São Miguel, the island that appeals to everyone with its flavors, resembles all the other islands in the Azores when it comes to gastronomy, characterized by its authenticity and richness of its flavors, much appreciated by its people and by all those who visit the archipelago.
On this island, the most popular dishes are those in which Azorean meat and fresh fish cannot be missing, then we highlight the Bife à Regional, which is proof of the good quality of beef from the Azores.
The famous Cozido das Furnas which is the hallmark of the cuisine of São Miguel, due to its unusual confection. This stew contains the same ingredients as a normal meat stew: beef, pork, chicken, chorizo, black pudding, cabbage, carrots, yams, sweet potatoes, and normal potatoes. All these ingredients are cooked together in a pan that is buried in the geothermal soil for about 5 hours, which is only found in the parish of Furnas and Ribeira Grande, with Furnas stew being the most famous, thanks to its unique flavor due to the heat of the earth.
The famous soups of the Holy Spirit that are present on the tables of all the islands of the Azores, as well as the Fish Soup, also stand out.
As for the fish and seafood dishes, we can not fail to mention the grilled limpets that are an indispensable element in the well-known taverns of the parties that are held all over the island, especially in summer.
The black pudding with pineapple, the pineapple produced in São Miguel, and the lupins seasoned with “Pimenta da Terra” (the pepper of the earth), which gives a unique taste to the various foods of this island, are snacks that enrich the island’s gastronomy and are best served with a good regional beer.
As far as sweets are concerned, São Miguel is known for its Queijadas from Vila Franca do Campo; the Fofas from Povoação, a convent sweets filled with a delicious cream; the Bolos Lêvedos (fattening cakes) from Furnas, which can replace a loaf of bread to make a sandwich; the Malassadas that are very appetizing at Carnival and also in the summer parties; the Rice pudding; the Bolos de Massa and Folares (Pastry and Folk Cakes) that, baked in a wood oven, are the fundamental element that cannot be missing in the Divine Holy Ghost festivities, accompanied with a glass of orangeade or wine.
Finally, we cannot forget about tea, which can be cultivated and exported abroad through the factories in Gorreana and Porto Formoso, on the northern coast of the island.
Last modified: 19 de August, 2021
