Orange Polka Dot

Grocery Series: Buying Beef in Spain

Spanish Cuts of Beef | Gastronomiaycia

It has been ages since I did a post for my grocery shopping series. But don't worry, I am still taking photos and risking have another run-in with security. In organizing my pictures, I came across this old one that I snapped because I found the wording and information interesting. 

In the United States, I don't believe I have ever seen such an informative food label on a piece of meat. First, the piece of meat is labeled as "Roti de Ternera, Calidad y Origen." I believe a "roti" is somewhat like a roast. (I hope someone will correct me on this if I am wrong.) What I first noticed though was the listing "edad de sacrificio de 8 a 12 meses" (slaughtered age between 8 and 12 months). I really appreciate that the Spanish word for "slaughter" when related to meat is "sacrificio." I believe there is a stronger connection here between the fact that an animal has been sacrificed to provide a human with food. I doubt there are children here that think meat is made at the grocery store! The label also tells us that the animal was born in Spain ("nacido en Espana"). We also know the animal was raised in Spain ("engordado en Espana"), slaughtered and butchered in Spain ("sacrificado" y "depiece en Espana"). 

In Spain, buying beef can be a little tricky. Much of the beef you see in the supermarket, butcher or restaurants is labeled as "ternera." A quick look in your tourist dictionary may lead you to believe that"ternera" is veal. And out the window flies your idea of ordering albondigas or bistec at the charming tapas restaurant. Chat among Spain expat bloggers, language and recipe forums about "ternera" can also lead to confusion, with many insisting that "ternera" is veal.

Now, I am not a beef expert (although, being married to a man from Argentina has got to give me some points!). And I am sure that beef terms and labels are a bit different in my part of Catalunya than other parts of Spain. Definitely different than other Spanish-speaking countries. When we first moved here, my carnivore Argentine husband translated "ternera" as veal. Based on the amount of "ternera" labels I saw while grocery shopping, I was shocked by how much veal Catalans ate. And then I had my doubts. Could they really be eating this much veal - a meat that conventional wisdom says is expensive and controversial?

My desire to prove my husband wrong led me to conduct some informal research at local butchers and supermarkets. "Ternera" is not veal as we know it in the USA. In the United States, a calf slaughted between 16 and 18 weeks is considered veal (about 4 to 4.5 months old). The meat in my picture, labelled "ternera," was much older - 8 to 12 months (32 to 48 weeks old). According to the butchers I spoke with, "ternera," refers to young beef, but not totally veal. For what we, in the USA, consider veal, the beef would be labeled as "ternera lechal" (milk beef) or perhaps "ternera blanca." 

The beef from the above photo is labeled as "ternera blanca," and was slaughtered before it was 8 months old. Possibly veal in USA terms, but also possibly a wee bit older than the USA requirement for veal. I haven't quite figured out the USA equivalent to "babilla." And this young calf got around in his short life. He was born in Germany, raised and slaughtered in The Netherlands, back to Germany for butchering and now being sold in plastic wrap in Spain. 

You many also see some beef in Spain labeled as "añojo," which refers to beef that is between 18 and 24 months old. This beef was born, raised in Germany and traveled to The Netherlands for butchering before being sold in Spain. 

Isn't it interesting that there are so many terms to classify beef in Spain? And wouldn't you like to know where you beef has been before it is on your plate?  

I tend to buy my beef at a local butcher where they know me and love to answer all my beefy questions. Often times, when in doubt, I bring in a picture of the meat cut I want so they can show me the equivalent. I promise to take some pictures at the butcher. I absolutely love going to the butcher. I swear, I am tempted to ask them if they will hire me for a week, so that I can learn the proper way to cut meat. Maybe one of these days I will gather the courage to ask. 

Barcelona Finds: Baking Supplies

Since I recently wrote about Catalan birthday parties, I thought I should list some of the places where I buy my baking supplies in Barcelona or sites that have EU shipping. As I mentioned in that post, the baking section in supermarkets here is very limited. No pure vanilla extract. No chocolate chips. Powdered sugar is a plastic shaker bottle. You will have to find baking powder in the another section. And flour in another. 

Keyks in Madrid: An extensive retail and online store with super fast shipping and great customer service that has nearly everything you need for cake baking, decorating, candy making and the latest cake trend, "cake pops". I ordered powdered sugar by the kilo (it comes in a plastic bag) and rolled fondant from here. Owner Isabel also stocks lots of Wilton supplies, baking pans WITHOUT teflon (and some with non-stick also), and some cute cupcake liners. Keyks even has online cake decorating classes.

