Category Archives: Spain

Chowing Down in Catalonia

Spanish hams and sausages at Barcelona’s La Boqueria food market

By Sharon Hudgins
Photos by the author

Catalonia has long been one of my favorite gastronomic regions in Spain, years before star chefs such as Ferran Adrià, Santi Santamaria and Carme Ruscalleda catapulted it to fame on the international stage.

During two recent trips there, I ate at my favorite old restaurants, dined at new ones, and visited wineries and food producers throughout the area. And I was pleased to confirm that Catalonia is in no danger of losing its reputation for fine food, from traditional to modern, from home cooking to haute cuisine.

Tempting sweets at La Colmena pastry shop in Barcelona.

BEGIN IN BARCELONA
Barcelona, the capital of Catalunya (as it’s called in the Catalan language), is a prime destination for connoisseurs of good food. You could easily spend a couple of weeks eating your way around the city and still barely scratch the surface of its culinary possibilities.

Foodies flock to the colorful Mercat de Sant Josep (also known as La Boqueria), Barcelona’s best known big covered market, with its tantalizing displays of edibles from freshly caught Mediterranean fish to aged mountain cheeses, from exotic tropical fruits to pigs’ private parts. Grazers stroll from one tapas bar to another along the busy boulevards and the casual waterfront, drinking a glass of wine or beer and nibbling on tasty tidbits at each stop. Anyone’s sweet tooth will soon be satisfied at the city’s elegant pastry and confection shops, including Caelum which features pastries made in the many monasteries and convents around Spain. And don’t miss a visit to the Chocolate Museum, followed by a cup of thick hot chocolate at the bar in the museum’s shop.

But Barcelona is just the beginning of a memorable culinary experience in Catalonia. To understand the roots of Catalan cuisine, you need to spend time in the countryside, slowly savoring the sights, sounds and smells of a land that produces some of the best wines and food products in Spain.

Turbot with eggplant slices at El Rincon de Diego restaurant in Cambrils.

WINE COUNTRY
Catalonia is famous for its wines, including sparkling white and rosé cavas. Drive south from Barcelona into the picturesque Penedès wine country, the largest of Catalonia’s wine districts and one of the oldest wine-making regions in Europe. Although best known for its cava wines, processed in the same manner as French Champagnes, Penedès also produces many other fine wines, especially whites.

To learn about the history of wine-making in Catalonia, start at the Wine Museum in Vilafranca del Penedès. Then visit two of the largest producers of cava, Cordoníu and Freixenet, both located in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia. After seeing how those big commercial wineries operate, you’ll learn even more on a personal guided tour around one of the smaller, family-run wineries, such as J. Miquel Jané in Font Rubí, which provides very informative vineyard tours, cellar tours, and wine tastings, in English, and Pagès Entrena in Sant Jaume Sesoliveres, which also offers wine seminars and other activities such as horseback riding and bicycle excursions.

The rugged district of Priorat is known for its outstanding wines, particularly reds. Visit the new Wine Museum in Falset, the capital of this wine region, then drive to the little town of Gratallops, on a hill high above the Siurana River, to taste some of the excellent wines produced at the Buil & Giné winery there.

Not far inland from the popular coastal cities of Cambrils and Tarragona, the sparsely populated, mountainous Priorat region is a place of medieval villages, old monasteries and dramatic landscapes. Although off the beaten tourist path, it’s well known for its high-quality olive oils as well as its wines. Take the winding road up to the little village of Siurana, perched on a cliff with vertiginous views over the olive orchards and distant valleys below. Then enjoy a good meal accompanied by local wines at the little Restaurant els Tallers, in the small (six-room) Hotel la Siuranella.

Finally, finish up your tour of this part of the Catalan wine country by heading north a few miles into the Conca de Barberà wine district to see the Wine Museum in L’Espluga de Francolí. Housed in a landmark Modernist-style building constructed in 1913, it features three floors of exhibits on the history of grape growing and wine making in this area.

