The original egg custard that swept the globe, the Pasteis De Belem from Pasteis De Belem. The jazzed-up version with a sprinkling of cinnamon and powdered sugar. Delicious either way. The predecessor to the malasada? A Portuguese Jesuita, a triangular flaky pastry filled with frangipane cream and sometimes times topped with sliced almonds and powdered…
Category: TRAVEL
A Sintripetal Force…
In my younger and, lets say, more virile days, I began writing the first installment in a gay short story romance between an Asian American and a Turkish oil-wrestler. But as like so many things in life, that would-be masterpiece was left by the wayside. Something of that time lingered though and was rekindled while…
Say What (Catalan)?
Bon Dia – Good Morning Bona Tarda – Good Afternoon Bona Nit – Goodnight Sisplau/Si Us Plau – Please Moltes Gracies – Thank You Perdoni – Excuse Me Adeu – Goodbye Lavabo – Bathroom El compte, si us plau – The check, please
Say What (Darija Arabic)?
Ssalamu ‘Lekum – Hello (Formal) Salam – Hello (Informal) Sbah Al Khir – Good Morning Na-am – Yes Iyeh – No Shukran – Thank You Min Fadlek – Please Aasif – Sorry Beslama – Goodbye
Say What (Portugal Portuguese)?
Bom Dia – Good Morning Boa Tarde – Good Afternoon Boa Noite – Goodnight Por Favor – Please Sim – Yes Não – No Obrigado (Male) – Thank You Obrigada (Female) – Thank You Adeus – Goodbye Fala inglês? – Do you speak English? Desculpe – I’m sorry Casa de banho – Bathroom A Conta,…
Discovering the discoverers…
Many who have visited are familiar with the “melting pot” that is Hawaii–a base of Native Hawaiians, a sprinkle of Japanese, a dash of Chinese, a pinch of Filipinos. But little is known about the field laborers that came from the Madeira Islands and the Azores off the coast of northwest Africa, the Portuguese. Even…
F Your Diet (Basque Region Spain)!
While known as Tapas in the rest of Spain, in the Basque Region they are known as Pintxos (“pinchos”); small bites of food to accompany drinks. San Sebastian is famous for what are called Txikiteos (“chikiteos”) or pinxto food crawls, going from one bar to another. A little nibble and drink here; a little nibble…
Say What (Basque)?
Kaixo – Hello Eskerrik Asko – Thank You Agur – Goodbye Egun On – Good Morning Bai – Yes Es – No Topa – Cheers Mesedez – Please
Say What (Breton)?
Demat – Hello Kenavo – Goodbye
F Your Diet (Brittany France)!
The Galette or Savory Buckwheat Crepe is emblematic of the Bretagne (Brittany) region of France; two offerings from La Saint-Georges Creperie in Rennes. Two more takes on Galettes and a Crepe for dessert at Creperie de l’Horloge in Dinan.