 

Sole Graells: Catering more to restaurants, caterers and professional chefs Sole Graells stocks a lot of ingredients that the average home baker won't need. Although it is fun browsing the chemistry-looking appliances used for creating the foams and gels that were popular at El Bulli. If you are hosting a party, you can also find lots of fun accessories for displaying and serving food, like test tubes for shots of gazpacho. At Sole Graells, I have bought food colorings, dark brown sugar, ready-made cake flowers and cake decorating gadgets. If you really want to stock up on pure vanilla extract they have a huge bottle; in addition to lots of other great aromas, extracts and spices. 

 

Químics Dalmau: This is a real drugstore/chemist selling raw chemical ingredients. I have bought cream of tartar (crémor tártaro) and pectin (pectina) here, which you order by the gram and receive in a little baggy. They also stock lots of essential oils, nut oils and aromas. They have a store in Barcelona and will also ship to you if you phone in an order. 

 

DeliShop: Several shops throughout Barcelona, and soon online, sell some baking supplies from the USA along with other hard-to-find international imports and gourmet items. I buy Nielsen-Massey vanilla extract from DeliShop. You will also find cake mixes, maple syrup, chocolate chips and even marshmallows. Expect to pay mouth dropping prices for a box of Cheerios, but every now and then it is worth every euro. 

 

Fabulous Baking Company: Visiting this bakery and cooking store has been on my list since I heard about it last year. I still can't believe I haven't been there! According to their website, they will have online shopping soon. In addition to a great bakery (from my sources who have been here), FBC has baking and cooking classes and a well-stocked baking supply and gadget boutique. Since I haven't been there, I can't say for certain, but according to their website photos it looks like they stock some American baking ingredients like vanilla extract, corn syrup, Crisco, Wilton products and tons of fun gadgets. I promise to go there this summer, even if it means eating a brownie and abandoning my "operacion bikini" efforts. 

 

Vinçon: An upscale modern-design furniture and homegoods store in the Eixample of Barcelona that sells a wide range of fun cooking and baking gadgets. Vinçon sells lots of silicone baking moulds, pastry decorating tools, high-end kitchen mixers and small appliances.  

 

Cooking, The Kitchen Company: A great kitchen gadget and cooking store, also in the Eixample. The store carries lots of solid brands such as Le Creuset, Lekue, Emile Henry, Staub, Cuisinart, KitchenAid, OXO and Kenwood. 

 

I am sure there are many other great resources for baking and cooking supplies? Know of any in Barcelona or stores that have great EU shipping rates? Add it in the comments and I will put it on the list. Muchas Gracias!

Lonely Planet Blogsherpas: Jamon in Spain

My kids examining a wall of jamon in the supermarket | 2009

I rounded the corner in search of orange juice and yogurt. First I was overcome by an aroma that I had never smelled before. Immediately, my children pinched their noses and "ewwwwwed" loudly. "Mommy, What is that weird smell?" We walked a bit more. "Mommy, are those animal legs hanging on the wall?" Why, yes, that distinctive smell was Spanish jamon sold as close to its original form as I have ever seen. I could add this to the list of things I'd never see in my local Safeway in California. Entire legs, hoof and all, of a cured pig's leg. And darn, is it tasty!

An entire book could be written about the subject of jamon. Here are the basics that I learned by asking lots of questions at my local jamon shop. Jamon is a widely popular Spanish cured ham. Actually, widely popular is an understatement. It is a daily ritual for many in Spain. The whole pig's leg is cured by a layer of sea salt and hanged in a factory with windows open to catch the mountain breeze for one to four years. When jamon is served at room temperature and thinly-sliced, it nearly melts in your mouth. 

 
Jamon shop in Sant Cugat | 2009 

Fortunately, for those of us addicted to jamon iberico, it contains a high percentage of oleic acid with low levels of saturated fat and cholesterol, depending on acorn consumption, pig's exercise and curing length. During the curing process, the leg of jamon loses 20 to 40 percent of its weight. In bellota jamon, the remaining fat is converted into mono-unsaturated fat, thanks to the acorns and pig's free range lifestyle. 

