Jardin Majorelle in Marrakech - Locais inesquecíveis de Marrocos

The Jardin Majorelle owns the name to his creator, the French painter Jacques Majorelle. The garden is a real Oasis in the canter of the city. Vibrant colours, water pools, and luxurious plants creating a calm atmosphere, just next to the bustle and vibrant daily life of Marrakech. It is a must see.

The garden was safe from being transformed into a Hotel and became famous after Majorelle´s death when Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé discovered the Jardin Majorelle when the visited Morocco and later bought it.

“We quickly became very familiar with this garden, and went there every day. It was open to the public yet almost empty. We were seduced by this oasis where colours used by Matisse were mixed with those of nature. » … « And when we heard that the garden was to be sold and replaced by a hotel, we did everything we could to stop that project from happening. This is how we eventually became owners of the garden and of the villa. And we have brought life back to the garden through the years.”

Pierre Bergé Yves Saint Laurent, “Une passion marocaine”
Éditions de la Martinière, 2010

Berlin Balls on the beach - Bolas de Berlim na praia

Bola the Berlim is fried sweet dough, filled with egg cream that became part of the Portuguese culinary tradition. Our favourite place to it, is on the beach! The Portuguese recipe is an adaptation of the original Berliner. The original was brought to Portugal during WWII, when Jewish German families took refuge in Portugal. The originals were filled with red berries jam. But the Portuguese most popular version is filled with egg cream, more in line with our taste and traditions. We love egg sweets in Portugal. We also use just normal sugar to dust it, rather than powder sugar. There are plenty of versions around the world, but I love the Portuguese recipe. You can find this Bolas de Berlim in any pastelaria (bakery with coffee shop), but our favourite place to eat them, no doubt, is on the beach. That’s when they taste out of this world. It is a Portuguese tradition and I don't know any portuguese who doesn't have memories eating them on the

Haagen-Dazs creates Pastel de Nata flavour Ice cream

To celebrate their 25 years in Portugal Haagen-Dazs created a new recipe of ice cream, inspired by one of the most celebrated and well known Portuguese flavour:Pastel de Nata (egg custard). We have seen this flavour around in Portugal for a while, but having such a big brand incorporating this flavour in their sales (at the moment exclusively in stores in Portugal), give us a good indicator of the potential of the flavour. This ice cream doesn’t make part of my memories as a child or young woman, as I don’t remember it at all, but jus having the word “Pastel de Nata” in it`s name, makes me think of exotic cinnamon, rich cream, tasty caramel and crispy pastry, and reminds me of the window shops in Lisbon`s bakeries, with big trays full of this cakes. I hope this ice cream make it to more tables and Haagen-Dazs around the world, just as the original Pastel de Nata is doing.

Chocolate salami - Portuguese food – Salame de chocolate com figos, nozes e Porto

I can’t believe that I have made this delicious pretty chocolate salami! Me, the only person that can rarely make any sweets. So I decide to save the recipe so I can do it again. Is very very easy! This chocolate salami is very popular in Portugal, and when I was a kind, it was mandatory presence in any children`s party, but that was before all this allergies and other things became popular. The traditional version doesn’t take nuts, figs or Port. But I decided to use whatever I had at home to make soothing a bit more interesting. Next time I will try to use dates instead of figs just to test. As I don’t have a sweet tooth, this salami is not too sweet as is moist Recipe: · 200g dark cooking chocolate · 70g butter ( I used with salt as that was the only one I had) · 100g of reach teas biscuits · 30g brown sugar · 30g chocolate powder · 50g pine nuts (any other nut will be fine) · 75 g

Helena Out and About

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