Category Archives: Pastry Post-Poc

May 8, 2013 · 7:33 AM

Pastry Post-Doc in Brazil: V Café

V Café
Rua Senador Dantas – 45, Cinelândia
Rio de Janeiro (Other Locations Nationwide in Brasil)

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Sometimes you just want a nice icy Starbucks-style coffee beverage laden with sugar and syrup  – and when you do, in Brazil, the answer is V Cafe! There are tons of these cafes over Brazil (owned by Parent company Viena), and a small branch is even conveniently located in one of our favorite bookstores – Livraria Cultura. Our two go-tos at V Café are the Mocciolata and the Cioccolata drinks (R$ 11 each). The Cioccolata is a very frothy iced hot chocolate, and the Mocciolata is basically the same – but with a shot of espresso. We appreciate the attention to detail in V’s drinks – all of the drinks come in real glassware – not paper cups – and a little cookie on the side – how nice. Of course there are also a wide variety of hot espresso and cappuccino drinks available.

V Cafe Mocciolata

V Cafe Mocciolata (and cookie)

There are wide a range of desserts available – including a rotating variety of cake slices (chocolate brigadeiro, orange and hazelnut are favorites), puddings and cookies. But if you are in the mood for a little something more, there are sandwiches (including salmon and brie/apricot) and even some healthy-looking salads. Seating at V Café in Livraria Cultura is at a premium, and people often bring a stack of books to while away the time while munching. We definitely can’t think of a better way to spend a rainy afternoon.

V Cafe

V Cafe in Livraria Cultura

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April 26, 2013 · 11:17 AM

Pastry Post-Doc: Cappuccino at Confetaria Colombo

brazilM does not like cappuccino. Or coffee of any kind. At least this is the story he told himself, until an encounter with the most delectable, sweet, delicious coffee drink he has ever sampled: the famous cappuccino at Rio de Janeiro’s landmark Confeitaria Colombo. It took a lot of nudging for him to try it. With the parents visiting us in Rio for a week, M’s Mom raved about her cappuccino, proclaiming that it was the favorite thing she ate during her week in Rio. “Could it really be that good?” M thought to himself. A week later, having breakfast together with a friend, both L and friend were sampling cappuccinos in front of M, and finally, on a whim, he decided to go for it.

Colombo Cappuccino

The famous Colombo Cappuccino

He would end up having two. Topped with a generous amount of homemade whipped cream and a dash of cinnamon, this is more a sweet coffee drink than a real Italian cappuccino, hitting sweet and spiced high notes that purist coffee drinkers may scoff at. But not M: this was a pastry in a coffee cup, and just what he needed to get over his dislike of coffee drinks. If you are ever in Rio, do yourself a favor and head into Confeitaria Colombo, even if just to sample its famous – and very worth it – cappuccino. Score local points by standing at the bar!

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April 12, 2013 · 11:02 AM

Pastry Post Doc in Brazil: Casa Cavé

Casa Cavé
Rua Sete de Setembro, 127 – Centro
Rio de Janeiro

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Rio de Janeiro is home to some beautiful colonial architecture as well as some wonderful, classic coffee houses that would be right at home in Lisbon. Casa Cavé is one of those places, featuring excellent pastries and drinks at reasonable prices in a salon that reminded us of our time in Portugal (there are even Portuguese azulejos on the wall). Cavé used to be in a larger, more ornate building just around the corner, which still bears the name “Casa Cavé” on the front, so don’t get confused (as we did – more on that in a future post). You can now find Casa Cavé by its distinctive green sign.

Casa Cave Sign

Casa Cave Sign

When you first enter Casa Cavé, you are greeted by an enormous wall of cookies and a wonderful pastry counter. The specialties at Casa Cavé are Portuguese pastries sold by the unit, and many people opt to take their cookies to go (you pay by the kilo – at a very reasonable price). Once you get past the long, glass counter of treats, you arrive in the larger tea salon, “sala de cha,” where you can enjoy coffee and other snacks. The interior is pretty, with almost a Grecian twist, very much reminding us of a Lisbon coffee house.

