Liquid Gold: Olive Oil in Catalunya

Originally published in Metropolitan

While in many countries, olive oil is a luxury, in Spain it’s hardly hyperbole to say it flows like water. Many here would argue that it is the single most valuable ingredient in Mediterranean cooking, admired for its flavor as well as its healthy qualities. Josep Pla, one of the oldest and most influential voices on the subject of Catalan cuisine, said in his legendary El Que Hem Menjat, “I am a great admirer of the olive tree. It is the most beautiful tree in the world, the simplest and the most elegant.” It is an expression that only hints at the deep respect for the olive and its oil that is embedded in Spanish and Catalan culture.

Like a good wine, olive oil expresses the notes of its terroir, which perhaps is what makes it so alluring to the palate and could explain why it has been a staple of the Mediterranean diet for so long. Olive growing has a long history in Spain. It is widely accepted that it was brought to the country by the Phoenicians or the Greeks, although cultivation did not begin until 211 BCE. Once it arrived, however, it was here to stay. Today, Spain is the number one producer and exporter of olive oil in the world, leading Italy by more than two times its production in tonnes. Spain boasts 27 Designations of Origin (DOs), 12 of which are in Andalusia. Catalunya is home to five DOs, and olive growing is fairly evenly divided between the Costa Brava, the Costa Daurada and Lleida. Catalunya is blessed with an excellent climate for olive growing. Its valleys protect the trees from the harsh sun and winds while little rain ensures that they don’t get too wet. Each DO has a particular climate and terroir, which gives each oil a unique taste. The slate in the soil around Empordà, for example, means that oils from the northern region will be imbued with a mineral character.

Marc Francesch, co-owner of Ohlive, an olive oil brand from the Costa Daurada, acknowledges that the Catalan landscape plays a big role in the production of high quality oils. He explains that small plantations, steep hills, dry terrain and 300+-year-old trees are a few of the factors that allow the production of “very special oils”. His goal with Ohlive is to showcase the “super-premium products” that are produced in his native Catalunya, although his goal goes beyond the product itself. “Our aim with this project,” he said, “is to express through business the love for our country.”

Olive oil mills, or almazaras in Spanish, are where the olives are pressed. A first pressing preserves the nutrient-rich oil in an extra virgin olive oil, while the oil that comes from a second or third pressing goes into the lesser quality oils. A visit to these olive mills is a great way to get a complete picture of how oil is made, from the harvest to the bottling and labeling of the oils. But if that doesn’t satisfy your appetite, you can make a stop at the Olive Oil Eco-Museum (Ecomuseu de l’Oli) in Pobla de Cèrvoles,  the Castelldans Olive Oil Museum or the olive oil theme park in Les Borges Blanques, Lleida. Between November and January, there are also many olive oil-related festivals throughout the region.

Buying olive oil can be a daunting process, but it’s important to remember that choosing an oil is largely a matter of personal taste. Olive oils can range from simple to complex, depending on the varietal, the region, or whether an oil is single origin or blended. Like wine, spirits and coffee, olive oils, too, are rated for quality and defined by their tasting notes. A very fine single variety extra virgin olive oil might show a nose of tender green almonds, the round blush of peaches and apricots, the light sweetness of lychee fruits and the fresh herbaceous bloom of something green. If you prefer something lighter and softer, a local Catalan oil made from arbequinas will probably suit the bill. If your dish calls for a stronger bodied, more pungent oil, it’s best to choose some from the southern climes of Andalusia, where the climate produces characteristically strong tastes. No matter which type you choose, it is best to buy olive oil that comes in a dark glass bottle—this helps protect it from oxidation, which can cause a loss of valuable nutrients. Storing your bottles in a cool, dark place will also ensure its longevity, although it’s best not to keep olive oil around for more than a year, as its nutritional value drops dramatically over time.

Martí, of Oleum Flumen, owns 80 hectares of land in Les Garrigues near Lleida where he produces several high quality extra virgin olive oils and superior vinegars on his property. He hosts tours, tastings and dinners at his place, sharing his love for the land and his work with visitors from around the world. His products reflect the years of work he’s put into caring for his trees and the processes that turn the olives into some of the finest oil in Catalunya. Like others in his field, he knows that olive oil is not just a garnish or an ingredient in a dish. “It’s much more than that,” he said. For him, just as for all Catalans, olive oil is a way of life.

A WELL-OILED TOUR

Here’s a quick roundup of places to visit in two of Catalunya’s prime oil-producing areas.

LLEIDA

Olive Oil Eco-museum. Pl. de Sant Miquel, La Pobla de Cèrvoles. 25471 Les Garrigues (Lleida). T. 97 317 5152  

Castelldans Olive Oil Museum. Empit 9. 25154 Castelldans (Lleida). T. 97 312 0002  

Olive Oil Theme Park. Ctra. N-240, km 71, Masia Salat, Les Borges Blanques. 25400 Les Garrigues (Lleida). T. 97 314 0018  

Oleum Flumen. Finca Les Teixeres, N-240 Km 58, 25440 Vinaixa, Les Garrigues (Lleida). T. 97 305 0249 (Call ahead to schedule a visit and tasting)  

Where to eat

Bar Restaurante La Llena. Av. de les Garrigues, 16 (local del antiguo Fomento), 25471 La Pobla de Cérvoles. T. 97 317 5117  

