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Host: Maria

Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal

USD
$144-$338 per person

Seasonal Azorean food in a farmhouse outside Ponta Delgada

Host offerings
  • House
  • Home cook
  • Pets
  • Vegetarian
  • Alcohol
  • Transportation
  • Cooking class
  • Market visit
  • Food tour

Meet Maria

Maria grew up in the Azores in a small village of 10,000 people. Her parents were farmers, as were her grandparents who had a large farm that exported produce from garlic to oranges to watermelon to Portugal. After studying social work and practicing family therapy for years in Portugal, Maria moved back to the Azores to find a more peaceful life that connected her with her lifelong passion of food. She bought house on a small plot of land with an orchard where she grows figs, apples, pears, almonds, oranges and more. Living in the subtropical climate of the Azores, Maria also is able to grow a variety of tropical fruits including papaya, guava and lychee. Maria is passionate about meeting and learning from new people and is excited to invite people from around the world into her home to enjoy fresh, seasonal Azorean cooking.

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

In-home meal: (2-25 guests) Join Maria in her farm house in a small village surrounded by her wild orchard. Start your experience with a welcome drink of local white wine or red wine from neighbors or local juice, while you snack on appetizers that might include a selection of local cheeses and pork pate. Maria loves using local ingredients and featuring the products made by her neighbors on the island. After your welcome snack, enjoy a tour of Maria’s home and garden, before your sit down at the dining table to enjoy your traditional Azorean meal, served family style. In summer months, weather depending, you might eat outside on the terrace surrounded by grape vines, and in winter months you will enjoy your meal inside in Maria’s open dining area. End your experience with a selection of coffee or tea, as well as a presentation of Maria’s homemade liqueur and moonshine.

Cooking experience: (2-25 guests) After a welcome drink and snack and tour of Maria’s garden and home, start your cooking class. Your experience can either be hands on or a demonstration, so please note which you would prefer when making your booking. During your cooking class learn how to make a traditional Azorean meal featuring seasonal ingredients. You will learn how to make a soup such as a traditional fish soup, followed by two main dishes of a fish and meat dish. Then end your experience learning to make a dessert like rice pudding or passion fruit mousse (featuring passion fruit from Maria’s garden when in season!). Maria’s recipes have been passed down through her mom and grandmother and Maria is passionate about showcasing her family and island’s culinary history with guests. After cooking, sit down together to enjoy your traditional Azorean family-style meal, which will be served either at the grape-vine covered terrace, in summer months, or at Maria’s dining table in colder months. End your meal with a selection of coffee, tea and homemade liqueurs. If there is a specific dish you want to learn to make, like octopus, please note this during your booking. Maria will be happy to accommodate your requests!

Market visit: (2-25 guests) Meet Maria at the main village market in Ponta Delgade, which runs on Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings. Maria will provide a private market tour of this traditional town open-air market. Start with a tour of the vegetable and fish stalls, and then move on to the spice stalls and honey seller where you can sample local honey. You will pick up fresh meat and fish for your cooking lesson, and also stop at the cheese store where you will select a few favorites to enjoy later. After your market tour, which will last about 60-90 minutes, return by car to Maria’s home, located a short 10-minute drive away, to enjoy your cooking lesson and meal.

Notes: On days Maria is unavailable, her equally wonderful team, Deborah and Andreia, will host your experience. Please note the market tour experience is only available on Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings when the market runs. This experience is located in Maria's home in a small village about 10-15 minutes north of central Ponta Delgada, easily accessible via taxi or rental car.

The cost of alcohol is included in the price of your experience.

