After visiting Barcelona I find myself compelled to write this blog. Many people recommended it to me for the food but I also visited for a personal treat. The title is how I saw it. Beautiful Simple, there was an air to Barcelona like London and Paris, food buzzing around, a cafe culture, the smells, the visuals, the market!
WOW! For a chef, Barcelona is an excellent place to visit. We spent 3 days and 2 nights eating our way through many different Tapas and re visiting the famous Mercado de la Boqueria meaning market Boqueria. Walking into the market your first met with the fruits then as you go deeper you find yourself surrounded by their beautiful Iberica hams hanging from the stalls. There was a man on his stall lovingly carving his Iberica ham, you could see his passion whilst carving it, like he appreciated the journey it took to then end with such a beautiful product. Honestly there is no need for bread.
An Emile moment
As the Iberica ham hits your mouth it almost melts onto your tongue, the perfect room temperature, the fat softly surrounding as the saltiness hits the side of your mouth. Beautiful Simple.
Deeper more central into the market is the fresh fish. Walking around this reminded me of the film 'He dreams of Sushi'. You can imagine the traders all battling to have the best fish in the market. One lady in particular having a huge swordfish head sitting straight up crowning in its glory centre stage of her stall.
Here are a few images to bring it to life and a map of La Boqueria market location. Click on image to scroll through.
Moving onto the Tapas. A confession, we as chefs can cook food with love, we produce most of it from our experience and what cuisines we haven't yet experienced we imagine how they are and produce something liking to it. Me myself have cooked Tapas in the past but since visiting Barcelona I now understand it much more and with a new appreciation. The tomatoes taste like tomatoes not mass produced looking the same tasteless ones we have become accustomed to. Bruscetta, or Barcelona bruscetta as I've now named it since returning from Barcelona. Obviously I have my families Italian bruscetta I can't forget so were name them like this.
Barcelona Bruscetta
Ripe Tomatoes - Remove skin then blend on pulse (not like mush)
Good Quality Olive Oil
Salt
Toasted white baguette
Thats all the ingredients. Add the blitzed tomatoes to a plate, drizzle the quality olive oil on top and around the edge of the tomatoes, add salt. Spoon onto toasted white baguette and taste what is, Beautiful Simple. Since returning Ive made this for the Spanish manager at my previous job and the Spanish players at my current job. They enjoy it, I hope for a moment it takes them back home.
We tried all different Tapas at various locations but one that was unforgettable was a Tapas restaurant recommended by tattooist Jondix, a true lover of food, we spoke for a full hour about food. Tapas 24. The restaurant is open to all walks of people, it may be a well known Tapas restaurant but it doesn't come with the pretence, the expense or the need to dress up to be in there. I felt this a lot in Barcelona, less pretence. It doesn't all have to be posh and well dressed to enjoy beautiful food.
Sadly I didn't take any pictures of the food as I was far to busy devouring it. The sort of food you eat thinking how does it taste so good? How does this lemon taste like its just been picked from the tree and now into this lemon sorbet on my plate? I think something resounding from Barcelona was the quality of produce. I'll say it one last time Beautiful Simple because thats what it is. Id recommend Tapas 24 to anyone visiting Barcelona. Link below.
http://www.carlesabellan.com/mis-restaurantes/tapas-24/
Architecture in Barcelona
I can't blog about Barcelona and not mention the architecture. It really is impressive, far from the simplicity of food, far more detailed quite remarkable when your taking it all in walking around. Especially Gaudi's locations. Its amazing that a man was thinking up the architecture he was at that period of time. We took a walk inside his Casa Batllo. Skull and Bones Balconies. Inside is just amazing. There is something futuristic about his design all those years ago because you will have seen nothing like this. I have a few images but not enough to give it justice.
In all Barcelona was a lovely city to visit, I enjoyed all of it. A tip would be not to take taxis but to walk. Yes you walk a mile or 2 but you can take it all in whilst walking, popping into many cafes, eating Tapas or stoping for some sangria along the way.
Enjoy
A local in the market appreciating its Beautiful Simple. Photography by Piersfearick photography