Where to Stay

Hotel La Garbinada. Plaça Catalunya, s/n, 25160 Grañena de las Garrigas. T. 97 313 6275

EMPORDÀ

Empordalia. Ctra. de Roses s/n, 17494 Pau (Girona). T. 97 253 0140. Call ahead to schedule a visit and tasting  

Serraferran. C/ de la Bassa, 20, 17473 Ventalló (Girona). T. 97 279 3076. Call ahead to schedule a visit and tasting  

Where to Eat

La Bassa de Ventalló Restaurant & Copes. C/ de la Bassa, 12, 17473 Ventalló (Girona). T. 97 279 3857

Where to Stay

Fundació L’Olivar. Crta. GI-623, Km 12, 17473 Ventalló (Girona). M. 646 081 608

Winter Salad Days: The Xató Salad

Originally published in Metropolitan

It’s rare that a salad achieves such culinary status, but the xató is a special salad indeed. It arrives each winter to a fanfare of festivals, competitions and more than a little local rivalry. This much-feted dish is made from escarole, a variety of lettuce that’s traditionally available only in winter, and other ingredients that were, historically at least, only readily available in the colder months, when fresh ingredients were harder to come by. The salsa is made from store cupboard ingredients like dried peppers, cookies and bread, while the three fish used are salt cod, anchovies and tuna, which are available year-round, dried or canned.

That the salad is named for the salsa, or vice versa depending on one’s perspective, shouldn’t detract from the importance of the escarole, which singer and food writer Pere Tàpias once referred to as the “queen of the kitchen in winter”. Escarole is rich in vitamins A and K, folate, fiber, iron, magnesium and calcium, making it ideal for a winter salad, when fresh vegetables are harder to come by. Escarole, like endive and radicchio, comes from the chicory family but is less bitter than its peers. It comes in two varietals, broad-leaved and curly (known in Catalan as fulla llisa and fulla arrissada), the second being finer and more highly valued in gastronomic circles. One kind in particular, called angel’s hair (cabell d’angel), and known in the Garraf by the name of la perruqueta, is often chosen for its sweet flavor. In fact, the outer, greener leaves of the head are often peeled away and discarded for being too bitter, leaving only the sweeter, creamy white leaves closer to the heart. However, the inner and outer leaves can be mixed to taste. 

The exact provenance of xató is unknown, but its origins lie in the Penedès, the coastal wine-making region between Barcelona and Tarragona. Here, five towns make up a loosely defined Xató region: Sitges, Calafell, El Vendrell, Vilafranca del Penedès and Vilanova i la Geltrú. These towns work together to maintain the dish’s tradition and status, and promote it through the region and beyond. A xató route and accompanying website, raise the salad’s visibility and celebrate the culture, gastronomy and local traditions of each town, and the region as a whole. Six festivals dedicated to xató take place during the winter months in the five xató towns.

In 2015, the first annual masterclass for journalists was inaugurated, celebrating the salad and the regional nuances of its dressing. In this friendly competition, each town is represented by a local chef who teaches journalists how to make their specific version of the sauce. At the end, the sauces are tasted and the best is awarded a prize. In addition, the organization, under the name of Ruta del Xató, has created a network of restaurants in the area that serve the traditional xató salad or a tapa inspired by the dish, often accompanied by xató dressing.  

The salad’s status is also promoted by famous chefs who serve two-year stints as its ambassadors, a tradition that began in 1988 with Ferran Adrià and continues today with Moments chef Raúl Balam Ruscalleda, son of the well-known chef Carme Ruscalleda, the owner of Restaurant Sant Pau in Sant Pol de Mar.

Understanding the Spanish Dining Timetable

Originally published in Eater

With seven distinct meals in a day, here’s when to eat everything in Barcelona

People have always come to Barcelona with grand ambitions. Now that visitors are slowly ebbing back into the city, they want to see all the sights, absorb all the culture, and of course dive deep into the city’s famous cuisine, bouncing effortlessly between vermouth bar and paella specialist without missing a beat. But too often, travelers end up losing out on some of Barcelona’s best eating thanks to the intricacies of the Spanish timetable, where meals likely happen at a different hour than many foreigners (Americans, anyway) are used to. Try to eat lunch too early — say, noon — and you’ll be searching fruitlessly for something other than a bocadillo, a single slice of jamón on baguette. Get caught hungry before the restaurants open for dinner around 9 and you’ll find yourself emptying your wallet for snacks and abandoning crucial stomach space. The rules are just different here — traditionally there are six distinct meals, for one — and adapting faster means eating better. Noshing like a local is a delicate dance, so here’s a quick guide to help you make sure you don’t miss a meal.

A tapas bar in Barcelona.

The Timeline

7 - 9 a.m.

Desdejuni / Desayuno (Breakfast)

The workday in Spain generally begins at 9 a.m., so breakfast at home falls some time before that. With the 10 a.m. almuerzo on the horizon, many Spaniards skip this step altogether, but those who eat at home might indulge in a slice of bread with olive oil and tomato, a few slices of jamón, or some fruit.

10 - 11 a.m.

l’Esmorzar / Almuerzo (Mid-Morning Snack)

Almuerzo is an indispensable part of the local diet. It’s built into school schedules, and for many adults it’s the first meal of the day. It’s mostly designed to stave off hunger until a typically heavy three-course lunch, so most tuck into a simple sandwich, a slice of quiche-like tortilla made with egg and potatoes or other veggies, or just a croissant and a coffee.