Perhaps you have heard of Pata Negra or Jamon Serrano. Pata Negra is the same as Jamon Iberico. Interestingly, in the United States, foodies talk about the exclusivity of Pata Negra, which wasn't allowed to be imported until 2009 and then faced "hoof" problems. Here however, I have yet to hear a local mention Pata Negra opting to use Iberico instead. 

 
My daughter snacking on free cone of jamon at local shop. | 2010

Jamon Iberico de Bellota / Pata Negra Bellota

• The holy grail of jamon. 
• Only made from Iberico pigs, which are black (hence the black hoof) and fatter than the pink pig stereotype. Genetically, these pigs have an ability to store fat in their muscles, giving excellent marbling and flavor. 
• At about 10 months, pigs destined to be Jamon Iberico de Bellota are raised free-range in an area called the dehesa near the Spanish - Portuguese border. During this period, montanera, the pigs gain about half of their body weight. 
• In the dehesa, the pigs feast on acorns (bellotas) and wild planets. Each pig can eat around ten kilos of acorns a day!
• More fat allows the meat to be cured longer than other jamon types. Jamon Iberico de Bellota is cured for more than two years, typically three and less than four years. 
• Bellota jamon costs at least twice as much as jamon iberico. 
• Very high in mono-unsaturated fat.

Jamon Iberico / Pata Negra

• Made from Iberico pigs, which are black and fatter than the standard pink pig. 
• Mono-unsaturated fat is not as high as bellota jamon because of the smaller acorn diet. 
• Different grades depending on the pigs' exercise and diet. Recebo grade pigs spend less time in their montanera, gaining less than half of their body weight. Recebo pigs are then fattened before market using cereal feed. Cebo grade is Iberico pigs raised on cereal feed. Iberico grade pigs are usually cereal fed and completely raised on farms without the lovely montanera holiday. 

Jamon Serrano

• Jamon Serrano translates in English as "mountain ham." Historically, jamon was cured in mountain areas with hot, dry summers and cold winters. 
• Nowdays, Jamon Serrano is produced throughout Spain, using climate-controlled factories. Although some is still made in mountain towns. 
• Jamon Serranno comes from the leaner white pigs, who store fat outside the muscle unlike Iberico pigs. 
• Jamon Serrano is typically cured for one year.
• Serrano has a more salty flavor. 
• Jamon Serrano is much cheaper than Jamon Iberico, usually half the price. 

Jamoneras to hold jamon leg in your kitchen | 2009

A whole jamon leg can be quite an investment. I have seen prices range from 50 euros to 850 euros. Many Spanish companies give a leg of jamon as an employee Christmas gift. Asking around, it seems one leg lasts about three months. The leg is stored on a jamonera and covered with a cloth. I know if we had a jamon leg in our kitchen, our amount of midnight snacking would drastically increase. A little slice of iberico here and there would be too much to resist. 

Most restaurants that sell plates of jamon have a professional jamon cutter, a cortador. Cutting jamon properly is serious business, usually done with a long, extremely sharp knife. One of the cortadores in my local shop gave me a very thorough explanation on the subetlies of machine versus knife cutting. If you didn't know he was talking jamon, you'd think he was reading poetry or perhaps he was dreaming about playing a jamon violin? 

Christmas promotion at a Catalan bank | 2009

You can get your jamon fix from my affiliate partner (I will get a commission if you do) La Tienda, a gourmet Spanish importer with a fabulous online shop. 

This blog on food around the world is part of the Lonely Planet Blogsherpa's blog carnival hosted by Tie Dye Travels, which will go live on 8 October 2010. The previous carnival was hosted by Sophie's World on the Lonely Planet blogger's favorite places. Look forward to the next "spooky story" carnival hosted by Hello, Pineapple? on 22 October 2010. 

Grocery Series: Meet Capitán Gaucho

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Remember good ole' Capitán Mani? The baseball playing peanut selling "The Original Peanut Butter" imported from the USA? Let me introduce you to his friend from Argentina, Capitán Gaucho who sells imported dulce de leche. 

You would be hard-pressed to find a jar of Capitán Mani peanut butter in the United States. And I doubt you'll be meeting his buddy Capitán Gaucho on your next trip to Argentina. 

These two mascot stereotypes selling a very stereotypical product from their homelands gives me a chuckle whenever we meet in the international aisle of the supermarket. Especially since my family is an USA - Argentine household living in Spain. 

