Made in Spain
Made in Spain
41. Spanish Food Beyond Tapas
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SPEAKER_03Welcome to Made in Spain, the show that takes you past the postcards.
SPEAKER_05We're two friends who live here and can't stop pulling at the threads that makes this country tick. I'm Nalini.
SPEAKER_03And I'm Laura. And every week we go past the flamenco cliches and the usual tourist maps, traps, etc.
SPEAKER_05Into the food, the design, the festivals, and the people who make this place absolutely unforgettable. One story, one flavor.
SPEAKER_03One episode at a time. So pour yourself something good and come with us. Come along with us for the journey. Awesome. All right. So Laura, today we are doing um a deep dive into Spanish food. And today's episode is actually called Spanish Food Beyond Tapas. Beyond Tapas. And but I would say that if you were, you know, if you're an outsider and you think about Spanish food, the first thing that would come up is baella. And we're not talking about that today, even though it is an institution. We're going to gloss over that because we have covered it before. We're talking about um, you know, the the little snacks that I think the this country is very famous for. Um now, I'm gonna give you a little history of how tapas came to be. I don't know if any of these stories hold water. So this is just the research that I've done. Do you know the history of Tapas, how it's, you know, come into fruition and part of the social fabric of this country?
SPEAKER_05I don't actually. I have like what I think would be the reasoning from other research, other things that we've done, but I don't know the specific history of Tapas. So I'm actually really looking forward to hearing about this.
SPEAKER_03Okay, so the uh the story goes that I think in the 13th century, um the king was visiting Caddi's and ordered a sherry in an inn. And apparently, when the waiter was bringing this glass of said sherry to said king at the time, a gust of wind blew in and he quickly took a piece of uh Hamon Serrano and put it over his glass to cover it from dust.
SPEAKER_05Okay, that's an interesting choice to cover up.
SPEAKER_03It was just there, and he grabbed it to cover the king's glass, and uh you know, the king thought, oh, why would you do that? And the waiter said, Oh, a tapa, a cover. Oh no way. So okay, so he actually tapa, like they they covered the glass, right? Wait, Serano ham? What was there? What was there?
SPEAKER_05That is one story, and uh I found so is that why it's like the size of the like small, like the size of the glass?
SPEAKER_03Right. Oh so yeah, that's you cover literally meaning cover. Um the other story goes is that you know centuries on, you move along in history that another said king said uh decreed that some little small bite had to be served with alcohol because to absorb the alcohol so people wouldn't get too drunk.
SPEAKER_05Okay.
SPEAKER_03And a third version is in the uh Sevilla, yeah, it was actually between the 16th and 17th century, it was prohibited to serve food and alcohol in the little inns. Oh you were only allowed a little stove and you were allowed to serve bread. And the reason that the innkeepers could not serve food is that the men would go to the bars and get drunk. And well, they didn't eat. So the idea, the you know, the powers that ran the town thought, well, if there's no food, they have to go home to their wives because they will get hungry. But men figured, well, we don't need beauty. Yeah, we can just go next door or to the market, grab a piece of cheese, get a piece of ham, and they would bring it back to the little inn, said inn, and put it on the bread.
SPEAKER_05Crafty men.
SPEAKER_03So feel free to come at me and say none of these stories are true. What I will say is folklore. It's full folklore, and also it is more than just a bar snack. I believe from living here, it's a way of life.
SPEAKER_05It is. One thing that's always been fascinating to me about tapas is that you know, a lot of people have tapas before lunch. Really? Yeah. So like they'll go out. Okay, in Granada. Not just in Granada, in a lot of places, they'll go out and they'll have like a beer, a cagna, or they have a glass of wine or a bermud. Okay, we'll serve some this, we'll serve some that, you know, in a little tapa. And I'm always like, how can you have lunch after all that? You know?
SPEAKER_03Well, when we were in Granada, we stopped for a cheeky little vermouth before we met with the rest of our family, and they brought out uh meatballs, but substantial-sized meatballs, and you think this is uh 1145 in the morning? Yeah. And yeah, but everybody had it, everybody was eating something at that time. So it's very interesting. Now there's a difference between tapas and pinchos.
SPEAKER_05Yes. So which is your favorite pinchos?
SPEAKER_03Um, I would say I prefer tapas over pinchos.
SPEAKER_05I find pinchos quite heavy sometimes, right? Especially the ones that have like a fried croquette or a fried sausage, a fried, you know, and then they kind of on the bread, on, and then you know, it's it's it's a lot. So for me, it's like three pinchos sometime, and I'm I'm done. Like I'm out. You're full. Yes. And the cool thing about the pinchos in a lot of places in the north, you can they have like an honor system where you'll show the amount of sticks that you've had at the end of the meal, and that's how they charge you. Okay. In some places, they even do colors. Oh, like they did like different color sticks, is diff because you know, not every pincho is the same price. If I have a prawn on one of them and I have to, yeah.
SPEAKER_03So explain though what pincho means versus uh what it actually means, the word.
SPEAKER_05Pincho uh literally means like a little steak. Okay. So it's like a little toothpick, unpincho. And that is basically what you use to pierce the food that is on the bread. Okay. So that's what a pincho means.
SPEAKER_03Right. Now I made a tray of my own version of tapas, or what you know, I I I made what I like basically. So I have I did tuna, but because I like hot sauce, there is hot sauce underneath it. I have I really like spicy food. And I did um pickled onions. Nice. And then I did tortilla. And the pickled onions you also put capers in there, or no, those are, and I don't know, maybe this is a thing here. Those are green peppercorns.
