Brawn & Brains

2009 AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX
MELBOURNE
28 MARCH
QUALIFYING

The Brawn GP team locked out the front row of the grid today in qualifying for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

On the day in which the team announced its new partnership with Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group, Jenson Button put theBGP 001 car on pole at the end of a closely-fought qualifying hour. Team-mate Rubens Barrichello will start alongside Jenson on the front row of the grid for tomorrow’s 58-lap race.

The BGP 001 cars ran at the front of the field throughout qualifying with the team’s two drivers vying for position at the top of the timesheets. Rubens took the honours in Q1 and Q2, posting the fastest lap of qualifying in the second session. In the pole position shoot-out, both drivers completed two runs with Jenson taking pole in the dying seconds of the session.

RESULTS

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Free Practice Qualifying 1 Qualifying 2 Qualifying 3

Jenson Button 22 BGP 001-02 P3 P2 01:25.211 P2 01:24.855 P1 01:26.202
Rubens Barrichello 23 BGP 001-01 P6 P1 01:25.006 P1 01:24.783 P2 01:26.505

Weather Warm and sunny

Temperatures Air: 24-25°C Track: 29-33°C

JENSON BUTTON

“To put the car on pole at our debut race is a fantastic achievement and I have to give so much credit to Ross, Nick and everyone at the factory in Brackley. The last four months have been incredibly tough for the team and to go from a situation where you don’t even know if you are going to be racing to achieving pole at the first race of the season is just incredible.
Tomorrow is obviously the most important day of the weekend and there is a lot of work to be achieved to come away with a successful result however we have to remember where we have been and really enjoy this moment.”

RUBENS BARRICHELLO

“It has been a great day and I want to congratulate the team for an outstanding job. I was hoping that I could put the car on pole and it was looking good in the first two sessions but in Q3 I developed some understeer in the car which comprised my final runs. However the first row for both cars is a real credit to the team and gives us a great chance in the race tomorrow.
We have a really good car which everyone deserves credit for and I am just so happy to be racing at the front again.”

ROSS BRAWN

“Watching our two cars top the timesheets throughout qualifying capped an excellent day for the team which began with the announcement of our new partnership with Virgin this afternoon. The track conditions were more favourable than we experienced yesterday and we found that the tyres worked in a more conventional way. In addition, the changes that we had made following yesterday’s practice sessions proved positive and both drivers had a well-balanced car which allowed them to concentrate on maximising the lap times. Whilst this is a great achievement and gives both drivers an excellent opportunity in the race tomorrow, the job is only half done and our full focus is now on getting the best result possible in the race. I would like to pay credit to Jenson, Rubens and the whole team, both here and at our factory, for their achievement today and to Mercedes-Benz for their invaluable support over the past few months.”

McCann appeal returns to Portugal

Madeleine McCann's parents are to launch a high-intensity new appeal for information tightly focused on the area where she went missing.

Over the next two weeks 10,000 leaflets in Portuguese will be handed out and posted in letterboxes in Praia da Luz, Lagos and Burgau in southern Portugal.

The campaign will also advertise on billboards, three buses and a van.

Madeleine, of Rothley, Leicestershire, vanished from a holiday flat in Praia da Luz, in the Algarve, on 3 May 2007.

Vital clue

Despite an international publicity campaign and massive police search, she has never been found.

Kate and Gerry McCann's spokesman, Clarence Mitchell, said the hope was to find the vital clue that could lead to Madeleine, who was nearly four when she went missing, being found.

Experience shows that people almost always confide in someone else Find Madeleine Fund

The official Find Madeleine Fund said in a statement: "At the time of Madeleine's disappearance the emphasis was placed more on international appeals, and it has been recognised that the local Portuguese residents of Praia da Luz and the surrounding areas have never been properly asked about information they may have to give.

"Someone in the area could almost certainly have the vital information that could help Madeleine's return to her family, or a combination of people all coming forward with a single piece of information could piece together vital clues which could solve the disappearance.

"Experience also shows that people almost always confide in someone else."

Information can be provided to the McCanns' private investigation team anonymously by telephone, email, text message or free post, and will be treated in confidence.

Team Australia's John Martin looks ahead to upcoming A1GP race in Portugal

Team Australia lead driver John Martin talks to foxsports.com.au about the upcoming A1GP race at the new Algarve circuit in Portugal.

