ERICEIRA AND LISBON, PORTUGAL

I visited Portugal with my sister and Olivia three years ago on a weekend trip to see our friend Tiago.  He's from a seaside town outside of Lisbon called Ericeira, which I just found out comes from the word ouriço which means sea urchin in Portuguese.

The warm(er) weather was a welcome change from the black-ice January temperatures in Paris.  It was a beautiful weekend spent bouncing between Lisbon and the coast, exploring castles and eating the most delicious food... Like these strange white beans that are gross on their own but the second you have a sip of beer (Super Bock!) it's a match made in heaven. We ate bolihnos de bacalao (fried codfish balls) while listening to Fado in tiny mosaic-tiled restaurants, bought roasted chestnuts from street vendors, but the most ridiculously delicious discovery by far were the pasteis de nata (tiny custard pastries) from Pasteis de Belem.  Their recipe hasn't changed since they opened in 1837, and it's so secret there are two separate kitchens. One makes the dough for the crust, and the other makes the custard.  Neither knows the others recipe.  You have to shake some cinnamon and powdered sugar on them first. That's the rule.

Lisbon seen from the Castelo Sao Jorge

sea urchin!

a church in Ericeira

on the way to dinner in Lisbon

Pasteis de Belem

Arielle and Tiago at Castelo Sao Jorge

Pasteis de Belem

Rua de Belém 84  

1300 Lisbon, Portugal

213 637 423