Bizarre Foods is heading to Lisbon, dines at a snail’s pace

Lisbon, Portugal --- Next week on the Travel Channel, Andrew Zimmern is off to Lisbon to discover a diverse and unexplored European cuisine. The episode will air November 3, 2014 at 9 p.m. 
While Andrew will dine on lots for fresh fish from Portugal’s hundreds of miles of Atlantic Coast, he will also try a few recipes involving snails.
Andrew Zimmern finds that “caracois” is a fresh seasonal cheap eat in Lisbon from June to September. It is not unusual to see signs go up outside of restaurants declaring “Há Caracóis” – or “we have snails.” The dish is originally from the Alentejo and Algarve Regions, south of Lisbon. Snails are often flavored with laurel, thyme, garlic, onion, olive oil, salt and oregano.
Portugal’s Cuisine
With miles of Atlantic coast, Portugal has lots of fresh fish and seafood that is often grilled or served in a simple sauce of olive oil and butter. One of the staple Portuguese meals is "bacalhau"--a dried, salted cod. There are so many ways to serve what is commonly called “the faithful friend” that it is said there is a cod dish for each day of the year. Another countrywide favorite is grilled sardines.
While fresh fish and seafood defines a great deal of the nation’s cuisine, the taste of each region holds its own specialties.
The North is known for its staple "broa,” a rich, dark cornbread. “Broa” is served along with the simplest meals. Also common in the north are Presuntos, or smoked ham, and handmade sausages. Roasted tripe is another staple, often served with beans.
The Centro de Portugal Region, between Porto and Lisbon, is home to platters of octopus rice and "chanfana" goat meat stewed with wine.
All of Portugal produces outstanding artisan cheeses, but the country’s crowning jewel is the rich sheep's cheese known as “Queijo da Serra," from this region's Estrela Mountains. Other great cheeses are from Sabugal and Rabaçal.
The wide-open Alentejo region and the coastal Algarve region each have distinct dishes. "Migas" or breadcrumbs, rich sausages and dark hams are popular in the Alentejo. The Algarve specializes in spicy, grilled seafood, and marinated carrots are another popular dish.
On Portugal's Madeira Island, a favorite dish is “Milho Frito," which is fried cubes of polenta. In the Azores, limpets (a shellfish) and croques (a small mollusk unique to the Azores) are local specialties.
Bizarre Foods focuses on regional cuisine from around the world that is typically perceived as being exotic, or bizarre. In each episode, Zimmern focuses on the cuisine of a particular country or region. He typically shows how the food is procured, where it is served, and, without hesitation, eats it.
Portugal is a country of contrasts that boasts some of the most unspoiled natural vistas, the richest traditions, the most intoxicating culture, the most adrenaline-pumping adventures, and the most serene retreats in all of Europe.
https://www.visitportugal.com/en/experiencias/gastronomia-e-vinhos

Organic & Non-Toxic Options for Farmers

Acres U.S.A.'s "2014 Conference on Ecological Farming" Unites Production-Scale Organic/Sustainable Farmers from Across North America, and Around the World
Hyatt Regency Downtown * Columbus, Ohio
December 3-6, 2014

AUSTIN, Texas: The Acres U.S.A. Ecological Farming Conference, held annually for more than 40 years, is coming to Columbus, Ohio, this December 3 - 6. Well over 1,500 farmers, ranchers, market gardeners and consultants will attend to share their experience and expertise. Attendees will be coming from most states and provinces in North America as well as from Europe, Australia, New Zealand and other countries.
"Our goal for the 2014 Acres U.S.A. Conference is simple and clear -- that this is the most useful conference on agriculture you've ever attended," says Fred Walters, publisher of Acres U.S.A. magazine, presenter of the gathering.
An extensive lineup of speakers present lectures and in-depth workshops on dozens of topics of interest to commercial-scale farmers seeking to avoid the use of toxic pesticides and herbicides and the reliance on genetically modified crops, while improving soil health and farm operating efficiencies, yields and profits.
Speakers include:
•    Joel Salatin is a Virginia farmer featured prominently in The New York Times-bestseller The Omnivore's Dilemma and the Academy Award-nominated documentary "Food, Inc." His diversified farm has been hailed as a model of profitability and resiliency. It is visited by thousands of people worldwide each year.


•      Dr. Joseph Mercola founded and operates the world's most popular website concerning natural health and the connection of health to food and farming.

•    André Leu is an Australian farmer who serves as president of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements, an umbrella organization uniting 800 organizations worldwide. Author of the book, The Myths of Safe Pesticides, he frequently testifies before the United Nations and others regarding the environment, natural resources, and climate change.

•    Gabe Brown is a recipient of the Natural Resources Defense Council's Growing Green Award. His family farm, comprising 5,400 acres, has experienced a doubling of topsoil levels in 15 years through sustainable farming methods. He does not utilize toxic farm chemicals or synthetic fertilizers

•    And dozens more.
Optional pre-conference advanced learning classes, tagged Eco-Ag U, allow more experienced farmers and consultants to learn from masters of the field in all-day and two-day intensive sessions. Sessions this year include a two-day course on advanced fertility management (offering CEU credit to Certified Crop Advisors), a day with world-renowned farmer/innovator Joel Salatin, a live butchering class and demonstration, lessons in soil building through cover crops and compost with NRDC award winner Gabe Brown, and more.
"Modern ecological farming techniques, whether certified organic or sustainable, are proven to provide farmers with resiliency not seen in conventional systems," says Walters. "And the fringe benefits are nutrient-dense crops, improved soil fertility, greater water efficiency, and not exposing farmers and their families to chemicals known to cause cancer and other diseases."
Information about the conference can be found online at www.acresusa.com or obtained by calling the conference producer at 1-800-355-5313 or 512-892-4400.