12 - 2 p.m.

La Hora del Vermut (Vermut Hour)

At noon on weekends, bars are crowded with friends and families having a drink — often vermouth, sometimes not — and chatting over small bites like canned cockles, ensaladilla rusa (a potato salad), and anchovy-stuffed olives. It’s an essential ritual, and a good way to get an early meal in if you can’t wait for the traditional lunch hour. And if fortified wine at noon sounds like a bit much, you can also order it after dark.

Patrons gather outside a vermuteria in Barcelona.

Vermut and assorted snacks at Morro Fi.

2 - 3:30 p.m.

El Dinar/La Comida (Lunch)

La comida is the main event of the day, and is not to be missed. It’s typically three filling courses, including a starter, a main plate, and either dessert or coffee. During the week many places serve a menú del día, a fixed-price lunch special offering a few choices for each course. With the influx of foreign companies to the city and the economic impulse to catch up with Northern European productivity standards, this meal is becoming less important. Old habits die hard, though, and while some stay near the office and have a quick bite, many still sit for a menú at midday.

5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

El Berenar/La Merienda (Mid-Afternoon Snack)

Merienda is typically when children head home from school with a croissant or foil-wrapped entrepà (sandwich) in one hand and a Cacaolat (Barcelona’s favorite brand of chocolate milk) in the other — something to tide them over until dinner, still hours away. While kids’ merienda is portable, you can take a seat and enjoy yours with an afternoon coffee, even if it’s descafeinado (decaf). Just don’t order a cafe con leche this late in the day.

Pre-dinner drinks in Gràcia.

8:30 - 10 p.m.

La Hora del Aperitiu/La Hora del Aperitivo (Pre-Dinner Drinks)

When people get off work, aperitivo hour begins. In Barcelona, this is less a ritualistic meal than it is in Madrid, and more an excuse to meet a friend for a beer and some snacks like pimientos de padrón, tiny Catalan arbequina olives, and marinated sardines while you’re figuring out what to do for dinner.

9 - 11 p.m.

El Sopar/La Cena (Dinner)

When eaten at home, this meal can be very light, sometimes even just a plate of steamed vegetables with olive oil or a bowl of yogurt and some fruit. That said, Barcelona’s restaurants are getting back to being packed, especially in the summer, and the food can range from classic Catalan feasts to ramen to chicken wings.

So You Screwed Up?

Here are eight great all-day restaurants for when your timing’s off 

As Barcelona turned into a popular travel destination, cafes and restaurants recognized the tourist’s dilemma and began serving food all day long. If you’re still struggling to acclimate to the schedule, here’s a list of fail-safes. 

Robot House Barcelona

Billed as a creative space for social good, Robot House focuses on specialty coffee and farm-to-table bowls, plus craft beer and natural wine, but they also have a small bookshop and host regular talks. Carrer de Provença 316, 08037; Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; closed weekends.

Bar But

This small, unpretentious tapas bar offers unconventional selections like octopus bao and confit leeks with papada and hollandaise. The menú del día is a great deal if you can snag a seat. Carrer de Bonavista 8, 08012; Monday - Friday 9 a.m. to midnight; Saturday 10 a.m. to midnight; closed Sunday.

El Nacional

Although it’s become quite popular, and therefore occasionally crowded, since it opened, this converted factory is worth a visit for the stunning renovation alone. That said, there are four well-executed restaurants inside, popular with locals and tourists alike. Diners can choose from a seafood spot, a tapas bar, a steakhouse, and a Spanish delicatessen offering light meals. Passeig de Gràcia 24 Bis, 08007; 12 p.m. to 1 a.m. daily.

Bar Central

This hidden spot inside La Central bookshop is worth seeking out. The cafe opens out onto a gorgeous plant-filled garden terrace where you can have a light lunch and a vermouth or a scoop of ice cream on a hot day. Carrer d’Elisabets 6, 08001; no website; Sundays 12 p.m to 8 p.m.; Monday - Thursday 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Bar Veraz

Bar Veraz is inside the swanky Barcelona Edition hotel. Not only does the menu have a good blend of tapas, brunch plates like shakshuka, and pizza topped with burrata and black truffles, but they also offer a rare all-day brunch on weekends. Avinguda Francesc Cambó 14, 08003; 7:30 a.m. to 12 a.m. daily.

Ancestral Bar

This small bar has a thoughtfully curated wine list, organic sangria, craft beers and vermouths, and classic tapas like moixama (cured tuna and marcona almonds), croquetes with sobrasada and honey, or bunyols (salt cod fritters). Carrer de Provença 340, 08037; Monday - Friday 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.; closed weekends.

Flax & Kale

This mostly vegetarian restaurant focuses on creative combinations like squash blossoms with cashew cream, pico de gallo, and goji berries. Their homemade juices are delicious. The Raval location has a rooftop terrace open in the summer months. Carrer dels Tallers 74b, 08001; Monday - Friday 12 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. 

Babula Bar 1937

Babula Bar offers a menu marrying international foods like grilled octopus with chimichurri and Japanese-inspired steak tartare. The space has a cozy cocktail bar vibe where you can seek a quiet moment amid the bustle of Barcelona life. Carrer de Pau Claris 139, 08009; Monday - Tuesday 5 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.; Wednesday - Sunday 1 p.m. to 1 a.m. 

