First Time Trying Portuguese Food in Canada 🇵🇹 | Pastéis de Nata, Arroz Doce & Family Reactions!

My family and I decided to bring a taste of Portugal to our snowy Canadian home by visiting a Portuguese bakery in Edmonton. The weather had turned nasty overnight, going from beautiful and warm to completely dumping snow on us again, so we thought exploring Portuguese food would be the perfect indoor adventure.

We had never been to this particular Portuguese bakery before, but we were excited to try different baked goods, pastries, sandwiches, and drinks. Our plan was simple: buy a variety of authentic Portuguese items, take them home, and rate them as a family whilst comparing the prices to what you might pay in Portugal itself.

Key Takeaways

• We discovered authentic Portuguese sandwiches made with imported ham and cheese that tasted very salty but delicious.

• Portuguese soft drinks like Sumol offer unique flavours such as orange and mango that taste best when served cold.

• Portuguese pastries and baked goods are available in Edmonton but cost significantly more than they would in Portugal.

Exploring Portuguese Food in Edmonton

Stopping by a Portuguese Bakery

We decided to bring Portugal to us on this snowy Edmonton day. The weather had completely changed from yesterday’s warmth, so we headed to a Portuguese bakery we’d never visited before.

We weren’t sure what to expect when we walked in. Our plan was simple – try different baked goods and pastries, then rate and review them. The adventure was about discovering new flavours and seeing what authentic Portuguese food tastes like.

The bakery had quite a few options to choose from. We ended up buying some pastries and two sandwiches. When the lady asked if we wanted them made the authentic Portuguese way, we said yes straight away. She offered mustard or mayonnaise, but we told her to make them however they’re meant to be made.

Genuine Portuguese Experience

Back home, we used the receipt to get proper pronunciations and exchange rates. This helped us work out the actual costs and compare them to what you might pay in Portugal.

The Sandwiches:

• Cost: £21.50 Canadian (about £7 each)

• Size: Roughly 12-inch subs

• Ingredients: Portuguese ham, cheese, and imported meats

The lady told us everything was imported from Portugal, including the meat and cheese. A Portuguese family made one of the sandwiches we tried.

First sandwich rating:

• Very salty (like swimming in the ocean)

• Lots of cheese flavour

• Score: 7 out of 10

Second sandwich rating:

• Plenty of meat

• Nice bread

• Score: 10 out of 10 (even 20 out of 10!)

The Drinks: We tried Sumol drinks, which are supposed to be the flavour of Portugal.

DrinkCostFlavour NotesOrange£1.63 / $2.50 CADLike orange cream, with real orange chunksMango£1.63 / $2.50 CADSmells like mangoes, would be brilliant cold

The orange one tasted like a creamsicle – fizzy orange juice with a creamy finish. The mango flavour was lovely and would be perfect on a hot day at the beach in Portugal.

The Pastries:

• French puff pastry biscuits

• Cost: £5.15 Canadian (£3.35)

• These were imported from Portugal and looked quite nice

We couldn’t go wrong with these safe, everyday treats. They’re the sort of thing you could eat regularly without getting tired of them.

Trying Portuguese Sandwiches

Portuguese Ham and Cheese Sandwich Review

We started our Portuguese bakery adventure with two different sandwiches. The lady at the bakery asked if we wanted them made the authentic Portuguese way or with mayonnaise and mustard. We chose authentic.

We paid £21.50 Canadian for both sandwiches. That works out to about £7 each. These were proper 12-inch subs.

The lady told us everything was imported from Portugal. The ham, cheese, and all the ingredients came straight from Portuguese suppliers. She made it clear this was a proper Portuguese family recipe.

First Sandwich Rating:

• Taste: Very salty – like swimming in the ocean

• Score: 7 out of 10

• Verdict: Good sandwich but extremely salty

Second Sandwich Rating:

• Taste: Lots of meat, great bread, perfect balance

• Score: 10 out of 10 (some said 20 out of 10!)

• Verdict: Thumbs up all around

Tasting Imported Ingredients

The Portuguese bakery staff told us all their ingredients were imported directly from Portugal. This included the ham, cheese, and other sandwich fillings.

We could really taste the difference in the meat quality. The ham had a distinct flavour that felt different from regular Canadian deli meat. The bread was also special – it had a nice texture that held up well.

The cheese was quite strong. In the first sandwich, the cheese flavour was so powerful that it almost covered up the ham taste. The salt content was much higher than what we’re used to.

Comparing Sandwich Flavours

We tried both sandwiches side by side to compare them properly. Here’s what we found:

SandwichSaltinessMeat QualityOverall TasteFirstVery highGoodCheese-heavySecondBalancedExcellentWell-balanced

The first sandwich was incredibly salty. It reminded us of ocean water. The cheese dominated every bite. Some of us actually preferred this intense flavour.

