{"id":242,"date":"2023-08-30T03:24:39","date_gmt":"2023-08-30T03:24:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/foodag-portfolio-su23-ball\/?p=242"},"modified":"2023-08-30T03:26:23","modified_gmt":"2023-08-30T03:26:23","slug":"barcelona","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/foodag-portfolio-su23-ball\/barcelona\/","title":{"rendered":"Barcelona"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We arrived in the early morning, returned our car, hopped on the train and made our way to our Airbnb. Climbing out of the subway onto the streets of Barcelona the architecture was the spotlight \u2013 the Art Nouveau balconies and flourishes, tile and soft pastels encompassed every building. It was stunning. Our home for the next few days did not disappoint, built around 1880, it had original Spanish tile floors, high ceilings, ornate balconies and a beautiful tree lined street view and I was excited to explore more of it, but we were hungry.   We found a modern plant-based restaurant around the corner, avocado toast and buckwheat pancakes with house made hazelnut chocolate spread and lates.  It was a hipster style spot, organic, local and vegan which is especially difficult to find in this meat centric country, I felt like I was back in Seattle for a moment. It was delicious and a great way to begin a day of exploring. On my list for this city is the multiple open markets, salt cod \u2013 I must do it at some point \u2013 tapas and chocolate!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Vegan Breakfast<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Our Apartment<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We spent the day exploring the city and happened upon a market down the street from our apartment, beautiful wrought iron gates and full of vibrant produce, spices, meats and cheeses. We grabbed some eggs and a few different types of pastries for breakfasts. I love these neighborhood markets, they are beautiful, light and a feast for the senses. This was a quick trip through the market on a neighborhood stroll and to stock up on provisions. The city has so much to offer, see and eat we kept it simple with breakfast at home and lunch and dinner out.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ojos!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Yummy Pastries<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The next morning was pastries, coffee and omelets before heading out.  Our first stop was the Picasso Museum getting there early we were the first in line which I highly recommend, we secured our tickets and strolled the El Raval neighborhood and into the Gothic Quarter. We stumbled upon a local market selling olives, spices, provisions, canned fish and salt cod. There were buckets of different green olives in spices and brine, piles of white salty crusted cod filets. I did not know there were so many different types. This market was devoid of pretention and display, the utilitarian placement of goods, using every inch of space it was apparent they were catering to locals and provide the various products that are used in the daily lives of people who live here. I stared at the piles of salt cod and realized at this point I have no idea what to do with it in terms of preparing it myself, I have a lot of recipes but without ever tasting it I am not sure what authentic salt cod tastes like.  I decided I want to eat it prepared by someone \u2013 it intimidates me, and I decide not to buy any today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Gothic Quarter<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Loved the Museum<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Unexpected favorite “Woman with Mantilla” Picasso<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

You may be wondering why all the talk about salt cod, called bacalao<\/em> here it has been a staple in the Spanish diet for thousands of years. The history takes us back over to Basque Country. The Basque people were a whaling culture, sometime around the 10th<\/sup> century Basque fisherman came upon a field of cod as they were whaling in the north and caught as much as they could, instantly fileting and salting the huge catch to preserve it until they reached home.  Since then, they have traveled north to Norway and eventually to Newfoundland on the North American coast in search of it. It was used instead of meat for lent and traveled well from preservation making it an available source of protein for many.  Soon the preserved fish made its way over the mountains and reached Catalan and eventually the rest of Spain. The flesh is preserved in salt and needs to be soaked in water to remove the salinity before preparing it. It is a beloved dish and used in a myriad of everyday and celebratory recipes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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P;oves<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Spices<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Salt Cod and Tins<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

 I allow myself to take in all the products and try my hand at asking some questions. Locals fill the shop, and I am nervous, but I try anyway, with my sophomore Spanish I ask about the different varieties of salt cod and quickly realize Catalan is spoken here. The Catalan language originated in the 8th<\/sup> or 9th<\/sup> century. Catalonia, the area encompassing the north in parts of France to Valencia has as many parts of Spain do, a long history of autonomy and rule. Originally and autonomous province of the the Aragon Kingdom, when Barcelona fell to the Spaniards in 1714 the language was restricted. In the 19th<\/sup> century it was revived through literature and again banned during Franco\u2019s regime which ended in 1975. The language was then revived yet again and in 1979 it was accepted as the official language of Catalonia \u2013 making Catalan and Spanish official languages here. At the market they are not too interested in dealing with my broken Spanish and so I abandon my questions and move on. It is our ticket time, and we stroll back through the medieval streets and immerse ourselves in Picasso.