Almost four years after its debut, Maria's Portuguese Table is back for its second season! Filmed during the summer and fall of 2022, Season 2 highlights Portuguese cuisines while exploring the Portuguese immigrant experience throughout North America and returning to host Maria Lawton's roots on the Azores Islands.
The new season premieres on Sunday, April 2 at 7 p.m. on WSBE Rhode Island PBS.
Watch Season 1 of Maria's Portuguese Table here.
Episode 1: Provincetown, Massachusetts - April 2 at 7 p.m.
Maria explores Provincetown, the first landing place for the Pilgrims and also the landing place for many Azorean immigrants in the last century. Not just an artists' colony, Provincetown has also been home to a vibrant Portuguese community that centered around the fishing industry. Maria explores the area, cooks a traditional fish dish at The Mayflower Restaurant, takes a painting lesson from a Portuguese American artist, and joins in the weekend Portuguese Festival celebration.
Episode 2: Boston, Massachusetts - April 9 at 7 p.m.
Maria’s travels continue to the birthplace of the American Revolution, Boston, Massachusetts. There, she meets with Dennis Alves, director of artistic planning for the world-famous Boston Pops. A proud Portuguese American, Dennis invites Maria to cook a delicious chicken soup known as canja in his kitchen. During her time in Boston, Maria also receives a private music lesson on stage at Symphony Hall, and meets with businessman Tony Frias. Tony shares how he and his brother arrived in the U.S. from the Azorean island of Santa Maria, then went on to start a business that shapes much of the Boston skyline.
Episode 3: Fall River, Massachusetts - April 16 at 7 p.m.
Columbia Street is the heart of Fall River’s Portuguese community. Maria explores the cafés and businesses there, then heads to meet up with the comedy troupe, “Portuguese Kids.” The founders, Brian and Derek, are globally known for their take on growing up Portuguese in America, but their love for their roots is shown as they join their mothers in the kitchen to sit with Maria and reminisce. While in Fall River, Maria also experiences fine dining at the oldest Portuguese restaurant in the state, Sagres Restaurant.
Episode 4: New Bedford, Massachusetts - April 23 at 7 p.m.
Maria's journey circles back to her home community, New Bedford, Massachusetts. Maria arrived in New Bedford from São Miguel when she was six years old. Historically, many people who immigrated to New Bedford worked in mills or the fishing industry. Maria meets a young woman who is now running her family's business. She talks about her roots and teaches Maria her favorite scallop recipe. Maria then meets with Jessica Arruda, owner of Tia Maria’s European Café. Jessica discusses her Portuguese family, and together she and Maria cook a recipe that Jessica’s mother taught her. The episode ends with Maria heading to the north end of New Bedford, where she meets with the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament's committee members.
Episode 5: Terceira, Azores - April 30 at 7 p.m.
Maria’s journey continues to Terceira Island, known by many U.S. veterans for its World War II air base. Maria learns that Terceira isn’t just bloodless bullfights and parties, it’s also home to stunning scenery, talented artists, and amazing food. Maria goes inside a volcano, cooks local specialties - the Alcatra and the Dona Amélia - and takes a turn at throwing some pottery with a third-generation potter and clay that is millions of years old.
Episode 6: São Jorge, Azores - May 7 at 7 p.m.
From a distance, São Jorge is an island of cliffs and fajãs, but Maria discovers so much more. She sees first-hand how their world-famous cheese is made, visits a coffee plantation, and cooks Holy Ghost soup and local specialty, Especies. Maria also meets transplant, Peeter Adriaans. Adriaans is best described as a Renaissance man originally from Amsterdam, who made a home on São Jorge after what can only be described as a shipwreck.
Episode 7: São Jorge and Pico - May 14 at 7 p.m.
Maria explores Fajã da Caldeira Santo Cristo, which the New York Times listed as one of the most beautiful places in the world. While there, she tastes and learns to cook the unique clams that can only be found on that shoreline. Maria then ferries to Pico Island to learn more about the whaling industry, and meets with winemakers to taste rare wines that were desired by kings and czars for centuries.
Episode 8: Faial - May 21 at 7 p.m.
The season ends with exploring the city of Horta and tasting locally produced specialties. Maria heads to a volcano off the coast of Capelinhos, Faial, whose devastating eruption in 1958 resulted in a new wave of immigration to the U.S. Maria also wrangles bees, and gets to cook some unique farm-to-table inspired dishes on a mountaintop farm with an American couple that returned to Faial to start anew.
WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits high-definition (HD) programming over the air on digital 36.1; Cox 08 / 1008HD, Verizon FiOS 08 / 508HD, and Full Channel 08; Comcast 819HD and Verizon FiOS 18 / 518HD; DirecTV 36, Dish Network 36. Rhode Island PBS is now available to subscribers of YouTubeTV. The full schedule is available to live stream for free within the broadcast viewing area at watch.ripbs.org/livestream. An expansive catalog of PBS series, documentaries, and specials is available to Rhode Island PBS members through Rhode Island PBS Passport.