We always have a jar of peanut and dulce de leche in our kitchen. Occasionally, Capitan Mani makes an appearance when I am too lazy to go to the health food store that carries a better quality peanut butter. Apparently, my family is a bit more discerning when it comes to dulce de leche. They'd never let Capitán Gaucho cross the threshold. My four year old son informed me that "we do not buy that kind of dulce de leche." 

While on the topic of dulce de leche, I have a funny little story about a trick my nearly seven year old daughter plays on babysitters. When it is time for bed, she tells the babysitter that she and her brother always have a snack. She informs the babysitter that I want them to have sliced bananas with dulce de leche. When the babysitter asked if that was really true, she made this argument. "Yes, bananas with dulce de leche. But if I ask for peanut butter and jelly, definitely you cannot let me have it. That wouldn't be allowed." 

Orange Polka Dot's Grocery Series: Check out my other discoveries while grocery shopping in Spain. 

 

Lonely Planet Blogsherpas: Foreign Food Finds

Welcome to the third Blog Carnival of the Lonely Planet bloggers from the Blogsherpa program. We’ll take a look at some of our interesting and sometimes quirky finds while grocery shopping abroad. Todd’s Wanderings hosted the previous carnival with a focus on travel safety. In two weeks, Ginger Beirut will host the next carnival. 

We are what we eat. Sampling local cuisine while traveling is perhaps the best way to get a flavor for the local culture. Even better - grocery shopping with the locals. Whether it is a grocery store, supermarket or outdoor food market, you are bound to find something on the shelf that will shock you, make you laugh or maybe even dampen your appetite. 

Nopales Vendor | Photo: Hole in the Donut

After traveling in Mexico, Barbara Weibel, of Hole in the Donut, came to appreciate the mexican delicacy of nopales, the prickly pear cactus that grows like a weed in the Southwest. "Within a month of my arrival in Mexico I was complaining about the food, saying: "If I have to eat one more tortilla, I’m going to barf.' Fortunately, soon after that I began discovering that there is more to mexican cuisine than beans and tortillas." Read her full post on nopalitos and try out her nopales smoothie recipe. 

Spiced Squid Sampling | Photo: LeX Paradise

Travel the aisles of the Korean supermarket, HomePlus, as seen through the eyes of LeX Paradise, in search for ingredients to prepare a Korean recipe. It seems that at every turn, there is something to sample. "As for us, we taste non-stop because it is delicious! Yummy!" Although, after all that taste testing, there may have been no need to cook dinner at home that evening. Check out his carnival post for more pictures of one of the best supermarkets in South Korea.

Lamb Brains in a French Market | Photo: Inside the Travel Lab

For many travelers, finding brains in the supermarket may dampen their appetite. But not the adventurous Abigail King of Inside the Travel Lab. She takes home a container of cervelles d'agneaux (lamb brains) and cooks dinner. "So, I tried to forget about all those infectious diseases transmitted by eating central nervous tissue and tucked in, to discover a smooth, surprisingly melt-in-the-mouth texture." Interested in serving lamb brains for your next dinner? Read Abigail's post on how best to select and cook cervelles d'agneaux the next time you are grocery shopping in France. 

Typical Swiss Packaging | Photo: Travel with Den Den

Blogger Denise Pulis of Travel with Den Den has been living in Switzerland for the past eight months. "Upon entering any supermarket in Switzerland, you will immediately be able to pinpoint those products which have been produced locally. Why? Because the Swiss pride themselves so much in the quality of their food that local brands almost universally include the Swiss flag in their logo. This tiny addition often causes the customer to purchase it rather than its cheaper counterpart of uncertain provenance. There is of course an endless amount of packaging sporting cows and traditional countryside scenery. And no lack of the Swiss stereotype to top all stereotypes, Heidi herself, whose name has been appropriated by a Swiss dairy product brand." 

Cambodian Market Finds | Photo: First Time Travels

Four days. Four food markets. Claire Algarme of First Time Travels is a truly dedicated explorer of local cuisine. "Vegetables, fruits, root crops, spices, and other raw food materials were placed side by side. As we went further, something suddenly caught our attention. We took a closer look and saw fried crickets, bugs, and tarantulas." Read Claire's full post on market shopping in Cambodian to see if she tried the fried insects. 

