In Lisbon I stayed in a most wonderfully different, endearingly eccentric, sort of pension, the Casa Amora. On arrival I was welcomed by Juan, who met me at the door of an unassuming terraced house, and took me up to a comfortable area with a sofa and chairs which was open plan with the kitchen.

My room at Casa Amora came equipped with all my needs: a cast iron claw foot bath, a bottle of wine, and a mobile phone which contained all sorts of local information as well as a hotline to Juan.

equipped with a claw-footed bath…

…and a bottle of rather good wine.

I also had access to the kitchen where there was an honesty bar, and where there was also, my downfall, a glass cookie jar.

One of them contained the most glorious lemon-scented cookies. I’d arrived in Lisbon having missed lunch, and so, while Juan was busy elsewhere with other guests, reader, I plundered it. And I found the contents to be pretty damn good.

So, the following night, after considerable investigative research into local cocktails (see Tangerine Fizz) I found I had the munchies and the jar (which thankfully in the meantime had been replenished) was plundered yet again, and with the same feeling of illicit pleasure.

So I can vouch for these cookies. I asked Juan for the recipe and this was his helpful reply.

Recipe for Casa Amora lemon cookies

Dear Saucy Dressings,

Those were simple lemon cookies, below you’ll find the recipe:

Ingredients

• 3 cups of flour + more if needed
• 1 cup of sugar
• 3 eggs (room temp)
• 6 tbsp of margarine or butter
• 2 tsp of baking powder
• 1 tsp grated lemon peel or anise liqueur (optional) (Pernod, ouzu or raki)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Soften the butter and mix with the sugar in a medium bowl until light and fluffy.
2. Add the eggs and lemon and beat for about 1 minute. Add the flour and baking powder to the sugar and mix with a dough hook for about 3 minutes until the batter forms into a ball. *You may need to add a little flour if you find the dough too soft depending on your butter or the size of your eggs.

I hope you enjoy them.

Regards

Juan