"I just returned from Lisbon and only have one thing to say - Belem Pasteis de Nata"
Thanks
to a reader for reminding me of what is the can't miss taste of Lisbon.
While there are wonderful wines, tasty sausages, perfect cups of
espresso and crispy salt cod fritters that all deserve your attention,
you haven't truly experienced Lisbon until you have made it through the
winding labyrinth of the cafe and bakery, Pasteis de Belem, in a pretty waterfront neighborhood of Lisbon and had a few fresh warm pastries.
Belem
is a lovely area, right near the river Tagus, with views of the 25 de
Abril bridge which looks amazingly similar to the Golden Gate bridge.
It's green and spacious and filled with elegant architectural wonders;
there are museums, monasteries, gardens and an outdoor market to
explore. But one bite of the pastry, and all that is forgotten.
Known as Pastel de Belem,
Pastel de Nata, (pasteis is plural of pastel) this little egg tart is
the original version of the one you might find in a dim sum parlor. The
crust is layers of crisp flaky pastry and the custard is eggy and sweet
and melts in your mouth. Originally they were made by nuns with the
eggs that were given to them as offerings. While the pastries can be
found all over, I even had good ones at the airport, they are most
famous here, the first place they were sold outside of the convent.
The blue and white tiled cafe also serves excellent coffee, and other things to nibble, such as salt cod fritters, but the pastries are what have people lining up and jockeying for tables. Dust them with cinnamon and powdered sugar, check out the production behind a glass window and enjoy a treat loved by tourists and locals alike.
Amy Sherman is a San Francisco–based writer, recipe developer, restaurant reviewer and all around culinary enthusiast. She blogs for Epicurious , Bay Area Bites and Cooking with Amy .