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The museum was wonderful, a very large \u2013 over 4000 works \u2013 that Picasso donated to the city of Barcelona over many years. By the time we were done we were hungry. A bus across town, a quick bite, pizza and a walk up a steep hill, we were at Park G\u00fcell \u2013 today is a tourist day and I am not upset about it.  First a note about pizza, there is a lot of it in Spain, it feels like there is more pizza than paella. The more I travel the more I notice that pizza, the magical combination of bread, cheese and tomato is a worldwide winner. It is everywhere you go; I did not spend much time researching it, that will be included in next year\u2019s travels, and it is something to note that pizza has become a favorite in so many places around the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Park G\u00fcell is stunning. The architect Antoni Gaudi working with his mentor Joan Martorell began building in 1900 during the Modernisme Movement \u2013 \u201c. . .the expression of a desire for the modernization and cultural resurgence of Catalonia\u201d. With the influence of Art Nouveau and Its expression derived from nature they built a whimsical otherworldly structure in the heart of the neighborhood. Pillars and tiled animals, plays on light and form it is a joy to discover.  After roaming the wonderfully odd, quirky and whimsical design and interpretation of nature, I can see Gaudi\u2019s influence throughout Barcelona and the large mid 19th<\/sup> century growth of the city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Again, we were hungry and we made our way to Las Ramblas, a beautiful 19th<\/sup> century promenade in the city lined with tourist restaurants, souvenir shops and people everywhere. We decided to wander off the main promenade to see if we could find something a little more authentic. We found a little restaurant in a quaint palm tree lined plaza, with a local band playing music and chose the spot for dinner.  Time for paella. So far, I really thought of paella, that lovely rice dish prepared with a myriad of ingredients beautifully displayed over a bed of seasoned rice that is cooked until a chewy crispy crust is developed on the bottom, as something you can get everywhere in Spain, and in a way you can. But is it really paella or just a quick form of the dish?  Having prepared paella before, over a fire, with a group of friends drinking, talking and socializing while the dish bubbles away late into the night before you dive into I, it is inherently a social dish, not easily replicated in a restaurant setting.  I wondered how they would be able to pull it off.  I was hesitant to order it, so many restaurants we\u2019ve passed with that <\/em>sign out front; pictures of the many types of paella they serve \u2013 it was the same billboard at every restaurant, same pictures, same offerings, I was suspicious. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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And not seeing the ubiquitous sign on the patio like a tourist trap beacon, I decided to try it here. It was a delicious rice dish; chicken, shrimp, well cooked rice, nicely seasoned \u2013 but no socarrat<\/em> the swoon worthy crispy caramelized crust that forms on the bottom that is as quintessential to paella as rice is. Paella is historically a communal meal, cooked on Sunday with friends and family. People gather, traditionally over an open fire, and cook the dish with sofrito, rice, aromatic broth and what you have on hand, vegetables, meats and seafoods.  Paella has been referenced as early as the 17th<\/sup> century, beginning as most of the best dishes do, with peasants.  Laborers in the rice fields in Valencia would cook what they had on hand in a big, flat-bottomed pan which is where Paella got its name. Sofrito sizzles in olive oil, rice is added gathering a good sheen from the onions and olive oil. Aromatic broth, saffron, vegetables and meats decorate the top layer and it bubble away.  The best part in my opinion is the socarrat that forms when the rice caramelizes on the bottom creating a crunchy chewy heaven that can\u2019t be beat. Thought this was not the place for Paella it was a great rice dish. I wondered about Paella throughout the days here as I passed by that same paella billboard over and over again \u2013 when did it become this? After Franco lost power Spain as I have pointed out before had a reawakening of sorts by returning to local traditional foods, when that movement was mixed with increased tourism some dishes took the hit \u2013 Paella was one of them.  An article in the Guardian summed up what I was experiencing perfectly:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSuddenly paella wasn\u2019t a dish made on Sundays in homes around Valencia, but a National icon, something that anyone traveling to Spain expected to find everywhere they turned. You know how the story goes: the dish was diluted, misinterpreted, bastardized and butchered.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am one of the guilty ones thinking I could find Paella everywhere I turned, I was sorely mistaken.  Luckily there is a group of concerned Spaniards and Chefs that created an organization called Wikipaella. The saw a need to define and preserve this dish, in their words:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo stand by idly while millions eat lack luster paellas is to miss an opportunity to spread a true piece of their culture to the rest of the world\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thankful to know the delicious dish is being officially preserved, our bellies full, legs sore and heart full of beauty we strolled home and slept deeply with the sounds of Barcelonians and the tradition of sobremesa<\/em>; that magical time after a meal when you linger and enjoy the company of others, glasses clinking, laughter and music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Morning View from our Apartment<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Waking to a bustling street below the treetops, the sounds of a city starting the day, we finished the pastries and omelets and fortified ourselves with coffee.  