Azoresgal~Life on an Island

“I would like to be known as an intelligent woman, a courageous woman, a loving woman, a woman who teaches by being.” ― Maya Angelou Last night before I went to sleep, I thought of my Tia Luzia, she just popped into my mind, I think of her often. It wasn´t till this morning when I woke up, that I realized,today marks one year since her passing. She was one of my favorite women in my life.  She was my maternal grandmothers  sister in law, wife of my great-uncle (tio) João. She was tough as nails, honest, funny, strong, hard working, a great cook, beautiful, a wife, a mother, a grandmother, my friend. I remember being a young girl, going to visit her and my tio João, our visits were mostly on Sundays, there was always a big sunday lunch happening. She was a wonderful cook, baked beans, soup, fish, rice pudding, you name it, she made it with love. At the end of the meal, all her kids took home tupperware with leftovers with their favorites. I loved that about her. They s...

So you are probably wondering what a "bolo lêvedo" is? All I can say is, think english muffin , but a million times better! They are an Azorean bread, typical of the island São Miguel (a 20 minute plane ride, from my island). They are larger in size than an english muffin, have a lighter crumb, are sweeter, and have no nooks and crannies like it´s english cousin. They are not baked, but instead cooked on a hot iron griddle. Straight off the griddle, smothered in butter and jam, they are out of this world, but they can also be toasted. This sweet muffin, is not just for breakfast, it's perfect for making great sandwiches, and amazing burger buns too! With only a few simple ingredients, flour, sugar, eggs, butter, milk, and yeast, they are super easy to make at home. The hardest part...two rising times, but trust me, it´s so worth the wait! I made mini-bolo levedo, so stinkin' cute ! 500 grams flour (+ 100 grams extra) / 4 cups plus 1 extra 125 gram...

Happy Sweet Sixteen Emma... xoxo