Passage to Catalonia
Our third day in our apartment in Girona in the northeastern tip of Spain where we’ll be working for the next couple of months. And given that it’s a small town and we are staying in the center, there’s plenty of opportunity to pop out and survey the food scene.
Given the hoopla about the cuisine of Catalonia in recent years, it’s a bit hard to approach it with an open mind. I’m lucky that our host is a Catalan, a great lover of food. And I’m lucky that we are associated with the university and thus have access to others like him.
And therefore I decided not to bring Colman Andrews’ excellent Catalan Cuisine with me. And I probably won’t go back to the Celler de Can Roca, much as I enjoyed it last time I was here (just about my only excursion into the world of world class restaurants, and an amusing one at that, of which perhaps more later). Instead, I’m just poking about.
A stroll to Carrefour about a mile away furnished me (apart from toilet paper, soap, salt, sugar, etc etc) with the essential cart that everyone tows along on their shopping expeditions. If the sidewalks of Mexico City weren’t such a nightmare to traverse, this would be going back with me.
Lunch with friends under the arches in the Plaza Independencia drove home the point that locals don’t take kindly to any confusion between Spanish food and Catalan food. And every shop assistant makes it clear that speaking English is preferable to speaking Spanish, so it’s out with my copy of Teach Yourself Catalan.
The town library has a wonderful collection of books about the area for sale, including cookbooks. Teach Yourself Catalan comes in handy here too.
The market, the bakeries and the charcuterias are splendid. Here’s one treat for starters. It’s a coca de piñones (pine nuts) y chicharron (pork rind) flavored with anise and dusted with white sugar. I understand it’s really for the day of San Juan but never mind. It’s an irresistible combination of flavors.
What a GRAND adventure!
I’d forgotten the carts and Carrefour…
… and, you are SO close to Figueres where the wonderful S Dali museum is.
… and, you might try your French, too.
Watching for all the interesting quirks of the areas you visit.
All of the above, Kay. Except the French which sailed out as Spanish rowed in!
I’ve been following your blog for a while, and as a Canadian living in Catalonia, and loving the food here, I am looking forward to your posts about what you do and find and enjoy!
Just added your blog. Are you in Barcelona? So much to try.
I envy you! I am going to a catalan cooking class tonight, of all days. I will think of you and all the wonderful discoveries you will have in the next couple of months. Saludos!
I will curious to hear what they teach you.
Love it that the first photo of your Catalan adventure is of your trusty Rollser (brand name, like Kleenex), which kind of defined my entire 18 months in Barcelona, so many years ago. It’s the ultimate companion for poking about.
Can’t think why they aren’t more universal.