I was excited for another day of wandering, and we headed back to Las Ramblas to the Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria. The large 1840 ornate steel frame of the market towers over you as you enter a sea of people, and color. Fruit, fruit juices, jelly candies and tapas bars greet you at the entrance. As you wind through the stalls and people you see meats, the famous Iberico ham legs hanging from stalls the color of their tag telling you of its journey, and cone cups of fresh shaved pork with cheese ready to munch on as you peruse the goods. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Spice stalls boasting huge containers of saffron and paprika. The seafood stalls are fresh \u2013 they really smell like the sea, and you can get big cones filled with all types of fish caught that morning. I wanted to look at everything, I wanted to buy everything and take it home and cook for a week!  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I talked with a few folks, and I bought some very good, very fresh spices from a lovely woman in a small stall tucked in the back of the market. With fresh inspiration from Claudia Roden, I set aside my nerves about the language obstacle, and I asked her what she cooks at home?  She said she loves to grill, fresh seafood and meat.  She made up two spice mixes for me that she said she uses for almost everything, a piri piri \u2013 with spicy pepper, paprika, oregano and other herbs I didn\u2019t quite catch. And a \u2018BBQ\u2019 which she quickly explained is not like American BBQ but is a spicy, smoky paprika salt.  She coats all kinds of fish or meat, whatever is fresh, with these mixtures, olive oil and lemon and grills them \u2013 la plancha.  It was fun talking with her and though we were both a bit shy it worked! I had my first experience asking and receiving an answer to the question I would like to explore with everyone. It was busy and she had other customers, so it was a relatively short interaction \u2013 I wanted to continue to talk with her and ask more about how she came about selling spices and making her spice mixes. Did she buy from a wholesaler or small farms? She had a lot of whole herbs hanging and drying in her stall, did she process these herself?  I have since coveted these herbs I bought from her \u2013 they are fresh and delicious; I wish I had bought more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This market is also known for its tapas stalls, we found one and settled up to the bar, cases of all sorts of salads, croquets, seafood piled high on the counter. Chefs, bustling behind the counter frying croquets, sizzling peppers and shrimp. I was hungry.  We began with chickpeas with blood sausage and pine nuts, croquettes with ham and shrimp, charcuterie with chorizo ham and cheese, pan con tomate (toasts with tomato sauce and olive oil), mushrooms or chimpagones in herbs and olive oil, crispy patatas bravas and grilled shrimp fresh from the market.  Paired with a glass of Cava (or two) not only our bellies were stuffed, but our hearts were too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We spent hours meandering the stalls, doing my best to talk with people while navigating another language. It was a feast for the senses.  I wonder how many locals use this as their daily market. I noticed, especially the seafood stalls in the back- the ones that weren\u2019t decked out in decoration or social media photo spots were people buying seafood and talking with the fishmongers as if they are regulars.  I am interested in how often Barcelonans shop at markets daily vs the grocery store.  I feel like in my readings it seems to have been the norm for people of Spain to shop every day at a market with local, fresh ingredients. How is this culture changing today? These are questions I explore and add to my list of research as I watch the hustle and bustle of the market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We walked off our tapas strolling the length of Las Ramblas and stumbled across a beautiful shop that was opened in 1820, Escriba. It was a beautifully tiled and stained-glass art nouveau building boasting the best Cr\u00e8me Catalan.  I had never heard of it and after a little digging discovered it is considered one of the oldest desserts in Europe and was mentioned in literature in 1324.  The vendor explained that it is much like cr\u00e8me brulee the more well-known version of the dish, the custard is a bit denser and is flavored with cinnamon and lemon peel. It was delicious and a lot of fun watching the caramelization of the sugar in front of us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The next day I awoke with my list of what I wanted I to see and eat before leaving this city swimming in my mind \u2013 La Segrada de Familia and Chocolate.  It was a misty morning, and we donned our white paper coffee cups for the short stroll through town. The streets full of people on their way to work or play, sounds muffle by the cloud cover and the smell of a long-awaited rain on hot pavement. We walked out of the cover of lush park trees and La Segrada de Familia rose out of the city like nothing I have ever seen, and I was blown away.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Cathedrals across Europe are a site to behold, so many ornate, cavernous, feats of marvel fill every town and city and I love touring them. But this was a whole new world.  Antoni Gaudi spent the better part of his life building this cathedral, and after 125 years it is still under construction. I don\u2019t have the space here to write in full about it but here is my takeaway.  He constructed it to imitate nature and the cycle of life and death and re-birth.  I am not a religious person, so the message of Jesus is not what I identified with here. It was the deep beauty and connection to nature, and humanity and this cycle that he captured in wildly profound architecture, play on light and color, form and function \u2013 it is breath itself.  