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On the food trail in Spain
Published in the October-December 2009 issue.

Philip Game tucks into some of the best food Spain has to offer in eateries that run the gamut from fine-dining paradors to seaside bistros and bustling Madrid markets.

Certain ingredients are articles of culinary faith among all Spaniards: almonds, beef, bread, chickpeas, eggs, hazelnuts, ham, seafood and olive oil. Certainly, you’ll soon notice the Spanish fascination with ham. Spain’s finest hogs (the black Iberian variety) range freely in the nation’s oak forests, browsing for acorns as they grow prime jamón ibérico. As for seafood, only the Japanese consume more of it per head than the Spanish; in particular, the Iberians love bacalao or salt cod. Then, of course, there’s olive oil: Spain is the world’s largest olive oil producer, and you can happily browse your way through dozens of varieties.

In a nation comprising nearly 20 separate ‘autonomous communities’, often speaking distinct languages, and enjoying a wide range of climates, you can certainly expect a culinary adventure in Spain. Start along the northern Atlantic coast, a land of cloud-wrapped crags, apple orchards and fine beaches. Pilgrims follow the ancient Way of St James west along the Basque coast, trekking through mountainous Asturias to reach Santiago de Compostela, where the saint is said to lie buried. Apart from their ancient language, the Basques uphold a rich tradition of gastronomy, including Basque tapas or pintxos. Along the lively streets of the Parte Vieja, the old port of San Sebastian, you can peek into gastronomic clubhouses whose members take turns to cook. Meanwhile, three-star Michelin chef Juan Mari Arzak and his daughter Elena conjure up exquisite banquets at their eponymous restaurant. 

Facade of the Hostal de San Marcos, Leon
 

Continue west through Guernica, the Basque capital, and on past granite-walled towns that huddle around fishing harbours along the the Biscay coast. Soon, you arrive in Asturias, another northern region that remains fiercely proud of its heritage. Asturian cooking is generally homespun: the signature dish is fabada asturiana, white beans simmered with sausage and ham.

Then you’re on into Galicia, with its lingering Celtic heritage and fine food: pulpo a la feria, octopus with paprika; pimientos de padrón, baked green peppers; a local smoked cheese; and beans with clams, all washed down with red wine from the Ribeira Sacra region. No lunch would be complete without postres or sweets which include almond cake and, of course, thick black coffee.

Santiago’s finest hotel, the Parador Hostal de los Reyes Católicos, began life in 1499 as a hospital, then became a pilgrim hospice and today offers considerable luxury. Considered the world’s oldest hotel, it is part of the chain of hotels known as paradors that started in 1928 when the Marqués de la Vega Inclán began restoring landmark buildings. Today, more than 90 government-run paradores – including castles, convents, manor houses and palaces – set the benchmark for Spanish hospitality; many are also centres of excellence for regional cuisines. 

Outside El Madrono Restaurant in Madrid
 

If you aren’t heading along the coast, turn inland and explore Spain’s vast interior. The Ruta Vía de la Plata (the Silver Route) extends from Gijón on the Atlantic coast right down to Seville in the south, passing through some of Spain’s most important cities. The journey celebrates gastronomic and cultural highlights.

From Asturian towns and villages, each with its sidreria or cider bar, the road leads inland into the Picos de Europa – literally, ‘Peaks of Europe’ – a lush, alpine landscape. Beside a back-road zigzagging up to the Covadonga Lakes, you might be lucky enough to run across Julio Martinez Mortera, a hearty former sea-captain, who sets up a roadside table when he’s so inclined, to sell hand-made Gamonedo cheese: big wheels of a crumbly, tangy blue.

Once a pilgrims’ hostel, the five-star, centuries-old Parador Hostal de San Marcos in the city of Leon boasts a rich façade and an exceptional cloister. Dine here on regional delicacies including Maragato stew, frog’s legs, beef sweetbreads and mountain meats.

Further south, in Zamora, the town’s historic quarter and its parador occupy a fortified ridge above the River Duero. The medieval interior of this 15th-century ducal palace, manifested in the armour, fine rugs and four-poster beds, blends beautifully with the Renaissance courtyard and gallery. The restaurant serves delicious cod, pulpo a la sanabresa (octopus), stuffed roast veal and, for dessert, rebojo zamorano (sweet cakes) and almond custard.

