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Where in the World: Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain and one of the most dynamic and culturally recognizable cities in Europe. Barcelona is the place to be and to eat. Located on the coast of the Iberian Peninsula on the Mediterranean Sea, Barcelona is a city of global commerce with a major international airport and seaport and is also a main cultural and tourist center for Spain and certainly Europe as well. Whether people travel to Barcelona or live and work in the city, there is one thing that all of Barcelona has in common – the love of the food.

The gastronomy of Barcelona is heavily influenced by Mediterranean ingredients found throughout the region such as fresh seafood, meats and poultry, olive oils, legumes, rice, pastas, nuts, cheese, and honey. Of course there are also lots of fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables like garlic, tomatoes, figs and grapes. The meals, whether they are traditional or modern, make use of fresh and seasonal ingredients and typically include wine.  

Traditional meals are a staple in Barcelona. On regular days or the many religious holidays, a simpler, more relaxing lifestyle always encompasses traditional fare that celebrates the region’s culture. With simplicity and freshness as the guide to all things traditional in Barcelona, the food is simple, easy to prepare and leaves plenty of time to just be with family and friends and enjoy the local wines. One of the most simple and popular traditional dishes is the  pa amb tomáquet, or bread with tomato, which is just a thick slice of fresh baked bread with tomato and olive oil that is sometimes accompanied with ham or anchovies and cheese on top. It showcases the goods of the land, and that is what lies at the heart of traditional Barcelonan food.

Barcelona, in addition to being a place where its traditional food is coveted and appreciated by the rest of the world, is also a place where some of the most modern, cutting edge cuisine has been created, invented and eaten. At the head of this innovation is world-renowned chef, Ferran Adria. Ferran is known for his creative and highly innovative techniques. His foams, smokes and mix and match flavors are unprecedented in the cooking world. Gourmet magazine has called him the “Salvador Dali of the kitchen.” His Barcelona restaurant, El Bulli, was recently named the best restaurant in the world by the prestigious Restaurant Magazine. His work is truly like none other and many up-and-coming chefs are helping his creative genius to influence the food scene in Spain in general and Barcelona specifically.

It’s also important to talk about tapas when discussing food in Barcelona. Tapas are small portions that allow the diner to sample many different tastes and dishes. Tapas translates into “lid” and the name  tapas, or small bite-sized snack plate, came to be from the local wine bars where they would place the little plates on top of the wine glasses like lids. Now, tapas are much more than just a common staple in everything from local wine bars to large scale restaurants in Barcelona. The rest of the world has imported this idea and although most do not actually put the plates on wine glasses, the concept of the little plates is ubiquitous.

It’s impossible to talk about the food in Barcelona without mentioning the plethora of fresh seafood featured in its cuisine such as anchovies, mussels, clams, prawns, squid, and fish. The seafood is typically showcased pretty simply and basically and is most often seasoned with garlic, olive oil and tomatoes and traditionally eaten in paella, a popular Spanish dish made of rice and fish or chicken.

Pa amb tomàquet
Take a nice, thick slice of toasted rustic bread, rub some garlic, fresh tomato, and fresh thyme on top, drizzle a generous amount of olive oil, and add a pinch of salt. There you have it, pan amb tomàquet, a Catalan staple and breakfast favorite.

 

Sarsuela

Sarsuela is a seafood medley and is the variety show of Catalan food. It can contain any combination of different types of white fish, prawns, shrimp, squid, mussels, clams, crayfish or lobster with lots of fresh herbs like oregano, thyme and marjoram. All of these ingredients are combined in a casserole with olive oil, tomato, lemon, paprika, white wine, sherry and other spices. Yum.

 

Paella
Paella is a traditional rice dish and it is cooked in a large, flat, circular pan with a combination of shellfish, poultry, meat, herbs and vegetables.

 

Crema Catalana
The most ubiquitous Catalan desert, crema catalane, is a delicious cold custard with a crispy, caramelized sugar coating.

Calçotada
Calçots are a local kind of baby onions charred over an open flame but tender on the inside. They're then braised with romesco, a special Catalan sauce of tomatoes, fresh thyme, red peppers, garlic, almonds and olive oil.