I am an emotional person and beauty brings tears of delight to my eyes often, yet this is the first time that a piece of architecture has evoked such connection and emotion in me, I found myself on the smooth wood pews, streams of tears trailing down my smiling face. It is that wonderful moment when a piece of art speaks to you – you get it, that is what happened here.  It is stunning and I will come back to Barcelona if only to be here again and again and again. Doug and I spent the rest of the evening having a cocktail while watching the sun set on La Segrada in the fore, walking around the grounds with lights changing the facades and stories of the place. We settled in at a little sidewalk restaurant for dinner, late as Spaniards do, eating shrimp and salad and grilled fish late into the night. With bellies and hearts and souls full we strolled back to our apartment contented with the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Difficult to express in images.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Our last day in Barcelona, one thing on my list: chocolate.  I absolutely love chocolate and I eat it every day. To say the least I was ecstatic that I got to spend the day learning about chocolate in the very country that brought it to Europe from North America during the colonial time. At the chocolate museum, Museu de la Xocolata, I paid my entrance and received my ticket \u2013 a chocolate bar with a qr code that allows entrance into the exhibit. It was small yet informative with wonderful displays of history, chocolate art and sculptures and tools used to process the cacao into the yummy chocolate we enjoy today. Cacao, the funky bean that is fermented, dried and ground to make chocolate is native to the Americas. It has been recorded in history dating back to 1000 bc and no doubt had been used long before that. The Mayans most notably used the fruit in every part of their daily lives. It was sacred to them and integral in their trade – the beans were used as currency. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mayan Cocoa Coins (reproduction)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Spaniards arrived in the new world and exploited every aspect of the cacao trade as colonizers do. Though the cocoa industry has been rife with abuses since we stepped onto the continent, there are now options to buy chocolate from producers like Theo Chocolate in Seattle and many more that buy direct from farmers, pay living wages and demand fair working conditions. I digress \u2013 back to a bit of history \u2013 Europeans initially thought chocolate too bitter.  It is bitter!  Mayans would grind the beans and mix it with maize (corn), ground chilies, vanilla and seeds and roots and flowers and add that to cold or warm water.  They drank it, it would be a while before it was transformed into bars and other confections we know of today.  The addition of sugar or sweeteners to the drink changed the game and Europeans went crazy for it.  By the 18th<\/sup> century it was known throughout Europe. Here in Spain, there is a debate as to who brought chocolate to Spain, the Basques and the Catalonians both claim they did.  The story is as deep and complicated as is the confection itself. After the exhibit I sat down in the caf\u00e9, by this time I was ready to eat my weight in chocolate.  I ordered drinking chocolate and couldn\u2019t pass on the pistachio pastry. It was my first taste of true drinking chocolate and I have to admit I moaned out loud at the first taste. It was warm and complex, rich yet light, smooth yet it stuck in your mouth – divine.  With all the fresh history swirling in my head I had a new understanding how this unique little bean\u2019s story is as complex as it is itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Heaven in a cup<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We spent the evening in preparation for an early morning departure, leftovers for dinner, trying to use up any food we had.  Doug, Denise, Ed and I would part ways in the morning, them on their journey home and me on my first solo travel abroad.  I was nervous, excited and proud. I have dreamt of this for so long, dreams of solo travel and all it has to offer; personal growth, understanding, life experience as well as the dreams of studying food around the world \u2013 curiosity fulfilled. I could barely believe the time had come and I tucked myself in spilling over with gratitude.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We arrived in the early morning, returned our car, hopped on the train and made our way to our Airbnb. Climbing out of the subway onto the streets of Barcelona the architecture was the spotlight \u2013 the Art Nouveau balconies and flourishes, tile and soft pastels encompassed every building. It was stunning. Our home for … Continue reading Barcelona<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":999,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[6],"tags":[],"geo":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/foodag-portfolio-su23-ball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/242"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/foodag-portfolio-su23-ball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/foodag-portfolio-su23-ball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/foodag-portfolio-su23-ball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/999"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/foodag-portfolio-su23-ball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=242"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/foodag-portfolio-su23-ball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/242\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":287,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/foodag-portfolio-su23-ball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/242\/revisions\/287"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/foodag-portfolio-su23-ball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=242"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/foodag-portfolio-su23-ball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=242"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/foodag-portfolio-su23-ball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=242"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}