To further compound our rich gastronomic diversity, some islands embrace spices such as cumin, allspice and cloves while others dismiss them entirely. Nowhere is Azorean individuality seen more than in sopa de couves, the islands' version of Portugal's unofficial national dish, caldo verde. We also don't cut the greens into thin strips. It's a more country dish the way we make it. Azoreans can't even agree on what key ingredient makes the best sopa de couves.
Faial cooks prefer collard greens because they like the tender texture.
Cod was an obvious resource for seafaring islanders. But it was the salting of the cod for the long trip home from the North Atlantic that made it a staple of Portuguese life. Suddenly, an affordable food could be stored indefinitely. Pork, on the other hand, may seem like an unusual staple on sleepy volcanic islands sequestered away at sea. But to Azoreans, it was considered wasteful to slaughter cows merely for meat.