Maria's Portuguese Table
Season 1
Overview
Maria documents the cooking and food memories so vital to her childhood, rediscovering her family's traditional recipes and putting them into her first cookbook, Azorean Cooking: From My Table to Yours.
Episodes
1. Rhode Island
The origins of the Portuguese experience in America, a trip to Rhode Island College and speak to the Director of Institute for Portuguese and Lusophone Studies, Marie Fraley. See the first Portuguese food truck in the United States.
2. Furnas
Maria travels to the island of Sao Miguel, Azores and visits the mouth of the volcano in the village of Furnas. There, she tours the village and prepares with a local chef a cozido (boiled diner) cooked in volcanic steam.
3. Maia/Vila Franca
Maria visits Sao Miguel’s oldest and at one time only tea plantation in all of Europe: Cha Gorreanna. Since 1883, one family has operated this organic tea plantation, now in the hands of 7th generation owner Madalena Motta. We also learn to make traditional biscuits to go along with the tea.
4. The Farm/Logoa
This episode is all about Freshness… Fresh Milk, Fresh Cheese and Fresh Seafood. I head to the countryside of Nordeste, where I spend the day on a family farm and hang out with some happy cows and learn what it takes to raise them. We also learn to make fresh cheese before visiting Maria’s home town where she cooks and eats with family and friends.
5. Povaçao and Ponta Delgada
On this episode, we stay on the island of Sao Miguel with a chance to learn about the island’s origins, taste delicious desserts and explore the capital city of Ponta Delgada! We start along the rugged shores of Povacao where early settlers came ashore several centuries ago.
6. California’s Central Valley
In this episode Maria goes west to California to take part in a small festa in Fresno, she cooks with local chef Mary Camara, bakes with Jeremiah Duarte Bills, and takes in the sights, sounds and foods of a local, bloodless bullfight.
7. California’s Bay Area
In this episode, Maria goes to California’s Bay area where we visit some of the top young chefs in the area (who happen to be Portuguese!). Along the way, we tour San Jose’s “little Portugal” and explore Avaya Soccer Stadium with Taylor Amarante.
8. The Wine Country of California
Maria winds up season one by staying in California and touring the famous wine country, visits a farm to see fresh cheese produced, and cooks with famous Chef Manuel Azevedo in Sonoma.