MÓN SANT BENET
For a completely different culinary experience, spend a weekend at Món Sant Benet, a complex of old and new buildings set amid the quiet countryside of Bages, a rural region just northwest of Barcelona, near the town of Manresa. Check into the ultramodern Hotel Món and enjoy a stroll through the nearby gardens before dining at either the Restaurant Món or Restaurant L’Angle (one Michelin star) within the hotel. Another restaurant, La Fonda, offers moderately priced lunches and snacks in the Factory building nearby on the complex’s grounds. The Factory also has an interesting shop selling local wines, food products and handicrafts.

Make a reservation to take a one-hour tour of the Alicia Foundation, a unique scientific and gastronomic research center established by Ferran Adrià at Món Sant Benet. You’ll visit the cutting-edge research laboratories and participate in an instructive workshop that focuses on the relationship between all of our senses and the foods we eat.

A highlight of the Món Sant Benet experience is a tour of the 10th century monastery there. The impressive multi-media tour cleverly uses video projections, 3-D holographic images and surround sound to tell the dramatic story of the monastery’s history. A separate, equally fascinating multi-media tour through the adjacent villa of the Modernist artist Ramon Casas gives an intimate glimpse into the daily life of the family who lived in the opulent villa during their summer holidays in the early 1900s. The combined tours through the monastery and villa take a total of two hours, leaving you plenty of time to relax in the soothing atmosphere of Món Sant Benet.

Wherever you choose to travel in Catalonia, from bustling Barcelona to tranquil Món Sant Benet, from the sunny seacoast to the high mountains of the Priorat, you’re never far from a fine meal with excellent wines. As the Catalans say when you begin to eat, “Bon profit!” (may you eat and drink well!).

Bread basket at El Rincon de Diego restaurant in Cambrils.
Handpainted Spanish ceramic coffee service at the Ramon Casas villa at Mon Sant Benet.

Where to eat:


Wineries to visit:



Wine Museums:

Flavors of Christmas in Spain

Photos courtesy Spain Tourist Office

Christmas delights the palate in Spain. You will have no shortage of opportunities to give way to temptation as you experience Spanish gastronomy during the festive Christmas season.

Dinner on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, lunch on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, along with January 6, Feast of the Epiphany, are the most essential dates. However, throughout the month of December, bars, restaurants and hotels are decked out for the season. Their tables are decorated with candles, bows and Christmas motifs, and they offer special menus and delicious dishes.

HEAVENLY TABLES
Christmas meals are usually copious. They tend to start with a selection of starters and appetizers, either hot or cold. Then comes several courses and dessert. You can try a bit of everything: shellfish, fish, meat, roasted meat, soups, Iberian cured meats—all prepared in an especially delicious way. Some of the most popular foods include turkey, lamb, red cabbage, sea bream, oysters, elvers and ham. As the dishes are served, you will see how hard it is to resist. And to accompany them are good Spanish wines, both white and red. At the end of the meal, good wishes are toasted with a glass of cava sparkling wine or cider.

SWEETS
Sweets deserve a mention of their own, filling the table with color when it is time for dessert. Made with almonds, honey, sugar, chocolate and fruit, among other ingredients, they are a real treat for those with a sweet tooth. There is a wide array, and each region of Spain has its own typical recipes. However, the real star at Christmas is “turrón,” with a flavor admired around the world.

There are many different types of turrón, but you should try the Jijona variety—soft and sweet—and the Alicante type, which is hard and crunchy. Other traditional desserts are marzipan, polvorones (a crumbly shortbread) and mantecados (made with almonds and lard). Finally, on January 6, Day of the Three Kings (Epiphany), children are excited to receive their presents, while grownups get to savour a Roscón de Reyes (seasonal cake) with a cup of hot chocolate.

For more info, go to Spain Tourism

Europe’s Fascinating Food Markets

By Sharon Hudgins
Photos by the author

Sweet juicy plums. Pungent goat cheeses. Briny black olives. Homemade pâtés studded with pistachios. Paper-thin slices of farmhouse cured ham. Multi-grain buns and rosemary-scented flatbreads. Chestnut honey and walnut tartes.

Are you hungry yet?