Martin will be looking to erase the disappointment of his last start at Kyalami, South Africa when a pit stop problem in the feature race prevented his team from capitalising on a promising position.

I hear you're travelling through Italy on your way to Portugal - will you be hopping into the simulator for the new Algarve track?

I will definitely hop into the simulator in Italy, which is a week before I head to Portugal. It will be great to put some practice laps in because the track looks pretty interesting. It’s a brand new circuit and I don't think many people have raced there yet. Only the superbikes have raced there so far and F1 and has done a bit of testing there but apart from that I think we (A1GP) will be the first major race there.

So what are your thoughts on the new track?

It’s pretty big really, fairly wide and smooth - really good. I’ve seen some footage of it on the internet and it looks really impressive. There are plenty of hills and stuff in it - different cambers and corners - I think it will be great. Should be plenty of opportunity for passing; A1 is always fast, anyway.

What have you been up to since the South African GP? There must have been some mixed emotions after the Gauteng race.

I've been great chilling out back home in Queensland and doing some training. As for the South Africa incident, we have moved on. Everyone realised what happened and it was an unfortunate ending but at least we proved we had the pace. We just have to push on for Portugal, where we have the potential to be right up the front.

Talk us through the problems you encountered in South Africa.

We qualified OK for the feature race and had a reasonably good start due to a collision between the New Zealand and Malaysian teams. I got into third quite easily and had some really good pace at that stage coming in for the first pit stop. We had an agreement with the German team before the start of the race that we were going to stop on the first available opportunity - which we did - but they decided to come in after us. I don’t know whose idea that was but when we attempted to leave the pits the German car was blocking our exit. When I hit the breaks to avoid them the anti-stall failed and the car wouldn’t start again. It was a bit of a pain, really.

What were relations like between the Australian and the German teams after that?

Obviously nobody was very happy but I don’t think there was anything said. We just took that incident on the chin and we will learn from it and move on.

Was any action taken against the Germans?

No, it was just a congested area in the pit lane - they did nothing illegal. But I thought our team had an agreement with theirs. Unfortunately, they didn’t stick with that agreement - it’s their decision I guess.

You mentioned your speed was very good until that happened. It must give you confidence for the remaining rounds.

Yes it was, and later on in the race when we put the new tyres on we held the fastest lap time for a long period of the race. It was a good genuine race-speed lap. By the end of the race we had a lot more pace than Team Switzerland (who won the race). Team Switzerland were a long way in front before we ran into trouble in the pits but I think second was definitely achievable.

What are the chances of a podium placing before the end of the season?

The ability is there; we just need to pull it all together. I want to try to improve my sprint qualifying times because I have been lacking a bit there. But we should be OK, I think. The last two rounds are great - Portugal looks like an awesome track and I know the Brands Hatch track and have raced well there. There are positive signs for the future.

Olhanense, cheered on by expat fans, push for promotion

In the Portuguese Division 2, leaders SC Olhanense had a comfortable win over local Algarve rivals Portimonense last Sunday.

The large crowd of 5,434 was in festive mood in front of the Sport TV cameras and they were treated to an emphatic 4-0 victory when their local heroes from Olhão cemented their place at the top of the table with a hat-trick from centre-forward Djalmir and a fourth goal from substitute João Paulo.

Some twenty British ex-pats are regular fans and the number is growing as the group promotes the club throughout the central and eastern Algarve. The family orientated and friendly club are striving to join the giants of FC Porto, Benfica and Sporting in Liga Sagres. The club’s marketing department have met with the group to create a partnership that hopes to recruit more British and Irish members to savour the unique atmosphere of the José Arcanjo Stadium. Posters in English now appear in cafes, bars and hotels from Faro to Vila Real Santo António whilst the club’s new monthly magazine contains two pages of copy in English. The group also produce a match day programme to keep themselves abreast of team news and details of away trips.

Members of the group have already travelled to Benfica and Boavista with their new Portuguese friends. Club President Isidoro Sousa said last week “It is very pleasing, they have been tireless in their support and are much in love with Olhanense. We hope they keep supporting us and bring more Britons to Olhão. I am very optimistic.”

When Olhanense, the only 2nd Division club to reach the quarter-finals of the Carlsberg League Cup, were drawn away to Benfica in January, there was tremendous excitement. With 1,800 fans from the Algarve, waving their commemorative scarves, they certainly made an impressive sight in the Stadium of Light.

