Fábrica de Pastéis de Belém |
|
Think thick creamy custard tarts with slightly chewy pastry, but then better than you have ever had. This is Lisbon’s worst-kept secret recipe, the pastel de nata. These delicious custard cream tarts can be found throughout Portugal’s pastry shops and cafes, but the definitive recipe remains a secret fiercely guarded by 3 living persons. The original recipe was concocted before the 18th century by Catholic nuns at a bakery inside the closed order at the Jerónimos Monastery. Today the neighbouring Fábrica de Pastéis de Belém is the only place in the world where you can buy the real pastel de Belém, which has a unique and exquisite taste. Ever since 1837 locals and curious visitors have swarmed to the exponentially growing factory to sample the tarts straight out of the oven, then sprinkled with cinnamon and powdered sugar to taste. Today the “factory” contains a labyrinth of rooms covered with very old white and blue azulejos where you can either join the hoards and eat in the cafe or buy a box or two of warm tarts to take away with you (they don’t stay as delicious very long, so there is a good excuse for gobbling down as many as you can as quickly as you can). According to the factory manager a staggering 20,000 tarts are baked per day, reinforcing the meaning of the phrase “selling like hot cakes”. Rua de Belém 84. Open daily from 08:00 - 24:00 during the summer and closing at 23:00 on Mondays to Saturdays and at 22:00 on Sundays during the winter. Tel: 21 363 7423 |
