Bulls in the Streets!

Here in the Azores, they have bullfights, but they're not like the Spanish ones that many associate with bullfighting. Here, they let bulls loose in the streets, but have them tied onto a rope, and men tease them with umbrellas. (Sounds interesting, doesn't it?) They don't kill the bulls, either. This is called "Tourada a Corda" or "Bulls on a Rope". They have bullfights every day from May to mid-October. All of the villages get many chances to host the bullfight. There has been a few times that we've been trying to drive to a certain place or restaurant, but had to turn around because of the crowds watching a street bullfight.

A little over a week ago, we were on our way somewhere when we noticed a huge crowd in the streets, boarded up doors/gates, and concession stands. A street bullfight was about to take place! We had never seen one before, so we parked, walked to a safe spot, and watched for a little bit. We were behind a high gated wall so we didn't have the best view, and it was hard to take good pics. To "announce" the bull being released from its pen, they fire off a cannon, which really scared the kids, so I actually only watched a few minutes before retreating to the car with them.

They use 3 or 4 bulls during the course of one bullfight; letting the others rest while one is out and about. (In the first photo, the pens are behind the bull). I did feel sorry for the bull, as he looked scared and exhausted. It wasn't something I would have enjoyed watching for very long. They sure love it here though, as every bullfight is very crowded.

Jumping out of the way of the bull... the bull has a helpful red arrow pointing toward it. ;)

Men selling refreshments during the "intermission" between bulls.

Dulce de Leche, or Doce de Leite, Pie

This pie was created last night when I wanted to make something to bring over to someone's house. Yes, I do try out new recipes on unsuspecting audiences! A cooking friend of mine told me she does the same thing, and tells people "Well, if it's bad, I don't want to get stuck with all of it!" Lol- I like that!

At the local grocery stores, I spotted "Cozido" sweetened condensed milk, or "cooked" sweetened condensed milk. Then, in little print, it was labeled "Doce de Leite". Yay! I've been looking for Dulce de Leche, or Doce de Leite, ever since arriving here. Maybe it's seasonal here, as I just found it last week. Either way, I'm happy, and bought about 6 cans of it. ;) When we first brought it home, I cracked open a can and ate some with a spoon. Don't get me wrong; I did try to restrain myself at first, but gradually gave in to the evil side.

I wanted to somehow incorporate Doce de Leite into a pie, and I thought the easiest way to do that would be to make a firm pudding and use that as the pie filling. I have limited ingredients on hand, and a communal kitchen (sounds so gross, doesn't it?) with hardly any equipment. So, I made a pudding using flour, milk, and eggs, and then added a can of The Good Stuff after I took it off the heat. I used only 2 tablespoons of sugar, because the doce de leite is super sweet. Depending on how sweet you want it, you could add another tablespoon of sugar. I used 1% milk too; 2% or even the forbidden whole would make this pudding a little firmer-set.

I know you're loving my Halloween paper plates, by the way.

Doce de Leite Pie

2-3 tablespoons brown sugar

1/4 cup flour

1 1/3 cup milk

2 large egg yolks, beaten

3 tablespoons salted butter

1 397 g (about 14 oz) can Dulce de Leche, or Doce de Leite

1 prepared cookie crumb pie crust

2-3 tablespoons Dulce de Leche, or Doce de Leite

In a medium saucepan with a heavy bottom, whisk together brown sugar and flour. Turn the heat on to medium. Whisk in the milk slowly. Bring to a boil and boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and quickly whisk in the egg yolks until smooth. Add the butter and the can of Doce de Leite. Whisk until smooth. Pour into prepared pie crust. Cool 3 hours or until set. Just before serving, drizzle additional Doce de Leite over pie. A ziplock bag with the corner snipped out works well for this.

Your saucepan may not be the only one with a heavy bottom after this! Sorry, couldn't resist!!

Castle Ruins

Yesterday we went for a drive again. This time, we drove to an old castle we had heard about. We only really saw the outside, since the inside seemed to be a hotel. I know there's probably more of this castle to see, but we'll save that for another time. The small part we were able to see was still really cool. The kids had fun running around the ruins. This castle was built right on the edge of a cliff going down to the sea. A great spot for defense!

Part of the castle support going right down into the ocean.

After that, we drove around the city for a bit. And what would a drive in this city be without getting lost down the tiny, one-way streets?? It just wouldn't feel right! Of course, my husband insists that he was never lost, not even for a second. Ohhhkay!! I don't' think I could ever get tired of seeing/sharing these shots though... tiny, old cobble-stone paved, one-way streets.

Check out just how narrow those streets are!

We stopped at a grocery store and bought some "Massa Sovada" (Portuguese Sweetbread) rolls, and some sliced local cheese and ham and made sandwiches. We drove to a little park with an ocean view and had our lunch. I didn't take any pics of the actual food, but I am smitten with Massa Sovada and will surely have a few posts about that in the future!