Languages spoken: English, Portuguese

Traveler reviews

5.0 (1)
Learning about local foods and the culture. Maria shared a lot of information with us and was very responsive to all of our questions.
- Sandra May 14, 2024
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Maria

$144-$338 USD

per person
100% VETTED
Learn more
  • 100% satisfaction guarantee or your money back
  • Credit card is not charged until the host confirms your booking
  • Private experience
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
Not offered $202 $144
Cooking Experience + Meal
Not offered $312 $212
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
Not offered $338 $220
Alcohol
$0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
Not offered $202 $144
Cooking Experience + Meal
Not offered $312 $212
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
Not offered $338 $220
Alcohol
$0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
12:30pm-3:30pm 7:00pm-10:00pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
10:30am-2:30pm 5:30pm-9:30pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
9:00am-2:00pm

Meet Maria

Maria grew up in the Azores in a small village of 10,000 people. Her parents were farmers, as were her grandparents who had a large farm that exported produce from garlic to oranges to watermelon to Portugal. After studying social work and practicing family therapy for years in Portugal, Maria moved back to the Azores to find a more peaceful life that connected her with her lifelong passion of food. She bought house on a small plot of land with an orchard where she grows figs, apples, pears, almonds, oranges and more. Living in the subtropical climate of the Azores, Maria also is able to grow a variety of tropical fruits including papaya, guava and lychee. Maria is passionate about meeting and learning from new people and is excited to invite people from around the world into her home to enjoy fresh, seasonal Azorean cooking.

What to expect

Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.

In-home meal: (2-25 guests) Join Maria in her farm house in a small village surrounded by her wild orchard. Start your experience with a welcome drink of local white wine or red wine from neighbors or local juice, while you snack on appetizers that might include a selection of local cheeses and pork pate. Maria loves using local ingredients and featuring the products made by her neighbors on the island. After your welcome snack, enjoy a tour of Maria’s home and garden, before your sit down at the dining table to enjoy your traditional Azorean meal, served family style. In summer months, weather depending, you might eat outside on the terrace surrounded by grape vines, and in winter months you will enjoy your meal inside in Maria’s open dining area. End your experience with a selection of coffee or tea, as well as a presentation of Maria’s homemade liqueur and moonshine.

Cooking experience: (2-25 guests) After a welcome drink and snack and tour of Maria’s garden and home, start your cooking class. Your experience can either be hands on or a demonstration, so please note which you would prefer when making your booking. During your cooking class learn how to make a traditional Azorean meal featuring seasonal ingredients. You will learn how to make a soup such as a traditional fish soup, followed by two main dishes of a fish and meat dish. Then end your experience learning to make a dessert like rice pudding or passion fruit mousse (featuring passion fruit from Maria’s garden when in season!). Maria’s recipes have been passed down through her mom and grandmother and Maria is passionate about showcasing her family and island’s culinary history with guests. After cooking, sit down together to enjoy your traditional Azorean family-style meal, which will be served either at the grape-vine covered terrace, in summer months, or at Maria’s dining table in colder months. End your meal with a selection of coffee, tea and homemade liqueurs. If there is a specific dish you want to learn to make, like octopus, please note this during your booking. Maria will be happy to accommodate your requests!

Market visit: (2-25 guests) Meet Maria at the main village market in Ponta Delgade, which runs on Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings. Maria will provide a private market tour of this traditional town open-air market. Start with a tour of the vegetable and fish stalls, and then move on to the spice stalls and honey seller where you can sample local honey. You will pick up fresh meat and fish for your cooking lesson, and also stop at the cheese store where you will select a few favorites to enjoy later. After your market tour, which will last about 60-90 minutes, return by car to Maria’s home, located a short 10-minute drive away, to enjoy your cooking lesson and meal.

Notes: On days Maria is unavailable, her equally wonderful team, Deborah and Andreia, will host your experience. Please note the market tour experience is only available on Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings when the market runs. This experience is located in Maria's home in a small village about 10-15 minutes north of central Ponta Delgada, easily accessible via taxi or rental car.

The cost of alcohol is included in the price of your experience.

