Don't expect to enjoy the best food early in the day however, the natives don't often choose to eat a breakfast , generally just having a snack and a coffee. Quite often you will usually see the portuguese enjoying a quick snack in a snack bar on the way to work.

Lunchtime and Evening meals are a completely different and gloriously enjoyable experience though.

The locals really love their food, and you are likely to be offered good sized portions when eating in restaurants. The mid day meal might be a lengthy affair, in general taken between 1 and 3pm, and no matter how high the temperature, portuguese eat hot cooked meals in restaurants or cafes. Dinner is enjoyed between 7pm and 9pm, and again, normally is a hot meal.

The beauty of Portuguese cooking can be described as 'fresh, local ingredients, superbly prepared'.

Portuguese cuisine is mostly based on excellent quality, healthy regional produce, usually featuring fish, meat, olive oil, tomatoes and spices.

A good portuguese meal should ideally start with a good soup.

The best known portuguese soup, is caldo verde, a wholesome, spicy soup made from shredded cabbage and kale, potatoes and linguia sausage. Caldo Verde originates in the Minho province, but is easily available throughout Portugal, from the north of portugal to the <---****HYPERLINK****--->"http://www.villaretreats.com/villas-algarve.asp">algarve holiday resorts.

Here is a Caldo verde recipe that will let you bring the taste of portugal back home with you

Caldo verde recipe (traditional portuguese kale soup)

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1 lb. stewing beef (cut into 25mm pieces)

1/2 lb. linguica or chourio (chopped into slivers)

1 1/2 qt (1.4 lt) water

Pinch of low sodium salt

three large potatoes, chopped into 2.5cm cubes

3 carrots, chopped into 1" cubes

1 1/2 lb kale, finely chopped, or 1 package defrosted frozen kale

half a chopped cabbage

half a package macaroni (preferably elbow macaroni)

1 can white kidney beans (opt.)

1 chili pepper, (remove seeds), chopped

1/3 teaspoon paprika

1 tsp Olive Oil

Instructions:

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Peel and cut up the root vegetables.

Fill a large pot with water and add the cubed beef, linguia or chourio and salt.

Bring to the boil and then siimmer and keep covered until such time as the stewing beef and linguia or chorio are as good as tender.

Add the the chili, carrots, beans, paprika, cabbage and kale and stir the pan well.

Replace the pan lid and cook for 3/4 hour or until the chopped kale is cooked.

Once the kale is tender, add the olive oil cubed potatoes and macaroni.

Regularly stir the pot to make sure that the chopped potatoes and macaroni don't stick to the base of the saucepan.

Bring to the boil (keeping the saucepan lid on) until the potatoes and pasta are still ready to eat.

This meal can be served as a starter or as a wholesome main meal.