Casa Cave Interior

Casa Cave Interior

The selection of pastries was pretty overwhelming, and included everything you would expect in a Portuguese bakery, with some Brazilian favorites thrown in. In the tea salon you can get everything from the bakery, as well as a selection of coffee, juices and light sandwiches. Unfortunately there were not any iced coffee selections (this is Brazil in the Summer heat of 36°C/96°F, so we were surprised)! We had a “ratinho” (true to name, the treat was shaped like a mouse/rat), miniature bem casados (Brazilian dolce de leite sandwich cookies) and pastel de nata. All of the treats were delicious and freshly-made, and we were surprised that the pastel de nata was pretty much up to Portuguese standards, with a nice flaky crust. We were also pleased that nothing set us back more than 3 reais apiece.

Casa Cave Treats

Casa Cave Treats

We could have spent all day sampling the baked goods at Casa Cavé, and we were happy to see some of our Portuguese favorites in Brazil (Jesuitas, Linguas de Gato, Pasteis de Nata). If you are looking for a quiet spot to relax in Rio, Casa Cavé is a perfect break from chaotic modern-day Centro.

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April 10, 2013 · 2:01 PM

Pastry-Post Doc in Brazil: American-Style Cookies at Besi in Rio

Besi
Rua do Carmo, 61 – Centro
Rio de Janeiro

brazilWe are very keen on the Brazilian idea of including cafes in bookstores and other places you might not necessarily expect a cafe. Case in point: Besi Cafe is located in the back of an adorable homegoods and kitchenware store. The cafe is all the way in the back and its is quite difficult to make it past all of the tempting Le Creuset implements and cast iron without buying something (though I suppose that is the point). Besi has a full menu of salads and sandwiches, however the coffee drinks and cookies are the specialties. What is called a “cookie” in Brazil greatly overlaps with what is a cookie in the USA. However, what is often absent from Brazilian bakeries is a good old Tollhouse-Style gooey chocolate chip cookie, or one of those big jumbo soft cookies you find in classic delis.

Besi Cafe

Kitchen goods store + Cafe = Besi

We were kind of homesick for that “big old cookie,” so we were very pleased to hear that Besi Cafe was known for their American-style cookies. When we visited, there were three varieties of cookie on offer (R$6 each): Sea salt chocolate, Triple chocolate chip (milk, dark and white chocolate), and Cinnamon with dark chocolate chips. The sea salt chocolate cookie was almost flat, but had a wonderful flavor (sea salt + chocolate is always a winner combination). The cinnamon and chocolate chip cookie was more leavened and had a strongly cinnamon flavor and was chock-a-block with chips. Of the two varieties, we preferred the chocolate for its flavor, but the texture of the chocolate chip. Unfortunately, Besi did not deliver a cookie that was top notch on all fronts, but rather a series of good cookies. We also greatly enjoyed the cappuccinos with foam art, not heretofore seen in Brazil, (R$ 8) made with Minas Gerais-gown Cafe Suplicy and the loose-leaf Moroccan mint tea ($R 5). While not a perfect imitation, the cookies at Besi are great for a quick fix when a craving hits.

Besi Cafe Cookies

Besi Cafe Cinnamon and chocolate chip cookie (one piece taken out and reassembled)

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March 30, 2013 · 11:46 AM

Easter Treats from Portugal: Folar da Páscoa

portugalLoyal reader José, who previously introduced us to the Portuguese delicacy, Tripa, sent us some great information about typical Portuguese Easter cakes: Bolo da Páscoa and Folar. Bolo da Páscoa (literally translated to English as Easter Cake) is a simple, delicious cake, popular around Easter time in Portugal. However, even an even more unique Portuguese Easter delicacy is the Folar da Páscoa.

Folar da Pascoa

Folar da Pascoa by Zé Pinho

Folar (which has no English translation), basically a sweet yeast bread, varies from region to region, and could be classified into a few major varieties. The first kind, from the Algarve in Southern Portugal, is a very sweet cinnamon and anise-flavored bread, typically decorated with whole eggs colored with onion skins. This type of Folar also reminds us of classic Italian Easter Bread with its colorful whole-egg topping. The other type of Folar, from the North of Portugal, is a simpler bread which is less sweet than the Algarve version. Another version of Folar from the very north of Portugal, near Spain, called Folar de Trás-os-Montes, sometimes contains ham or bacon! Piglet in Portugal has a recipe from Central Portugal, and Portuguese Girl Cooks shares her grandparents’ version of the sweet variety of Folar. Tia Maria has a recipe for savory Folar.

Thanks for the tip, José!