The Fussy Tourist's Guide to Fancy Ham in Barcelona

Originally published in Eater

Spain is jamón. Jamón is Spain. It is hard to separate the significance of aged pig legs from the Spanish culture — and particularly within Catalunya. In Barcelona, where indulging in a paper-thin slice of dry-aged Spanish ham is a rite of passage for meat-eating visitors, it’s hard to find a traditional restaurant or bar without at least one glistening leg displayed on an elegant wooden jamonero (ham holder) — or even hanging from the ceiling.

All of which is to say that if meat is your thing, you should absolutely eat jamón at some point during your visit to Barcelona; you might even be tempted to smuggle some back in your suitcase. But not all jamón is created equal: Since the 1980s, Spanish ham has been strictly graded by the government, with a system of colored packaging labels that indicate its quality level based on the pig’s heritage and diet; a separate label denotes how long the meat was cured for. Here’s how to decipher the taxonomy of jamón (or “pernil,” in Catalan, which will inevitably be used on menus in Barcelona).

All ham is not created equal

There are several prevalent types of jamón you’ll likely encounter in Barcelona:

Jamón ibérico, which can only be made from Iberian pigs, is the finest jamón money can buy, renowned for the marbling of its flesh. Within this category are three levels, which split into four total labels:

Jamón is recognizable for the white ribbons of fat that run through it.

Jamón ibérico de bellota is the best of the best, known for white ribbons of fat running in between its deep-red meat. Some people will drop 1,500 euros ($1,700) for a leg, because it’s just that good. Its quality is further distinguished by black and red grades:

• Black-label ibérico pigs spend the fall and winter months roaming the dehesa oak forests of southwest Spain feasting on bellotas (acorns), herbs, and wild plants, which give their meat a complexity of aromas, including its signature sweet, nutty tones. They’re bred from 100 percent Iberian pata negra pigs with signature black hooves.

• Red-label ibérico pigs have the same wild diet as black-label pigs but are 75 percent Iberian and 25 percent Duroc, a white-footed pig breed that originates from the U.S.

Jamón ibérico cebo de campo, which sports a green label, comes from pigs that have been partly pastured on acorns and grass but their diet is supplemented with grain. They can be 75 percent Iberian, 25 percent Duroc, or 50 percent Iberian and 50 percent Duroc.

Jamón ibérico de cebo, which is affixed with a white label, comes from pigs that are 50 percent Iberian and 50 percent Duroc, and fed only grain.

Another type of Spanish ham, jamón serrano, doesn’t have a colored label at all. Serrano is commercially farmed and made from a variety of pigs — Duroc, Landrace, Large White, or Pietrain — whose hooves are white or light brown. The pigs are typically kept in close quarters and fed grain, so it’s much less expensive than ham made from pata negra stock. The meat has small strips of white fat that sit side-by-side with the pale-pink muscle. The curing time will still be indicated, however.

The cure

In addition to the pig’s breeding and diet, jamón is labeled with how long it’s been cured for. Curing is the process of preserving food by drawing out moisture through a combination of salt, air, and time; all jamón, from the least to the most expensive, undergoes curing, although each producer decides the best curing time for each type of jamón. For jamón made from white-footed pigs, the minimum duration is nine to 12 months, and is usually labeled “jamón bodega.” Jamón reserva cures for 12 to 15 months, and gran reserva requires 15 months or longer. Iberian pigs are cured for at least two years, meaning all ham from pata negra pigs falls into the gran reserva category, but the size of the leg is also a factor, so the smaller paleta (shoulder) might only need 24 months — whereas the back leg (for which the Spanish word is also “jamón”) could require 36 months or longer, depending on its weight. Most Spanish ham was once cured by mountain air in natural curing sheds, but now the process mostly happens in climate-controlled facilities.

How to buy it

You could order your jamón in a restaurant and side-step overwhelming ham-related decision-making, but there’s nothing more empowering than walking out of a market with treasure tucked under your arm. You’ll have to pick between a shoulder or back leg, a slicing method — and whether to get it sliced at all. Find jamón at specialists like Enrique Tomás, markets like La Boqueria, the corner butcher — or at a supermarket, where the quality is still high but prices are moderate. At Mercadona supermarket, for example, they’ll slice it right in front of you, or you can grab one of the already vacuum-sealed packs.

First, decide whether to buy jamón or paleta. Meat on the paleta is closer to the bone, which makes it redder and more intensely flavored; as a result, it’s usually sliced thinner. If you prefer softer flavors and don’t mind paying more, then the back leg is for you. Neither is better than the other, but paleta is less expensive.

Jamón ibérico, ready to be sliced.

If buying sliced, decide how you want it cut. In Spain, jamón is either sliced a máquina or a cuchillo — machine- or hand-carved, respectively. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with the more common machine-carved method, there’s a bias against it among aficionados, who feel cutting a cuchillo makes the jamón taste better. While the actual difference is negligible, slicing by hand is done with a cool-looking long, thin jamón knife, which does add some flair to the process.

It’s not feasible for most visitors, but if you do buy an entire bone-in leg, once at home, hang it, or rest it on a jamonero. Keep the cut side covered to protect it from drying out or developing mold, and once cut into the meat will last about a month. If you bought your jamón sliced, Enrique Tomás recommends finishing it in three months, but it will likely keep in the refrigerator for much longer. If keeping sliced ham in the refrigerator, take it out an hour before serving so it can reach peak scent and taste. Once at room temperature, you can easily peel the slices apart.

