Tag: spain

El Jueves Street Market

azahar

Go down to Calle Feria on a Thursday morning and you could be in for a big surprise, as a long section of the street and some side streets are taken over by the stalls of the El Jueves (Spanish for Thursday) market. Officially it’s an antiques market, but though you can find antiques here, the range of things on sale here is much wider and more eclectic. Ceramics, paintings and furniture jostle for attention with second hand books and toys, watches and accessories, CDs and recycled fixtures and fittings. Looking for a pepper mill to match your salt cellar? A lava lamp? A console for your old video-games? You just might find them here. If not, never mind, half the fun is in the browsing, or sitting in one of the local bars with a coffee and toast watching the bustle outside. And you never know when you’re going to stumble on that unmissable bargain or the perfect souvenir.

[click on images to enlarge]

El Jueves must be one of the oldest still-existing markets in Europe, dating back to the 13th century, just after the Christian reconquest of the city, and there are rumoured to be one or two items that have shown up every Thursday since then.

Abacerías in Sevilla

azahar4 Comments

Updated March 2013

If you look in a Spanish-English dictionary for a translation of abacería you will probably be told that it is either abaceria (not helpful) or grocer’s, which is kind of true, but misses the difference between these little specialist “purveyors of fine foods” and a small general grocery store (usually called a tienda de ultramarinos), the main difference being that an abacería also has a tapas bar on the premises, where you can sample what’s on the shelves.

The word abacería is of Arabic origin (meaning something like “the place of supplies”), which is why this name is more common in Andalusia than in other parts of Spain, and they originally specialised in the basic ingredients for the local cuisine, especially oil, wine and vinegar, beans and other staples, and herbs and spices. Although these are still sold, delicatessen items like ham, chorizo and cheeses, and quality canned fish and vegetables, now seem to make up the largest part of their stock.

I love browsing around in these little culinary Aladdin’s caves, simply because I’m never quite sure what I’m going to find, or what unusual delicacy I might come away with. Many of them also have that feel of a bygone age, like shops you may remember from your childhood, although a new breed of modern, upmarket abacerías have appeared in a recent years. Here are six of my favourites, ranging from old-style neighbourhood establishments to upscale gourmet ones.

Tiny little “village store” at the front, with a small tapas bar at the back, mostly serving a variety of delectable meaty montaditos. If you didn’t know it was there, well, you wouldn’t know it was there. It’s old-fashioned in the best sense of the word, and may it long remain so.
Casa Moreno
Gamazo 7
(Arenal)


Looking a bit like a traditional English village pub, this is a very pleasant watering hole if you’re exploring the Triana side of the river.
La Antigua Abacería
Pureza 12
(Triana)


Tucked away in a residential neighbourhood, this is definitely a locals bar, with cosy little rooms and everybody on first name terms. Nice atmosphere and some very good food too.
La Antigua Abacería San de Lorenzo
Teodosio 53
(San Lorenzo)

abaceria jo
Looking older than its seven years, this abacería has a real neighbourhood feel to it with a nice selection of of traditional cheeses and cured meats, as well as some gourmet food items.
Abacería José Ortega
San Luís 89
(Macarena)


Recently renovated and re-opened by chef Ernesto Malasaña, this little “shop with a bar” remains faithful to the style of the 1931 original. Excellent selection of wines by the glass, charcuterie, and other cold tapas.
La Niña Bonita
Calatrava 5
(Alameda)


Buy your ham, wine and other gourmet foods from a great range of top quality brands, either to take away or eat on the spot. For the latter there’s a spacious terrace outside or tables inside. Wonderful wine selection at very reasonable prices.
Flores Jamones & Vinos
San Pablo 24
(Centro/Arenal)

Baraka Boutique B & B in Ronda

azahar2 Comments
[click on images to enlarge]

One of the nicest things about travelling is the chance encounters you have with people, and the places that you could so easily have missed. On my recent trip to Ronda with friends to the beautiful town of Ronda we were lucky to find this pretty little B & B in the old town, just around a corner from the Puente Nuevo. Baraka is an Arabic word that loosely translates into English as a blessing – you use it when you want to wish someone all the best in their lives.

     

We were met at Baraka by its owner and very charming hostess Anahid Blannin, a Lebanese of Armenian extraction who had arrived in Ronda by way of California and London, and who helped make our short stay such a pleasant one. Indeed, almost as soon as we arrived, some friends dropped in for a visit, and we ended up sitting around the table in the patio drinking sherry and eating biscuits. It’s the kind of impromptu get together that adds something unexpected and special to a holiday.

   

The building itself is one of those “typical” Andalusian houses built around a small internal patio that is all tiles and greenery, with a lovely rooftop terrace. There is one suite, and two double bedrooms, all with ensuite bathrooms. Ours had a partially timbered ceiling, a pretty street view, and most importantly, clean, comfortable beds. I liked that there were little extras like a kettle and fixings in the rooms for tea or coffee, and a fridge in the kitchen where you could purchase drinks and mineral water. And although there is free WiFi available, Anahid has also thoughtfully put in a desktop computer that clients are welcome to use.