Elixir of Life in Lebanon | Photo: Ginger Beirut

If you're finding it hard to get hold of a youth potion in your neighbourhood, Georgia's discovery in Lebanon may give you a few ideas on how to make your own. "When I called in to my favourite nut and herb store just outside Beirut, little did I know I was about to discover the elixir of life. The sales pitch runs as follows: 'For everyone who wants to be young with a strong mind, and nerves for every old man who dreams to have his youth back.'" Check out Ginger Beirut for the secret formula of this rather sticky fountain of eternal youth.

Grocery Shopping in Florence | Photo: Alpaca Suitcase

Sometimes it isn't the food items that surprise travelers while grocery shopping abroad. It is the process. Jason of Alpaca Suitcase discovered that the check out in his local supermercato in Florence teaches him to adopt some Italian practices into his daily life. "I fumble with my Euros trying to get the correct change so that I can quickly get to bagging my food. This is the source of stress: trying to bag everything quickly before the next person's things start sliding towards me." Read Jason's full carnival post and find out if he can bag his groceries before the next customer leaves the store. 

 
Placenta Drinks in Japan | Photo: Todd's Wanderings

Fellow blogsherpa Todd Wassel at Todd's Wanderings thought that after 5 years living in Japan like a local he had seen it all. He thought he was beyond shock. So, when he came across Placenta drinks on the store shelf, he thought it was a bad English translation. "So my natural reaction at seeing the drink Placenta, was that some poor office worker was asked to come up with an English word that conveyed health and vitality for their new line of vitamin supplement drinks... To my surprise they new exactly what they were doing! It is blended pig placenta, bottled and distributed all across Japan for your pleasure." Read the full post on Todd's Wanderings and find out whether he drank Placenta. 

Sodd | Photo: Sophie's World

When asked her favorite strange food find, Anne-Sophie Redisch of Sophie's World immediately thought of some of the strange products she found while living in the United States. "Spray cheese - how weird is that? Or powdered eggs? And let's not forget, Spam." Products that for some Americans seem quite normal (someone must be buying it). Thinking about the concept of what is strange to one man is another man's comfort, Sophie evaluated the grocery shelves of her home, Norway, and rediscovered Sodd. "A traditional meat and vegetable soup, comprising of lamb, meatballs, carrots and potatoes. There's nothing unusual about the ingredients, nothing odd with Sodd. Apart from the name. British tourists, in particular, seem to be fascinated with this wholesome product." Check out Sophie's World for more pictures of Sodd and the other strange food finds from the USA. 

Piggy | Photo: BarefootInked

Traveling in Vietnam, blogger Sash Milne, of Barefoot Inked, tried some bizarre foods. Boiled duck foetus, anyone? But what surprised her the most, were the parts of the pig she has never seen back home in Australia, and definitely not in her current home of Indonesia. When these pigs go to the market, definitely no part goes home wasted. "I've eaten plenty of pig in my life, a delicious pork roast with its crunchy crackling and a big blog of warm sweet apple sauce was one of my favourite child hood meats. But I've got to say, after discovering that no waste attitude toward the animal in Vietnam - I'm really not missing piggy meat... not one little bit. That'll do pig, that'll do." Click on over to Barefoot Inked for the full post and some piggy at the market photos. 

Gulas, Faux Baby Eels | Photo: La Tortuga Viajera

My fellow blogsherpa and Californian expat living in Spain, Erin Ridley at La Tortuga Viajera highlights some interesting food finds in Spain. Faux baby eels and whole pig legs may turn your tummy now. But trust her, after a few tries, you will crave them too. "Ahh, these lovely little suckers have an appearance that could put just about anyone off. Apparently the real baby eels, called angulas, are terribly expensive but considered an absolute delicacy, therefore they've created the imitation version to pacify people's passion for the wormy-looking critters." Mosey on over to Erin's full post on La Tortuga Viajera for some more items from Spain's grocery aisles. Fellow Americans will appreciate learning why you don't need to rush home to get the eggs in the fridge. 

Stomach Ingredients for Soup | Photo: True Bulgaria 

What you throw away Bulgarians put in their soup. Katya Abadjieva of True Bulgaria introduces readers to some true Bulgarian delicacies, including, Shkembe Chorba. "You would probably never want to eat the stomach of cattle but Bulgarians make their favourite soup out of it. It is called Shkembe Chorba and if you want to prepare it yourself this is what you’ll need to buy: jellied stomach of cattle. You can find it in most larger supermarkets. My friend even likes to eat just the pieces of stomach spiced up with garlic and red pepper. She says its yummy!"  Over at True Bulgaria, Katya describes more interesting and popular traditional Bulgarian foods.

