Eat something new every day - snacks

Eat something new every day – part two

Hello all fans of Madeira and nice food! As I said, I am writing a new article which is about food that you can taste in Madeira. In the first part, we read about some sweet cakes and desserts. I hope that at least those of you who are in Funchal or any other part of Madeira at the moment have already gone somewhere where you bought a piece of some of the recommended and so typical desserts.

Picture: Typical "January" sweet cake/bread from Madeira.

Today, I am going to bring some this for those who prefer something salty or something that will help you when you are really hungry. Some of these tips are just snack ideas but some of them might be a good choice for a lunch or a dinner.

Do not worry, I will try to describe you all of the food in such a way that even if you are in front of your screen, you will imagine how delicious Madeiran food is.

The first two snacks are all right even for vegetarians. If you are one of them, try at least these two typical snacks. And if you are that kind of person who likes eating everything, you might continue reading till the end of this article and decide whether you will go and taste all of the snacks mentioned in this article.

Bolo do caco

It seems just like a slice of bread which you can get more or less anywhere, but that is not true! This rounded sliced loaf of bread is covered by garlic butter and its taste is incredible! It is so good that if you buy it once, you will probably buy it again. When it is being prepared, it is being put on a hot surface to grill it a bit and melt butter on top of it. In fact, they cut the loaf of bread horizontally so butter is in the middle. However, as I noticed, many people from Madeira eat it in the way that first they eat the top part and then the lower slice, so it is like if you had two bolos do caco (the half and half). Like this, you can even feel the taste of garlic butter on your tongue better because you do not eat two slices of bread with one layer of butter in the middle. Do you understand what I am describing? Well, and also it is cut in the vertical direction, so you get many pieces (like when you get a pizza). Bolo do caco is a great food when you want to shareit with your friends, family, travel buddy or whoever. Anyway, you might like it that much that you will eat it all up yourself.

Picture: If you want to share or not, bolo do caco is always a good option.

Bolo do caco is such a typical “snack” to eat that you can get it in any restaurant you go as a starter. However, as I really love bolo do caco and tasted it in many places, I can personally recommend just the stalls or mini bolo do caco shops/markets which are in many streets of Funchal (and other towns of Madeira). For example right around Mercado dos Lavradores, there are at least three or four of them.

There, you can even decide whether you want a smaller size or a bigger one. They even offer a different kind of bolo do caco (honestly, is there anyone who knows whether it has got its special name or if it is also just bolo do caco) which is filled up with tiny slices of sausages (this one is obviously not vegetarian friendly). It has got a different shape but dough is the same.

You can get one piece of the big size bolo do caco for two Euros and 50 cents. Of course, the smaller ones are a bit cheaper. I think this price is not bat at all as its taste is really good and even though it will not make you full when you are starving, it will make you full if you just want to eat something for snack.

There is one option more: you can also get just the loaf of bread in supermarkets such as Pingo Doce or Continente (and others, often including minimarkets). Then you can bring it home and prepare your own bolo do caco.

But if you are a tourist, Erasmus student or whoever who has never tasted this delicious bread with garlic butter, I suggest buying at least one which is prepared by locals.

Chestnuts

Madeira simply knows what its island has got. It is not only about beautiful landscapes but also about many different kinds of fruit, vegetable, seeds (and flowers). You know already (also from the previous article) that there are many chestnut trees in Madeira. It is clear, that the locals can get many products made of chestnut, including many diverse pieces of chestnut cakes and buns.

But that is not all. The simply things are the best. So, it is very popular to sell and buy hot chestnuts. There are three or four ways how to prepare them (if I am not mistaken) and locals know how to prepare them nicely at home. However, if you are just visiting Madeira, go and grab a pack of ten chestnuts.

Picture: Smoked chestnuts.

You can get it in many places in Funchal, especially if you walk along the seaside. There are very often some people with a small cart where they smoke chestnuts. Honestly, I am not a professional when it comes to preparing “smoked” chestnuts. So if my terminology is incorrect, do not get me wrong. Instead, go and get these chestnuts and watch how it is normally prepared.

When i was in Madeira, I was not interested in buying them. I had tasted it in my country and another one and never got in favour with the taste. But finally, I tasted these hot chestnuts in Madeira and went to buy it again. I do not know how it is possible (maybe it was the way they smoke it) but I really enjoyed eating it. The cost is around two or two and a half EUR.

Tosta mista

Tosta mista seems to be a normal simple sandwich: two slices of bread and in the middle there would be ham and cheese. Well, it has got this filling inside, that is true. But again, the taste is unique. I can recommend tosta mista which covers the filling with special dough. So it is not a kind of two slices of bread.

I used to buy tosta mista usually in Mariazinha bakery which I also mentioned in the previous article. This bakery is in Rua Santa Maria(Funchal) and it is opened nonstop. Tosta mista from there is always nicely soft. Its cost is one Euro and 20 cents.

Picture: Rua Santa Maria is just around the corner.

Tuna cake

As much as I love queijada (which you might also know from the sweet part of this food series) I love a tuna cake. You know that the island of Madeira is surrounded by water – by ocean. It means that there are many kinds of fish that you can eat in Madeira. If you are from central Europe like me, you might know the taste of fish from lakes and ponds (freshwater). Maybe, you do not like the taste and so you do not eat fish. But fish from salty water taste completely different.

Once I noticed a tuna cake and decided to give it a go. I was quite hungry that moment, I remember. I bought it for more or less three Euros in Opan. As you know, there are many Opan cafés/bakeries in many places of Madeira.

When getting the cake, I was asked whether I want to eat it just as it was or whether I wanted it to be heated. I mean, if it is too hot outside, you might eat it just as it is (quite cold/fresh). But if you are all right, do not feel too hot or when it is simply cold outside, I would eat it warm. I tasted it both ways and... it does not matter what your choice will be because it will be still so good.

Honestly, I wish I would have some days off in March so I could travel back to Madeira on my birthday and get this cake as my birthday cake. Seriously! It is so, so, so good!

Are we done?

Ufff, I do not know how this happens but this article has got quite long. So, again, let me finish here. I have introduced you some of my favourite snacks which I can 100% recommend to you. They are not too expensive, so go and taste at least one, if you can.

I can assure you that I will bring you an article about some lunch and dinner meals which I was mentioning in the beginning of the article. You see? Madeira has got so many traditional desserts, snacks and other meals that you will not spend time only walking along levadas and mountains, but also walking towards some street carts, restaurants and cafés to experience Madeira as much as you can.

Photo gallery