The Azores are renowned for their incredible air quality, ubiquitous greenery and, mainly, for being an archipelago of volcanic islands. As we can’t exactly pack air, a forest or volcanic soil, what should you bring back from the Azores? What should you buy here? We’ll keep it short today and recommend five items in particular.
Local products in the Azores
What local stuff can you buy?
Given that the Azores are quite far away, we have to be careful to not take things that won’t survive the trip back home. Remember that hand luggages allow for liquids of up to 100 ml to be stored per container. Any larger bottle, such as wine, should be shipped or purchased in a duty-free zone. So, with this in mind, what should you buy in the Azores?
Açafroa – the ‘saffron’ of the Azores
Safflower
As you may or may not know, saffron is one of the most expensive spices in the world. Hence why, instead of the fancy crocus stamens, safflower (açafroa in Portuguese) is used as a cheaper alternative. You can find safflower added to local fish soups and seafood in restaurants. There are jars of wallflower flakes in various shops all over Azores in different sizes. The flakes are used in the exact same way as real saffron, you just add a bit more of it.
Pineapple products
Pineapple liqueur
Pineapples from the Azores are a bit smaller than those from South America though they end up very sweet. They appeared on Saõ Miguel around 1829 and have been cultivated ever since. Though the fruit itself makes for a relatively poor souvenir, pineapple products are certainly a good option. The most popular are pineapple liqueurs and pineapple marmalades. Mustards with pineapple are also a thing that exists and is certainly an interesting taste combination.
Honeys
San Miguel honeys
For even more sweetness, you can also stock up on Azorean honeys. You can find multiflora honey and incense honey as the more popular types of honey produced on Saõ Miguel. The climate and location of the islands make each of these honeys uniquely packed. Even if you may already be well familiar with these types, these local ones taste very differently.
Tea
Tea from San Miguel
The undisputed treasure of the Azores is tea. Tea fields have replaced the orange plantations devastated by the plague in the past. Today, there are 2 companies involved in production: Cha Gorreana and Porto Formoso. It is interesting to note that, so far, no pests have reached the islands to attack the bushes, so the teas are truly organic. You can buy them in the plantation shops, packaged in beautiful metal boxes. You can choose from green teas, blends and black teas: orange pekoe (delicate leaves that grow below the buds) and pekoe (less delicate leaves, resulting in a stronger tea).
Azores wine
You can’t skip on this one, sorry
The whole of Portugal is famous for its wine and the Azores is no different. The volcanic soil of the island mixed with the Atlantic air is fantastic for white wine cultivation. The largest plantations are on Pico. The most popular ones are: Verdelho, Fernão Pires, Terrantez do Pico, Arinto dos Açores and Sauvignon Blanc. It’s worth stocking up on a few bottles, especially as many of these can’t be found anywhere beyond these islands.
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