Caracóis & Sardines

This is a caracóis (just a  fancy name for a snail). One of the families that have been meeting with us on Sunday nights brought caracóis for us all to try.  Unfortunately I have this shell fish allergy and could not try them:)  However, all the kids tried as well as some other colleagues that joined us for the evening.  It was funny because no one sat down to eat.  They all hovered over the bowl and popped the snails like popcorn.  You have to take a tooth pick and pull the meat out.  Kind of reminded me of crawfish boils, especially when they started sucking the juices out.  I took some pictures of the kids' expressions as they tried them, but something wierd was happening with my camera and they all turned out fuzzy - you will just have to imagine it.  Most of the kids actually liked them once they finally tried them. 

These are grilled sardines and they are nothing like what you get in the can. They are salted and grilled and they are amazing.  One of the first people we met in Lisbon invited us to his mother's house Satrday afternoon for her birthday (she turned 83) and this is what we ate.  I was a wonderful evening (8 hrs) of food, fellowship and celebration.