▁pi ri , ▁which ▁are ▁small , ▁fier y ▁ch ili ▁pe ppers ), ▁and ▁the ▁connection ▁is ▁made ▁simply ▁as ▁a ▁market ing ▁technique . ▁ ▁The ▁Portuguese ▁had ▁a ▁major ▁influence ▁on ▁African ▁cu is ine ▁and ▁vice ▁vers a . ▁They ▁are ▁responsible ▁for ▁introdu cing ▁corn ▁in ▁the ▁African ▁continent . ▁In ▁turn , ▁the ▁South ▁African ▁restaurant ▁chain ▁N ando ' s , ▁among ▁others , ▁have ▁helped ▁diff using ▁Portuguese ▁cu is ine ▁world wide , ▁in ▁Asia ▁for ▁example , ▁where ▁the ▁East ▁Tim or ese ▁cu is ine ▁also ▁received ▁influence . ▁ ▁Made ira ▁wine ▁and ▁early ▁American ▁history ▁ ▁The ▁ 1 8 th ▁century ▁was ▁the ▁" g old en ▁age " ▁for ▁Made ira . ▁The ▁wine ' s ▁popular ity ▁extended ▁from ▁the ▁American ▁colon ies ▁and ▁Brazil ▁in ▁the ▁New ▁World ▁to ▁Great ▁Britain , ▁Russia , ▁and ▁Northern ▁Africa . ▁The ▁American ▁colon ies , ▁in ▁particular , ▁were ▁enthus i astic ▁customers , ▁cons uming ▁as ▁much ▁as ▁a ▁quarter ▁of ▁all ▁wine ▁produced ▁on ▁the ▁island ▁each ▁year . ▁ ▁Made ira ▁was ▁an ▁important ▁wine ▁in ▁the ▁history ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁of ▁America . ▁No ▁wine - quality ▁g rap es ▁could ▁be ▁grown ▁among ▁the ▁ 1 3 ▁colon ies , ▁so ▁imports ▁were ▁needed , ▁with ▁a ▁great ▁focus ▁on ▁Made ira . ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁major ▁events ▁on ▁the ▁road ▁to ▁revolution ▁in ▁which ▁Made ira ▁played ▁a ▁key ▁role ▁was