Madeiran Breads

The breads shown above are called Rosquilhas. They contain little chunks of sweet potato that has a taste like chestnut.

In January I visited a little artisan bakery near Santo da Serra in Madeira. The visit was arranged by the Porto Bay hotel Group and also included a visit to an artisan cheese maker (that's for another post) and a 3 course lunch at their charming little hotel Porto Bay Serra Golf. We climbed up and up on narrow roads and passed through some beautiful scenery, driven expertly by Bruno.

This is the baker who get up at crack of dawn to bake these delicious breads for us. 

Outside we could already smell the wood smoke and as we entered the house there was a welcoming smell of baking bread.

Sweet potatoes are grown in Madeira and are added to bread. The flesh is white unlike the orange colour of the ones we get in the UK.

 These artisan breads are cooked in wood fired ovens. They are available to buy from the market in Santo da Serra at the weekend.

They were all delicious. 

Marilia came with us from Porto Bay Serra Golf and told us about the breads.

                         with Portuguese chorizo

Below I have made bread with sweet potato before, and since this visit have made some more in the shape of the Rosquilhas shown above. I use about 1 part mashed sweet potato to 4 of flour.

I was given a sweet potato cutting from the garden at the Porto Mare hotel. The flesh of this type is firmer than the orange type we have in the UK
It survived the journey home and is growing on my window sill.

Update Sept 2016 I have since tried this recipe with a much higher % sweet potato ie just over 1/3 to 2/3 flour and less water and got a good rise.
See below

Chocolate Goodies

 In January the Porto Bay hotels in Funchal, Madeira had a chocolate event. Chocolate found its way into food, cocktails, treatments at the spa, demonstrations and workshops and several imaginative displays made from chocolate.
The photo below shows a display near the entrance to the Cliff Bay Hotel.

the entire table is also made of chocolate. This was my favourite.

and at the Porto Mare hotel, a chocolate boat 

Dinner at the Gallo D'Oro

Il Galllo d'Oro restaurant is the fine dining restaurant at the Cliff Bay Hotel at Funchal, Madeira. The chef is Benoit Sinthon and the restaurant is the only one on the island with a Michelin star.

Overall I thought the meal was very good. Bravo to Benoit and his team.

I was a bit surprised how close together some of the tables are and facing one another. However on this occasion the company was good (you know who you are !)

We were offered a selection of good breads accompanied by butter and tapenade. This was followed by the chef's delightful and tasty appetiser shown below. Beautiful enough to wear to a wedding, perched on the head at a jaunty angle, the lacy creation shelters a cone of foie gras mousse with a cherry in the middle and some tiny figs. At the side there was 'cherry caviar' which I guessed was made by the process of spherification. The lacy piece was described as cuttlefish crunchy. Both fish courses were cooked superbly.

Red mullet fillets with tomato caviar and tapenade

Clementine sorbet....... this had a beautiful intense mandarin flavour

Sea bream with polenta and a mini ragout of mussels and langoustines

Lemon and lime tart with suzette sauce.

Pasteis de Nata

Pasteis de Nata are like little caramelised creme brulees in a puff pastry case. I love the contrast of the crisp and flaky pastry with the smooth and creamy custard filling. I look for the one with the most caramelised top. They are said to have originate from a monastery near Lisbon to make use of spare egg yolks. The whites were used for starching the nuns' habits and in wineries for the clarifying of wines such as Port.

Penha d'Aguia near the cathedral in Funchal serves excellent ones and good coffee too, both at a reasonable price. You can get Bolo de mel there too and queijadas which are baked using a soft white cheese.

Madeiran Sweet Treats

The first time I tasted this it was served in a jug with some little choux buns. I thought it was chocolate sauce so poured it on . The taste was not what I was expecting and had I known what it was would have chosen a different dessert. However I have acquired a taste for it and brought some back with me. Remembering a fellow traveller's tale of an exploding pot of spices that spread through his suitcase whilst in the hold and even ended up in his socks, I packed it very carefully in my suitcase. Just as well because although it was tightly sealed and unopened a bit had seeped out.

This is Mel de Cana Sacarina which translates as 'sugarcane honey' or molasses. The photo below is of sugarcane from Funchal market. This local ingredient is used in biscuits and Bolo de Mel, a tradtional cake. It is lovely served on pancakes with lemon juice and a slice of orange.

Sugarcane

It is also used in poncha (punch). This is a drink made from white rum (aguardente) mixed with mel de cana and lemon juice. Sometimes orange juice is added or even passion fruit juice.

Passion fruits are grown in Madeira and in a supermarket you can get a bagful for about 2 euros! They are however much more expensive in Funchal market.

Whenever I have had this drink it has been made using bee's honey rather than mel de cana.

The best one I had was from a little cafe in the market. It is run by the same people as Botanica 17 who sell plants and flowers on a stall inside on the top floor on the right. The cafe is on the top floor, keep to the left and go to the far end and it's outside. The juice is freshly squeezed for the poncha while you wait. There is also coffee and home made cake.