Macronutrients: Carbohydrates, Proteins, and Fats, are the cornerstone of nutrition, providing the energy and fundamental building blocks our bodies need to function and thrive.
This is great, Michael: “Cholesterol is actually a vital substance.” I wish we remembered this every time we eat. Why IS it so hard to reprogram the thinking?
Good reminders here! One thing we’ve had a tough time with in Portugal is the meat and fish, and I’d be curious to hear if you’ve discovered any tips to make that easier. We find the beef to be extremely lean and frequently tough, and it’s difficult to find mild-tasting fish that’s sustainable. You’re likely to have slightly different access than we do on the mainland, but I’d be delighted to hear if you have any suggestions.
Thank you so much for the FIRST comment, really thrilled about that.
I can totally relate to your meat and fish issues, which reminds me the time we stayed in Aflame, Lisbon for the first 3 month of our nomadic lifestyle. It was exactly when Covid started, so might have been special times in terms of shopping choices, however I remember that the butcher near our accommodation had barely any fat on any meats, which was for us something new and unexpected. With the fish it was all cod fish in Lisbon, which is for me personally the most boring fish of all - no offence to the Portuguese cuisine, there are certainly interesting and delicious nation dishes.
Here in Madeira, we have a very active BBQ culture (Espetada da Madeira) (https://www.ourmadeira.com/media/27952078/Our-Madeira-Espetada_500x333.jpg) and while the used meat is generally very lean, it’s prepared with lots of salt, which makes the meat quite tender. We also found a really good butcher, whom we can just tell what we want, and he prepares that for us, which solves the issue with having enough fat for us.
With regards to fish we mostly eat locally caught Dourada or Espada (which seems to be exclusively fished around Madeira and the Azores). Dourada caught here is quite small, which is perfect, as smaller fishes are healthier anyways and Espada (which is a quite scary looking fish - https://images.fineartamerica.com/images/artworkimages/mediumlarge/3/espada-preta-the-black-scabbard-fish-dave-williams.jpg) has no bones and is very soft and tasty. We also love Peixe-porco, which is very distinct in terms of taste and bones, making it easy to eat.
Not sure what’s the access to these fishes where you live on the mainland, but in terms of meat I suggest to find a local butcher who is happy to get you cuts to your liking.
I'll also write about preparing and cooking meat and fish here in a bit, which will hopefully be helpful.
Thanks for the info, Michael; this is helpful. Building a relationship with a local butcher is probably our best move (we had one in Braga but then we moved). We'll have to try the dourada and espada; we've enjoyed rubalo in the past but it tends to be filled with small bones that we have trouble removing sometimes (and I've read that it's not a particularly sustainable fish). I'll also keep an eye open for peixe-porco; I've never even heard of that.
This is great, Michael: “Cholesterol is actually a vital substance.” I wish we remembered this every time we eat. Why IS it so hard to reprogram the thinking?
Good reminders here! One thing we’ve had a tough time with in Portugal is the meat and fish, and I’d be curious to hear if you’ve discovered any tips to make that easier. We find the beef to be extremely lean and frequently tough, and it’s difficult to find mild-tasting fish that’s sustainable. You’re likely to have slightly different access than we do on the mainland, but I’d be delighted to hear if you have any suggestions.
Thank you so much for the FIRST comment, really thrilled about that.
I can totally relate to your meat and fish issues, which reminds me the time we stayed in Aflame, Lisbon for the first 3 month of our nomadic lifestyle. It was exactly when Covid started, so might have been special times in terms of shopping choices, however I remember that the butcher near our accommodation had barely any fat on any meats, which was for us something new and unexpected. With the fish it was all cod fish in Lisbon, which is for me personally the most boring fish of all - no offence to the Portuguese cuisine, there are certainly interesting and delicious nation dishes.
Here in Madeira, we have a very active BBQ culture (Espetada da Madeira) (https://www.ourmadeira.com/media/27952078/Our-Madeira-Espetada_500x333.jpg) and while the used meat is generally very lean, it’s prepared with lots of salt, which makes the meat quite tender. We also found a really good butcher, whom we can just tell what we want, and he prepares that for us, which solves the issue with having enough fat for us.
With regards to fish we mostly eat locally caught Dourada or Espada (which seems to be exclusively fished around Madeira and the Azores). Dourada caught here is quite small, which is perfect, as smaller fishes are healthier anyways and Espada (which is a quite scary looking fish - https://images.fineartamerica.com/images/artworkimages/mediumlarge/3/espada-preta-the-black-scabbard-fish-dave-williams.jpg) has no bones and is very soft and tasty. We also love Peixe-porco, which is very distinct in terms of taste and bones, making it easy to eat.
Not sure what’s the access to these fishes where you live on the mainland, but in terms of meat I suggest to find a local butcher who is happy to get you cuts to your liking.
I'll also write about preparing and cooking meat and fish here in a bit, which will hopefully be helpful.
Thanks for the info, Michael; this is helpful. Building a relationship with a local butcher is probably our best move (we had one in Braga but then we moved). We'll have to try the dourada and espada; we've enjoyed rubalo in the past but it tends to be filled with small bones that we have trouble removing sometimes (and I've read that it's not a particularly sustainable fish). I'll also keep an eye open for peixe-porco; I've never even heard of that.