Customer Reviews

Portuguese Homestyle Cooking

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Finally a cookbook that not only showcases Portugal without sharing the limelight with Spain, but one that also contains recipes from both the mainland AND the Azores. Ms. Ortins has written a wonderful, useful, and beautiful salute to Portuguese food that will encourage the novice cook and satisfy the advanced cook.

Portuguese are not afraid of flavor, and the author has been true to the flavors that make Portuguese food so fabulous: lots of garlic, onions, peppers, vinegars, etc. My house smells wonderful everytime I cook something from this book.

I've made half a dozen dishes from the book already. All turned out very well. Most recipes are easy enough for a novice cook; however, the recipe that gave me the most satisfaction is one I rate as "advanced". (Not that there was anything difficult about it, it just helps if you have cooked enough not to panic at using yeast or when the recipe becomes a "project".)

My spouse is of Portuguese descent and has fond memories of the foods from his childhood. (Watching him go through this book was like watching a kid in a candy shop!) Unfortunately, none of his relatives' recipes were written, and the great-aunt who made them is deceased. For years I tried to duplicate his aunt's Massa Souvada (Portuguese Sweet Bread). I've made dozens of recipes for this bread. Some were awful, some were good. Not one was IT. So, with great interest I read Ms. Ortins' Sweet Bread recipe. It was very different from the others I had tried. My husband kept saying, "This is it!"

I consider myself a capable cook, but I was daunted by the sheer volume and the time involved of this recipe. It makes 5-6 loaves! Still, you have to remember is that sweet bread -- like tamales are in Mexico -- is usually made only for holidays or Holy Days by several women in the neighborhood. This is NOT a "whip one up for dinner" recipe, nor is it meant to be.

An email to the author (who quickly responded and was very gracious) convinced me NOT to cut the recipe. So, we rolled up our sleeves and literally dove into making bread. Warning: if you have never made this bread, it is the STICKIEST dough you can iimagine. Do not panic, just follow the directions. The end result is sublime. This is THE recipe we have been searching for years. I took two loaves to work where they disappeared immediately. The four people I work with who are of Azorian descent pronounced the bread a unqualifed success. One co-worker, born in Sao Miguel, paid the ultimate compliment with "tastes just like my mom's"

That recipe alone is worth the price of this book -- although the Roast Pork with Sweet Red Pepper Paste (very, very easy) is permanently bookmarked as well. I understand that Ms. Ortins is planning a second volume, and I can hardly wait!

Portuguese recipes are very forgiving and amendable, so I'm puzzled by the negative review by the person from MA. I can't imagine what degree of handholding they want in a recipe that this book disappointed them. Granted, there aren't any cans to open, so you're going to have to use (gasp!) real ingrediants. And there isn't a picture for every step in a recipe, so you're going to have to have confidence in yourself that "coursely chopped" is not a technical term, and your whole recipe doesn't fall apart if your chop is 3/4 inch instead of 1 inch. Message to MA: Trust me -- food tastes better of you don't stress over it, and cooking is more enjoyable if you relax and enjoy the art instead of obsessing over the science. Recipes are roadmaps, not dictates.

In cooking, as with most things, a certain amount of common sense is the best tool for the job. Relax, enjoy the experience of preparing real food from real ingrediants and learning about the flavor of Portugual. Cook something, then throw open the windows and make the neighbors crazy trying to find the source of the wonderful aromas.

This is the first Portuguese (non-regional) cookbook I've found that was actually written by a Portuguese person! While most people use Jean Anderson's book as a benchmark, I found that the anecdotes and stories surrounding the recipes really hit home for me, a fellow Portuguese-American. What's great about this book is that it includes mostly the essentials, without a lot of unimportant recipes you don't need. If you are just starting to explore the uniqueness of Portuguese cooking, this is a great first step. Especially if you do not live in California or New England where many of these foods can be ordered in Portuguese restaurants or purchased from Portuguese bakeries. It might also be helpful to understand that Portuguese food is mainly "peasant" food (explains all the salt cod), and should not be confused with other trendy Southern European cuisines such as Spanish, French and Italian. It can definitely be an acquired taste!