Languages spoken: English, Portuguese

Traveler reviews

5.0 (1)
Learning about local foods and the culture. Maria shared a lot of information with us and was very responsive to all of our questions.
- Sandra May 14, 2024
Pricing (per person)*
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
Not offered $202 $144
Cooking Experience + Meal
Not offered $312 $212
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
Not offered $338 $220
Alcohol
$0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
1 person 2-4 ppl 5+ people
In-Home Meal
Not offered $202 $144
Cooking Experience + Meal
Not offered $312 $212
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
Not offered $338 $220
Alcohol
$0 per person
*Does not include 3% payment processing fee applied at checkout.
Experience Timings
Lunch Dinner
In-Home Meal
12:30pm-3:30pm 7:00pm-10:00pm
Cooking Experience+ Meal
10:30am-2:30pm 5:30pm-9:30pm
Market Tour+ Cooking Experience + Meal
9:00am-2:00pm
ABOUT TRAVELING SPOON

Traveling Spoon connects you with meaningful culinary experiences, from private cooking lessons to homecooked meals in people's homes. Enjoy an immersive cultural experience that gives you a glimpse into the local way of life.

FAQ

    You can cancel your reservation up until 48 hours before your experience for a full refund minus a 3% processing fee. Experiences within 48 hours are not refundable.

    If you have a question for your host, you can include a note in the field "Write a note to your host" during the booking process. Once your booking is confirmed, you will be emailed your host's direct contact information and you will also be able to message the host through your profile. You can always cancel your booking and receive a full refund 48 hours or more before your experience. If you have other questions you can also email us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

    Most of our hosts are able to accommodate dietary restrictions and allergies, including vegetarian and gluten free options. For vegetarian travelers, we have an icon on each host profile to indicate whether that host can also offer a fully vegetarian menu. There is a section in the booking form to note any allergies or dietary restrictions which will be sent directly to your host.

    Some hosts offer alcohol as an optional add-on for travelers who are of legal drinking age. Pricing for alcohol is visible on the host profile page and includes one to two glasses of wine, beer or local alcohol.

    Have a flight or other tour planned and can’t make the timing provided? If the timing listed on the host’s profile doesn’t work for you, our hosts can often accommodate timing changes. Because all of our experiences are private our hosts are happy to tailor experiences to meet your travel needs. Simply note your request in the booking process.

    Your card will not be charged until your host accepts your booking. Typically hosts respond to bookings within 72 hours. In the event your host is unavailable on your selected date and your host rejects your booking your credit card will not be charged.

    Your host's detailed contact information, including their phone number, address, and direction notes, will all be provided immediately upon successful confirmation of your experience (after your hosts accepts your booking and your credit card is successfully processed). This information will be emailed to you to the email address you used to sign up, and will also be visible on your Traveling Spoon profile.

    All prices are noted per person prices unless otherwise specified. Transportation is typically charged on a per car basis. Children aged 5-11 are 50% off, and infants aged 0-4 are free. Hosts set their own prices and Traveling Spoon marks up the experiences; on average hosts receive over 70% of the price paid by the traveler.

    100% of Traveling Spoon experiences are private! Just you and your host and host’s family.

    Hosts typically respond to booking inquiries within 72 hours. If for some reason you have not heard from your host or if you have any questions you can always contact us at reservations@travelingspoon.com.

    Your safety and security are our top priority. To ensure this, Traveling Spoon personally vets 100% of all hosts, including an in-person host visit, to ensure each host and experience meets our strict quality requirements.

    Some hosts offer transportation as an optional add-on for travelers. Typically this is round trip transportation with pick up and drop off at your hotel. Pricing is quoted per car. Specific instructions for transportation will be provided in your confirmation details when your booking is confirmed.

    Many of our hosts accommodate solo travelers. You can see if a host accepts solo travelers by looking at the traveler range found next to the experience descriptions on the host profile (indicated by the numbers in parentheses next to "In-home meal", "Cooking experience" and "Market visit").

    Most of our Traveling Spoon experiences are incredibly family friendly and can accommodate infants and children. If a host is unable to accommodate children that will be noted in the “Notes” section of their profile. Our child pricing policy is children aged 5-11 are 50% off, and infants aged 0-4 are free.