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March 14, 2013 · 7:55 AM

Happy Pi (e) Day

Pie Drawing from Cakespy

Pie Drawing from Cakespy

Happy Pi Day everyone (3.14) – hope you get to celebrate with a nice piece of pie. We will be seeking one out in Rio de Janeiro – which is actually a somewhat difficult task. If we were home we would be making Sour Cherry Pie, Chocolate Coconut Pie or Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chess Pie. What kind of pie is your favorite?

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March 6, 2013 · 11:45 AM

Belgium: The Geometric, Iconic Cuberdon

Belgium

Called alternatively “noses” or “preists’ hats” for their distinctive shape, the Belgian cuberdon is certainly eye-catching. Waxy, burgundy and shaped like a cone, the cuberdon is traditionally filled with sweet raspberry syrup, though other colors and flavors are now available. Due to its popularity and longevity, cuberdons have been named one of the official cultural foods of Belgium. Despite its popularity in Belgium , the cuberdon is mostly known outside of the country since they have no preservatives, and are tough to transport and store. Moroever, the production process is quite intense. So if you want to enjoy this taste of Belgium you’ll likely have to visit!

Cuberdons

Cuberdons from Leuven, Belgium by Carolien Coenen

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February 26, 2013 · 10:48 AM

Pastry Post-Doc in Brazil: Alfenim

brazil748px-Flag_of_the_Azores.svgWe were totally overwhelmed by the amount of amazing food at the Mercado São Cristóvão in Rio. The market is home of food, music and products from the Northeast of Brazil [full post coming soon]. We saw tons of regional sweet items we had not encountered before – many based on tapioca. However, our attention was caught by one particular sugary item that was so unusual it stumped the store clerks where we purchased it: Alfenim. Alfenim (plural alfenins) is a type of sugar paste candy made from sugar, vinegar, honey (sometimes) and butter. I have seen the translation of Alfenim somewhere as “taffy” but the kind we bought was quite hard. We bought some in “rock” form, however, sometimes it comes in fanciful shapes and forms, similar to elaborate Marzipan (see below). Alfenim was bought to Brazil and the Azores by the Portuguese. However, Alfenim is originally thought to be of Arab origin, with the name coming from “al-fenid” meaning white target. Here is a recipe for Alfenins (in Portuguese), both traditional and chocolate.

Alfenim in the shape of a dove

Alfenim in the shape of a dove by Jean Marconi

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February 20, 2013 · 6:14 PM

Pastry Post-Doc: Limonada Suíça / Swiss Lemonade

brazilThere is a heatwave going on right now in Rio de Janeiro, and it is pretty hot, even for the always-balmy Brazil (think 40 degrees Celsius – 104 degrees Fahrenheit). One delicious drink to enjoy on a particularly hot summer day in Brazil is Limonada Suíça (Swiss Lemonade). Don’t let the name fool you: it is actually a lime-aid, made with limes, sugar and condensed milk. Part of the confusion over the name comes from the fact that the Portuguese word limão can refer to various citrus fruits – including both yellow lemons (limão Siciliano), and also what people in the USA would call conventional green limes (limão Tahiti). In any case, we like green limes more that yellow lemons, so we are fans of this drink. Brazilians are fond of condensed milk, and even though it may seem like an unconventional choice for a beverage, the sum is definitely greater than the parts, and the drink is pleasingly tart, even despite its sugary ingredients. There are a few different varieties of Limonada Suíça you might try, including the classic with condensed milk, or a fizzy version with carbonation.

Limonada Suica and Croissant

Limonada Suíça and Chocolate Croissants at Confeitaria Manon in Rio de Janeiro

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February 16, 2013 · 1:53 PM

Pastry Post-Doc in Morocco: Amandine

Amandine
177 Rue Mohammed Al Béqal
40000 Marrakech, Morocco

Flag_of_MoroccoWhile in Marrakech we stayed in the famously labyrinthine Medina, and soon became accustomed to getting lost into its narrow streets and winding alleys. However, to only visit the Medina is to miss the other half of Marrakech: the ville nouvelle. The new city of Marrakech is a world away from the Medina: streets are wider, buses and cars outnumber foot traffic, and French cafes dot the landscape. One of the best French cafes in the new city, and a perfect place to stop in for a quiet respite is Amandine: both a tea/coffee shop and a patisserie. You can eat in the bakery itself (as we did) or in a larger tea room next door.

