So start your meal in São Jorge by tasting this unique delicacy. Queijo de São Jorge is internationally renowned for its flavour, which comes from the time it takes to mature, giving it a spicy taste. Its production method has remained unchanged for over 500 years, making it one of the most traditional flavors in the Azores.
As on the other Azorean islands, São Jorge’s gastronomy is rich in fish, beef and seafood. As an island, São Jorge enjoys access to fresh fish and, because it has abundant pastures, its beef production is of high quality.
However, the island of São Jorge stands out for its seafood, due to the famous Amêijoas de São Jorge. These are unique in the world, as the species of clams used to make them only exists in Fajã da Caldeira do Santo Cristo. They are distinguished by their size and unique flavor. They are also extremely rare, as they can only be caught during a short, specific period of the year, in order to preserve the species and prevent its extinction.
For dessert, you can’t miss the coscorões, the rosquilhas, the curd cakes and the “espécies”. Coscorões are a typical Christmas sweet sprinkled with honey or salt and rosquilhas are a traditional Easter sweet, as they are typically made with leftovers from the Easter Folar. Curd cakes are typically made at the time of the Divine Holy Spirit festivities and have a very time-consuming and arduous production process, consisting, as the name suggests, of curdling milk. However, the most famous recipe on the island is the “espécies”, a “horseshoe” shaped sweet with small holes where you can see the filling.
