Santa Maria Gastronomy
Santa Maria gastronomy is rich and diverse. The “Sopa de Peixe” (a fish soup) and “Caldeirada de Peixe” (a mixture of fish or seafood in broth and/or bread) along with sweet desserts such as “Suspiros” (meringues), “Melindres” (honey cakes), “Sopa de Nabos” (turnip soup), “Bolo de Panela” (cake), “Caçoila” (a thick meat stew in traditional ceramic pot), “Molho de Figado” (a liver stew/sauce), “Biscoitos Encanelados”, “Tigeladas” (a pudding), “Biscoitos de Orelha”, ”Biscoitos Brancos”, “Biscoitos de Aguardente”, and “Cavacas” (sugar-coated biscuits) are features in the local cuisine. As with the other islands, Santa Maria is also known for its local cheeses. “Alheiras de Santa Maria” (hand made local sausages) are another well known element of the local cuisine.
For those interested in fishing for local consumption there are plenty of bluefish bream, amberjack, conger eels, stone bass, grouper, mackerel, snapper, and anchovies.
Santa Maria’s wine comes from the São Lourenco foothills. Wines and liquors include “Vinho Abafadinho” and “Vinho Abafado” (both fortified wine liquors), “Licor de Amora” (blackberry liquor), ” Licor de Leite” (milk liquor), and “Aguardente” (Portuguese brandy).