How to get it home

Sadly, health restrictions don’t allow jamón into the United States unless it’s commercially imported from a producer certified by the USDA. If you’re keen on smuggling some in, you can try the only tried-and-true method — though you didn’t hear it here. First, buy your sliced jamón vacuum-sealed, which should be an option anywhere you shop. Wrap it in several layers of tinfoil and press it in between the pages of a magazine. Then, swaddle the magazine in lightly perfumed clothing in your checked luggage. If smuggling jamón into the U.S. sounds like too much effort, just order it online from José Andrés’s Mercado Little Spain.

Ordering jamón from a restaurant is more straightforward; many menus offer only one variety, which usually arrives unadorned on a plain white plate. Even a no-name, unlabeled jamón can be pricey at a restaurant, however. And while it can be even more expensive at tourist-friendly places like El Nacional off Barcelona’s posh Passeig de Gràcia, you’ll at least get to see it sliced expertly off the bone right in front of you.

And if you aren’t sure you’re ready for the full-on taste of simply sliced jamón, try it with huevos rotos — broken-yolked eggs and jamón served over french fries — or blissful seasonal pèsols, which juxtaposes sweet peas in a savory broth adorned by tiny cubes of deep-red jamón.

Something's Cooking in Catalunya

Originally published in Metropolitan

As the cold weather draws us indoors, the kitchen once more becomes a place for rustling up seasonal comfort foods. Autumn and winter in Catalunya are filled with much-loved culinary traditions and, from freshly-picked mushrooms to hearty meat dishes, there’s plenty to warm the body and soul.

They say that Catalan cuisine is based on three main ingredients: wheat, wine and oil. The origins of this trinity are more likely to be biblical than local, but Catalan cuisine certainly embraces Mediterranean ingredients that were long cultivated by the Phoenicians and Romans. The region’s culinary traditions are nuanced and determined by its landscapes and the flavours they produce. It can be separated into coastal and mountain cuisine, as well as the interior cuisine that hails from the high country (Terra Alta). Many recipes originated in the towns and villages across the region, making it harder to find dishes that are native to multicultural cities like Barcelona.

With the top restaurant in the world, El Celler de Can Roca, in its backyard, and establishments like Tickets and Disfrutar wowing crowds with crafty gastronomic techniques, Catalunya is no stranger to haute cuisine, either. So whether it’s traditional recipes you’re after or a more contemporary take, the following workshops will fine-tune your techniques and teach you all you need to know about the cuisine of fair Catalunya.  

WINE AND DINE: Catacurian

Alicia Juanpere Artigas and Jonathan Perret understand how important viticulture is to Catalan gastronomy. For this reason, they have been offering cooking courses in the heart of Priorat wine country since 2003. Classes are kept small, each one celebrating a variety of regional dishes centred around key recipes, from classic paellas to more obscure recipes like clotxa, a peasant bread that hails from Tarragona.

Based in Gratallops, Catacurian offers all-inclusive single and multi-day tours that combine wine tastings at local vineyards with evening cooking classes and a stay at a local boutique hotel. Guests spend their days visiting local wine cellars, learning about the winemaking process and tasting wines from D.O. Montsant and D.O.Q. Priorat, the latter a region now in the forefront of Catalan winemaking. In the evenings, they participate in cooking classes of two to three hours followed by dinner.

Workshops from €150 per person.

GET MEDIEVAL: Domus Sent Soví

In the scenic village of Hostalric, just an hour north of Barcelona, is Domus Sent Soví, a gastronomic centre devoted to maintaining Catalunya’s culinary heritage through the teachings of The Book of Sent Soví (1324), an anonymous work said to be Catalunya’s first book about its cuisine. According to the prologue, it was written in Catalan by a man who was once chef to the King of England and was intended for squires stationed with lords and gentlemen to gain knowledge of the appropriate recipes to cook for their masters. Aside from the first printed book of Catalan cuisine, Llibre de Coc (1520) by Robert de Nola, it is considered the foundational text of Catalan cuisine, and many of its recipes are still referenced today. For example, picada and sofregit, which form the basis of many of today’s sauces, are included—albeit sans tomatoes, which didn’t enter the culinary register until after they were brought from the Americas in the 16th century.

Domus Sent Soví was created with the aim of protecting and promoting this key part of Catalunya’s gastronomic past, and uses the text as its guiding principle in teaching the essentials of medieval cookery. In contrast to its traditional subject, the centre itself is a large sleek space perched above the town’s picturesque valley. It houses a number of different classrooms, an auditorium and a small shop featuring cookbooks and local products.

The centre holds workshops for individuals and groups and, while their classes are primarily centred on medieval recipes, they also run regular classes devoted to seasonal cuisine. In the autumn and winter, for example, they often feature a class focused solely on wild mushrooms.