The second sandwich had much better balance. We could taste the ham properly. The bread complemented the fillings perfectly. Everyone agreed this one was the winner.

Both sandwiches had generous portions of meat. This seems to be typical for Portuguese sandwiches based on what we’ve seen. The bread quality was excellent in both cases.

We’re curious if this is truly the authentic Portuguese flavour. The saltiness was quite intense compared to what we normally eat. The imported ingredients definitely made a difference in taste.

Exploring Portuguese Pastries

We decided to bring Portugal to us by visiting a Portuguese bakery in Edmonton. The weather was horrible and snowy outside, so we thought it would be perfect to try some authentic Portuguese baked goods.

Range of Baked Treats

We bought several different items from the bakery. The lady asked if we wanted our sandwiches made the authentic Portuguese way, and we said yes. We wanted to try everything exactly how it’s meant to be made.

Portuguese Ham and Cheese Sandwiches

We got two different types of sandwiches. They cost us $21.50 Canadian, which works out to about £13.98 or roughly £7 each. These were about 12-inch subs.

The lady told us all the meat and cheese were imported from Portugal. The sandwiches had loads of meat in them, just like we’ve seen in other videos.

SandwichRatingDescriptionFirst sandwich7/10Very salty, tasted like “swimming in the ocean”Second sandwich10/10Lots of meat, nice bread, really good

The first one was extremely salty but still tasty. The second one was absolutely brilliant – we gave it two thumbs up. The bread was lovely and there was plenty of meat.

Sumol Drinks

We tried Sumo drinks that cost €1.63 each or $2.50 Canadian. These are supposed to be the flavour of Portugal.

The orange flavour tasted like orange cream or a creamsicle. It had chunks of orange in it, which made it taste like real oranges mixed with fizzy water.

We also tried the mango flavour. It smelled like proper mangoes and tasted much better than the orange. We thought it would be perfect if it was cold on a hot day in Portugal.

French Puff Pastry Biscuits

We bought what the bakery called French puff pastry cookies. They were imported from Portugal and cost us $5.15 Canadian, which is about £3.35.

These looked quite nice and we knew we’d like them. We could probably eat these every day – they’re a safe choice and you can’t really go wrong with them.

The pastries were lovely and exactly what we expected. We’re curious if Portuguese people would be shocked at the prices we paid for these treats.

Tasting Portuguese Soft Drinks

Sumol Orange Experience

We picked up some Sumol drinks to try the flavours of Portugal. Each bottle cost us $2.50 Canadian, which works out to about €1.63.

The orange flavour was our first taste test. It had a unique texture with chunks of orange mixed right in. The taste reminded us of orange cream or a creamsicle rather than plain orange juice.

One of us described it as tasting like root beer at first. But after a few sips, the orange cream flavour came through more clearly. The pulp bits made it feel like drinking fresh orange juice mixed with fizzy water.

We didn’t find it too orangey. The creamy taste balanced out the citrus quite well.

Sumol Mango Trial

Next up was the mango flavour. Right away, we noticed it smelled like real mangoes when we opened the bottle.

The taste was much better than the orange version. We all agreed this one had a proper mango flavour that came through nicely.

The main issue was temperature. The drinks weren’t cold, which made them less refreshing. We reckon these would be brilliant on a hot day in Portugal when they’re properly chilled.

One of us said: “If it was cold and I was outside on a walk and I was hot, I’d love that. On a beach in Portugal when it’s 40 degrees, I’d give it 10 out of 10.”

Top Picks

Between the two flavours we tried, mango was the clear winner. It had a more authentic fruit taste and smelled exactly like fresh mangoes.

We’re not huge fizzy drink fans normally. But we could see these being perfect for hot weather and beach days. The real fruit chunks and authentic flavours set them apart from regular sodas.

The orange was decent but tasted more like a cream soda. The mango actually tasted like the fruit it’s meant to be.

We’re curious to try the passion fruit flavour next time. These drinks are imported directly from Portugal, so we’re hoping they give us a proper taste of what locals enjoy there.

Comparing Prices: Canada vs. Portugal

We picked up quite a bit of food from the Portuguese bakery in Edmonton. Let me break down what we spent so you can see how the prices compare.

Portuguese Ham and Cheese Sandwiches

• Canadian Price: $21.50 CAD for two sandwiches

• Portuguese Price: €13.98 for two sandwiches

• Cost Per Sandwich: About €7 each

These were proper 12-inch subs made with imported Portuguese ham and cheese. The lady at the bakery told us everything was imported straight from Portugal. We asked her to make them the authentic Portuguese way instead of adding mayonnaise or mustard like they sometimes do for other customers.