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The interior of Amandine is bright and airy, and the attractive pastry case is filled with a wide selection of French and Moroccan influenced pastries and cakes. We found the gazelle horns here to be superlative, though there were dozens of varieties of other sweets to try. To be honest, we don’t know the name of any sweets we ordered other than gazelle horns, but since most Moroccan-French pastries are amalgamations of sugar, chocolate, honey and nut paste, we figured we couldn’t go too wrong (and we didn’t). After a lot of pointing at various confections we selected our drinks.  The mint tea came particularly recommended – so we got a teapot to share (30dh – about $4). The presentation was the finest we had seen at any café in Marrakech, and we liked the gilded multicolored teacups as well as the tassel-embellished saucers (which we searched for but could not find in Marrakech). And what could be nicer than sinking into a comfy red velvet lounge chair while enjoying all of your sweets. The service was friendly and relaxed, and it was a much needed respite from the bustling pace of the Medina. So if you are looking for someplace soothing to sample mint tea in the ville nouvelle, definitely check out Amandine.

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February 13, 2013 · 2:52 PM

Pastry Post-Doc: The irresistable desserts of Momofuku Milk Bar

MomofukuMilkBar

Momofuku Milk Bar by Robyn Lee

Meet Christina Tosi , the acclaimed chef of NYC’s Momofuko Milk Bar, who is known for her unique, whimsical and nostalgic desserts. We visited Milk Bar in 2010 and fell in love with Tosi’s creations, especially the cereal milk ice cream and the crack pie. However, we are not in NYC every weekend, so we are looking forward to recreating some of those recipes at home. For some of the cookies, there are even official Milk Bar mixes, and Serious Eats did a test of the mixes against Milk Bar-bought cookies (the compost cookie mix was a hit). Tosi came out with a Milk Bar Cookbook that has some of the delightful recipes from the store, which has further inspired bloggers. For other Milk Bar fans, we have found a number of recipes online we wanted to share with you. Feel free to share more in the comments section! Which are your favorites? I’m most looking forward to making the birthday cake, a riff on the childhood classic Funfetti.

MomofukuMilkBarCakes

Momofuku Milk Bar Cakes and Pies – by Gary Wong

Cookies

Cakes and Pies

Other

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February 6, 2013 · 12:46 PM

Pastry Post-Doc in Austria/Portugal: Pois, Café

Pois, Café
Rua de São João da Praça 95
Lisbon, Portugal

Pois, Café sits nestled in a weathered stone building amongst Alfama’s small, hilly alleyways east of downtown Lisbon. One of the best cafes in a city overrun with them, its Austrian owners have managed to cultivate a niche with great sandwiches, even better Austrian cake selections, and a global influence. The broad selection is definitely appealing, particularly in contrast to a classic Lisboeta café. Moreover, it is a just a cool place to hang out. Pois, Café’s cavernous old interior is marked by stone arches, washed to a sunny white. Decorating the interior are a veritable crossroads of international books – mostly novels and travel guides –  all left by patrons over the years. You can sit and enjoy great food in a relaxing atmosphere while reading travel guides to places you never considered traveling to (Israel? Why not?). The cafe’s name tells you that you should: it is a riff on “Pois, é” a common northeastern Brazilian Portuguese expression meaning “Yeah” or “Of course.”

PoisCafe

Pois Café features a standard menu at as well as a rotating slate  of specials. The main offerings are various sandwiches, tostas and wraps with international flair ranging from 6 to 10 euros. There are other light dishes, (quiches seem to be a big favorite). Pois Café is mainly a breakfast and lunch place and  they also offer a nice brunch with pastries, yogurt, juice, muesli for less than 10 euros. For our lunch we had a Mozart sandwich (prosciutto, balsamic vinegar and arugula) as well as an Ilha sandwich (seen below – with a duo of Azorean cheeses, pear and paprika); both were around 7 Euros. The sandwiches were both delicious and fresh, and we enjoyed the unique flavor combos.

PoisCafeIlha

After finishing our meal, our attention quickly turned to the shiny glass case at the back of the restaurant, packed with Austrian cakes and sweets. At 4 euros per slice the price seemed high, but then again there is very little that can come  between us and a pastry. The cakes looked delicious  and we couldn’t resist after our chocolate cake cravings, especially given the general Portuguese lack of chocolate desserts. With a little influence from our server’s recommendations and a little more from our discerning eyes, we ordered the Tarte Russe (seen below), a cake with a chocolate base layer topped with a light lemon-flavored cream. For contrast, we also got a slice of passionfruit cheesecake. While very tasty, the cheesecake was a little light for those of you looking for a New York style cheesecake. But the Tarte Russe was a delightful bit of chocolate heaven. Pois Café definitely invites you to linger and it seems to have gained a strong following from the international community, tourists and locals alike. The restaurant is an absolute gem, and is definitely one of our favorite places for lunch in Lisbon.

