University of Wisconsin–Madison

Portugal: Deanna Hebbring (Food in Portugal)

My favorite meals and treats from my Portugal experience!
My favorite meals and treats from my Portugal experience!

The food in Portugal is something I wasn’t super familiar with before my arrival. We have had the opportunity to try many classic dishes along with modern dishes with influences from surrounding countries. Something new I have tried in Portugal has been piri piri chicken which we actually made during our cooking class in Lisbon. We were given a step-by-step tutorial on how to prepare, cook, and plate a super popular (and tasty!) way to serve chicken. Portugal also offers a variety of fresh seafood options at many restaurants we have been to. I have especially enjoyed having octopus, squid, and codfish in different dishes. Portugal is actually one of the highest consumers of codfish in the world!

I have loved being in Portugal for a number of reasons, but I have especially enjoyed walking to bakeries in the morning to pick up items like croissants, sandwiches, or a pastel de nata, which is a custard egg tart that originates from Portugal. Portuguese cuisine is something really unique but also relies on and adapts from different influences in other areas of the world. Because of this, the variety of good food in Portugal is seemingly endless. They make it a priority to elevate simple, fresh ingredients and craft their dishes into something truly special. I have loved tasting the delicious food here and it will undoubtedly be something I will miss.

 

Deanna smiles in front of blurred trees in the background.

Deanna Hebbring

Hometown: Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin

Major: Kinesiology

Program: UW Movement as Medicine in Portugal

I chose my program for the multifaceted view of holistic physical activity and exercise interventions in order to combat health disparity. I hope to learn more on how social determinants of health can contribute to adverse health outcomes, how that limits levels of physical activity, and how those factors compare and contrast in the US versus Europe.

I am most excited to see the cultural differences of Lisbon and how it compares and differs from my home in the US. As someone who has only been abroad to visit family, I am so excited to be surrounded by a culture completely different from my own!