Azorean Cooking: From My Family Table to Yours

This cookbook is a gem, especially for those with Azorean heritage. The different versions of recipes from aunt and mom make you feel like you’re a part of the family. Beautiful pictures of the Azores help educate and appreciate the land where these recipes originated. Thank you for the heart and soul put into these pages!

I’m so happy to have discovered this cookbook. My family is from the Azores and these recipes are so reminiscent of those made by my mom. As any Portuguese person will tell you, recipes are rarely written down. Unless someone has learned from a parent those recipes would likely be lost to them forever. Enter Maria Lawton and that problem is solved. I under valued the love I had for the food of my youth. Whenever I would return to my parents home I would enjoy the tastes and smells of their food but never learned to cook them for myself or my family. By the time my mom developed Alzheimer’s it was too late. I thought they’d be lost to me forever but thankfully someone (Maria Lawton) had the wisdom to write some of them down and shared with the rest of us. The recipes are simple and tasty and take me back to my youth. What more can one ask of food. Thank you Maria Lawton for helping preserve a part of my Azorean heritage.

Having bought many cook books of Portuguese Cuisine , this is by far the best on the market , I am from the old country and all our food was prepared at home with true old world recipes , my mom has passed and I swear these recipes are just as if she cooked them today , many of these pages have brought tears to my eyes when eating them because for that short time it feels like my mom is here with me and made me supper with the love only a mother can infuse in the meals , do yourself a favor and get this book ! You will be delighted and her stories of the hystery of the food is a special extra touch !

My family is Azorean (from Faial). I’ve got several Portuguese cook books. This one has easy to follow recipes.

I LOVE your book! I recently went on vacation and I brought your book with me. While I visited friends in Florida I also brought my book and made the marinaded pork butt with potatoes and green beans on the side. Needless to say, they are ordering a book!,,,,,

I thought the clam dish with garlic etc was delicious, as well as the rice puddings. I wasn't happy with the pork (cacoila) as I thought there was way too much cinnamon in it to the point that it wasn't enjoyable for me or my family to eat it - however a few friends of my who are both of Portuguese decent and from New England thought it was delicious! I plan on making the beef skewers from the restaurant in New Bedford as I have been there many years ago and had that meal - I can't wait to try it.

My paternal grandparents were born in the Azores, my grandfather from Sao Miguel & my grandmother from Terceira. They met on the ship to the U.S., married and settled in New Bedford, where all of their children were born. My parents met the & were married at the Seaman's Bethel. Daddy spent 27 years in the Air Force, and I only knew his parents after they were in a nursing home. There were stories about how wonderful a cook my grandmother was, which I missed out on. The few recipes I have are "just a guess, she never measured & her her English wasn't great, have fun!". Mello's was my most exposure to Portuguese food. I have tried other cook books, they're close, but not quite what I remembered. This one-I am thrilled! It's a way to connect with my culture, and hopefully something that resonates with my children as well. The photos in the book were a lovely addition, and some of the author's family look a lot like some of my aunts and uncles (small islands, who know!). Thank you for the effort, love, and heart you put into this book. As soon as I can, I plan to buy 2 more copies, so that each of my children will have one.

I am of Azorean descent and remember well the many native dishes my grandmother prepared for our family. Asthe author points out, every island in the Azores has their own variations but the basic recipes are very similar and Maria has captured thethe best of Azorean cuisine.It is great to have this resource to "re-live" our food heritage and have a basis for sharing these foods with our own families and friends.Thank you Maria for sharing these recipes and continuing the traditions of Azorean cooking and cuisine.

I previously purchased 3 hard copies (for myself and gifts) of this amazing cookbook which has a wonderful collection of recipes from the Açores Portugal. These islands are where my family came from. Many of the recipes are very familiar and others are just as homey and delicious. Azorean recipes are different than recipes from the continental Portuguese recipes. It’s wonderful to have such a beautiful collection all in one book! I couldn’t stand to be anywhere without it so I also purchased a digital version because I never travel without my iPad.

Not many recipes. It could have explored more the subject. Also, important to explore some alternative ingredients that can be found by those who do not live in Azores or USA

After years of watching and eating some authenticity made Portuguese food.... I was soooooo excited to be able to make it myself and it taste just like my mom/aunts and grandma used to make it.These dishes are very true Portuguese recipes, and the way it’s written is very clear and so easy to understand. It’s hard to replicate our parents recipes because they cook by eye... and don’t really know how to explain how to make it in measurement form. This book... bang on... I love it.

I love the recipes

I love the recipes, but am disappointed the the quality of the images.