Saturday, September 30, 2017

Fabrica Das Enguias: Eels Beyond Portuguese Sardines (Lovely Lisbon Series 9)

Fabrica Das Enguias 
Eels Beyond Portuguese Sardines
Lovely Lisbon Series 9

Portugal is known for fresh seafood, especially Sardines,
and we were happy to chance upon Fabrica Das Enguias, 

 

 …as we really wanted to try their famous
Pickled Canned Eel in Escabeche Sauce.

 

Fabrica Das Enguias is located a few steps away
from Rua Augusta, near the Praça do Comércio,

 

...housed in an ancient building,


…along the main road and a block away
from the iconic Tram 28 metro station.

 

The store sells nothing but their popular canned eel
that  ame from the town Murtosa, hence the  factory 
name COMUR,or Fábrica de Conservas da Murtosa.

 

It has been producing this exotic delicacy since 1942,
based on traditional methods of olden days and the
secret recipe has been handed down for generations. 

 

 

The store offers free tasting of bite sized white bread
 topped with the canned eel and it tasted very good.

 

We bought several cans which came with a certificate
of authenticity and a Fabrica Das Enguias passport
souvenir for tourist and took them to our hotel room.

 

We have forgotten about the Canned Eel until we
 arrived in Caceres, Spain about a week later,

 

…where we rented an apartment that had
an awesome kitchen and full dining area.




I decided to serve the Canned Eel for dinner and  got the 
shock of my life to see the whole eel all coiled up inside. 

 

I totally did not expect to see a frightening snake- like 
creature inside a can. It looked fresh and alive as it shimmers 
and appears to slither while bathing in aromatic oil.

 

Luckily, the everyone was inside the room,
and I cut off the eel to small bite size pieces
before they could see our frightening dinner. 

 

The Pickled Canned Eel in Escabeche Sauce
was very delicious and it went well with rice. 

 

My family enjoyed the otherwise creepy dinner,
but no one would have touched it had they seen
the canned slimy serpentine eel fresh off the can.

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Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Praca Du Commercio: Expansive Riverside Historic Town Plaza (Lovely Lisbon Series 8)

Praca Du Commercio 
Expansive Riverside Historic Town Plaza
(Lovely Lisbon Series 8)

It was the first day of the European Congress of Endocriloy
and I attended the medical convention the whole morning,


…and later joined my family by noontime
at the Praça do Comércio where we would
commence our visit the Lisbon’s old town.


The Praça do Comércio is the largest of Lisbon’s
grand plazas located at the edge of the Tagus estuary.


This was center of commerce in the past and where traders would sell 
their imported goods, and where the most of Portugal’s major business 
establishments  are located. Portugal's wealthis channeled through the  
Praça de Comercio, which means Commercial Square in English. 

 

A set of marble stairs called the Cais das Colunas,
is found at the southern side of Praça de Comercio
which lead down the beach and on to the water edge.


The Praça do Comércio is the grandest  of Lisbon’s squares,
surrounded with classic symmetrical buildings that houses shops 
and restaurants, and where some government offices like tourism 
department and the customs that regulate port activities are located.

 

 



The equestrian statue of King José I
serves as a magnificent centerepice.

 

The ornate Arco da Rua Augusta,

 

...that serves as a decorative entrance to Rua Augusta
is located at the northern edge of the Praça do Comércio.

 

 



The three statues at the top of the arc created by French 
sculptor Calmels symbolizes Glory, Ingenuity and Valor ,
while the two seated figures at the arc's lower ledge   
represent  the two Portugal rivers, the Tejo and Douro.

 

Aside from being a major tourist attraction the plaza
is also an important  transport hub where trams that
head west to the Belem district and at the southern
side is a ferry terminal that cross the River Tagus.


The Praça do Comércio is also an awesome starting point for
tourists wanting to explore the historic ancient city of Lisbon.

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Saturday, September 23, 2017

Antiga Confeitaria de Belém: Glorious Iconic Dessert at Pasteis de Belém (Lovely Lisbon Series 7)

Antiga Confeitaria de Belém 
Glorious Iconic Dessert at Pasteis de Belém  
Lovely Lisbon Series 7

After having a heavy lunch at the Queijadas de Belem,
I immediately went to the Antiga Confeitaria de Belém,
and braved the kilometric  queue for our belated dessert. 

 

Since 1837, Antiga Confeitaria de Belém 
began making the original Pastéis de Belém,
following a time- honoured tradition from an
ancient recipe from the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos. 

 

 

These famous pastries have, known to many as
 "Portuguese custard tarts" or "pastéis de nata", are
 baked from the original secret recipe created by the
 monks at the monastery from the spare egg yolks,
 as they use the egg whites to starch religious clothes.


Pastéis de Nata mistakenly referred as the
Pasteis de Belém, the original version being
 made at the Antiga Confeitaria de Belém,

 

…a patisserie that comes recommended by
locals, by Portuguese tourism authorities,
by tour guides and almost every guidebook,  

 



…which explains the long and  chaotic lines in and out of the store.

 



After acquiring the precious, sweet loot, 

 

....I joined my family at the Jardim de Belem,

 

 

…to savor creamy custard, nestled
in a perfectly baked golden pie crust,

 

… lightly dusted with cinnamon and
sprinkled with fine powdered sugar,
for a delightful dessert nirvana.

 

The Antiga Confeitaria de Belém is the traditional home
of Pastel de Nata, a delicious pastry that some tourists,
erroneously call  Pastéis de Belem. In reality, it literally
means Belem Patisserie, referring to the ancient bakery.


No trip to Belem is complete without
lining up in this loud and chaotic cafe.

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