Below is the view we had as we ate our lunch. Yesterday was a beautiful day; bright and sunny! Almost too bright, as we were sitting in this little park wishing for some shade. But I understand it rains very often in the fall and winter here, so I am appreciating any sun we do get!

Scenes From a Cafe

Ok, "Scenes from a Cafe" seems like it would depict some artsy cafe from Paris or something, and all of the artsy people inside. This post is just about some of the everyday things you'll see in cafes in Europe, but I find them photo-worthy. :D Actually, I only took pics of 3 things- I'll have to do another post later with more stuff. I'm still not used to people looking at me all wierd as I'm taking 50 close-up pics of the oil-and-vinegar set or the napkin holder. Orange Fanta. It comes in a glass bottle too, and I'll have to get a pic of that later. I know they have it in the States now, but it's not the same drink as they have here. For one thing, US Fanta contains no orange juice at all. I'm not a fan of that. Here, it's 7% OJ. I do not drink much soda at all, but once in a while I've been ordering Fanta when we eat out here, and I love it. When I lived in Spain, I loved it as well. According to Wiki, Spanish Fanta has 8% juice. Read more about good ol' Fanta here.

Little plastic napkin-holders with tiny, un-absorbable napkins inside. Even though the napkins are of no use, I love these napkin-holders. They are such a huge part of the Cafe Table Experience. The napkins in this particular holder say "Bom Apetite". They all have them, and they're different in almost every cafe. Where would we be without them?? I've even known some people to collect these guys. ;)

Here in Portugal, they always seem to bring you these Oil and Vinegar sets with your meal. I think they are quite attractive. I have a bottle of that same brand of olive oil right now, and I really like it. They love their roosters here. Here's a little story about that. "Galo" is "Rooster" in Portuguese.
Bom Apetite!

Key Lime Pie

A few weeks ago, I whipped up a Key Lime Pie from a recipe I found on Allrecipes.com. It was so simple, yet so wonderful at the same time, that I can't wait to make it again. It was creamy, sweet, tart, and it cut so beautifully. The recipe calls for "3 cups" of sweetened condensed milk, and not really thinking, I used 2 cans. I believe one can is 14 oz, so I ended up using 4 extra oz. of the milk, but since I like sweetened condensed milk so much, it wasn't a bad thing. :)

Another option you have is to reserve the extra 4 ounces, and eat it up with a spoon. Either way works.

(Note 2/3/2010: I've made this many times in the past year, and have always just used two full cans of sweetened condensed milk, so I will change the recipe to 2 cans).

I used one can of fat-free milk; one can of regular with this recipe. My other changes include using a butter shortbread crust instead of the graham, bottled (gasp!) lime juice, and leaving out the lime zest. I'm sure with the fresh juice and zest, it would have been even better, but I'm living in a temporary apartment right now and am "kitchen impaired".

Key Lime Pie VII from Allrecipes.com

1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust
2 (14 oz) cans sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt (light sour cream works)
3/4 cup key lime juice
1 tablespoon grated lime zest

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, combine condensed milk, sour cream, lime juice, and lime rind. Mix well and pour into graham cracker crust.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 5 to 8 minutes, until tiny pinhole bubbles burst on the surface of pie. DO NOT BROWN! Chill pie thoroughly before serving. Garnish with lime slices and whipped cream if desired.

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Scenic Photo Drive

Yesterday, we took a scenic drive around "our" island. It was wonderful. We stopped at almost every "miradouro" we saw to take pics. I've taken many pics here before, but none of them compare to the great shots we got yesterday. It was a perfect day; started out bright and sunny, and then a misty rain moved in as we were exploring a campground. We traveled through countryside, seaside, villages and a city. We are truly surrounded by beauty, and I feel so lucky to be here. Enjoy the photo tour!

Fish and Seafood!

Last night we tried out a restaurant that has been recommended to us by a few people. It was a fish and seafood place, and we were not disappointed. We arrived before it even opened; at 6:30 pm. They let us in, even though it opened at 7. Then, we were unsure what to order, so the owner took us back to this large glass case just full of fresh fish and seafood. It was brimming with swordfish, shrimp, baby squid, and tons of other fish. Also available were eels, octupus, and barnacles. I asked the owner what he recommended, and he suggested the swordfish. It came smothered in delicious sauteed onions. My husband chose a kabob of swordfish chunks, large shrimp, and fresh bell peppers. We both had boiled potatoes with our meal. I love the potatoes here. They are a waxy, firm type, and delicious with both fish and steak (another specialty here). My daughter chose a whitefish filet, and also had potatoes with her meal. The Portuguese always have a tasty, inexpensive veggie soup on the menu, and that is what my middle son usually gets. He pairs it with bread and it's one of his favorite meals.

Every meal starts with bread, butter, and a soft white cheese spread. The cheese is fun, but I prefer the butter. It's made right here on this island, and they are very proud of their butter. It is delicious!

We sat at a table right by large windows overlooking the ocean. It was beautiful. The kids spent a lot of time looking outside. We could see a nearby peninsula, some fishing boats, a tiny beach and all kinds of water fowl. (Gotta love the water fowl!)