PoisCafeTarteRusse

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February 5, 2013 · 5:55 PM

Portuguese Pastry Post-Doc: Tripa de Aveiro

Today we are featuring a rare Portuguese confection – tripa de aveiro – we first learned of this dessert from one of our loyal readers, José. Tripa literally means “tripe” and it was named for its appearance  not its contents. Much like tripe, tripa has a bubbly texture, and is somewhere between a crepe and a waffle in consistency. A typical topping for tripa is cinnamon, with an ovos moles filling, though topping and filling combinations may be more exotic.  Tripa de Aveiro is local to the city of Aveiro, in North-Central Portugal, and is little known in other parts of Portugal. In fact, we never came across them in Lisbon at all. The typical place to find tripas is at small kiosks around town, José sent this picture as an example. We wish we would have had a chance to try them, maybe next time we will be able to visit Aveiro. If you are not in the vicinity of Aveiro, here is a recipe for chocolate-filled tripas from Hoje Para Jantar (in Portuguese). Thanks for the tip about Tripas, José!

Tripa de Chocolate

Tripa de Chocolate from Hoje Para Jantar

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February 4, 2013 · 12:24 PM

Pastry Post-Doc in Brazil: Macarons in São Paulo

brazil

Brazilians have such a large variety of homegrown sweets, there isn’t much of a need to import foreign pastries. However, now macarons have made it to Brazil. Folie, in São Paulo is offering up a huge variety of macaron flavors, including some in  a collection called, Da vovó (“From grandma”) which are  inspired by Brazilian flavors like Brigadeiro and Beijinho. We are glad to hear that macarons are making their way to Brazil. Now we really could move here!

folie macarons

Macaons at Folie in São Paulo – Via Cool Hunting

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January 25, 2013 · 2:03 PM

Pastry Post-Doc in Brazil: Cuscuz

brazilWe were intrigued when we saw a food cart on our street in Rio selling “Cuscuz.” Cous cous, as it is known in English, is very popular in Brazil, due to the large amount of middle-eastern immigrants to Brazil. There are restaurants selling savory cuscuz throughout Brazil (especially in São Paulo) but this version with the same name is something different. More precisely, it is known as cuscuz Carioca or cuscuz tapioca. This sweet version consists of sticky tapioca, condensed milk and a topping of shaved coconut. For a mere R$ 1.50  (about $0.75), you get a little plastic box of cuscuz to go. Now, it is not the most attractive dish, but it sure is tasty, and perfect for an afternoon snack. Fans of tapioca pudding will go gaga for this Brazilian treat, one of the most emblematic Carioca street dishes. Here is an exceedingly simple recipe for cuscuz tapioca in Portuguese. Though you can make it at home, if you are in Rio you will never have to!

Cuscuz

Cuscuz from Rio de Janeiro

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January 20, 2013 · 5:04 PM

Pastry Post-Doc in Brazil: Biscoitos Globo

brazil

Having just arrived in Rio, we decided to spend our first day relaxing like any good carioca would: on the beach! We slept in and spent the second half the day sitting on Copacabana beach in celebration of M’s birthday. Fans of the blog will have already read our previous post on How to Enjoy a Brazilian Beach, and thus be in the know about lounging around in this most relaxing of full-service food establishments. True to form, just after we bought our chairs and umbrella, streams of vendor began sauntering by (though we noted that there is perhaps more bric a brac for sale in Rio, and less food, as seen in Salvador). As always, the beach did not disappoint, and we were offered, ice cream, popsicles, roast peanuts, soda, cangas, and many other offerings. We were waiting, however, for a bag of Biscoitos Globo – a light, doughnut-shaped snack that have become a Brazilian beach icon, especially in Rio de Janeiro.

