A Taste of the Azores: Food Cooked by the Earth
Giorgia chronicles an ancient dish and cooking method she discovered off the coast of Portugal.
BY GIORGIA DORONZO
On my latest trip to São Miguel in the Azores, I got to experience something really special in Furnas, one of the most famous areas of the island.
Furnas is known for its volcanic activity, which warms the ground creating natural geothermal cooking pits, locally knowns as calderais. These special natural “ovens” bring to life one of the most traditional dishes of the Portuguese culture: the Cozido das Furnas, a hearty stew of meat and vegetables that is actually cooked underground, only using the natural heat from the volcano.
The Cozido we tried had a mix of different meats, including beef, pork and chicken, together with chorizo and a selection of vegetables like potatoes, cabbage, carrots and sweet potatoes. Everything is cooked slowly together for hours, which gives the dish a really comforting, rich flavour. The meat was very tender and the vegetables were soft and full of flavour. We had to book this one day in advance to make sure we could try this delicious plate!
We also tried what turned out to be blood sausage (I have to admit, I wasn’t quite sure what it was at first! I had a feeling it might be blood sausage, but I decided to give it a go anyway). I thought, if I’m going to experience the traditional food properly, I have to try everything at least once!
It was such a unique experience to see the pots being taken out of the ground, after slowly cooking for hours. There’s something quite amazing about eating a meal that has literally been cooked by the earth and has such an ancient history and tradition.
The food was delicious and comforting, but what I loved most was the whole experience around it. You really feel how connected the people and traditions are to the volcanic nature of the island.
And then came my favourite part, the natural pools and just after the hot springs.
After lunch, we spent some time relaxing in the natural pools, surrounded by the rugged, wild landscape of the oceanfront. The water grew warmer as we moved on to the hot springs, where the scenery changed too. With steam rising all around us, it felt like the perfect way to slow down, unwind, and simply enjoy the moment.
I loved that in Furnas, the same volcanic activity that creates such a unique landscape, also becomes part of everyday life, from cooking traditional food to creating these amazing thermal pools.
It was one of those days where you eat well, try something completely new, relax, enjoy nature and don’t really want the day to end. Definitely one of my favourite experiences in São Miguel and would suggest anyone to try, at least once in their lives.
