The Unlikely Rise of the Pastel de Nata, and Why It’s Suddenly Everywhere

Swift3 · Apr 17, 2019

I ran across this article and thought I'd pass it on.
But I confess, my first thought, as I read the headline was:
"What do you MEAN? UNLIKELY?? Hardly!!! More like 'Inevitable' "
Anyway, it brought back fond memories of morning stops.

bloomberg.com The Unlikely Rise of the Pastel de Nata, and Why It’s Suddenly Everywhere The centuries-old Portuguese treat has become a global brand, and a very modern marketing machine is pushing it. Not long ago an authentic pastel de nata—the diminutive egg-custard tart with a crispy crust—required a trip to Portugal. Trending

Portuguese Pastry Pastel de Nata Takes Over the World - Bloomberg

https://www.bloomberg.com/.../portuguese-pastry-pastel-de-nata-takes-over-the-world

Deleted member 67185 · Apr 17, 2019

There was probably a similar headline when bagels were first 'discovered' at the corner deli by the food snobbies. Forget the fact that regular folks had been enjoying them for generations.

Anamya · Apr 17, 2019

I was going to say... Being Brazilian born and living in Australia (where the Portuguese have a vibrant community in Sydey), the pasteis de Nata have always been around my entire life.

Glad they are becoming mainstream in more places though, it is a delicacy that deserves to be eaten more often!

Vacajoe · Apr 18, 2019

Don’t forget that they’ve been available in Chinese Dim Sum houses and restaurants for hundreds of years as part of the Portuguese influence on Asia through its trade routes!

Camino Chrissy · Apr 18, 2019

I just landed in Lisbon yesterday and enjoyed my first yummy one..."they're everywhere, they're everywhere"!

t2andreo · Apr 18, 2019

Oh man! NOW I am longing for a Pastel de Nata... Why do you torture me so...?

peregrina2000 · Apr 18, 2019

Just wanted to let everyone know that we on the forum are way ahead of the curve. We have been debating whether the pastel de nata should be served warm or room temp for years now. The Bloomberg article doesn’t even wade into that thicket.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/the-pastel-de-nata-debate-hot-or-room-temp.44970/

pipello · Apr 18, 2019

Swift3 said:
I ran across this article and thought I'd pass it on.
But I confess, my first thought, as I read the headline was:
"What do you MEAN? UNLIKELY?? Hardly!!! More like 'Inevitable' "
Anyway, it brought back fond memories of morning stops.

bloomberg.com The Unlikely Rise of the Pastel de Nata, and Why It’s Suddenly Everywhere The centuries-old Portuguese treat has become a global brand, and a very modern marketing machine is pushing it. Not long ago an authentic pastel de nata—the diminutive egg-custard tart with a crispy crust—required a trip to Portugal. Trending

Portuguese Pastry Pastel de Nata Takes Over the World - Bloomberg
https://www.bloomberg.com/.../portuguese-pastry-pastel-de-nata-takes-over-the-world

Ok then, we all agree on its deliciousness. Anyone have a great recipe?

simply B · Apr 18, 2019

pipello said:
Ok then, we all agree on its deliciousness. Anyone have a great recipe?

How about this?

https://leitesculinaria.com/7759/recipes-pasteis-de-nata.html

This one looks like it is close to authentic but I have not yet had time to try. You really do need an oven than can hold consistent heat of at least 450 deg F, 500 is better.

Any native Portuguese who wishes to share a home recipe - - let's see it! (As long as such a sharing will not get you into trouble with Mom!)

B

Carolethecatlover · Apr 18, 2019

Anamya said:
I was going to say... Being Brazilian born and living in Australia (where the Portuguese have a vibrant community in Sydey), the pasteis de Nata have always been around my entire life.

Glad they are becoming mainstream in more places though, it is a delicacy that deserves to be eaten more often!

