British food suppliers

blue · Post by **blue** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 9:01 am

At home I enjoy fusion cooking, I take the bits I like from all around the world & create my own dishes, just as my mother always has. I just think it would be a very boring world without cross-cultural cuisine for example oranges & rice two things the Portuguese are so fond of - originate in Asia.

LoobyLou · Post by **LoobyLou** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 9:41 am

I do agree that the english foods are over priced and not really necessary when living here but I have to confess to buying marmite and pg tips occasionally. Somethings I just can't live without! I also really miss parsnips and bramley apples. Has anyone found a good substitue apple for cooking because the ones I have tried are just not the same?

blue · Post by **blue** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 9:56 am

I love the Portuguese cooking apples I get mine from the daily market in Algoz but don't know what they're called I just told the stall holder they were for cooking. One of our local restaurants serves the best homemade apple pie 'A Curva' in the centre of Algoz. Oh & apples - Asia

Bruce Wallis · Post by **Bruce Wallis** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 11:10 am

I agree totally with Maddi and Blue, both about Portuguese food and the fact that many of us have developed a well balanced diet based on what is now fashionably called "Fusion food".

I think my point is that I have a problem with a philosophy that seems to suggest that we need a specialist supply of British food to feed a pining for blighty style ex-pat community.
We have a welter of fresh fish, meat and veg in the Algarve that puts the UK to shame. It's healthier, and in the main cheaper!

We all eat many different styles of food in Carvoeiro, and a food emporium that serviced that entire "fusion philosophy" would have its place. In the same way, Ma-Jas has its place amongst the Indian, Chinese, Thai and Italian restaurants, as a restaurant serving food of a specific culture.

Ellie · Post by **Ellie** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 11:33 am

Ill eat anything thats nicely cooked (except tripe or kidneys yuck)

and I do my own version of 'fusion' food, ask my mate Tricky!

Im just off to Boston market and where we park is near the Ostrich meat stall..anyone like that? Supposed to be good cos its low in cholesterol(or something)...
I had it once and didn't like it...have a good day

p.s. Oh and me no like squid...chewy bits

cheiftainmk2 · Post by **cheiftainmk2** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 3:31 pm

Ellie wrote:Ill eat anything thats nicely cooked (except tripe or kidneys yuck)

and I do my own version of 'fusion' food, ask my mate Tricky!

Im just off to Boston market and where we park is near the Ostrich meat stall..anyone like that? Supposed to be good cos its low in cholesterol(or something)...
I had it once and didn't like it...have a good day

p.s. Oh and me no like squid...chewy bits

Fresh squid cooked correctly is never chewy.
It is lovely.

Ellie · Post by **Ellie** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 5:30 pm

[quote="cheiftainmk2"

Fresh squid cooked correctly is never chewy.
It is lovely.[/quote]

Cheiftain, it was through an unfortunate experience that I went off squid....I had a takeaway (in Lagoa) of a fish kebab and all was okay until I chewed on something 'rubbery'...when I looked it was 'suckers' on a piece of squid!

cheiftainmk2 · Post by **cheiftainmk2** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 6:17 pm

Ellie wrote:[quote="cheiftainmk2"

Fresh squid cooked correctly is never chewy.
It is lovely.

Cheiftain, it was through an unfortunate experience that I went off squid....I had a takeaway (in Lagoa) of a fish kebab and all was okay until I chewed on something 'rubbery'...when I looked it was 'suckers' on a piece of squid!

[/quote]

You can eat the tentacles they are nice too, even octopus is nice if cooked correctly.

Ellie · Post by **Ellie** » Wed Mar 05, 2008 10:43 pm

cheiftainmk2 wrote:
Ellie wrote:[quote="cheiftainmk2"

Fresh squid cooked correctly is never chewy.
It is lovely.
Cheiftain, it was through an unfortunate experience that I went off squid....I had a takeaway (in Lagoa) of a fish kebab and all was okay until I chewed on something 'rubbery'...when I looked it was 'suckers' on a piece of squid!

You can eat the tentacles they are nice too, even octopus is nice if cooked correctly.[/quote]

I imagine that was part of a tentacle that I was eating..with suckers on?
You sound like a 'cook' Cheif and know what you're talking about?

