The thing about travel is its transformative power. Upon returning home, familiar sights take on new meaning and spark a fresh perspective.
This March, my husband, Oscar, hit a major milestone: the big 5-0. To mark the occasion, I orchestrated a surprise trip to Portugal and Italy, joined by his parents. Our adventure kicked off during the second week of March, spanning four flights and totaling 26 hours in the air.
My grandmother was born in Porto in 1924, when her father, my great-grandfather, was consul to Cuba in Portugal throughout the 1920s and 1930s. I first visited in 2006, and fell in love with Portugal and its people.
It had been about 20 years since I had been in Rome. In Lisbon and Rome, magnificent beauty and ancient art are virtually around every corner. And while iconic museums, landmarks and towering cathedrals abound, hidden beauty is also intrinsically woven into the cities.
As we walked to the bakery one day in Lisbon, we stumbled upon the church of Nossa Senhora da Oliveira (Our Lady of the Olive Tree). Its façade is so discreet that we almost walked by it and missed it. Only a small stone plaque on the wall made us take a second look.
Inside was a lovely little chapel resplendent with Portugal’s famed Azuleijos (hand-painted tiles) dating from the late 1700s. It had originally been built between the 13th and 14th centuries, but like much of Lisbon, was destroyed in the great earthquake of 1755, and later rebuilt.
The rest of the walls and ceiling, like most churches there, featured spectacular oil paintings depicting Christ, the Virgin Mary, angels, cherubs and more. A most beautiful and unexpected stop on our way to go buy bread.
Every morning, in both countries, Oscar and I would leave his parents sleeping and walk to the bakery to have coffee and pastries, and bring some back for his parents to enjoy.
Both Lisbon and Rome are built on seven hills, so a “short” walk to the bakery was actually a couple of miles and the equivalent of climbing seven to 10 flights of stairs. Most days, we would walk a total of 5 to 7 miles. At the end of one day, my phone told me that I had climbed the equivalent of 44 stories. A decadent cornetto (Italy’s version of the croissant) is suddenly made guilt-free when paired with this kind of physical activity to obtain it.
This journey was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for Oscar’s parents. As they explored the Vatican, the Colosseum and the Borghese Gallery, their exclamations of “I never thought I’d get to see this” echoed through the air.
For me, visiting the Vatican for the second time, the Sistine Chapel nearly brought me to tears. Though I had seen it before, my perspective had shifted. I was 26 and single on my first visit, and now, at this stage in my life, I found a deeper appreciation. Witnessing Oscar and his parents’ awe-filled reactions warmed my heart.
Portugal and Italy overflowed with awe-inspiring beauty at every turn: cobblestone streets; the haunting strains of Portugal’s fado music; the winding alleys and tile-adorned façades of Lisbon’s Alfama district; and the legendary pastéis de nata ou Pastéis de Belem, crafting sweet, flaky custard tarts since 1837.
In Lisbon, a seaside train journey to neighboring Cascais, priced at a mere $5, offered breathtaking coastal views. Rome’s Via Veneto, lined with surreal orange trees, painted a technicolor picture of urban enchantment. And who could forget the majestic oak tree in Fatima, where children once waited for the apparition of Our Lady? Each moment, from a private dawn photo shoot at the Torre de Belem, a Lisbon landmark dating back to 1519, to impromptu discoveries along the way, was a testament to the boundless wonder and vibrant hues of life.
Is Europe like this all the time? No, of course not. The traffic is insane, and I tip my hat to the drivers in both of these capital cities. Four lanes of traffic merging with a sea of motorcyclists, and then speeding cable cars get thrown into the mix, no thank you.
Like any major city, there are hordes of tourists, poverty, crime, graffiti, etc. Yet, most stores and businesses close for lunch from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Businessmen in beautifully tailored suits are seen walking down the street licking gelato in a cone. All the food is incredibly fresh. Wine is served in copious amounts almost everywhere you go, but people aren’t drinking to get drunk; it’s just part of their way of life.
On this trip, I found myself immersed in a kaleidoscope of experiences that awakened my senses and enriched my soul. From the hidden gems of Lisbon’s streets to the timeless grandeur of Rome’s historic sites, each moment etched a memory, reminding me of the beauty and diversity that adorn our world.
As we boarded the plane to head home, I carried with me not only souvenirs, but also a profound appreciation for the rich tapestry of life and the boundless joy found in simple pleasures. And although I believe I do my best to enjoy life’s simple pleasures here at home, I vowed to make even more of an effort by continuing to support the many wonderful restaurants, shops, cafes and bars we have right here in my hometown. In the end, what I fell in love with while I was away is a lifestyle I have right here at home, I just need to take the time to enjoy it.
First up, is a recipe for what is quite possibly Italy’s most iconic cocktail, the Negroni. Sweet, bitter and citrusy, it hits all the right notes. As for the custom drink stirrers I had made for Oscar’s birthday, I ordered them from Makers Direct and brought them with me from the States (check out www.makersdirect.etsy.com).
Classic Negroni
Enjoying a classic negroni at Vladmiro in Rome
1 ounce gin
1 ounce vermouth rosso
1 ounce Campari
1 orange peel or orange quarter, for garnish
Combine gin, vermouth and Campari in a shaker filled with ice. Shake until chilled, about 25-30 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish with a large orange peel or orange quarter.
The influence of Brazilian culture in Portugal is undeniable. As a former colony, Brazil’s food appears on many menus throughout the capital. Feijoada, one of Brazil’s most recognized dishes, is typically made only on Saturday. However, Café Nicola, which has been in Lisbon’s Rossio neighborhood since 1929, serves it daily.
