Member-only story
Have You Tried a Cooking Class When You Travel? Pastel de Nata in Porto!
Join me in a class learning how to make custard tarts
There’s a first time for everything, and after reading a lovely novel about cooking classes in Paris, I decided to try one in Porto, Portugal.
Pastel de nata are very famous — and the best place to eat them, warm from the oven (yum!) is Pasteis de Belem near Lisbon. They have been producing these delicious small tarts there since 1837 — check out the website for the history and some beautiful photos.
But I was in Porto and so was the class I attended at the Boiler Studio (where other classes take place, too). There were nine of us, some of whom were not even cooks at home but had come along to learn with their partners. We were from 6 different countries!
The cooking teacher was delightful and funny, and was great at showing us how things were done — and then getting each of us to have a try. We did different parts of the process, but at the end we all had three tart tins to work the pastry into.
