PASTEL DE NATA Making, Mystical SINTRA & Our New “DAILY LIFE”!! // CITY 1: LISBON, PORTUGAL
HELLO WORLD!
Thank you for taking the time to watch our FIRST EVER travel video!
On the 24th of September, Ben and I took off on our journey around the world where we will travel to a new city every two weeks! A new travel video will be posted every two weeks, so keep checking in!
We will be working remotely full time whilst I also finish my art degree – it is busy, stressful and crazy – but its a once in a lifetime chance for us 🙂
We might not make it far. It might not work out the way we expect. We might give up…
…But we will never know until we try!
We are so grateful for all of your support and for being a part of this crazy journey with us, and we hope you will stick along for the ride as we explore this beautiful world, one step at a time.
Hands down one of my favorite sweet things to eat to this day, Pastel de Natas are the perfect dessert: light and delicate but also filling and truly, truly delicious!
Pastel de Natas, also known as Portuguese custard tarts or pasteles de Belém, are small, delicious egg tarts with light, flakey pastry, often served with a light dusting of cinnamon.
The History of the Pastel de Nata
They originate from Portugal and were created by Catholic monks just before the 18th century. Today, most people flock to Portuguese cities such as Lisbon and Porto to sample this mouth-watering delicacy. However, Pastel de Natas are also found in other countries across Europe.
For this recipe, we have bought you a truly traditional, authentic Pastel de Nata recipe. We cooked it ourselves in a quiet little cooking class just off of the busy streets of Lisbon.
Ben and I are currently on our adventure around the world and I wanted to take him to Lisbon. I wanted to show him the beauty, food and landscape of this stunning city. After a busy week it was nice to take an evening to relax and cook some tasty Portuguese delicacies!
Our Cooking Class Experience
We had such a lovely time at the Compadre cooking class in Lisbon! We spent two hours in the evening cooking Pastel de Natas with two chefs who really knew their stuff! They were so passionate about cooking and the history of Portugal. It was a delight to be in their company and a lovely way to round off our two weeks in Lisbon.
We booked the cooking class through Airbnb experiences. It was our first time using them and they did not disappoint. Booking the class was quick, easy and we were contacted immediately by the hosts, thanking us for booking. It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience from start to finish. If you find yourselves in Lisbon any time in the future, check them out here!
We hope you enjoy these gorgeous little custard treats! Let us know in the comments if you made them and what you thought, I’d love to hear of any alterations or additions to the recipe! Pastel de natas can be eaten hot or cold, but we would recommend storing them at room temperature and consuming them within two days, otherwise they tend to go slightly chewy!
I visited beautiful Lisbon over the Easter of 2017 with both of my parents. It has everything – culture, beautiful sites and shopping as well as some of the most stunning hilltop views. Even visiting in April, the weather was gorgeous – sunny but cool.
Lisbon is well known for its colourful buildings and some huge hills. However I did not expect it to be as diverse as it was. There are so many parts of Lisbon to explore, including the busy Bairro Alto district filled with bars and nightclubs, the beautiful plaza of Praça de Comércio, one of the biggest plaza squares in Europe lined with little cafes and shops, and even the old São Jorge castle, a Moorish castle built on a hilltop which overlooks the city.
There are lots of ways to see the city. You can walk, drive, cycle (beware of the fluctuating hills!), go on a moped or catch a tram. The latter was my absolute favourite, and I stayed on the tram for a whole circuit, just taking in the sights, sounds and smells.
Some notable landmarks and sites in Lisbon which are well worth a visit include the Belém Tower (pictured below), also known as the Tower of St Vincent, which is a medieval fortified tower and UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its role in maritime discoveries during the Age of Discoveries era. There is a little café right next door to it which is floating on the Tagus River. Its a lovely place to sit out with a drink and a classic pastel de nata, Portuguese’s famous egg tart pastry.
Other places of significance include the Church of Santa Engrácia (pictured below), a 17th century monument, National Pantheon of Portugal and former church which was so awesome and huge that it did not completely fit in my camera’s shot, the Jerónimos Monastery (within walking distance from the Belém Tower), a world heritage late Gothic-Manueline-style monastery which is also an archaeology and maritime museum, and the Santa Justa lift, an iron elevator with beautiful views over the city.
Another notable place to visit is Eduardo VII park which is Lisbon’s largest public park. If you head to the top of the park you get some stunning views across the park and over parts of the city. There are also some beautiful stone statues nearby as well as the Pavilhão Carlos Lopes museum (all pictured below).
In addition to architecture, museums and sculptures, there are also other forms of art all around the city of Lisbon in the form of graffiti. I know that some people can be against graffiti, however I consider these particular pieces to be some inspiring works of art that really add to the diversity of the city. Feel free to judge for yourself and make up your own mind!
Like all the other places, I would love to return. It will be interesting to see what has changed, and whether new graffiti art has been added. But for now, I am content with relaxing here in England whilst dreaming of the Portuguese delicacy of francesinha (a large ham, sausage and steak sandwich, coupled with a fried egg, melted cheese and a spicy tomato sauce). It is a heart attack waiting to happen, but so so amazingly delicious!
Lost & Wild Thoughts. 