IMG_7007

You can imagine our annoyance when the first biscoitos seller came by and stopped short of our stall before turning around; we had to wait another frustrating 20 minutes (under the sun watching the waves – note the sarcasm) for the second Biscoitos Globo to come by. We ordered a pack of biscoitos doce (“sweet”), for R$3 (about $1.50) which come in a red bag, as opposed to the green-bagged salgado (“salty”) variety. Having never had them before, we think they are a fairly unique treat: a light cookie, ring-shaped, crispy but soft, made from corn flour, and unlike many other Brazilian cookies, they are not overly sweet. The texture is extremely light and airy – almost like an un-cheesy Cheetos. The best part for us: their retro packaging with a distinctive globe mascot. We feel like he could be our mascot as well!

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January 18, 2013 · 10:26 AM

The Pastry Post Doc Goes to Brazil

brazilWe are in Brazil! The second half, or should I say, the second two-thirds of our trip has begun. We are excited to be back in Brazil, a country that likes sweets and pastries as much as Portugal, but also has the benefit on many unique fruits, açaí bowls and amazing cosmopolitan dishes that derive from Native Brazilian, African, Middle Eastern and European influences. We are just getting settled in – and our Internet doesn’t seem to work in the rain (which Rio de Janeiro has been getting a lot of) so stay tuned.

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January 9, 2013 · 11:37 AM

The Tarte Tropézienne, Pastry of the Stars

franceA pastry created for Brigitte Bardot – sounds decadent! The duly sumptuous Tarte Tropézienne, from the French riviera town of Saint-Tropez, really does have a glamorous origin story linked with the star. Tarte Tropézienne is a brioche-like cake filled with vanilla pastry cream and topped with pearl/rock sugar. I like the idea of making a Tarte Tropézienne – it is basically a giant brioche roll, sliced open and filled with cream. The confection was developed in Saint-Tropez in the 1950s by a local pastry-maker of Polish origin, Alexandre Micka. When the 1956 film “And God Created Women,” the film with the breakout role that made Brigitte Bardot a star, was being filmed in Saint-Tropez, director Roger Vadim hired Micka as a caterer for the film. The cast and crew, including Brigitte Bardot, fell in love with the cake, and according to myth, it was Bardot suggested the naming the cake for the town. Micka did just that, and the rest is history. The Tarte is still popular all over the French Riviera, evoking movie star glamour of days past.

Brigitte Bardot

…and God Created Tarte Tropézienne

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January 7, 2013 · 12:58 PM

Portuguese Pastry Post-Doc: Croissants at Pastelaria Benard

While the French are known for impossibly delicate and flaky pastries, the Portuguese prefer denser eggy and sugary cakes. The Portuguese take on the croissant is much the same. We heard that Pastelaria Benard had a reputation for the best croissants in Lisbon we were eager to try them (though we did not know what difference a Portuguese croissant would have in store for us). Pastelaria Benard (Rua Garret 104) is located right off of Largo Camões in the heart of Lisbon’s atmospheric Bairro Alto, right next to A Brasileira, one of Lisbon’s most internationally famous cafes. Benard, though less touristy, is just as antique, and practically exudes history.

Croissants at Pastelaria Benard

In the old Pastelaria there is an entire shelf of croissants that are piping hot – fresh out of the oven – so we figured we were in for a treat. However, we were a little confused upon first bite. Yes, these so-called croissants were quite good, but nothing like the classic French croissant we have come to know and love. In this rendition, the dough is cakey and rich like a brioche, not flaky at all! At first we thought we perhaps ordered wrong – but they had given us two straight off of the “croissant shelf.” Though the alleged “croissant” was good in its own right, we are surprised the Portuguese have not given this confection another name, especially since the Portuguese have such creative names for their sweets. However, we have also seen French-style croissants in Lisbon also being called by the croissant moniker (or at least they appeared flakier than this). Very confusing! So be warned, pastry-philes looking for a croissant in Lisbon – you could be ordering a different treat altogether!

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January 5, 2013 · 4:29 PM

Portuguese Pastry Post-Doc: Fradinho

Fradinho, which means “little friar,” is a small traditional Portuguese tart filled with sweetened white beans, almonds and egg custard. In Portuguese feijão–fradinho is the name for black-eyed peas, and many recipes calling for “fradinhos” are calling for this sort of bean. We think it is pretty inventive to have a typically savory item like white beans in a sweet dish. If you did not know the filling was bean-based it would not be apparent, and the fradinho has more of an overall nutty flavor. The most classic place to get a fradinho is from a cafe aptly called “Pastelaria Fradinho” in Mafra, the home city of the fradinho, right outside Lisbon.

Fradinho

A humble fradinho

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