When I was a child my Mum would buy eels and cook them (I think they were live eels from fishmonger..which he beheaded

)..
but the thought of eating them now, turns my tummy.
Yet I love fish and when Im in Carvoeiro its what I eat the most and can quite happily live on it

I seem to have gone off red meat (last steak I had was in Colombos..a peppered one)

cheiftainmk2 · Post by **cheiftainmk2** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 10:39 am

Ellie wrote:
cheiftainmk2 wrote:
Ellie wrote:[quote="cheiftainmk2"

Fresh squid cooked correctly is never chewy.
It is lovely.
Cheiftain, it was through an unfortunate experience that I went off squid....I had a takeaway (in Lagoa) of a fish kebab and all was okay until I chewed on something 'rubbery'...when I looked it was 'suckers' on a piece of squid!
You can eat the tentacles they are nice too, even octopus is nice if cooked correctly.

I imagine that was part of a tentacle that I was eating..with suckers on?
You sound like a 'cook' Cheif and know what you're talking about?

When I was a child my Mum would buy eels and cook them (I think they were live eels from fishmonger..which he beheaded

)..
but the thought of eating them now, turns my tummy.
Yet I love fish and when Im in Carvoeiro its what I eat the most and can quite happily live on it

I seem to have gone off red meat (last steak I had was in Colombos..a peppered one)[/quote]

Eels can be very tasty, skinned, cut into pieces, pan fried in some garlic and parsley, smoked eel is very nice too. The British tend to be a bit finicky with fish, the Europeans have a different outlook on fish and seafood.

Ellie · Post by **Ellie** » Sat Mar 08, 2008 12:29 am

Cheiftain,I must say that you make those eels sound very tasty!

..and with my love of garlic I could be tempted

Think I have to go along with those on here with the 'when in Rome' slant.
When we lived /worked in Algarve I got very 'attached' to the Portuguese diet..and it was a marvellous way to lose weight. With the warmer climate the lighter foods such as grilled fish & salads seemed to suit our lifestyle (though I did cook curry once a week...and always used up the stale bread making 'bread pudding'

)
Thats one of the reasons I hope we will gradually find our way back there again..for me to achieve and keep a more 'lithe' / slimmer figure!

Don't think I ever missed uk food that much (maybe a yearning for a piece of mature Cheddar for cheese on toast now & then, plus Worcestershire sauce))....
and even on holidays, I never think of eating a roast dinner.

VON VON · Post by **VON VON** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 6:38 pm

I thought there was already an English Butcher in CVO and another in the surrounding area. Don't know what you are all going on about really Portugese food especially the fresh vegetables you can buy and the meat are all very tasty and I've never had a oily greasy cataplana but then we don't eat much in CVO but at the restaurants in the surrounding countryside.
I agree when in rome etc

blue · Post by **blue** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 7:26 pm

Fortunately I've never had an oily or greasy cataplana, I've had some really mediocre cataplana's though some have even contained crabstick! As we live in the country we usually eat in the rural restaurants well off the beaten tourist track so I'm not talking just about tourist fare, I think the local meat & produce is wonderful but it isn't always reflected in the quality of food that turns up on some restaurant tables. But as I said before it's all a question of personal taste, something I might think completely mediocre someone else might rave about, each to their own.

So I presume this 'when in Rome' thing extends to drinks, on that basis we should only drink Portuguese wine, spirits, beer, liqueur's. No more scotch or Guiness & Irish coffee's would be a definite no no.

VON VON · Post by **VON VON** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 7:33 pm

blue wrote:Fortunately I've never had an oily or greasy cataplana, I've had some really mediocre cataplana's though some have even contained crabstick! As we live in the country we usually eat in the rural restaurants well off the beaten tourist track so I'm not talking just about tourist fare, I think the local meat & produce is wonderful but it isn't always reflected in the quality of food that turns up on some restaurant tables. But as I said before it's all a question of personal taste, something I might think completely mediocre someone else might rave about, each to their own.

So I presume this 'when in Rome' thing extends to drinks, on that basis we should only drink Portuguese wine, spirits, beer, liqueur's. No more scotch or Guiness & Irish coffee's would be a definite no no.

A definate YES to the portugese drinks especially the Medronia [hope I've spelt it right] portugal brands are just as good as the imported ones and are cheaper.
CHEERS while I sip my portugese glass of wine bought back only a week ago.

blue · Post by **blue** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 7:50 pm

I love Portuguese wine, but not the vinhos verdes, as the very full bottle bank down the road will testify & the medronho. Actually I think I hear the Planalto calling as I type.