Despite losing the game 4-1, Olhanense were the equal of Benfica during the first half and even had the audacity to take the lead.

Following that defeat in Lisbon in January, the team lost ground with three successive league defeats but recent form including outstanding wins away at Boavista 4-1 and the 4-0 win against Portimonense have confirmed Olhanense as promotion favourites. The top two teams are promoted and with eight games to play they are a point ahead of Santa Clara (Azores) and seven points clear of 3rd placed team Leiria. Portimonense remain 13th.Tickets can be purchased at the ground on match days and if you enjoy the experience why not become a member. Allocated seating in the main stand, own refreshment area, priority booking for major games and a match day programme in English.

For further information contact: Chris Wright on 916504 903, christopher.wright@hotmail.co.uk or Brian Evans on 913 595 868, brian@moonlightservices.eu

What's on in the Algarve?

There are lots of events planned in this region of Portugal in 2009, which is great news for property investors...

Whether you want a short break, honeymoon, adventure trip, beach holiday, cultural tour, sporting event or historical visit, the Algarve will offer something for everyone this year with a packed calendar of events.

From May 4^th to 9th the Algarve International Film Festival in Portimão will showcase short films from international filmmakers. In 2009 the festival will focus on 'Cinema and Globalisation in the World' and hopes to attract a broad mix of multicultural films. For more details see www.algarvefilmfest.com

For five days in July colour and excitement will fill the streets of Loulé again as the Med Festival takes place. World music originating from Morocco and various southern European countries, such as Spain, Italy, Greece and Portugal will fill the air.

Visitors will also enjoy handicraft exhibitions, dance performances and street theatre. For more information go to www.festivalmed.com.pt

A paradise for seafood lovers, the annual Festival do Marisco, is held in August each year in the town of Olhão, just five kilometres from Faro.

One of the most important gastronomic events in the Algarve calendar, the Festival do Marisco offers visitors the chance to sample some of the local delicacies. A wide range of seafood is available, ranging from grilled sardines to fried shrimps and of course the traditional cataplana, a much loved Portuguese dish consisting of clams, mussels, bacon, chouriço, garlic, onions and olive oil.

Music and folk dancing accompany the festival, with performers encouraging both locals and visitors to eat, drink and enjoy the superb atmosphere. For details visit www.festivaldomarisco.com

At the end of August, Castro Marim and Silves return to the Middle Ages, in a highly rigorous historical recreation. During four days and nights, the castle of Castro Marim plays host to kings and queens, knights in shining armour, jesters, noblemen and ladies. Jousting tournaments, on foot and on horseback, street theatre performances, banquets accompanied by medieval music and a handicraft and merchandise fair, complement the entertainment during these Medieval Days, which enable visitors to relive the magic and mystery of times gone by. See www.cm-castromarim.pt for further information.

The Algarve will also host some world class sporting events during 2009. The new Autódromo Internacional Algarve track in Portimão covers 300 hectares of land between Portimão and the hills of Monchique, with a capacity for up to 100,000 spectators. Key racing events are already confirmed in 2009 including the A1GP World Cop of Motorport on April 12th where UK visitors can cheer on the British team; the Historic Formula One Championship on May 10th; FIA GT Championship on September 13th; GP2 Series on October 4th and for the second year running the SBK Superbike World Championship on October 25th. The motorpark complex also includes a five-star hotel, apartments and restaurants. See www.autodromodoalgarve.com for full details.

Visitors can witness the great skill and expertise of the world's top drivers racing along the roads and tracks of the Algarve from April 2-5, competing in the Portugal Rally. The route combines fast open stretches with some technical and challenging tracks. Situated only eight kilometers from Faro International Airport, the Algarve Stadium will be the setting for the event's closing ceremony, while also acting as the rally's operational centre. See www.rallydeportugal.pt

Prepare to be blown away by the spectacular moves of the world's finest kite surfers at the Kitesurf World Championship in Portimão in July. This exciting new sport attracts many young people and during the event Portimão will come alive with nightly entertainment. See www.kiteportimao.info

July is the month for speed as Portimão hosts the final stage in the Powerboat P1 World Championship from 3th-5th. Powerful single-hull vessels will slice through the water at speeds in excess of 160 kmph offering plenty of excitement for fans and visitors to the region. As this is the last leg of six, the region will come alive with a party atmosphere in line with other Grand Prix events. For details see www.powerboatp1.com

October is the month for golf with the world's greatest golfers travelling to Vilamoura to take part in the Portugal Masters. Considered to be one of the leading golf events, the Masters is to hold its second edition in Portugal from October 15th-18th, 2009. It will take place at the Victoria Golf Club. The course was designed by the famous player, Arnold Palmer and the design alternates between well-positioned bunkers with lakes and waterfalls and is a continuous challenge for players.

