Portuguese

Portuguese “Port” Muffins

May 15, 2013

Port Muffins 2Portuguese “Port” Muffins

Most of you know that I don’t write about a product or a restaurant unless I really like it. These “Ports” or Portuguese muffins have become a big thing here in New York City.  Port Muffins are a bit larger and flatter than regular English muffins.  They’re a bit sweeter, but not too sweet or sugary.  They are billed as “The 3 Meal Muffin” because you can have them for breakfast, use them for sandwiches for lunch or use them for hamburger buns for dinner. I like to serve them toasted for a weekend breakfast when making bacon and eggs.  I love to slather them with apricot-peach jam.

Port Muffins are made by Central Bakery in Fall River, MA.  Central Bakery is a family owned bakery that’s been operating since 1975.  Apparently, the owner, Dave Lopes’, grandmother brought her recipe from the Azores in Portugal hence the bakery was born.   The muffins were originally molded by hand and soon became an instant hit.  These days the muffins are made by using a small electric bread mold in order to produce thousands of muffins per week.  Currently, these Port Muffins are a bit difficult to find.  I know that you can find them at Citarella and Dean & Deluca here in New York City.  If you can’t find them in your area then ask your local grocer to stock them or special order them for you.  I have totally broken up with the commercial English muffins (you know who you are) and will only buy Port Muffins.  As a matter of fact I buy extras and store them in the freezer so that I don’t run out.

Here is what my West Coast Portuguese friend Carol says, “These muffins are the greatest! They remind me in a sort of way of my mother’s Portuguese sweet bread in a muffin form! Yum”

Here’s the info:

Central Bakery

711 Pleasant Street

Fall River, MA 02723

(508) 675-7620

Tell them that Tiny New York Kitchen sent you!

There Website is:

http://www.3mealmuffin.com

 

Saint Anthony of Padua

June 13, 2012

Saint Anthony

June 13th Feast Day

Anthony of Padua or Anthony of Lisbon was born Fernando Martins de Bulloes on August 15, 1195 and died June 13, 1231.  He was a Portuguese Catholic priest and friar of the Franciscan Order.  He died in Padua, Italy, but was born to a wealthy family in Lisbon, which is where he was raised.  St. Anthony is best known as the patron saint of lost things.  Barren women also claim St. Anthony as their patron saint most likely because of his association with the Baby Jesus.  There is a popular story that one night during St. Anthony’s lifetime the Baby Jesus visited him, kissed him and told him that He loved him.  The story is so well loved that, aside from Mary, St. Anthony is the saint most often depicted with the Baby Jesus.  St. Anthony is often shown carrying a lily as a symbol of purity, innocence and integrity probably because he was entrusted with the Baby Jesus. 

 

St. Anthony had a special love for the poor and oppressed people which is in keeping with his beloved Franciscan tradition.  Noted by his contemporaries for his forceful preaching and expert knowledge of Scripture, he was declared a saint almost immediately after his death and proclaimed a Doctor of the Church January 16, 1946.

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