 |
| proudly Catalan |
 |
| Renée |
Renée
knows where the locals go and after a short walk up to the borough of Gràcia we
start meeting them at their stores, restaurants, bodegas and cafes. We come
along squares with busy terrace cafes and overall it feels like there are a lot
of elderly people and families with children living next to artists and
artisans in this part of the city. It is a cosy, relaxed and welcoming area. I
am not saying there aren’t other parts of Barcelona just as lovely ...
All these years back Gràcia was a quiet area and now it is being described as a hot spot but still very affordable. I see a semi-gentrified, but in parts still authentic part of town.
All these years back Gràcia was a quiet area and now it is being described as a hot spot but still very affordable. I see a semi-gentrified, but in parts still authentic part of town.
Walk, talk, and eat & talk, eat and walk through Barcelona
Did you
know that some Spanish people say that Cava is better than Champagne? To check,
how true this is, we start the tour with a Cava breakfast, and I wash down my
goat cheese and honey-sandwich while learning about the bubbly drink. I still
try to make up my mind when we arrive at a neighbourhood market to have a look
at all the ingredients you need to prepare local recipes. I imagine myself
living here, buying potatoes to make my own patatas bravas (the Spanish version
of fried potatoes) with romesco sauce (an almond and pepper based delicacy)
plus peppers for melt in the mouth pimientos de Padrón (Padron Peppers) and
fresh spinach to fry with raisins and pine nuts. I would only need a few good
items to create an outstanding meal.
The cheese we have at one of the many stalls is best described as to-die-for delicious and creamy and works perfectly together with the cut fig jam.
The cheese we have at one of the many stalls is best described as to-die-for delicious and creamy and works perfectly together with the cut fig jam.
Olive oil, rose water, romance and heartbreak in Barcelona
Not sure how
you feel but I am totally obsessed with olive oil. When I cook at home I work
with a choice from Greece, Tunisia, Italy and Spain, and my palate still
appreciates the distinguished taste of every single one. Never before have I
been to a store where they sell olive oil in bottles which could easily be the
package for extravagant perfume. It becomes more and more apparent how
important olive oil in Catalan cooking is.
Last night I had tomato bread at a restaurant and today I learn how to prepare it. After a round of freshly fried patatas bravas with hot red romesco sauce I rub a bit of fresh garlic and tomato on sliced bread plus drizzles of olive oil on top of it (pan tomaca).
Last night I had tomato bread at a restaurant and today I learn how to prepare it. After a round of freshly fried patatas bravas with hot red romesco sauce I rub a bit of fresh garlic and tomato on sliced bread plus drizzles of olive oil on top of it (pan tomaca).
Within hours I start to feel like being part of this neighbourhood, at least for the time being, a girl can have her dreams. Speaking of dreaming, do you believe in romance as much as I do? The owner of a Syrian bakery arrived in Barcelona decades ago and fell in love with a local girl, married her and settled in the city, and all that within a few weeks. These things happen, and the moment I eat his pistachio and rosewater pastry, I realise that his recipes are just as fantastic as is his obvious expertise for the right timing. It is only a tiny little story out of many out there but it shows once more that it pays off to be open to new things and never be afraid to live your life fully.
Experience, taste and try in Gràcia
As I said
earlier this area is semi-gentrified and of course, there is street art. Being a
street art fan and a coffee snob I am more than delighted to see coffee street
art, not far from properties which look sugar-coated, painted in light green
and pink. In all these prettiness there is also space for a tale of forced and
unhappy love and that is the way it can be if you aren’t fully in charge of
your own life. The story happened long before the invention of Nutella and the
lady I am talking about couldn’t comfort herself with simply eating a few
glasses of the chocolate spread but turned to charity work instead …
There is so much to experience, taste and try in Gràcia and as I drink my café cortado, that is what they call an espresso with a tiny shot of foamed milk in Spain, Renée offers dessert and describes it as “refreshing pastry.” She surely knows how to enjoy life and how to encourage others to do the same.
 |
| Have you ever tried refreshing pastry? |
Verdict Food Tour Barcelona
If you fancy walking, chatting with locals and learning about food this is the right tour for you. I am glad I went and thank Devour Barcelona Food Tours heartily for the invitation to come along as a vegetarian. Opinions are my own obviously.
Where is
your favourite place in Barcelona? Have you ever been on a food tour? Looking
forward to hear from you.