Whether you are looking to soak up the sun and enjoy the crystal clear waters and golden sands of the coast, delve into the history and culture of the region's beautiful towns and or just relax in the lush green countryside, the Algarve has plenty to offer.

For full details of events in the Algarve this year see www.allgarve.pt

Portugal Algarve New Race Track For Property Investors

The Algarve Portugal has consistently been popular with both life style property buyers and overseas property investors. It has now a new appeal with investors in the form of a brand new race track at The Autodromo International de Portima

The complex can hold a total of 150.000 spectators when fully completed. The circuit has been constructed by studying and visiting various racing circuits across the world, and was created by capturing the best features of each. The Autodromo do Algarve is a masterpiece of fun, excitement and luxury services all in one.

The Autodromo International de Portimao will be equipped to hold events across the whole motor sports spectrum, from Formula 1, Rally Sprints, GT races, Super Bikes and much more. Because of the region’s excellent weather conditions, the complex will be permanently in use. In addition to the racing track, the complex will have a karting track, car maintenance and support zones, a grandstand, VIP area, picnic area, Sport facilities and Spa, Physical treatment facilities, Restaurants, shops, museum and a hotel with further apartments.

EXPERIENCE THE EXCITEMENT!!!
Luxury apartments on the Portimão Racetrack - Autodromo do Algarve, with fantastic rental guarantee 7% guaranteed rent for 3 years! Residences will be finished to a 5-star specification and luxuriously furnished. They will be equipped with air conditioning and substantial balconies with impressive scenic views.

Owners will have access to their residence for 2 weeks per annum, but additional or extended usage rights are availableOwners have access to the race circuit and paddock.

There are currently 3 types of apartments available, 1, 2 and 3 bed units. All prices are including furniture and the full price can be financed up to a maximum of 80%.*

 Prices for the 1 bedroom units start at Euro 289.000 up to Euro 337.000**
 Prices for the 2 bedroom units start at Euro 389.000 up to Euro 399.000**
 Prices for the 3 bedroom units start at Euro 489.000 up to Euro 499.000**

Buy now and receive 2 VIP passed to gain access to the race circuit for all the events !!

For all information please contact me at gerard@trackapartments.eu and we can email you the investor file with all information you need.

FIA GT calendar changed, San Luis postponed

The FIA World Motor Sport Council has confirmed the calendar for the 2009 FIA GT Championship season, which features a number of revisions to the schedule already announced.

The opening half of the campaign will remain as previously announced, with season opening at Silverstone in early May before the Italian event at Adria. The series then heads to Oschersleben in June before the traditional Spa 24 Hours in July.

The fifth round of the season on the streets of Bucharest has been brought forward to 9 August due to clash with a Madonna concert and a brief summer break will then take place before the first FIA GT race at the new Algarve circuit in Portugal in late September.

Paul Ricard will then return to the calendar in early October with the Zolder round, which has previously been due to take place on the weekend of the Ricard event, will now take on the role of season finale two weeks later.

The San Luis event, which was due to be the final round of the 2009 season, has been delayed and will now become the opening round of the 2010 season, which will be the first year of competition with the GT1 specification in place.

“Due to the current economic climate, and to our GT1 World Championship project for 2010, we have finally decided to limit the number of rounds in 2009 to eight,” Stephane Ratel, CEO of series promoters SRO Motorsports said.

There are no changes to the FIA GT3 calendar.

Algarve Car Hire

Algarvecarhire.pt is a new website owned by Auto Rent LDA.

Launched in 2009, Algarvecarhire.pt offers travelers to the Algarve Portugal region a valuable online resource to hire a car in the Algarve at competitive rates.

With a fleet of over 1000 new cars, Algarve Car Hire guarantees speedy delivery and quality service.

