Category Archives: Algarve
Algarve gastronomy – Xarem
We’ve talked a few days back about some of the basics of Algarve cuisine, but today we’ll go into a bit more detail and talk about some of the particularities and specialties that one should expect from this wonderful region.
We mentioned the importance of the Moorish influence and the fact that they introduced all manner of sweets and cakes, but they also introduced a dish called ‘Xarem’, which at its core is made of maize meal and shellfish.
Xavira is now a traditional dish especially in the Eastern Algarve and the city of Tavira for instance, has a plethora of different ways of preparing it, however there are a few basics which it must have, namely corn flour, clams, sardines, grilled meat and the sky is your limit from there on.
Lagos to open a new museum focused on its role in the European slave trade
A new museum is going to open up in Lagos in the near future and this one will have a very peculiar subject matter, namely the role that Lagos played in the European slave trade, quite interesting to say the least.
The future museum plans on documenting and showing Lagos’ role as the first European port to which slaves were shipped starting with the 15th century. Julio Barroso, Lagos’ mayor said that while the museum will in fact have various focuses, its main one will be centered around the former slave market located at the city centre.
Three yearly Algarve events
The Algarve is not only one of the most visited regions in Europe, but thanks to its wonderful weather and rich, diverse and vibrant culture, it is also a modern hub for creative arts. The region is much more-so than great sandy beaches and wonderful food, so let’s take a bit of time and talk about three of the major, yearly, events that take place somewhere in the Algarve.
Algarve: A very quick history of the region
We talk a lot about the Algarve on this blog, and we’ll do a lot more talking in the weeks to come, so it might be time for a crash course in the history of the region in which we’ll rapidly go through the major events that have shaped the society, culture and people of this region.
The first of the ancient Mediterranean civilizations to set up shop in the region were the Phoenicians, a great trading civilization who had trading ports in the Algarve about three thousand years ago. Then the Carthaginians founded Portus Hanibalis – modern-day Portimao – sometime in the sixth century BC.
The Algarve opens two new solar energy parks
The Algarve is set become the host of two new solar energy parks, one will be in Silves and the other will be in Albufeira, and they are expected to produce enough electricity to supply more than seventeen thousand people, starting this September.
Now that may seem a bit weird but keep in mind that this is the Algarve, this is the region that sees on average three-hundred sunny days per year, so a solar energy park opening in September is nothing strange. Actually the Algarve is by far one of the best European regions where such projects can exist.
Algarve cuisine
The Algarve cuisine, as is the case with other gastronomies around the world, is heavily influenced by a mixture of factors such as geography, history and various cultural influences.
While most people will be familiar with the coastline of the Algarve and its many great beaches, there is much more to the region than just that. In fact the large majority of the Algarve is not made up of coastline, it is a landscape made up of rolling hills and valleys, all of which are dotted with almond, fig, olive and orange trees.