My recipe for feijoada comes from my dear Brazilian friend, Maria do Carmo, who gave it to me more than 16 years ago when we used to work together doing translations. It takes a bit of time but is a wonderful dish to serve on the weekend when family and friends come together. I’ve copied it here exactly as she gave it to me back then.
Feijoada (fay-zhoo-AH-dah)
(Serves 6)
For the beans:
1 lb. of dry black beans
2 types of smoked sausage, 1/2 lb. each, cut into slices
Salted pork/ham hocks, 3/4 lb.
Thick country bacon, 1/2 lb., roughly chopped
Good quality beef jerky, 1/2 lb., roughly chopped
2 large onions, chopped
4-6 garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
Salt, black pepper, cumin to taste
For the rest of the dish, you’ll need:
2 cups of white rice
Collard greens, 1 bunch
Oranges (around 6)
Farofa, 2 cups (This is coarse-ground yuca/manioc flour. It can often be found at Hispanic markets such as Fancy Fruit or Bravo. It is also available online.)
The day before:
Wash the black beans, and soak them in water overnight. Rinse and drain the beans. In a large pot, add 8 cups of water, the soaked beans, meat and bay leaves. Cook on medium-low heat for 4-6 hours or until the beans are tender.
In a separate frying pan, heat 4-6 tablespoons of olive oil. Fry the onions and garlic until translucent. Season with salt, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of cumin. Add a bit of the cooked beans to it. Add this seasoning mixture to the cooked beans and allow it to cook for about another hour to enhance the flavor. Mash some of the beans with a spoon to thicken the water.
Maria’s secret tip: Wash an orange well, pierce it with a knife, and add it to the beans and meat while they cook. Adjust the salt, if necessary, at the end. Let it cool, and allow it to sit until the next day.
The day of the feijoada, make the rice, farofa and collard greens:
Brazilian rice
2 cups of white rice
1 small onion
3 cloves of garlic chopped
chopped salt to taste
Wash the rice well, and let it dry for 15 minutes. In a pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil and fry the onion and garlic until fragrant but not brown, 2-3 minutes.
Add the rice, fry briefly, then add 4 cups of cold water. Add salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover the pan, and simmer until the water evaporates, about 20-25 minutes. Cover the pan, remove from heat, and let it sit for 10 minutes.
Farofa
2 cups of manioc flour
1 onion, chopped
4 tbsp of butter
2 tbsp of olive oil
1/2 bunch of chopped parsley
Salt to taste
In a frying pan, melt the butter with the olive oil to prevent burning. Fry the onion until translucent; add salt, then add the manioc flour. Cook slowly over low heat until golden, 6-8 minutes. When finished, remove from heat and add the chopped parsley.
Collard greens
1 bunch of collard greens
2-3 cloves of garlic
Olive oil and salt to taste
Wash, dry and finely chop the leaves. Blanch the chopped leaves in boiling water, then drain.
Fry 2-3 cloves of garlic in 3/4 tablespoon of olive oil, then quickly sauté the leaves. Add salt to taste.
Oranges (about 6)
Peel and cut the oranges into small pieces; set aside.
Bean sauce (used as a topping/condiment):
Mix a bit of the cooked bean liquid (about 1/2 a cup) with 2-3 tbsp of vinegar, 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes, a bit of chopped parsley, and salt, set aside.
Heat the beans, which were cooked the day before, adding a bit of water if necessary; bring to a boil, and serve.
We eat: rice topped with beans & meat, farofa, collard greens, oranges and sauce!
Before the feijoada, we drink caipirinha, a Brazilian cocktail, and with the feijoada, beer!
Lastly, is a recipe for Portugal’s national dessert, Pastéis de Nata (Portuguese custard tarts). These are best-served warm, and should be eaten the day they are made. Fair warning, they’re incredibly addictive!
For the dough, you could use your favorite puff-pastry recipe, but honestly, frozen puff-pastry dough works just fine here:
Pastéis de Nata
For the custard:
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups milk, divided
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 cinnamon stick
2/3 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 large egg yolks, whisked
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour and 1/4 cup milk until smooth, 1-2 minutes. Bring the sugar, cinnamon stick and water to a boil in a small saucepan and cook until an instant-read thermometer registers 220° F, about 5-7 minutes. Do not stir.
Meanwhile, in another small saucepan, scald the remaining 1 cup milk for about 3-5 minutes. Whisk the hot milk into the flour mixture. Remove the cinnamon stick, and then pour the sugar syrup in a thin stream into the hot milk-and-flour mixture, whisking quickly the entire time. Add the vanilla, and stir for 2-3 minutes, until the mixture is still quite warm, but not hot. Very slowly, whisk in the yolks, strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside. The custard will be very thin. You can do this step up to three days ahead and refrigerate the custard until you’re ready to make the pastéis.
A mini muffin tin is best for this. If you do not have one, a regular muffin tin will work, too. Thaw the dough according to instructions; lightly grease your muffin tin. Preheat the oven to 500, and move a rack to the upper 1/3 of the oven.
Roll out the dough on a floured surface, and cut small circles to make little shells/cups for each of the spaces in your tin. A drinking glass or biscuit cutter works well here. Place one piece of dough in each of the cups. Fill each cup 3/4 full of the custard.
Bake the pastries until the edges of the dough are frilled and brown, about 15 to 18 minutes for the mini-muffin tins, 30 to 35 minutes for the larger size.
Remove from the oven, and allow the pastéis to cool a few minutes in the pan, then transfer to a rack and cool until just warm.
Sprinkle the pastéis generously with confectioners’ sugar and cinnamon, and serve. Again, these are best consumed the day they’re made.