Sumo Drinks

• Canadian Price: $2.50 CAD per bottle

• Portuguese Price: €1.63 per bottle

We tried the orange flavour first. It had chunks of real orange in it and tasted like orange cream or a creamsicle. The mango flavour was lovely too. These drinks are imported from Portugal, so we’re paying the import costs here in Canada.

French Puff Pastry Biscuits

• Canadian Price: $5.15 CAD

• Portuguese Price: €3.35

The packaging said “French puff pastry cookies” but the bakery claimed they were from Portugal. We’re not sure if these are actually Portuguese or just popular there.

ItemCanadian PricePortuguese PriceHam & Cheese Subs (2)$21.50 CAD€13.98Sumo Drink$2.50 CAD€1.63Puff Pastry Biscuits$5.15 CAD€3.35

We reckon Portuguese people might be shocked at what we paid for these items. The prices are definitely higher here because we’re buying imported goods. When we actually get to Portugal, we expect these same items will cost much less since we won’t be paying those import fees.

Our Family Food Tasting Adventure

We decided to bring Portugal to our home on this snowy day in Edmonton. The weather had completely changed from the beautiful warm day before. We visited a Portuguese bakery that we’d never been to before.

We weren’t sure what they would have available. Our plan was simple – try different baked goods and pastries, then rate and review them as a family.

Our Individual Ratings

Portuguese Ham and Cheese Sandwiches

We bought two different sandwiches for £13.98 Canadian total. The bakery owner asked if we wanted them made authentically Portuguese style. We said yes and asked her to make them however they’re meant to be made.

Both sandwiches were about 12 inches long with imported Portuguese ham and cheese. Here’s how we rated them:

Family MemberFirst SandwichSecond SandwichBree7/10 (“like swimming in the ocean”)Not ratedLeviThumbs up20/10 (two thumbs up)DadPreferred this oneThumbs up

The first sandwich was very salty. All we could taste was cheese at first, but the meat was nice. The second sandwich had lots of meat and good bread. Levi gave it three thumbs up.

Sumol Drinks

We tried the Portuguese fizzy drinks that cost us £2.50 Canadian each. The orange flavour had chunks of orange in it. It tasted like orange cream or a creamsicle rather than ginger or root beer.

The mango flavour smelled like real mangoes. We thought it would taste much better if it was cold. On a hot day at the beach in Portugal, it would be perfect.

French Puff Pastry Biscuits

These cost us £5.15 Canadian. We think they might actually be from Portugal or just popular there. We could eat these every day – they’re a safe choice that you can’t really go wrong with.

Memorable Family Moments

The Authentic Experience

When the bakery owner asked about making the sandwiches authentic, we were excited to try them the proper Portuguese way. We had no idea what to expect but trusted her to make them right.

Describing the Flavours

Bree came up with the funniest description for the salty sandwich – “like swimming in the ocean.” This became our favourite way to describe how salty it was.

Levi’s Enthusiasm

Levi got so excited about the second sandwich that he gave it multiple ratings. First it was 10 out of 10, then 20 out of 10, then three thumbs up. His excitement was contagious.

Planning for Portugal

We realised we need to remember all the foods we liked for when we actually visit Portugal. This tasting session became our research for the real trip.

The Cold Drink Revelation

We discovered that the Sumol drinks would be perfect on a hot Portuguese beach day. Even though we don’t usually like fizzy drinks, we could imagine loving them in the right setting.

Learning Together

We kept asking our viewers to tell us if these foods are actually Portuguese or just clever marketing. We’re genuinely curious to learn from people who know the real Portuguese food culture.

Final Thoughts on Bringing Portugal Home

We wrapped up our Portuguese bakery adventure with some really tasty finds. The sandwiches were the highlight for us. Both had loads of meat and cheese, all imported from Portugal according to the lovely lady at the bakery.

Our Sandwich Ratings:

• First sandwich: 7/10 – Super salty, like swimming in the ocean

• Second sandwich: 10/10 – Everyone gave it thumbs up

The bread was brilliant and there was so much filling. We paid $21.50 Canadian (about €13.98) for both 12-inch subs. That works out to roughly €7 each, which seemed fair for the quality.

Sumo Drinks Experience: We tried the orange flavour first. It had real orange chunks in it and tasted like a creamsicle. The mango one was even better – it smelled lovely and had a proper mango taste. At $2.50 Canadian (€1.63) per can, they’re not cheap but worth trying. We reckon they’d be amazing cold on a hot day in Portugal.

The French puff pastry biscuits cost us $5.15 Canadian (€3.35). We know Portuguese people might be shocked at these prices compared to what they pay at home.

We’re definitely going to remember what we liked for when we visit Portugal. The authentic Portuguese ham and cheese sandwiches were the real winners. The lady made them exactly how they’re supposed to be made, no mayo or mustard needed. Just pure Portuguese flavours that we can’t wait to try again on Portuguese soil.