If you really want to get to know Portugal, sometimes all you have to do is sit down at the table.

A pastel de nata with coffee. An almond cake after a long lunch. Or a birthday cake that only appears after dinner. Portuguese sweets are more than desserts. They tell something about the country and the way people live here and enjoy together.

The flavours of the Algarve

Tarte de Amêndoa is perhaps the taste of the Algarve. Almonds are part of the landscape and are abundantly used in the kitchen. The tart combines a soft base with a crunchy layer of caramelized almonds. A bit like butter cake, but in Portuguese.

Delícia do Algarve also literally lets you taste the region. Almonds, figs and carob – typical products of the south – come together in a sweet local specialty.

And then there is Tarte de Laranja. Not surprising in a region where orange trees grow in abundance. Soft, creamy and deliciously fresh. Perfect with a strong Portuguese coffee on a sunny terrace.

From 'camel drool' to world famous

Some Portuguese names are at least as special as the taste.

Baba de Camelo literally means 'camel drool'. Not exactly a mouth-watering name, but the dessert of condensed milk and eggs is deliciously creamy and caramel-like.

And of course there is the pastel de nata. The small puff pastry with creamy custard has its origins in the Portuguese monastic tradition and became a world-famous classic.

But in Portugal itself, it just remains what it always was: a delicious excuse for a coffee moment.

Sweet is part of the party

Around Christmas, Bolo-Rei and Bolo-Rainha are on the table. The richly filled Bolo-Rei with nuts, dried and candied fruit is the well-known classic. The Bolo-Rainha is similar, but mainly contains nuts and dried fruits.

Just as the Christmas stollen belongs to Christmas for many Dutch families, these cakes belong to the Portuguese holidays.

And then there's the birthday cake

Perhaps one of the nicest Portuguese traditions.

In the Netherlands, we often eat birthday cake with coffee. In Portugal, there is an extensive dinner first. Only then comes the cake.

And that is often an experience in itself. The cake is specially ordered for the occasion and can really take all shapes: from a football cake to an impressive work of art that completely matches the theme of the party.

The candles are lit, everyone sings Parabéns a Você, the birthday boy or girl blows them out and then the cake is cut.

The cake here is not just a dessert. It is part of the party.

More than a house

Maybe that's what makes Portugal so special. It's not just the beaches, the climate or the beautiful homes. It is precisely the small moments that give color to everyday life.

A coffee with a pastel de nata. A long lunch with friends. Christmas with Bolo-Rei. A birthday where everyone stands around the cake together.

At WESTMARK, we therefore look not only at a home, but also at the life you want to live there.

Because you buy a house with bricks and square meters. A home is created by the stories you experience there.  And sometimes such a story just starts with a piece of cake.

Maybe it's time for your Portuguese story?

Are you dreaming of a life in the Algarve? Feel free to contact us. Over a slice of cake, we'd love to talk about your wishes, dreams and possibilities – and what WESTMARK can do to make your dream life in Portugal a reality.

Shall we get the cake ready? 

UNIQUE HOMES. TRUSTED ADVICE.

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