On my first trip to Europe many years ago, I became hooked on shopping for food at the colorful local markets. Not the sterile supermarkets or gargantuan hypermarkets of today, which, except for the package labels in different languages, could be anywhere in the developed world. The markets that captured my imagination—and still keep drawing me back—are the ones where fresh foods are sold by individual vendors hawking their wares from wooden stalls, customized vans, folding tables, or even blankets spread on the ground.

I go. I see. I buy. I eat.

TYPES OF MARKETS
These food markets can be entirely outdoors, in the open air; or inside a cavernous covered market building; or in a combination of settings, with an indoor market surrounded by an open-air market that varies with the season. They can be permanent markets, operating year round at the same location, usually with the same vendors; or temporary events occurring only on specific days, once or twice a week, in a public square or country field, with local vendors as well as those who travel from one market to the next to sell their goods.

Some are truly farmers’ markets, where all the fruits, vegetables, meats and cheeses were grown, raised or processed by the people selling them. Others are outlets run by middlemen selling foods from a variety of suppliers, from small-time farmers to larger commercial companies. And some are a mixture of both.

London, Paris, Vienna, Madrid, Rome, and other major cities have many of these food markets located in neighborhoods throughout each metropolis. Smaller towns might have only one central market, whereas in a village there might be an open-air market only once a week, usually on Saturday. Check with the tourist office for the locations, dates and opening/closing times.

LOCAL SPECIALTIES, GLOBAL CHOICES
At these markets you can see, smell and taste authentic local and regional specialties, some of them found nowhere else. In different regions of France, I’ve bought farmhouse cheeses made just down the road and jams preserved by the woman selling them. In Sicily and Greece, I’ve wandered through markets stocked with fish caught that morning in the nearby seas. At German markets I’ve left with my shopping bags filled with potatoes and apples grown in the surrounding fields, and with big loaves of rye bread still warm from the wood-fired oven in which they were baked.

A visit to a large metropolitan market can also be a lesson in globalization. In addition to local Catalan and regional Spanish food products, Barcelona’s big Boqueria covered market also sells hot sauces from the USA, moles from Mexico, and guavas from South America. At Munich’s central Viktualienmarkt, you’ll find not only Bavarian meats and cheeses but also chermimoyas from North Africa, hot chiles from Southeast Asia, and exotic tropical fruits from the Philippines.

Each season brings its own specialties to European markets: strawberries, cherries and asparagus in spring and early summer; raspberries and blueberries later in the summer; mushrooms, apples and pears in the autumn; and oranges, nuts, and root vegetables in winter. Of course markets have more fresh produce during harvest time from spring through early autumn. And on any day you’ll always find the best selection early in the morning, just after the market opens.

LOOK, DON’T TOUCH
European markets are a great place to buy food for a picnic in your hotel room or in a park on a pretty day. Some even have a section with tables and chairs for public use, and German markets often include a beer garden on the premises, where you can bring your own food.

Tips: Always carry a shopping bag for your purchases. When you stop at a stand to buy fresh fruits or vegetables for your meal, don’t poke around in the produce and pick your own selection. At most markets, customers are expected to tell the vendor what they want, and the vendor chooses the best pieces, based on their ripeness and good condition, then weighs out the amount requested.

Don’t let your lack of the local language deter you from shopping in Europe’s food markets. Just point to the particular food you want and write the amount on a slip of paper: 100 grams (about one-fourth of a pound), 500 grams (close to a pound), 1 kilo (a bit over two pounds). Better yet, learn some basic numbers in that foreign language and let the product labels in the market teach you the names of the foods you want to eat. Soon you’ll be shopping like a European yourself.

LINKS TO FAVORITE FOOD MARKETS IN EUROPE
London Farmer’s Markets
Paris Food Markets
Rome Markets
Barcelona Food Markets
Madrid Markets
Berlin Markets
Munich Fresh Food Market
Hamburg Fish Market
Amsterdam’s Food and Antique Markets Guide
Guide to Seasonal Produce Markets of Brussels
Vienna Food and Farmer’s Markets
Guide to Vienna Food Markets
Budapest Markets
Athens Food and Flea Markets
Athens Farmer’s Markets

The Silk Exchange: A Jewel of European Gothic Architecture

Silk Exchange’s fortress appearance

Photos courtesy Valencia Tourist Office

The Silk Exchange in Valencia, Spain is an exceptional example of a secular building in late Gothic style, which dramatically illustrates the power and wealth of one of the great Mediterranean mercantile cities. It is aesthetically unique because of its fine Gothic architecture combined with Renaissance decoration from the 15th century.

