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The most authentic Vermouth in Barcelona.

Spanish social life wouldn’t exist without sharing food experiences with friends and family. Do you know Vermouth? It is one of the most remarkable drinks served in Catalunya, particularly in Barcelona. Today we want to remind you about this specialty and also share our recommendations. Let’s check it out!

What is vermouth?

Vermouth is an aromatized fortified wine flavored with various botanicals – roots, barks, flowers, seeds, herbs and spices. The origins of Vermouth are not clear, some historians say that combaining wine with certain herbs was actually implemented by Hippocrates (wow!). The other historians claim that the vermouth was born in Italy in the middle of XVIIIth century.

It came to Spain at the turn of XIXth and XXth centruries, this is sure.

At the beginning vermouth was perceived as a specialty which helps to maintain health and keeps in good shape. With the years the perception has changed and now what we expect from drinking vermouth is mainly whetting appetite before having lunch or dinner.

But it is not enough. Whetting appetite is actually an effect, the reason why Catalans go for a glass of wine is simply to meet with friends and family. The time spent on drinking vermouth is the time spent on sharing and living the moment.

Each neighborhood of Barcelona gives an opportunity to try a glass of vermouth. Nonetheless we chose several places which are the most authentic and the best to drink vermouth.

 

LA PUBILLA DEL TAULAT

The Poblenou neighborhood is filled with many bars, cafeterias and restaurants but we recommend to get off the main track and walk into the narrow street called Carrer de Marià Aguiló.

Not many seats but vermouth there is worthy to sit even on the curb.

Pubilla del Taulat exterior

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After dinner drinks in Barcelona, Nuria’s favourite cocktail bars

As you can imagine after an evening tour with us, the most advisable is not to carry on walking or dancing for hours. Truth is we eat a lot and everything’s so delicious that all you want is to make the pleasure last in a relaxed way, either enjoying a peaceful walk back home or … drinking a good cocktail.
There are very good Cocktail Bars in Barcelona, but I am only going to talk about three of them today.

Caribbean Club Cocktail Bar

What can we say about this awesome Cocktail bar? To me it is a real jewel! It is a small place therefore a place to talk quietly, ideal to go on your own or with your partner. Juanjo is an amazing bartender on top of being knowledgeable and friendly, and a great conversationalist. He might talk to you about the latest movie by Sorrentino as well as about some rare record of an old Cuban Bolero singer.

caribean barra

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Horchata, Only in Spain!

Only few products originally come from specific areas.

That’s the case for one of the most curious drinks you could find in Spain: Horchata.

This drink comes from the small town of Alboraya, Valencia. Here, during the Moorish kingdom, the Arabs brought the “chufa”, a plant that is also known in English as “tiger-nut”.

You might think that chufa is some kind of peanut… well, you’ll be surprised when you’ll find out that it is actually a tuber!

A delicious tuber whose milk, mixed with sugar and water, creates an energy drink that anyone loves all along the Spanish Mediterranean coast!

If you visit Catalonia or Valencia you can’t just miss it; it’ll also help you surviving the hot summer as it’s incredibly refreshing.

What are you waiting for? Come to Barcelona and enjoy it with us!

Salud!

Chufa

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Catalan Food Culture: The Calçotada

What is the best plan for a winter season week end?

To join a calçotada, of course! But what is that?

Calçots are a very tasty variety of chives, very popular throughout the Catalan area. Calçots season runs from November to April, but they are consumed mainly from January to March.

They are traditionally grilled on wood embers and outdoors. It’s cold, but tradition is more important!

You will probably have to move to a nearby town, to a restaurant in a farmhouse or, if you are lucky, to the cottage of a friend or relative. Also in the city some places offer calçots.

But above all calçotada is a celebration, the perfect excuse to leave the city, gather with family and friends in the countryside and organize a gastronomic celebration, the kind of celebration we love more than everything!

For many people, the best of all is the sauce that accompanies the calçots: so tasty and vicious you can’t stop eating it! It’s called romesco sauce.

During the calçotadas reunion there are some very specific rules to follow, almost as if you wanted to join the Fight Club 🙂

1st rule of the Calçotada: Do not ever forget your bib! Believe me, you will need it!

2nd rule of the Calçotada: Leave all your good manners at home; you have to eat with your hands and the sauce goes everywhere. It’s the opportunity to enjoy eating like a child!

3rd rule of the Calçotada: Everyone must participate in the preparation!

Knowing the rules, all that remains is to enjoy this funny gastronomic event, the most popular of the winter in Cataluña.

Recipe:

Here you have the recipe for a fantastic Romesco sauce for your Calçots:

Ingredients: (for 4 people)

  • 3 peppers (or 1 chorizo pepper)
  • 1 or 2 large ripe and roasted tomatoes per person
  • 3 cloves garlic, roasted if possible
  • 1 cup of olive oil
  • A splash of vinegar
  • 50 grams of almonds
  • 80 grams of hazelnut
  • 1 slice of stale bread (or fried bread)
  • Ground black pepper
  • Half glass of water

Preparation:

Leave the peppers, or chorizo pepper, in warm water for a few hours before processing it in order to soften it.

To begin, slowly roast the tomatoes and the garlic in the oven for about 30 minutes. This will be the base of the sauce.

Took the ñora pulp with a small spoon, being careful not to lose any of the content and put it in the mortar.

Then, add the fried (or stale) bread, the almonds and the hazelnuts in the mortar.

Crush all together in a mortar for a while.

When tomatoes and garlic are ready, remove the skin and add them to the dough you already have in the mortar with half a glass of oil.

Finally you can give a touch of electric shredder so that the sauce is smooth. If you see that it lacks creaminess, add a little more of oil, olive oil of course.

A disfrutar!!!

calçots
Photo by Calafellvallo

Calçotada
Photo by Javier Roche

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