Are you hungry yet? What was your favorite foreign food find while traveling? Bon Appetit! 

Grocery Series: Cheese-Filled Hot Dogs

A hot dog filled with muchiiisimo queso. So much cheese, in fact, Oscar Mayer had to add two more letter "i"s to muchisimo. I bet my friends back in the States wish they could add some Oscar Mayer Rolling Cheese wieners to their Memorial Day menus. 

Seriously. Rolling Cheese? 

As a marketer, I have learned two things should I ever work for a consumer packaged goods company here in Spain. 

1. Consumers apparently like english product/brand names. 

Or perhaps, companies choose to use english names to add to the product's image or try to add a quality que. Almost always, the english name is a grammatically incorrect. Or in the Rolling Cheese case, a tad repulsive. Makes me wonder about how many products with psuedo-ethnic names in the USA are totally missing the boat?

2. Processed meat injected with processed cheese apparently has a supportive customer base in Spain.

 
Notice in the picture above, the package next to the Rolling Cheese. It is "Wieners Queso." The descriptor on the package is "mordiscos jugosos," which means "juicy bites." And remember, Buguis - hambuguesas con queso? 

Perhaps, the processed meat + processed cheese combo also has multiple varities in the USA since I moved? I am sure the average Spaniard may well assume Americans are eating this type of stuff on a daily basis. 

I admit, as a kid I had a fondness for when my grandmother would buy, *as a treat* for me and my brother, the Oscar Mayer ham with cheese dots in each slice or the hot dogs injected with dots of cheese. But as an adult, the thought of eating those creations makes me... well, not hungry. I hope my USA-based readers let me know if Oscar Mayer or other processed meat companies are offering more varieties of cheese-injected meat. Maybe Spain is ahead of the curve in creating meat vehicles for cheese. 

 

Grocery Series: Canned Corn

After going a year without fresh corn, I was desperate and moseyed down the canned/jarred goods aisle. I found a culinary surprise - in addition to plain corn, you can find corn mixed with fruit. Could be really tasty or a bit strange (at least for my "corn goes with butter and salt" taste buds). 

 

The first photo is "Maiz con Pina." Corn with pineapple. The second, is "Maiz con Papaya." I have only seen corn mixed with fruit by the brand, Horticola Del Ebro. The "Ebro" part of the brand name, I believe refers to the Delta del Ebro area that is about two hours south of Barcelona along the coast. Agriculture is the main economy of this fertile region, with rice being the main crop. 

Corn is fairly sweet, so it may taste good with fruit. I will give it a go and let you know. I have only seen corn and fruit combinations at the Eroski supermarket. Which makes me wonder if it is a Catalan flavor preference, a creation inspired by another culture group that has immigrants living here or simply something the company thought tastes great together? Lots of Catalan cooking does seem to combine sweet and savory flavors. I am thinking "Maiz con Pina" may be tasty accompaniment inside a chicken taco - absolutely nothing to do with Catalan cooking though. Maybe a salad? Off to cook, it is lunch time over here...

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Grocery Series: Anti-Theft Devices... for Tuna?

While shopping in the canned seafood aisle... Yes, it is a whole aisle, sometimes two; more than just part of canned goods as it is in the USA. I was surprised to see some canned seafood inside plastic anti-theft devices. 

The first picture is a tin of Bonitol del Nord in olive oil by Masso for 2.11 euros. Now, I should have taken pictures to prove it, but there were other brands of bonito and tuna in tins and jars selling at similar prices that were not packaged in security devices. What is the logic? Perhaps this is a popular brand? Bonito is associated with the tuna family, and seems to be slightly more expensive than tuna.

 

Apparently, berberechos (cockles) are the other canned seafood that is popular to pinch. Only these two brands were in plastic boxes. Once again, there were many other brands of similarly-priced berberechos. The Cuca brand sold for 5.24 euros and the blue box sold for 5.42 euros.