This book is on my wish list. I borrowed it from the library and I love the recipes and other information found in this book. Whether you are Portuguese or not, the recipes are mostly comfort food and are very easy to make except maybe the bread and dessert recipes. They aren't difficult either for people who do bake. One word of caution, there are lots of salt cod recipes in this book and some people may not appreciate that as much as I do. That was the selling point for me. There are also many recipes that use linguica and other Portuguese sausages and that's a bit of a problem for me because I can't buy that where I live. However, I am looking into either making my own or ordering online.

I received this cookbook for Christmas from my husband and it was the best gift that I got. These recipes are so close to the ones handed down from my family. This book has clarified some of my family's recipes and made them so much simplier. I now live with my husband and children far from my family and our Portuguese community, this book has brought back many childhood memories. Obrigdo Senhora Ana.

I purchsed this book originally for myself and loved it so much that I ended up giving it to my sister. Who also loved it and the recipes were the real original portuguese recipes that she told her friends who also ended buying it. Since I gave it away I have tried purchase it again and have not been able since it just flies off the shelfs in our community, which has a high number of portuguese people. I came to this website to purchase it again today but I have to wait 3-5 weeks for it to be in. (please hold one for me).
If you are portuguese this is the best book ever written and if you are not this is THE PORTUGUESE COOKBOOK TO BUY. The recipes are just like my mother and my vavo used to make, it actually brought back so many memories of our family meals.
I have purchased portuguese written cookbooks since the ones that were published previously in English were not the real thing and had to try unsuccessfully to translate it to English with a dictionary and to ask friends to what the ingredients were. I don't have to pull my hair out any more to follow a recipe.

I can now actually cook portuguese meals that are positively delicious and taste like my mom made.

So from the bottom of my heart thank you for finally writing a true portuguese cookbook.

I have been doing research on Portuguese cuisine for almost two years with the intent of opening a restaurant. I have purchased close to a dozen books on the subject, but this book is by far the best! It is the most comprehensive book on Portuguese cuisine on the market available today. This book gives you a clear understanding of ingredients, portions (in US measurements!) and methods to prepare the dishes. The mouth watering photos throughout the book show the finished dishes. I am so impressed by this book that I plan to buy a few more for my closest family and friends, especially my mother-in-law who is Greek, she went to Portugal a few years ago and absolutely fell in love with the country and food. Note: I E-mailed the author with a few questions and was pleasantly surprised with a reply the next day!

Buy this book for the stewed chicken and rice recipe alone... this one was a huge favorite at our house. This book is a great introduction to a wonderful but little-known cuisine, and should provide you with hours of cooking fun. One small caveat: the wine chapter has next to nothing about Port, Portugal's most famous contribution to the world of wine. I'm not sure how the author missed this... she did a fine and thorough job on everything else. But overall a fine book and one which even Emeril's mother Hilda could enjoy :)

As a novice cook, I have found this wonderful book to be very easy to follow. I have successfully followed a number of the recipes within the past month or so and the final dishes have consistently pleased me and my dinner guests! The book has given me confidence in my cooking, and I certainly can't say that about many other cookbooks that I have bought and tried to follow. I have not been hindered by the fact that each recipe doesn't have a photograph associated with it and I find each recipe title to be clearly stated. The index was very clearly organized, and I did not find if difficult at all in determining the type of dish I was preparing. The title of the book, Portuguese Homestyle Cooking, implies that this is authentic Portuguese food. The dishes may take a little more time to prepare than boiling pasta for example, but that is the true beauty of this book. Both novice and experienced cooks are able to successfully create an authentic Portuguese meal without slaving over the stove for hours. There's something to be said for the fact that I have understood the format, recipes, and ingredients, and I'm not even Portuguese. It is very clear by reading the book that a great deal of effort, research, and heart has gone into its creation. I highly recommend this cookbook to cooks of all levels. Enjoy!

I grew up in a Portuguese home, and am very impressed with the authenticity of these recipes. The book is also beautifully laid out and photographed - a real pleasure. I appreciated the little anecdotes about the various recipes and about the author's family and friends. The title is very apt - it really is the homestyle cooking I grew up with. I'm buying one for my mother, if you need any further recommendation!

There aren't very many Portuguese cookbooks to choose. By far this book has been the easiest to follow. The directions are clear, and the book is organized with great pictures of the end products.

I have purchased two more books for friends because they are so impressed with my cooking.