Have a car waiting for you at Faro (FAO) airport when you arrive in the Algarve by visiting Algarvecarhire.pt and submitting an online reservation. As a special promotion in celebration of the launch of this website, Algarvecarhire.pt makes available the following discount code that may be used on the website:

If you would like to contact Algarvecarhire.pt and Auto Rent LDA. please use one of the following contact methods, thank you for your attention.

Algarve Car Hire - Auto Rent Lda
Av Tomás Cabreira - Edif Vista Mar Loja-I
8500-000 Portimão, Algarve Portugal

Tel: +351 282417171
Fax: +351 281417555
Call Free (UK): 0800324979
Call Free (IRL): 0800555103
Email: mail@algarvecarhire.pt

High tension rears its ugly head again

One of the eastern Algarve’s most idyllic rural retreats, a mountainous range eight kilometres north of Stª Catarina de Fonte do Bispo (Tavira) which is affectionately known to locals as ‘the cloud factory’ and comprises a cluster of unspoilt villages, is under threat of being invaded by two large-scale energy projects that are causing residents to unite in uproar, and who are promising to go to all lengths at their disposal to ensure the projects do not follow the proposed route.

The quaint villages of Malhada do Judeu, Água de Tábuas and Aporfiosa could all be affected by the two reportedly ‘massive’ projects, which will see the installation of High Tension (HT) cables and pylons as well as a wind turbine farm.

News of these projects broke last year and caused immediate unease within the normally tranquil hub, which despite comprising fewer than two dozen properties with full time and part time residents, is home to a variety of nationalities and families, young and old.

Residents this week claimed they were not officially informed of these projects or of a public consultation phase, which they say they found out about “purely by chance just prior to its closure date”, nor were they reportedly told of the subsequent alleged approval of one of two proposed routes for the HT network.

Immediately a protest campaign was launched, resulting in a petition comprising 853 signatures, 165 official forms and an additional petition with 43 signatures opposing the proposed HT lines. These documents were all submitted to Tavira City Hall, the Ministry of the Environment, to the State Secretary for the Environment and the local Parish Council.

To date, this action has reportedly been “completely ignored”, leaving the despairing residents “furious”.

Should the planned projects go ahead they will entail a series of unsightly HT pylons, measuring up to 50 metres in height, as well as the installation of three wind turbines, each measuring 80 metres in height, one of which is believed to be positioned just 200 metres from the high voltage cables.

Health, noise and aesthetics aside, residents fear these proposed plans will not only “devastate property values” in this region, rendering them unsellable in an already shaky market, but they will also deter prospective visitors to the region, as a consequence a plan for 22 properties to be developed there are, from the offset, practically worthless.

Furthermore, given the location’s geographical position, which for most of the winter months is enveloped in mist, it boasts a unique micro-climate that nurses a native flora, an unusual moss, and lichens that are likely to be disturbed by the work and heavy machinery involved.

As a matter of urgency a Residents’ Committee has been formed and according to one of the organisers, they will “stop at nothing to protect homes, livelihoods and investments”.

A letter from the Committee was sent this week to the State Secretary for the Environment, the Minister for the Environment, the Minister of the Economy, the Mayor of Tavira and the President of national energy company REN.

In the document, to which The Portugal News had prior access, the residents said they wanted to “make it clear” that they would “do everything necessary to safeguard our livelihoods, our properties, and the future economic stability of this rare and beautiful corner of Portugal”.

According to the residents, they will be taking their protest to Lisbon, where they will be demanding an audience at the head offices of REN, the Ministry of the Environment, and the Ministry of the Economy, “who to date seem determined to ignore our protests and desecrate our environment”.

A large number of campaign posters were printed this week, which the community will be displaying along the proposed route of the High Tension pylons.

But even though they are feeling “snowed under with the threat of massive infrastructures going up around us”, the residents are adamant in stopping at nothing to eliminate this threat.

Toby Jarvis, a British-expat and permanent resident in Aporfiosa with his wife and one-year-old daughter, told The Portugal News this week, “Our dream of an ecologically sustainable, creative tourist development in Aporfiosa is shattered. With the Government’s talk of sustainable investment in the Algarve we are amazed at the complete contradiction in policy. No-one will tell us why our protests have been ignored and no-one is talking about compensation. It will definitely make people think twice about investing in rural areas”.

