Perhaps the second most acclaimed feature of Portugal (the first is Fado) is their custard tarts. They make a mean custard tart and they know it. And nobody else seems able to cook such tarts as well.
So famous are they that they have come to the attention of Australian Woolworths, the country's largest supermarket. And I am very glad of that. They import genuine custard tarts directly from Portugal to put onto their bakery shelves. They import pastries from nearly a world away: A remarkable example of our global village.
Coles do it too. I have no idea if they import from Portugal but they got into trouble about six years ago for importing some bakery products from Belgium without declaring its origin properly. And IGA was importing most of its bread from Switzerland! Amazing! Genuine Swiss bread from your local small supermarket! The Common Agriculture Policy of the EU must make wheat flour very cheap over there. Switzerland isn't in the EU but the EU probably supplies them.
Anyway, what seems to happens where I am is that Woolworths imports big boxes of fully made-up tarts in a frozen state and just reheats them in one of their big ovens. I am pretty sure that the tarts even come via airfreight. They are made with puff pastry so are very light. Woolworths sell them in boxes of four for $7.00 so even the price is right. I buy them most days. Anne avoids most sweet things for the sake of her waistline (Yes. A lady in her '70s has a waist. Most women of that age are either dumplings or skeletons) but even she succumbs to Portuguese custard tarts! They are super Yummy.
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