Madeira’s Culinary Landscape
Food and drinks to try when in Madeira
Madeira is an island in the Atlantic Ocean that belongs to Portugal. You can find certain foods from the mainland such as the Pastel de Nata that Charlie tried in Belem, chourico or pinchos. However, the Madeiran cuisine is a lot more varied and there are a few things you should try when you’re on the island.
Fruits and juices
The sun and humidity in the various microclimates in Madeira allow for many fruits to grow. The first to notice are the banana leaves. The bananas are quite small and sweet and are not suitable for export to the EU. Charlie thinks that’s a shame because they’re delicious. Other fruits that you can enjoy in large numbers in Madeira are passion fruits, mango and papaya, depending on the season. There are also avocados, sweet potatoes, figs, pomegranates and strawberries. Cabbage, tomatoes and aloe vera are also present in Madeiran gardens.
With that choice of fruits, you will find plenty of fresh juices in any coffee shop or restaurant on the island. Two other fruits grow in Madeira that lead to other types of drinks: wine and rum. Especially in the northwest, you can see terraced vineyards and there is sugar cane almost anywhere on the island.
Madeira Wine
Where there’s vineyards, there’s wine. Those that you can get in Madeira are mostly Portuguese wines, there is one however, that is typical for the island. They simply call it “Madeira Wine”. It is similar to a port wine, sweet and heavy, and is stored in Whiskey barrels over a long time. It therefore tastes a bit like Whiskey. This was not the case in the early days. When exports to the US started, it became noticeable that the wine tasted much better after a few weeks at sea. From then on, the wine was stored a little longer in the barrels before it was consumed.
The oldest producer is Blandy’s and you can do a tour and tasting in their rooms in Funchal. It is now in the 9th generation and their success is due to the knowledge about the island in the early days. The Blandy family originally bought land in different parts of the island to make the best use of the several microclimates.
Another wine producer where you could do a guided tour is Henriques & Henriques in Camara de Lobos.
The best way to use sugar cane
The sugar cane that grows in Madeira is used for several products, but the best known is also a liquid. The oldest rum distillery is Enghenos do Norte in Porto da Cruz, another one is VA Spirits in the Southwest. It’s a tale as old as time and the iconic Madeiran Poncha dates back a few centuries when the fisherman at sea drank the rum to keep warm. They added lemon juice for their vitamin C intake and added sugar for a better taste. The Poncha was born. The most traditional one is called “Pescador” (fisherman) to this day. It is quite sour though which is why most people prefer the Poncha with orange or passion fruit juice. In places made for tourists, you can get a Poncha with all kinds of fruits. You know you’re in an authentic Poncha bar when they get you a Pescador and refuse to add ice cubes.
It might taste and sound like a longdrink, but it really is a shot, and you will notice the impact. They say that one Poncha makes you happy, the second makes you horny and if you have a third or more, you better know how to get home safely.
Baked goods
If you like the Portuguese Pastel de Nata, you will find plenty of those in Madeira too. However, there are other sweet cakes that you won’t find elsewhere than on this island.
There is a traditional honey cake which is made with sugar cane honey. It’s not real honey, but more of a sugar syrup. The original recipe for the honey cake also contains pork fat. If you’re a vegetarian, you should ask about the ingredients before trying it.
The Queijada is a small, round cheesecake. It is very similar to a baked cheesecake, not like the New York style one. It is served with a passion fruit sauce – no wonder it’s Charlie’s favourite!
If you hear somebody order a garlic bread in Madeira, you know for sure that it is a tourist. Madeirans don’t eat garlic bread; they eat Bolo do Caco. It is a round bread made of sweet potato flour that is served with garlic butter. You can get it as a starter in any restaurant or even in the streets of Funchal for takeaway.
Fish and Meat in Madeira
It’s not a surprise that fish is a big part of the cuisine on any island. Madeira is no exception. You will find a fish though that you won’t easily find in other places (apart from Japan): the black scabbard. Charlie saw them at the fish market in Funchal and they are deep black, but the fish filet is white. Restaurants in Madeira serve it with banana and passion fruit. This might sound strange at first, but it is delicious. You should definitely try it at least once. But, careful, it is addictive! Charlie had it for the first time in Porto Santo and she found herself eating scabbard in every other restaurant throughout the rest of her stay. If you plan to stay longer, you should know that the scabbard is a deep-sea fish and contains high levels of mercury. You shouldn’t eat it too often!
If you drive through the mountains in the west of Madeira you will see plenty of free range cows. They might even peak through your window when you’re parking at a viewpoint. They’re not dairy cows, but meat cows. The meat ends up in one of the many Espetadas on the island. This is a grill-restaurant where the meat is served on skewers hanging over the table to share for everybody around the table. Charlie and some of her housemates from the coliving went to an espetada in Camara de Lobos called “Viola”. It was a local recommendation and one of the best food experiences she had during her month in Madeira.
The sides that you get with your meal are representative of the crops on the island. You can try different types of potatoes and sweet potatoes in all shapes and sizes. There is also a side that they call “fried corn” which is a fried maize polenta that is served in cubes. Yummy!
Are you hungry yet?
