Being the only member of my family born in the United States, my parents were pretty much fresh off the boat. I grew up in a small town in NJ, with a small Portuguese community, equipped with our very own Portuguese Club. Looking back at my childhood, there is nothing funnier to me than the assimilation of my parents and the rest of the Portuguese community to American culture and there’s nothing I cherish more than still holding on to that culture. Whether its through music, sports, or most of all – FOOD!
My parents raised me Portuguese first, and with that came the inability to be allowed to play in the street with my American friends. Naturally, on summer breaks, I learned to cook for myself. I started small…Salchichas or Hot Dogs as you know it, cut up into little slices. Nowadays, I live in Orlando, Florida and to be honest, there are not many Portuguese people here! So the only thing I could do to keep that taste of home was to learn how to cook like a Porkchop! I’ve moved on to things like Bifanas, Marisco, Cozido a Portuguesa, Pasteis de Nata, and many more of our most traditional recipes. Whether it’s a Carne Guisada or a Frango Piri Piri no Churrsasco, if you’re following along, you’ll watch me teach you my absolute favorite Portuguese Dishes!
I’ll warn you though, sometimes I go off the rails and create quite interesting dishes with Ingredients from Portugal too!
Let’s have some fun together, Vamos Embora!
Where to Find Me
Extra Extra
Along with all the recipes, I also use the blog to share bits and pieces of my life outside the kitchen – from photos of my favorite trips, to life as a father. Be sure to also check out my Shop, where you can find some great Portuguese related items that make perfect gifts for family and friends.
Travel: Though I was born in the U.S., I spent all of my summers as a kid in Portugal. My Portugal itinerary is a MUST for all those travelling to Lisbon and the surrounding areas and you can’t forget about Algarve, the beautiful South of Portugal. I’ll also be adding some of my other favorite European vacation spots outside of Portugal, such as Croatia, Montenegro, and more. For those travelling in the U.S.A, I’ll be including some of my favorite spots from where I currently live in Orlando, Florida to my old stomping grounds Newark, New Jersey.
My Coffee Table Book: 100 Portuguese Moments in a Not so Portuguese World, is a Coffee Table Book that I created in 2021 to share 100 of my favorite stories about growing up in a Portuguese household. My book can be purchased online at Barnes & Noble.
My T-Shirt Line: Inspired by Portuguese food and travel, I’ve designed fun T-Shirts for everyone in the house. Are you a Nunes, Rodrigues, or Lopes with an “S”, or Azores Vibes Only type of person? If yes, be sure to check out my T-Shirt store at Threadless for these and many, many more!