I am Australian too, and have to agree, they have been around the last 32 years in Sydney....Petersham is the barrio Portuguese. Brazil is on our time, ... Inevitable far from inexplicable rise....

gschmidl · Apr 18, 2019

Potentially heretical, but I prefer the ones with the thicker, more "stable" non-fillo crust. I cannot for the life of me remember what they're called, though.

gittiharre · Apr 18, 2019

pipello said:
Ok then, we all agree on its deliciousness. Anyone have a great recipe?

I am cooking my way through Rick Stein's Long Weekends cookbook and Pastel de Nata is one of the Recipes.
The instructions take up 2 pages and the process looks long and complicated and fiddly....I haven't got round to having a go. Serving that for a rainy day with no disruptions.

Drew1578 · Apr 18, 2019

After leaving SdeC by car to head to Avila and beyond, I'm decided to drop down to Braga and stop for a few hours (which only adds an additional 2 hours to my trip and coming from S. California that's just a drop in the bucket). I've been researching food (if you knew me you'd expect that....) and came across the pastel de nata. Yeah! Good thing I've dropped 15 pounds before I leave because I'm going to gain it all back.... My
Camino has gone from being a solely religious pilgrimage to a religious/epicurean pilgrimage.

Swift3 · Apr 18, 2019

gittiharre said:
I am cooking my way through Rick Stein's Long Weekends cookbook and Pastel de Nata is one of the Recipes.
The instructions take up 2 pages and the process looks long and complicated and fiddly....I haven't got round to having a go. Serving that for a rainy day with no disruptions.

Good luck with it. Hope it meets your expectations and beyond.

Camino Chrissy · Apr 18, 2019

peregrina2000 said:
Just wanted to let everyone know that we on the forum are way ahead of the curve. We have been debating whether the pastel de nata should be served warm or room temp for years now. The Bloomberg article doesn’t even wade into that thicket.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/the-pastel-de-nata-debate-hot-or-room-temp.44970/

Mine was room temperature, but warm sounds heavenly...as long as it's not so hot it burns the roof of my mouth! ☺

Davey Boyd · Apr 18, 2019

peregrina2000 said:
Just wanted to let everyone know that we on the forum are way ahead of the curve. We have been debating whether the pastel de nata should be served warm or room temp for years now. The Bloomberg article doesn’t even wade into that thicket.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/the-pastel-de-nata-debate-hot-or-room-temp.44970/

Warm for me please!

Davey Boyd · Apr 19, 2019

Terry Callery said:
The sheer number of pastry shops in Portugal was staggering. Referred to as “pastelarias,” these eateries are founded on the secular trinity of the highly caffeinated coffee, the sugary sweet pastries, and the community offered by the place where everyone goes to talk. Café culture is part of the Portuguese daily routine, and dropping into one of these pastelarias half a dozen times each day is not uncommon. Most pastelarias offer a simple luncheon “prato do dia,” or daily special. At Imperio Pastelaria, I had the bean soup of the day for my first course and a fried pork medallion with potato fries for my main course.
It was fortunate for me that my server had studied English at school for several years, as do most high school students here. I wanted to order some pastries for desert, and I asked the waitress to translate some of the offerings posted on a large sign hanging behind the long glass case.
“So, tell me what a ‘bolo rei’ and a ‘bolo rainha’ are?” I asked the young server.
“That is the king cake, and it is a Christmas cake much like the fruit cake they have in England,” she explained expertly. “It is named after Louis XIV of France, where it originated, and it is brioche-like bread dough baked with nuts and raisins and dried crystallized fruit. The queen cake, or ‘bolo rainha,’ is the same thing but with less dried fruit and more nuts.”

