Hey there! I’m Ana.The face behind the knife, wood spoon and plates of delicious food. Thank you for taking this adventure with me! I’m excited you’re interested in Portuguese cooking. But first, a little background. 

I was born and raised in Portugal for the first 9 years of my life, where I attended school through the third grade. In the very early 1980s, my family immigrated to the United States, more precisely, to Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was a culture shock to say the least, but I would eventually consider it home. I lived in Minnesota for 24 years with a very short stay in California in the mid 90s. In 2005 I found myself itching for a change. Much like my parents did in the 80s, I packed sold my home and most of my belongings and moved to Pittsburgh, PA, where I now live with my husband, daughter, our dog and cat. 

Growing up we were accustomed to eating dinner at the table every evening. Rarely did we eat out. I have distinct memories of my mother planning the weekly menu on quiet Sunday afternoons. Flipping through her Teleculinaria magazines that had come to the US when we moved. Her creations ranged from complex dishes that required preparation early in the day, to dishes that merely needed the reimagining of leftovers from earlier in the week. No matter what, it was always good. In the beginning, she was frustrated with the lack of familiar Portuguese ingredients, but evolved to “making it work” with what we could find. Over the years, she widened her range and started interpreting American recipes, but always with her own flare. 

I was recruited as her official taste tester when we  were still living in Portugal. When I was young, the chance for a taste of dinner was a treat, little did I know that I was building a skill. Did it need salt, pepper, acid, sweetness, a little spice – all questions my mom would ask me as she finalized the seasoning of a dish. A habit that I’ve carried with me to this day. 

My mom passed away in 2016. She left me with many wonderful memories, a love of cooking, all of her cook books and magazines, and a desire to feed people and introduce them to what I call “my food”. Although Portuguese food has evolved and grown as amazing Portuguese chefs reimagine Portuguese cuisine, my goal at Arroz e Batata is to curate a collection of authentic classics that are still being lovingly made across many Portuguese kitchens each night. 

I’m sure you were wondering about the name Arroz e Batata. It translates to rice and potato. Originating from one of my (and my sister’s) favorite dishes, a bitoque –  fried steak, topped with a fried egg served with french fries and rice. It’s not uncommon to find the rice and potato combination as an accompaniment to many dishes.

I’ll mostly post Portuguese recipes, but at times may share other interesting finds! Thank you for following me on this adventure!