We avoid sweet foods when putting together our groceries order but, occasionally, Marilyn might pick up a treat. Sometimes, she will grab a 4-pack of Portuguese Tarts which seem to be offered quite often at Woolworths. I was thinking of the last time we had them after one of my classmates mentioned them in her story at Writing Group.
She claimed she had bought a 4-pack and paid about $5.50 and, when she read the label, discovered they were Made in Portugal. What? How ludicrous is it to import fresh custard tarts from the other side of the world? Think of the infrastructure needed to get them to Sydney or Melbourne, and then transport them to Launceston and expect them still to be in edible condition. Think of the amount of jet fuel needed to fly them all those kilometres just so I can have one with my morning coffee.
Continuing with the story, she then claimed she had spoken to 'someone' who explained that the tarts arrived as raw puff pastry cases, together with prepared custard filling. In Australia, the components were assembled and baked. They were finished off with a sprinkle of cinnamon. The packaging had to say Made in Portugal because that was their country of origin.
I hope that someone in Portugal takes note of the contribution that Australians are making to their economy. Perhaps if tarts became more popular and more and more have to be exported, Portugal could experience a Tart-Driven Recovery.
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