Continuing south through Extremadura, the Silver Route brings you to Plasencia, whose narrow streets were named for the trades that were followed by artisans in each. At the local parador, a fifteenth-century convent, you can feast on specialities of this one-time frontier region: an array of smoked meats; gazpacho, a refreshingly cool, thick vegetable soup with asparagus. 

A little further south, in Mérida, the ambience becomes much more Mediterranean, with whitewash and cast-iron balconies replacing the gentler sandstone. The main street – busy until late evening, as streets generally are in Spain – and another follow ‘the line of the two intersecting streets’ decreed by Mérida’s Roman town planners, meeting at the town square where the Forum once stood. Parador de Mérida retains the structure of the 18th-century convent that was built over the remains of a Roman temple. Entrées at the restaurant include white truffles sautéed in garlic or white garlic gazpacho – a thick chilled purée with slivers of apple and garlic. Main courses on offer include veal sirloin with sweet-sour figs, freshwater fish served off the bone, and lamb, cubed and simmered in red wine. It might be difficult to make room for dessert, which might include stuffed figs in chocolate.

Your last stop before reaching Seville is Zafra, a charming Andalusian town where whitewashed shops and houses display ceramic tiled icons of the Virgin. The Parador de Zafra is a medieval castle, where the conquistador Hernán Cortés was once an honoured guest. In the dining room, the menu promises lamb stew, and Iberian sirloin with Ibores cheese.

Needless to say, a culinary experience of Spain doesn’t have to just include dining at paradores – or even restaurants. In Madrid, Carlos Galvin’s walking tours for foodies take in neighbourhood markets, specialist suppliers and tapas bars in districts where foreigners rarely venture. To meet the true professionals, there’s no better place to start than in a neighbourhood market such as Antón Martín in the working-class district of Lavapiés. 

At La Duquesita, an old-fashioned confectionary store, the dark wooden shelves and marble counters seem little changed since the doors opened in 1914. The treats on display include hand-made seasonal favourites such as rosquillas (small, ring-shaped sweet buns) and aguja de ternera. 

Poncelet in the Justicia district is a bright, modern emporium of cheese. Jesús Pombo, the owner, stocks 300 or so varieties. Around one-third of them are Spanish, including manchego, made with raw sheep’s milk and aged at least six months, and cabrales, a mountain cheese from the Picos de Europa, made with three types of unpasteurised goat’s milk. 

Cacao Sampaka is another of Madrid’s smart new food emporiums. In a minimalist ambience of polished pine and piped jazz, this outlet dedicates itself to chocolate in its most sophisticated forms. Alongside pure chocolate, in varying grades, Cacao Sampaka offers packaged collections: bitter orange and lemon peel covered in chocolate is one of the most popular. Bizarrely, some varieties are flavoured with olive oil; others with Parma cheese, truffle, anchovies or balsamic vinegar.  

Lunch may be behind you but the tapas tasting continues through the afternoon. For time out, we wend our way to the venerable Churreria de San Gines, near the Plaza Mayor at the heart of Madrid. With its tiled walls and dark-stained timber fittings, the Churreria is a Madrid institution. Churros are simply doughnuts: delicious comfort food when dunked in a cup of hot, soupy chocolate. Mmm…

Photography by Philip Game and iStockphoto.


TRAVEL FACTS

getting there

getting around

where to eat
  • Restaurante Arzak, Avda. Alcalde Elosegui 273 (San Sebastian), phone +34 94 327 8465, or visit www.relaischateaux.com/arzak
  • Cacao Sampaka, Calle Orellana 4 (Madrid), phone +34 91 319 5840 or visit www.cacaosampaka.com
  • La Duquesita, Calle Fernando VI, 2 (Madrid), phone +34 91 308 0231.
  • 20 Patrimonio Comunal Olivarero, Calle Mejía Lequerica 1 (Madrid), phone +34 91 308 0505 or visit www.pco.es
  • Poncelet, Calle Argensola 27 (Madrid), phone +34 91 308 02 21 or visit www.poncelet.es

where to stay

what to do
  • Letango Tours (culinary tours of Madrid), phone tel +34 91 369 47 52 or visit www.letango.com

further information
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