Panellets, Catalan for “little breads,” is a traditional dessert served in Catalonia, Spain, on the All Saints Day, which takes place on November 1. To serve in traditional Catalan style, drink some Spanish cava (Spanish champagne) or moscatel with them.
The prestigious American gastronomic journalist Colman Andrews presented last week, in New York, together with Spanish chef Ferran Adria, a new book, in which he portrays Ferran Adria, El Bulli Restaurant and the now world famous gastronomic creations of this incredible chef.
Saffron is the most precious and expensive spice in the world and is often said to be worth its weight in gold. The Saffron filaments, or threads, are actually the dried stigmas of the saffron flower, “Crocus Sativus Linneaus”. Each flower contains only three stigmas and these threads must be picked from each flower by hand; more than 75,000 of these flowers are needed to produce just one pound of Saffron filaments, making it
If there’s one thing you’ll learn for certain as you browse cafes, fine dining establishments and the plates of all the natives around you, it’s that Spaniards are proud of their ham, or jamón iberico. With one taste of this rich specialty, you’ll already know why, but a little background on what makes it so special will further astound you. On our Barcelona Culinary Tours you will be able to taste the famous Joselito, the best Spanish Iberian Ham, but here are some basics facts
Ever since the Virgin of Mercy saved the city of Barcelona from a plague of locusts in 1687, the city has been celebrating the miracle she helped create with the liveliest festival it has all year. Happening at the end of September and on the 24th this year, the parties will go on for four days through the night and early hours of the morning with wild fireworks, strangely costumed giants, colorful decorations and musical concerts lining the streets. It is a kind of end-of-summer celebration, so participants usually party as hardily and as noisily as they can.
The Spanish are known around the world for their love of Fiestas! Why not let us Customize a Private Tour of Spain for you, visiting some of the most authentic and wonderful Spanish fiestas- accompanied by only the best local Spanish food and wine!
At our autumn guided Boqueria market visits we stop at the famous Llorenç Pelras stall to buy rovellons. Here is a traditional Spanish recipe for a very simple and tasteful dish for breakfast or a starter. The proportion below serves two for breakfast, and the side-by-side presentation features the mushrooms as a separate flavor. The traditional Spanish recipe can also be assembled as scrambled eggs or an omelet. With more cream or half-and-half and doubling the recipe, it easily converts to a quiche filling or a frittata. Read more
Rich in culture, charm, and beauty and located just an hour north of Barcelona, the city of Girona boasts narrow cobblestone walkways with something new to discover at every turn. The combination of chic boutiques and modern interiors juxtaposed against the backdrop of an ancient medieval village give this city a striking contrast between old and new. And with such close proximity to the beaches of the Costa Brava as well as the backdrop of the Pyrenees Mountains, Girona is a destination that should not be missed.
There’s only one time of year in Spain to come and participate in the grape harvest and it’s almost here! Most grape harvests, or “vendimias,” happen in September and October of each year.
We’re excited because it’s a unique time for visitors to come visit the region and learn first hand from vineyards how to recognize, pick and store ripe grapes for some of the most highly regarded wines in the world. Read more
The remarkably preserved fishing villages of the Costa Brava offer a beautifully blue and tranquil setting for restaurant visitors who want to eat the best seafood dishes available on the Mediterranean. But foodies who want to familiarize themselves more with this valuable seafood can go much farther than ordering Suquet for dinner -they can join us on our Spanish Gastronomic Tours and visit with us an authentic fish auction!
When going straight to the source at a local fish auction, like the one in Palamós, foodies can see first-hand how early local fishers set out to sea, catch fresh prawns, squid, octopus, monkfish and more then auction it to early-morning buyers. On the same day, all these fish are shipped to be sold fresh at morning markets all over the Catalonia region. If you make a dish like paella later in the day with a cooking class instructor, know that the seafood you’re cooking with was swimming around in the Mediterranean that very morning. One of Catalonia’s biggest prides is its variety of fresh, delicious seafood!
The Gràcia neighborhood of Barcelona lights up every year in mid-August for its week-long Festa Major. Every town here has a charming Festa Major during the summer, but as a particularly influential city in Spain and the world, everything about the celebration is done in bigger and more extreme ways. You will find that during the Gracia feast the castells—or human castle competitions–are larger, there are more aisles of fireworks to run through, but the decorations are probably what stand out the most.
Each street is carefully and creatively themed with wild decorations everywhere. The beautiful floral decorations they specialize in are called arte festivo éfimero. Within the decorations visitors find orchestras, games, theater, music, dance and other activities, which combine for one energetic week-long party.
In order to experience the Gracia Festa Major yourself, join us on our private Barcelona Food and Wine Tour to enjoy the most authentic Spanish food, wine and culture in the city.