Saturday I was killing time in Alfama, the ancient neighborhood of Lisbon. I had my story, and there was nothing now I needed to do. So I followed the trail of tourists, enjoying the warm sun in the cobblestone parks overlooking the orange roof tiles, the white houses, the silvery river.

There were a number of restaurants taking advantage of the location, most with menus in a variety of languages. Their outside tables buzzed with even more tongues. They were very tempting, but I kept walking.

Most of the people still on foot headed up to see the castle; my instincts sent me downhill. A small group of people stood outside a church. Walking inside, I found myself at an Orthodox wedding. "Georgian" one white-haired woman whispered to me.

At the next intersection, I spotted a shingle that read ZAZOU. Coming closer, I read "bazar & cafe" and stepped inside.

"Everything here is from Portugal," the owner told me, adding that the store had been open only a few months.

Her name was Monica, as was that of her assistant, who asked if I'd like to try some of the products. I took a seat at a long table in the side room and was served a plate of cheeses that included one with garlic, one with apples and cinnamon, and one - picante - that you could smell coming. A combination of goat's milk and sheep's milk, it was delicious. Accompanying them were slices from a rustic loaf of bread from Alentejo.

Over by the counter, a plate of chorizo suddenly erupted in flames. After a few minutes, when the fire had been extinguished, Monica cut the sausage into small pieces and delivered them to me, saying "The best chorizo in Portugal." She then poured me a glass of red wine.

As I ate, I learned about the store. It was a new concept in Lisbon, combining a shop with a place to sit and eat its products. I mentioned that it was not the most propitious time to start a new business, and Monica said that the economic crisis had in fact inspired her. "We are trying to bring back traditional, rural things the way they used to be," she said, adding that a way to beat the crisis was to consume Portuguese products.

I finished with a glass of young rose ("vinho verde rose" Monica said with a smile) and an espresso. Then I paid, wished the Monicas well, and headed out to rejoin the tourists.

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