Workshops from €15

FRESH CATCH: Espai del Peix

In the heart of Palamós, on the docks where fishermen bring in the daily catch, stands the Espai del Peix, a centre which teaches visitors about Catalunya’s fishing industry. Developed in collaboration with the Centre d’Interpretació de la Pesca—the maritime museum dedicated to Mediterranean fish and the local fishing industry—the Espai has one large classroom that runs cooking workshops and showcooking events all focused, of course, on fish. Their philosophy is that cooking is a way for people to better understand the natural products of the region and teaching is a way to preserve ancestral recipes. Instructing clients on traditional mariner cooking—recipes of humble origin that were developed and handed down by local fisherman—the Espai also explains the plight of the fishing industry and showcases lesser-known fish as a way to support responsible consumerism. Visitors can combine their workshop or museum visit with a trip to the fish auction, where they can take in all the piscine action from a salon overhead. 

Fish Auction: €1.50

Espai, museum and tasting: €6

Workshops: €10 / €2.50 for minors under 10

HAUTE CUISINE: Hofmann

In addition to its culinary degrees, Hofmann teaches the tricks of the trade to anyone who wants to up their culinary game (think tempura fried egg yolk) through an impressive series of monographic courses that focus on many Catalan classics. They teach traditional fare by the book or spin it into haute cuisine. Learn straightforward techniques to make a fantastic coca bread or weave traditional canelons into something otherworldly with unusual ingredients like sea urchin, shiitake and miso. This is a chance to learn from top chefs like Carme Ruscalleda of Sant Pau and Hideki Matsuhisa of Koy Shunka. 

Monographic courses from €75

MOUNTAIN MENU: Lo Pallar del Coc

Nestled in the region of Pallars Sobirà in northwestern Catalunya, Lo Pallar del Coc is a country house run by Mariano and Silvia, which offers visitors a space to relax while learning the ingredients and recipes of mountain cuisine. Former chef and Hofmann teacher, Mariano gives classes tailored to guests’ preferences. All food is local, seasonal and organic whenever possible, and guests have the opportunity to combine a cooking workshop with a visit to local artesanal producers. Additionally, Silvia runs a wellness space with massage therapy and teaches handicraft workshops. The house is divided into apartments, which are available for rent, making it a perfect getaway for the travelling chef. 

Cooking workshops from €80

JUST DESSERTS:  Patisseria Escribà

For those of us who prefer to skip straight to dessert, consider a pastry course in Barcelona, home to one of the best pastry shops in the world, Patisseria Escribà. With a window display best known for its weighty chocolate sculptures, their 100-year-old shop on Gran Via is a sweet treasure trove and a well-known fixture among the locals who descend upon it each Easter to purchase their chocolate Monas. The corresponding school offers one-day workshops and trimestre courses dedicated to the foundations of pastry-making and decorating, as well as special masterclasses by Christian Escribà and Patricia Schmidt.

Monographic courses from €110

Espai Sucre

For a different kind of cutting edge, check out Espai Sucre, a unique space that functions as part-classroom, part-restaurant, and instructs in restaurant quality desserts. They have a range of one-day courses, including some suited to celiacs and lactose intolerants. In the restaurant you can try one of their dessert tasting menus with out-of-the-ordinary creations like coconut tapioca pudding with burnt egg yolk and orujo liquor.

The Ibiza Escape

Originally published in Metropolitan

If you’ve been to Ibiza, you know that it doesn’t take much time for the island to feel like an old friend. Although it has long been known for its party scene, Ibiza’s rustic charms run far and deep, and summer is the perfect time to discover all it has to offer. No matter what your vacation preferences, we’ve dug up the best and the brightest for a well-rounded summer exploration of the White Island.

THE WELLNESS ESCAPE 

Extreme Yoga

Yoga Weeks offers week-long Vinyasa-based yoga retreats in a villa above Sant Carles in the northeast of Ibiza. Its courses include three hours of yoga per day, guided meditation and breathing exercises, a wellness evaluation, healthy vegetarian fare and free time to explore the island and its beaches. Guests can relax by the pool, visit the local hippie market Las Dalias, or tour the island by car. For the more adventurous, it also runs yoga boat retreats, where you complete the same programme aboard a 50-foot yacht. The yacht anchors each morning so yoga classes can be held on different beaches, but sunsets seen from the deck as you sail around Ibiza and the pristine shores of Formentera might prove even more memorable.

Yoga land retreats start at €825 and yoga boat retreats are €1,290.  

Spa Daze

One of the finest names in luxury on the island is the Agroturismo Atzaró, which is located in the centre of the island, surrounded by all the beauty nature has to offer. Atzaró provides many wellness rituals, from saunas, a hammam (a Turkish bath), spa treatments and massages to fitness instruction, yoga and Pilates. There are also Balinese beds in the sand, a pool and a bubbles bar for further relaxation. It’s nice to combine a day at the spa with healthy eating at one of its terrace bars or La Veranda Restaurant, which offers light, seasonal cuisine.

THE FITNESS ESCAPE 

Roaming Ibiza

Toby Clarke founded Walking Ibiza with one simple goal in mind: to show visitors the unparalleled beauty of the island from a rarely seen perspective. He leads a number of different walks, from two-hour open community walks to private walks of various durations and levels of difficulty. He teaches eager foodies how to forage for the wild herbs used in Hierbas, the herb-based local liqueur. And he offers retreats that combine walking with yoga or mindfulness training. Enthusiasts can sign up for a four-day tour of the island, which combines walking, kayaking and biking, or the original 12-day circumnavigation walk, which initially began Toby’s adventure.  