“Yeah. I think I’ll pass on that. How about the tartes diversas?” I asked.
“You know about our famous pastel de nata, a many-layered flaky pastry filled with custard. Then there are the other types, ‘diversas,’ of tarts we serve, in which the fillings might be coconut or almond or white bean puree. The pastel de coco or the pastel de amendoa or the pastel de feijao are the other tarts we make here.”
“Those sound delicious, and of course, like most visitors to your country, I have had the pastel de nata and also the almond tarts. But what is the serradura?” I inquired.
“In English this is—how do you say— ‘sawdust pudding,’ which is crumbled cookies layered in a whipped cream pudding. Serradura was introduced to Portugal from Macau in China when it was a Portuguese colony. I actually just helped to make some of it today. It is very simple to make, with just four ingredients, but it’s very delicious. Can I get you one of those?”
“That sounds perfect for desert—one serradura. Also, I want two pastries to go please, perhaps one pastel de coco and one pastel de amendoa,” I said.
From "Portuguese Camino - In Search of the Infinite Moment"

Now I am very hungry!

Rone · Apr 20, 2019

t2andreo said:
Oh man! NOW I am longing for a Pastel de Nata... Why do you torture me so...?

Yeah, now my mouth is watering

EricBerg · Apr 20, 2019

davebugg said:
There was probably a similar headline when bagels were first 'discovered' at the corner deli by the food snobbies. Forget the fact that regular folks had been enjoying them for generations.

Don't you mean beigels?

EricBerg · Apr 20, 2019

davebugg said:
There was probably a similar headline when bagels were first 'discovered' at the corner deli by the food snobbies. Forget the fact that regular folks had been enjoying them for generations.

BRICK LANE BEIGEL BAKE, London - East End / East London - Updated 2024 Restaurant Reviews, Menu & Prices - Tripadvisor

Brick Lane Beigel Bake, London: See 1,702 unbiased reviews of Brick Lane Beigel Bake, rated 4 of 5 on Tripadvisor and ranked #1,880 of 24,155 restaurants in London.

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susanawee · Apr 21, 2019

Anamya said:
I was going to say... Being Brazilian born and living in Australia (where the Portuguese have a vibrant community in Sydey), the pasteis de Nata have always been around my entire life.

Glad they are becoming mainstream in more places though, it is a delicacy that deserves to be eaten more often!

And I live inPerth, not far from Fremantle, where there is also a vibrant Portuguese community and those little Custard and pastry tarts have been around for as long as I've been here in Perth which is 50years this year.

mark connolly · Apr 23, 2019

pipello said:
Ok then, we all agree on its deliciousness. Anyone have a great recipe?

Here is one from youtube. The chef states:

Learn how to make Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata)! If there were a Hall of Fame for tarts, these would have an entire wing. They truly are a unique, and mind-blowingly delicious sweet treat. Plus, they were invented by hermit monks, which make them even cooler. Visit https://foodwishes.blogspot.com/2018/... for the ingredients, more information, and many, many more video recipes. I really hope you enjoy this Portuguese Custard Tart recipe!

Mark

Icacos · Apr 23, 2019

mark connolly said:
Here is one from youtube. The chef states:

Learn how to make Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata)! If there were a Hall of Fame for tarts, these would have an entire wing. They truly are a unique, and mind-blowingly delicious sweet treat. Plus, they were invented by hermit monks, which make them even cooler. Visit https://foodwishes.blogspot.com/2018/... for the ingredients, more information, and many, many more video recipes. I really hope you enjoy this Portuguese Custard Tart recipe!

Mark

That was most interesting, watching how those delicious tidbits are made, but I think I’ll scout around to find a bakery that makes good ones. Seems like just a bit too much work for me.

David Tallan · Apr 24, 2019

Vacajoe said:
Don’t forget that they’ve been available in Chinese Dim Sum houses and restaurants for hundreds of years as part of the Portuguese influence on Asia through its trade routes!

We have plenty of both available here in Toronto, with substantial Portuguese and Chinese communities, and you can definitely tell the difference between the two. Pasteis de nata are clearly sweeter and Chinese egg tarts are noticeably eggier. You can see that they are related, but don't try and substitute one for the other.

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