The majority of the Silk Exchange was built between 1482 and 1492 under master mason Pere Compte. The work was completed by a pupil of his after his death, which explains the presence of Renaissance elements.

Its similarity with old medieval castles is based on the fierce, fortress-like appearance of its stone walls. It comprises four parts: the Tower, the Sea Consulate Room, the Orange-tree Patio and the Room of Columns. The site covers more than 6,562 square feet indoors and out.

It is a typical representation of the commercial and financial past of the city of Valencia, and has been used for the same purpose for five centuries. Its original function was as a trading exchange for oil. It developed into the main maritime trading center and the silk exchange. At the present time it is still a major trading exchange, now dealing primarily in agricultural products.

For more info, go to www.turisvalencia.es/

Touring the Castles of Castile-Léon Spain

Coca Castle

By Danielle Pruger
Photos courtesy of Castilla-León Regional Tourist Board

Castile-Léon Spain is highlighted in red.

Castile-Léon, an interior region of Spain, is known for its castles (Castile means “land of castles” in Spanish) and provides a look at ancient and medieval forms of architecture. Throughout the Middle Ages, Castile-Léon served as a frontier between Christians and Muslims from the 9th century to the 11th century, which created the initial motivation for building fortresses and castles. Later, the struggle between the various noble families and the royal family from the 12th century to the 15th century made it necessary to build new fortifications. The following six castles, open to the public, can be found in Castile-Léon.

AMPUDIA CASTLE
The municipality of Ampudia is home to a 15th century castle which stands in the center of the village. This castle is well preserved and has been restored. Its sturdy enclosure is protected by four towers, and it has all of the traditional elements of medieval castles: battlements, ramparts, barbicans and a moat. Although it is privately owned, it is open to visitors, and its interior is home to a museum of art and antiquity.

PEÑAFIEL CASTLE
The medieval castle in Peñafiel was built in the 11th century and stands on a rocky spur. The castle was rebuilt around the 14th and 15th centuries and has a peculiar shape because the outline of the walled enclosure conforms to the elongated silhouette of the ridge. This unusual shape has made it one of Spain’s most famous images; from a distance the castle resembles a boat run aground in the midst of a sea of pastures and wheat fields. This castle is also home to the Provincial Wine Museum.

ALCÁZAR FORTRESS
The city of Segovia contains the Alcázar fortress, another one of Spain’s most emblematic images. This imposing Gothic building was built between the 14th and 15th centuries and was later transformed by Philip II in the 16th century into the Herrerrian style seen today. It was the residence of the Castilian and Spanish monarchs for two centuries; its location is on a gorge above the Eresma and Clamores rivers. The location, along with the appearance of the castle, is similar to the castles in fairytales, which evoke the images of princesses, knights, witches and dragons.

COCA CASTLE
The Coca Castle, located in the municipality of Coca, is completely different from other castles; it was built in the Mudejar style of the 15th century using typical red brick. It has three walled enclosures, a moat with a drawbridge, a bailey (courtyard) and a splendid keep. The village of Coca is the descendant of the Celtic-Iberian city of Cauca, which was conquered by the Romans in 151 B.C.

LA MOTA CASTLE
La Mota Castle, also designed in the Mudejar style, is located in the town of Medina del Campo. It was built in the 15th century using concrete and red brick and has four enclosures protected by enormous walls, as well as a monumental keep. It was in the 15th century that Medina del Campo reached its maximum splendor: its fairs were the most important in all of Europe, and it is where bills, instead of coins, were first used as currency. This is also the place where Queen Isabella I of Castile, known as Isabella “la Católica,” died.

Zamora Castle

ZAMORA CASTLE
The city of Zamora, located beside the Duero River, has a medieval castle that was built in the 12th century. This castle was restored in 2009, and the castle is surrounded by three walled enclosures dating from the same period, which encircle the historic center of town.

For more info, go to Spain is Culture