Luxury Fitness Holiday

Those wanting a holiday with a fitness focus should look no further than 38 Degrees North, a holistic workout programme that addresses mind and body wellness. Its intensive approach means you’ll attend up to five small group classes of supportive and tailored instruction per day, and be held accountable for goal setting and tracking. However, you’ll also get to dine on delicious, nutritious food, which is more of an indulgence. Owners James and Claire offer week-long as well as long weekend courses designed to help you meet your fitness goals through diverse activities such as HIIT cardio sessions, kettle bell workouts, yoga, stand up paddle surfing and sunrise hikes. All courses include luxury accommodation at the five star ME Ibiza hotel.

SUSTAINABLE TOURISM ESCAPE 

Horseback riding

Most visitors to Ibiza view the island by car or by foot, but for a different experience consider a horse ride along the coast. There’s no better host for the experience than Ibiza Horse Valley, a nonprofit organisation devoted to saving abandoned and mistreated horses from a bleak future. Founded in 2010, the sanctuary is run by David and Monique, who work closely with the horses to help rehabilitate them. They do not resell or release the horses, but instead maintain them through donations. They invite guests aged 12 and up to get to know, care for and ride their horses in small groups. Riders can choose either a half-day trot in the mountains or a full-day ride along the beach.  

Organic Farm Workshops

Can Musón is a 16-acre organic farm filled to the brim with fruit trees, veggie gardens and local breeds of animals, which visitors can see for a small fee. It offers tours and tastings of the food made from the gardens, as well as workshops where guests can learn how to make ecological breads and flaó, the local fresh cheese dessert.  

Sustainable Living

At the end of a rough track near Sant Antonio lies Green Heart Ibiza, an off the grid farm begun in 1996 with the goal of teaching sustainable living. The house, Casita Verde, is open every Sunday, from 2pm to 7pm. For a €10 donation, visitors can take a two-hour tour of the centre, try natural body and skin care products made from aloe vera and carob (native to the island), indulge in a massage and sample vegetarian cooking. There’s a play area and entertainment for children, and Green Heart Ibiza also has a stand at the Forada market every Saturday.

THE FOODIE ESCAPE

What to Drink

Cultivated for its medicinal properties, Hierbas is made by locals from closely guarded secret recipes that have been passed down for generations. Luckily Drink Workshop, a programme run by the talented Phillip Thomas, teaches participants all the tricks to make this divine island drink in a fun, one-and-a-half hour workshop starting at €34. If you fancy yourself more as a distiller, you can check out his gin-making workshops as well.

Although they often get lost in the larger lexicon of Spanish vinos, Balearic wines have plenty to offer. While Ibiza has its own vineyards, it’s worth taking the 30-minute ferry ride to Formentera, a paradise of its own. Terra Moll is one of two vineyards on the island that take advantage of old vines and ideal weather to produce excellent boutique wines. It offers guided tours of the vineyards, with a sneak peek at the cellar, three wine tastings and traditional snacks from the Balearic Islands for €12, which serve as a nice respite from the summer sun. Reservations are essential.  

Where to Eat

With all there is to see and do on the island, it might better suit to pack a picnic and just go. El Picnic will make sure you have everything you need in your basket. You can choose from one of its pre-filled picnic baskets (€50), or select individual items from the menu and fill your own (minimum order €40). There are three pick up spots in top picnic locations around the island, or you can have your meal delivered right to you.

If you’ve been lucky enough to discover Anne Sijmonsbergen’s gorgeous cookbook Eivissa, you’ll be pleased to know she has finally opened her kitchen to the world. The much-anticipated El Portalón, located above the old port in a historic building in Ibiza Town, is a cosy restaurant that features pan-European cuisine. Think European brasserie heavy on the French and Italian accents, with dishes such as tortellini in butter sauce with creamy potato and sage mash—although the new Ibicencan cuisine for which Sijmonsbergen is best known appears too in dishes such as her superfood salad loaded with the island’s vibrant veggies.

5 Must-Try Ibicencan Specialities  

Borrida de Ratjada: Don’t be put off by the idea of ray stew. This is a humble dish, but a delicious one. Not unlike squid, ray is a bit of a blank slate, which soaks up the sofrito of garlic, onions and green peppers that it’s simmered in, before being dressed in a layer of crispy breadcrumbs. Try it at Sa Nansa.

Bullit de peix: As close as you’ll get to traditional fisherman’s stew, bullit de peix usually features whatever freshly caught fish and crab is on hand, along with potatoes, onions, saffron and white wine cooked in a beautiful fume. Try it at Tropicana Beach Club in Cala Jondal.

Greixonera: Made from day-old ensaimadas, greixonera is a bread pudding-style dessert in which the already tasty pastries are soaked overnight in a creamy concoction of eggs, milk, sugar, lemon, cinnamon and butter, and then baked. Try it at Es Torrent, right on the water.

Flaó: Flaó sounds like flan, but it’s more like cheesecake, made from fresh sheep’s and goat’s cheese blended with eggs, sugar, lemon, butter and anise seeds and baked like a quiche. Try it at Es Pi Verd in Sant Miquel de Balansat.

Hierbas: After dinner, indulge in a tipple of the bright yellow local anisette liqueur, distilled from the island’s wild herbs. It’s a little sharp on the tongue but excellent for digestion. Trust me, it’ll grow on you. Try it at Bar Anita in Sant Carles.