In previous years, two identical, high-profile cases in the Algarve made national and international headlines with High Tension network proposals for the districts of Monchique and Silves being successfully thwarted thanks to the action of locals. Both routes were altered following pressure from residents, who had the added support of their respective City Halls behind them.

After contacting Tavira City Hall, Mayor Macário Correia said in response to the issue “as nothing is as yet definite I do not want to comment on the matter”.

Another source from Tavira City Hall told The Portugal News that a letter in the name of Mr. Jarvis has been received in April 2008, though could not confirm whether or not the document in question was the petition.

ALONSO WITH REAL GROUNDS FOR OPTIMISM

Not too often over the past two years has Fernando Alonso had much cause to smile.

Clinching the second of his back-to-back Formula One world titles with Renault towards the end of 2006 must now appear like a distant memory to the Spaniard.

The following year brought a much-heralded move to McLaren, but it was filled with bitterness, acrimony and rancour, culminating in an unsurprising exit and a hasty retreat back to Renault.

There is a saying that you should never go back, and certainly for arguably the first eight months of last year, that was the case for Alonso as he struggled to wring a performance out of the car.

But the 27-year-old, despite the obvious problems he encountered at McLaren, is a fighter, and in tandem with a considerable amount of hard work from the team, he again savoured the sweet taste of victory champagne.

Successive wins in Singapore and Japan enabled Alonso to finish the season as the highest points scorer over the final six grands prix, outshining title protagonists Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa.

Alonso was again a happy man and he signed a new two-year contract with Renault, ending the speculation linking him with the now-defunct Honda team.

The return to form naturally rekindled his enthusiasm, which was apparent at the unveiling of this season's car in the Algarve in January when he was like a child with a new toy.

The sweeping regulation changes have offered Alonso hope he can again fight for a third world title.

''I am confident I can fight for the title this year,'' remarked a determined Alonso.

''There is only one target this season - we need the championship, and if we don't win it, it will be a disappointing season.

''But (team principal) Flavio (Briatore) and I, the whole team is really optimistic, with everybody focused on this.

''The results we have from the wind tunnel, engine dyno, everything is more optimistic than we expected, better than we predicted.

''It means everybody is quite motivated, but you need a few factors to be champion at the end of a year.

''Hopefully, I think for the first race we will be able to fight for the podium at least.''

It was a grim-looking Alonso that stood on a stage at the team's Paris base last January after unveiling the 2008 car, and it was clearly with good reason.

Alonso must have known then the year ahead would be a struggle, yet he was hardly at liberty at that time to bemoan the car's bad points that became apparent as the first few races unfolded.

So his grounds for optimism on this occasion, even if all drivers talk a good game in the run-up to a new campaign, must have firm foundations.

''I'm much more happy this year, much more optimistic, because I think the rule changes are a big opportunity for all the teams,'' said Alonso.

''Last year even with standard electronics, no traction control and other things, we knew the cars that fought for the title in 2007 would be good enough to fight for the championship in 2008.

''They had an advantage that they carried over the years, but this year it is not like that any more.

''Everybody has had to start from zero, so we know if we do a good job then we can be up with them.

''That is what we hope for, and that is our aim.''

Alonso knows it would certainly ease the pressure on himself and the team who, like the other manufacturers, are fighting for the results to guarantee their survival in F1 in light of the global economic crisis.

Alonso feels a successful season would also bring an end to the constant speculation about him joining Ferrari.

Despite the new contract, it has already led to some circulating the rumour he will move to the Maranello marque in 2011.

With that smile that is now back on his face these days, he added: ''I have been answering this question for four or five years.

''Hopefully this year I can be more relaxed about it, and if we are winning races and fighting for the title, we'll forget Ferrari.

''That is another of my aims, because I'm really concentrated on 2009, and as I've said, I'm more motivated and prepared than ever.

''So when you talk about 2010, 2011 or 2012, it really is a difficult question to answer because I'm not looking that far away.''

Chef Stephen Jackson’s Brazilian-style beef dish: Picanha with feijoada

HELLO everyone. Last week I was on holiday in Portugal, in the Algarve, a place I’ve not been for many years.

It was a most enjoyable week of golf and gluttony, the highlight of which was one of the most memorable dishes I’ve had in many moons and I’d like to tell you all about it and offer my domesticated version.

