Cozido à portuguesa / Portuguese stew

Imagine a huge vat of animal parts, some identifiable as trotters and ears, others more of a knobbly, fatty mystery. Add some cabbage, carrots and boiled potatoes swimming in a murky liquid and you’ve pretty much got cozido à Portuguesa, or Portuguese stew. It’s much loved in Portugal, especially for SundayRead More →

Pastel de Belem, a special brand of pastel de nata

How could my Personal A to Z of Portugal not include the nation’s most famous cake, pastel de nata?  With this Portuguese sweet treat, a light, slightly flaky, crispy pastry cup holds a sweet, smooth creamy custard filling which is browned off in the oven, giving them a home-made, slightlyRead More →

cocktails made with licor beirão

Being a dedicated fan of this sweet, herby Portuguese liqueur, I couldn’t possibly pass up the opportunity to go on a guided tour of the Licor Beirão factory. The event was organised for expats living in central Portugal by Dot Bekker of Portugal Friends. After lunch at a restaurant overlooking Lousã weRead More →

cocktails made with licor beirão

On my very first trip to Lisbon in 2006, I discovered a sweet, herby liqueur and promptly fell in love with it. And with Lisbon, of course. It took a while to learn the name; I’m a visual language learner and need to see things written down before they stick.Read More →