   

The highlight of the stay, however, was probably the breakfast that Anahid served us round the table in the patio the next morning. Lovely fresh coffee, orange juice, fruit, and toasted rolls with tomatoes, basil and olive oil, and a fabulous Lebanese dish called labne, which is a sort of yoghurt cheese with olive oil and herbs that was perfect with the toast and tomatoes. It was just what we needed to set us up for what turned out to be a fairly strenuous, but fun and interesting day in Ronda. It was late in the afternoon when we finally picked up our bags and said goodbye to Anahid, vowing to be back when we got the chance.

     

One of the delights of staying in a personally run B & B like this is that you are made to feel at home and comfortable, which is ideal for a relaxed visit. If you are more used to hotels a couple of things to keep in mind is that the parking is about a ten-minute walk away but Anahid gives you easy-to-follow instructions and a map to the parking options. Also, there is no central heating or air-conditioning, but space heaters are provided in winter and ceiling fans make sleeping comfortable in summer. I think I would personally miss having air-con in July and August for an extended stay, but for a weekend get-away it wasn’t an issue. The location of the Baraka is perfect for exploring and it’s close to pretty much everything you’ll want to see in Ronda. Anahid puts out information leaflets in the patio about tapas bars, flamenco, and things going on in town. It’s all these personal touches that made our stay so wonderful and we would definitely go back again.

Baraka Boutique Bed & Breakfast
Calle Ruedo Doña Elvira 16
Ronda, Málaga
Tel. +34 952 872 843

Sevilla’s Gastrobar Glut

azahar12 Comments

About eight years ago when Sevilla tapas bars like Vineria San Telmo and Eslava started giving us their innovative takes on traditional tapas it was a refreshing change being able to find something a bit different and, in the case of the Vineria, a decent selection of wines by the glass at reasonable prices. At the time paying slightly more for a special dish felt well worth it and it was always a treat going back to see what else new they’d come up with.

Fast forward to 2012 and everywhere you look these days in Sevilla there are hip new “gastrobars”, trendy mini-burger joints and gourmet food & wine shops opening up almost weekly, all trying to out-coolio each other in an attempt to be noticed. Unfortunately the majority of these new places are not only more style than substance, but they are often either just copycat versions of each other, or pale imitations of better, more established gourmet-style tapas bars. Yet they act (and charge!) as if they are the next Ferran Adrià, just for whipping up a bit of foamed something-or-other. Snore.

Which brings me to my next question. How and when did the 5€ tapa become acceptable and, dare I say, almost the norm? It’s not that I’m against change – quite the contrary – but this hopping on the gourmet tapas bandwagon to make a quick buck is eroding the whole concept of tapas and how they came to be in the first place. If things keep going this way I’m afraid we’ll end up with a false new version of tapas that both locals and visitors will tire of very quickly. It will especially disillusion visitors who have so far not had any experience of Spain and Spanish food. Of course even the most expensive gastrobar here will still be cheaper than almost anywhere in London, but that’s not really saying much. And anyhow, who wants to come to Sevilla and eat tapas that have been created to taste like, well, a poor relation of international haute cuisine, in bars with lamps made out of coathangers and where your cutlery is brought to you in Hello Kitty pencil cases? And worse yet, with staff who often don’t know a damn thing about the food or wine and have presumably been hired for their cool or cute factor.

Happily there are still plenty of fabulous “de siempre” places that continue to do very well by doing what they do best, which is serving up top notch traditional tapas in charming surroundings with staff who know absolutely everything about the food and wine – and who also know how to smile! And I especially appreciate newly-opened places that offer new and delicious takes on Spanish cuisine without adding Gastrobar Prices, do not charge for bread (wtf? factor it in guys) and don’t have the heinous 1-2€ per person “cover charge” (for what??).

If you want to sample the best of gourmet tapas and don’t mind paying gourmet prices then try La Azotea or Albarama. I especially love the personal attention you get at La Azotea and the price/value ratio is right on par. In both of these places every penny spent is well worth it.

If you want to try a new up-and-comer then you will love La Brunilda. Amazing value for excellent tapas. Lovely twists on the traditional in a gorgeous setting and with very personal and friendly service.

Or you can re-visit those “granddaddies” of the whole new tapas scene here in Sevilla – Vineria San Telmo and Eslava. Both have quite different styles, and both work so well. You will eat and drink to your heart’s content without breaking the budget and will taste some very unexpected delights.

For me personally the most important thing about a great tapas experience is that I feel welcome, that the staff are well-informed and pleasant, and that the food is fabulous. But the most important thing of all is that the place has a heart. I return again and again to the places that I know are well-loved by their owners, where you can feel their personality and their affection, where you know that they honestly care about what they do and about their customers. That’s not something you can fake.