The dish I ate was Brazilian in origin and combined two of the classic recipes from the South American country.

Picanha is essentially a long skewer, onto which is pushed several large, well-seasoned steaks from the sirloin or top rump.

The skewer is placed in front of a grill and rotated until the outer layers of the meat are cooked.

Then, the skewer is brought to the table and sliced theatrically by a waiter and the customer uses little tongs to remove the juicy outer layers, much like you see in kebab shops.

The meat then gets taken back to the kitchen to be cooked again and this proceeds until the steaks are finished, or, as in our case, when you simply can’t eat any more. Boy, was I pogged!

To accompany this delicious meat we were served a sort of feijoada, which is the name given to a group of dishes served as a feast in Brazil.

Feijoada comprises many elements, but chiefly includes a casserole of black beans, a few smoked sausages, deep-fried bananas, rice, some fried potatoes, a fruity pepper salsa and manioc flour, lightly-toasted and mixed with smoky bacon.

Oh and a chargrilled pineapple.

I know what you’re thinking. I did too. Way too many flavours! But here’s the thing – it works. It works SO well. I was utterly entranced.

The smokiness of the sausages and beans, the fruit of the salsa and crunchy-coated banana and the rich, juicy beef. Oh, it was an epiphany.

I can still taste it now and I’m desperate to get going on my own version.

Some of the ingredients may be hard to find, but there’s fun to be had in trying to find suitable replacements.

I can pretty much guarantee we’ll not be able to find linguiça sausages round these parts, but we should thank the Poles, of whom there are many in the Huddersfield area, for their kielbasa and kabanos, both of which would be fine substitutes here. Manioc flour is also not easy to find – try health food or African stores, but it’s the least important of the additions.

Picanha with Feijoada

THE beans you can make in advance, as with the salsa.

Serves 4

The Beef:@ 4 x 8-10oz. rump steaks from a good butcher, well-seasoned just before cooking

The Beans:@ 800g black beans, soaked overnight in fresh water 500g chorizo sausage, finely diced 2 bayleaves 1 large onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced A pinch of cumin 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 orange

The Salsa:@ 1 onion, finely chopped 1 green pepper, seeded and finely chopped 1 red pepper, seeded and finely chopped The juice and rind of a lime 6 fresh, ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped, juices reserved A little fresh coriander, chopped S&P

Toasted Manioc:@ Cassava flour (also known as tapioca flour or manioc flour) A few rashers smoked streaky bacon, cut into strips

The sausages:@ Smoked pork sausages (ideally, linguica, but Kabanos or Kielbasa will do)

The bananas:@ 4 bananas A pinch of flour 1 egg, beaten Fine breadcrumbs Oil for deep-frying

Also:@ 1 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into thick slices (optional) A few cooked new potatoes and/or plain boiled rice.

First, the beans. Put the drained soaked beans in a suitable pot and cover with water about twice the depth of the beans themselves. Bring to the boil and simmer gently. Quarter the orange, remove the pips and add to the beans. While the beans are cooking, in a little oil fry the onion and garlic until translucent, then add the chorizo, the bayleaves and cumin. When the chorizo is golden, add this to the simmering beans and cook gently until the beans are beginning to fall apart. When the beans are ready, remove the bayleaves and orange pieces and take out a couple of ladlefuls of beans. Whizz them in a blender, then return to the pan. You’re after a nice creamy bean casserole here, so you’ll have to judge the consistency.

For the manioc, quickly fry the bacon in a pan until golden and crispy, then add a few tablespoons of cassava flour and toast this gently until it reaches a nice pale brown colour. Reserve.

To make the salsa, combine all the ingredients, adding the tomato juices, season to taste and keep refrigerated until needed.

For the bananas, heat a pan with enough oil to deep-fry the bananas. Peel the fruit and roll in a little flour, then dip in the egg and finally the breadcrumbs. Repeat the egg and breadcrumbs stage. Deep fry the bananas until golden and crunchy and keep warm.

Cook the steaks briskly on a chargrill pan, a barbecue or even under the grill. Grill or roast the sausages.

If you’re serving pineapple, chargrill or grill it at the same time as the steaks. Finally, cook the rice or sauté the potatoes, and serve everything at once. Tradition says you should drink beer, but I find a nice zappy red like an Argentine Shiraz is perfect.