While some young people in Lisbon are injecting new life into the local economy with new ideas, others strive to preserve old traditions and trade. Portuguese Custard Tart is one of the oldest and most famous desserts from Portugal. Keeping this traditional dessert alive is Mr Miguel Clarinha, one of the managers of Pastéis de Belém who is a fifth generation descendant of the founding family. Pastéis de Belém is home to the original, famous Portuguese Custard Tart. “Legend has it that in the past, monks in the monastery used egg white to iron their clothes. In order not to cause wastage, the monks experimented with making desserts with the remaining egg yolks. Hence the Portuguese Custard Tart was born,” Miguel explained. “After receiving the recipe from the monks, my family started making and selling the custard tarts in this same shophouse since 1832, and it expanded over the years taking over the neighbouring sugar factory to create a bigger production facility and dining area." Today, Miguel and his cousin are entrusted to ensure product quality and to keep the recipe a secret.

Every day, long queue of both locals and tourists can be seen in front of the shop located in Belém.  Behind the humble shop front are the production facilities and fairly sizable dining areas, where groups or individuals can enjoy custard tart or other delicacies with coffee. A large glass panel also provide guests with a glimpse of the baking process.

MICE groups from Asia should make this part of the itineraries, as it would be a “pilgrim” of sorts. Most East Asian would have been familiar with this dessert thanks to Macau, a former Portuguese colony, which has its own version of the tart and has spawn franchises across the region. While the Macao version has a fluffier crust, Pastéis de Belém’s version has a thinly layered crust that maintains its crisps even after a day. As the name suggests, the fillings in the original version here in Lisbon is more custardy, as compared to the more “crème brulee”-like fillings of the Macau version, which is more popularly known as Portuguese Egg Tart. In Lisbon, the tart is taken with a sprinkling of cinnamon powder and icing sugar, and paired with a cup of coffee or Port wine – both are heavenly combinations. For more information, visit: http://www.pasteisdebelem.pt/en.html