Surely, there are more expensive items that are small without security devices in the grocery store. And there were definitely many other brands of canned bonito and berberechos for sale without security devices. Is it that the shoppers of the Caprabo in Sant Cugat prefer to stuff their tins down their pants rather than pay two euros for a can of tuna? Maybe "el crisis" has hit the people (some might say "pijos") of Sant Cugat hard? Also interesting, is that I have only seen this at the Caprabo in Sant Cugat on Carrer de Salvador Espriu Esq. Pau VI (how is that for a long street name?). I am curious to see if other stores will start putting canned seafood in anti-theft devices? Anyone seen this at other stores?  

Please note: any items purchased through my Amazon or La Tienda links generates a commission for my website. Thank you for your support!

Grocery Series: Orange Juice in Spain

The first time we ordered orange juice in Barcelona, I was surprised to find two sugar packets and a spoon next to the glass. Although, I was happy the juice was fresh-pressed, I thought the waitress mistakingly placed my coffee's sugar on my kid's zumo de narajana. 

 

My husband, from Argentina, was not so surprised. And reassured me that it is normal that sugar and fresh-squeezed go well together. Apparently, his mom made him fresh orange juice every day and added a bit of sugar. 

Of course, I had my doubts. Never have I thought my morning OJ needed sugar. As time went on and fresh orange continued to be accompanied by sugar, I started to believe him. 

When I saw bottled orange in the grocery store marketed and labeled as having "just a touch of sugar, as you like it" I realized it was common. Fortunately, for me, bottled orange juice is also sold without added sugar. 

Really though, I need to get with the orange program in Spain and juice my own. It is slightly embarrasing to actually buy bottled orange juice in a country where almost everyone makes their own juice. In fact, bags of oranges are sold as "naranja de postre" (orange for dessert), sometimes called "naranja de mesa" (table orange) or "naranja de zumo" (orange for juice). 

A manual orange juice press is high on my wish list and not so easy to find in shops. Although, if I wanted an electric one I would have a wide selection at Carrefour. 

And realizing that most people make their own orange juice helps the sugar packets make sense. When your glass of orange juice comes from two oranges rather than a blend of thousands of oranges, you have a higher chance of getting a bitter juice if those two oranges weren't so sweet. Whereas, with a blend of different oranges from different groves, the flavor can be balanced for optimal sweetness. Also, explains why bottled orange juice tastes really sweet when compared to fresh pressed. Now, time for orange juice press research!

Please note: any item purchased through my Amazon links generates a commission for my website. Thank you for your support!

Grocery Series: Galets de Nadal

 

This entry was supposed to be posted before Christmas. But since I still see these boxes in the grocery store... I think I am within a reasonable time of posting a Christmas grocery shopping and cooking tradition. After all, while my friends back in California are taking down their Christmas decorations, the Catalans will be celebrating until Los Reyes Magos (The Epiphany) on January 6th. 

Galets de Nadal are a shell-shaped pasta that is part of traditional Catalan Christmas cuisine. The shells are served in Escudella i Carn d'Olla, a type of stew/soup with pasta, meats and "pilotas"/meatballs. It seems that the galets are only sold during Christmas time. At least, this is my assumption since I have never noticed the large shells before on the shelves. Also, the pasta is sold in Christmas-styled packaging, at least during December. I will have to check the shelves during the next few months to see if the galets are sold throughout the year. Or, a friendly Catalan reader could post a comment here and let us all know... 

Escudella Photo by arquera / Emi Yañez | commons.wikimedia.org

According to Anna of the blog, This Curious Thing Called Catalonia, Escudella i Carn d'Olla's "broth is made out of potato, cabbage, garbanzo beans, onions, leeks, celery, carrot and garlic." The "carn d'olla" stew part is "black sausage, white sausage, meatballs, veal, lamb, hen/chicken and bacon." The escudella i carn d'olla may be served together or separately (the broth, the carn d'olla and the ingredients used in the broth, see Anna's pictures). 

 
Galet Sculpture Outside Barcelona Ajuntament
 

Galets are such a part of the local culture that the Barcelona Ajuntament (city council) along with Gallina Blanca (pasta and soup company) commissioned 26 huge galet sculptures throughout the city. We had a great time discovering these large pasta shells during our Barcelona excursions. As of December 31st, I didn't see many around the city, but the one in front of Barcelona's Ajuntament in Plaça Sant Jaume remains. 

Galets de Nadal Recipes

• Clifford A. Wright's Escudella - Catalonian Stew Recipe
• Spanish Recipes Pic by Pic's Carn d'Olla Pillota Recipe