bread from the corner bakery

We have even started serving appetizers; Sauteed fava beans with Portuguese chorizo and garlic one day and fresh crayfish boil with curried piri-piri mayo another.

Regis' Chickpea Stew

Yup, life is tough, and we have only been here a week. Pete is already planning to see how the local Salmon compares to his famous BC Salmon, I'm thinking about how to convert my Jambalaya recipe to use local seafood (I managed to get my seasoning mix through customs), and Linda is talking about a chicken with prune dish.

Is it happy hour again Pete? OK go ahead fill up my wine glass.