Madeira’s Gardens

When talking about Madeira, someone will inevitably say: oh, the island of flowers! It’s true that at any given time something is in bloom. In fact, Madeira was the first place I saw poinsettias growing in someone’s garden. Since then, I’ve seen poinsettias on the islands of La Palma and La Gomera, but that first […]

Wild Garlic Spätzle

Towards the end of winter, I start yearning for greens. I start to tire of potatoes, carrots and other root vegetables and want something fresh and vibrant on my plate. Although winter isn’t completely devoid of greens, I eat my fair amount of kale and bitter greens such endive and radicchio, I still miss the […]

Madeira’s High Country

It may come as a surprise that Madeira has a high country, but Pico Ruivo is Portugal’s third highest peak at 1861 m (6,106 ft). There is a fantastic hike from Pico do Arieiro at 1,818 metres (5,965 ft), Madeira’s third and Portugal’s 5th highest peak. We drove up in complete darkness to witness the […]