Finding Foresta

"Number 16 is just a house. It sits at the end of a paved street, just across from a patch of gnarled vines, the only hint that I’ve arrived at a vineyard. In fact, I’ve toured the two-street town twice already searching for it. I’m here for the tour of Foresta, a small winery tucked away in the tiny village of L’Arboçar, which sits deep in the heart of Catalunya’s wine-making region, D.O. Penedès, midway between the mountains and the sea. Like the town it sits in, it’s a micro-operation indeed. A few French oak barrels and two small steel fermentation tanks are housed in the garage, and there’s a small artichoke patch around back. It’s not what you’d expect of a vineyard, but in a region of small production, family-owned vineyards, it’s not unusual either."

Read more at Avina.

Catalan Rite of Spring: the Calçotada

"February can be a surprising month for those new to Catalunya. Visitors to Barcelona are sometimes struck by the seemingly non-Mediterranean feel of the temperatures, while new transplants to the city sit tight, not-so-patiently awaiting summer. In this at-times bleak in-between, the Catalan tradition of the calçotada is a welcome highlight signaling the imminent arrival of spring.

The calçotada is the event that celebrates the beloved calçot, a wild spring onion that grows in the woods and national parks throughout Catalunya. Its harvesting period is determined by the conditions of each particular season, but most years it is possible to find calçots on the menu from the beginning of February until the first weeks of March. Families and restaurant owners grow or forage for their own calçots and then gather together in groups to happily feast on their spoils. It has become such a well-loved tradition in the region that the anticipation of this annual event is almost tangible."

Read more at Miniguide

Eating like a Tourist in Madrid

"I always love to go back to Madrid, always with the hopes of finding new and better places to eat. It’s a charming, grown up city, and I love to soak up its vibe and amble its quiet corridors, and while I have intentions to find the next best restaurant every trip, I never quite make it past the tapas crawl. I’ve been told by about ten different people that they’ve had the best tortilla of their entire life in Madrid, but of course they can never remember the name, only the lustrous details of the drippy oozing center of their slice, which is the way tortilla should be. I haven’t been so lucky."

Read more at Ataula

Valls: Home of the Calçot

"Valls is your typical Catalan town, a tiny poblet of 25,000 people, in the province of Tarragona. A small plaza sits in the shadow of the medieval church staked at its center. Its steeple rises high above the modest two story buildings that make up the town. The day we visited the flags were flying high, a bright dash of color against the cloud-mottled sky. The yellow and red bars of the Catalan flag sat solidly next to the city flag signifying the way the regional pride is part of the local identity there.Valls is considered the true home of the calçot, the Catalan spring onion that’s the source of great pride among locals, and we were there to experience their annual calçotada–a spring onion festival–that falls on the last weekend in January. It’s one of those wildly festive days where the entire town turns out to join the celebration."

Read more at Ataula

Cooking in Thailand

"There’s something quite magical about learning about another culture’s cuisine. I love reassembling my sense of taste–understanding that sour isn’t always lemon. Instead it’s the tart pucker of tamarind, the floral grace of a tropical lime. Salt isn’t just salt–a far cry indeed from the Morton salt girl I grew up with in 1970s Chicago–but the complex umami of fish sauce, sun-baked flavor that touches all points of the tongue. Foreign spice-forward cuisines are layered. Taste is built carefully, as though pyramidal, with certain spices that create the base upon which the other flavors are built. In learning to cook these cuisines, the why often remains a mystery, even as the what and how eventually begins to shimmer into shape. The process of eating is, in turn, a series of wondrous uncoverings."

Read more at Ataula

A Journey Through Wine Country: Priorat

"To use the term wine country in Catalunya is a bit misleading. It’s not like Sonoma Valley in California or even Mendoza in Argentina where are the wineries are clustered together an easy drive (or wine bus) from one another. Wine country covers the length of Catalunya, from its northernmost point near France all the way down to where it meets the province of Valencia, a journey which, if you drove it straight, would take 3 hours and 33 minutes without stopping. In total, it includes 11 denominations of origin (DOs)–including 1 DOQ–14 major grape varietals, 221 wineries, and 346,557 hectares of vines. It may not be France, but it’s still mind boggling."

Read more at Ataula 

Life in a bubble: Producing Catalunya's cava

"The best way to learn about cava is to head down to cava country and visit a cellar or two, where you can learn how cava is created and enjoy a tasting session. Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, considered the birthplace of cava, is a great place to start. There are a number of excellent cellars there, including the world-renowned Freixenet and Codorníu. While February can be brisk and the vines barren, it is also calçot season, and there is no better place to enjoy this local and well-loved onion than in the countryside restaurants of Penedès. Early spring brings rain, but with it vines covered in an explosion of downy white blossoms, signaling a new start and a new harvest ahead."

Read more at Metropolitan

Island Life: Balearics in the City

"Besides the beaches, another major attraction of the islands is the food. While Balearic restaurants may be in short supply here, there are a few establishments dotted around the city where islanders can get their fix. Na Mindona is one such place. The Na is short for ‘ca na’, meaning ‘en casa’ in Mallorquín, and that’s exactly how it feels—like a small slice of home. Tucked away in the Raval, Na Mindona is a favourite of Barcelona’s Mallorcan residents, who swear by the authenticity of the market-fresh dishes, such as tumbet (a ratatouille-like dish that comprises layers of aubergine, courgette and potato in a rich tomato sauce) and frit mallorquí (a hash of fried lamb, potatoes and onions).  

Read more at Metropolitan