SPEAKER_05Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Like the ones that you use for the sauce for the solomillo.
SPEAKER_03Right, but I have never seen green peppercorns anywhere except here. I don't know if it's a particular thing here, or I I can't find this in a grocery shop in Toronto for sure. And when you look at it, it looks like a caper, but it is not. It's very um picante.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, it's strong. It's very strong. Like if you bite into one of those, it's going to be like an explosion of pepper in your mouth.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I but I love it. So I put it on the tuna. Then tortilla. Um, and then I did um cured salmon with some cream cheese.
SPEAKER_05Which you cured yourself. I cured that myself. Didn't fish it yourself.
SPEAKER_03No, you cured it, but I did cure it myself. So it's not smoked, it's cured. And then I did um Manchego with a little balsamic and um some green olive tapanut.
SPEAKER_05Oh, nice. Green olive tapan.
SPEAKER_03So perhaps those are not traditional, but I also think um, you know, they're bar snacks. They're basically drinking snacks.
SPEAKER_05I think the most traditional that you have on there is probably the tortilla one. Yes. That's like the ultimate, you know, tapa is like a piece of tortilla and bread. Perfect almuer or mid-morning uh tapa. I I will say that we could have pretty much turned any of those into a pincho by putting a stick in it.
SPEAKER_03Now I'm gonna ask you this question, which uh we have not discussed this before. Why do you think this type of food is so important in this country?
SPEAKER_05Well, I think the reason is socially, you know, you can have a couple tapas here, and then we can move on to the next bar, and then we can move on to the next bar, and then we can go and see, you know, our aunt over here, and then we can go see our cousin over here. So it is a way that you're not first of all stuck in one place. Uh it's there's more movement to it, and I also think it's a way of life that you are having those while you have a couple of drinks, while you have a conversation. It's not like we have a full-on sit-down three-course meal. So that's kind of why I believe it's so important. But I'm not sure if you have a different historical background.
SPEAKER_03You know that I have uh like I'm a huge fan of Jose Andres. And this is from uh, I think an interview he did with CNN. But and this is a quote. He said, Tapas is not food, it's a way of life, it's a way to enjoy family and friends. And he's so passionate about Spanish culture, the cuisine. I mean, he's literally built an empire um throughout the world. I don't know. I think I think somebody asked him how many restaurants he has. He uh he doesn't even remember that because he has he has so many and he does such incredible work. But when you listen to him talk about something that is quite simple, I mean, these are not complicated foods, these are foods that people had. Spain was not a rich country when these things came into sort of everyday life. It was just things now, they are obviously fancy and you know, I don't know, you can, I'm sure, get very curated, expensive tapas, but that's not really what they where they originated or the story of it. It's something simple that you would have at a bar while you're having a drink.
SPEAKER_05Absolutely. And I think what's also cool about what Jose Andres said is that, you know, from a family standpoint, right? I can prepare one particular kind of tapa, bring it along on a Sunday. Someone else prepares a different one. Like, for example, huevos rellenos, which is also another one that you'll see a lot, like, you know, like uh eggs. Yeah. Uh so it also is easy for us to collaborate and do something together instead of like, you know, one person doing everything. Kind of like I guess Thanksgiving, when someone brings, you know, the the stuffing, someone brings the like maybe the cake for the end or something. It's more of a collaborative effort.
SPEAKER_03But also it's very casual because you can sit and you can enjoy, I would think, a lot more food eating this way than if you would just sit down for a meal. Because even though maybe it's a version of a potluck to bring to have at a house, the reality is that everybody's talking, everybody's having a drink, whether alcoholic or not, you're having snacks, it's readily available. It's not a formal where you have to put everything in the middle and sit down and start eating and then finish eating for sure.
SPEAKER_05So maybe if you're doing your kid's birthday and you know you want to try a little kind of Spanish spin on it, instead of doing sandwiches, you can look up some tapas and you know, prepare like a little tapas birthday or something like that. I will say that tapas, if you go to countries around the world, is probably one of the most recognizable uh food being served in Spanish restaurants around the world. Right. So, for example, I've seen tapas bars in Japan, I've seen tapas bars in Houston, I've seen tapas bars in Australia. So I will say that, and that's why we also call the episode Beyond Tapas. Spanish cuisine is obviously a lot deeper than tapas, but it's probably one of the most recognizable things, apart from paella, you know, around the world. Is you'll see these tapas restaurants that pop up.
SPEAKER_03Okay, so now we're moving on to um these very special, I mean, I call them beans. They're they're beans, no? They're legume.
SPEAKER_05Yes. So again, sticking with the snacks that you have with uh with drinks, uh, you know, we have this uh Al Tramuth. Do you want to try one?
SPEAKER_03Actually, I do. I haven't I haven't had one in a while.
SPEAKER_05So this Al Dramuth, the Mediterranean version, is how do you open it? So you have to kind of Oh you have to Can I just eat it like that or no? You should not eat the Altar skin. Okay, I wouldn't recommend it.
SPEAKER_03Oh, here I got it out.
SPEAKER_05The Al Tramuth, which the the one from here is like Lupinus albus, is a Latin name, um, also called Chocho, which again is a bit of a funky one because um chocho also means lady parts, and I always found it absolutely hilarious when my uncle, when I was growing up, would call them chochos. I was like, ha ha ha ha ha ha. You know, it's like the typical thing that yeah, you're like, mmm, I was gonna mention other examples, but I won't go into it. And these actually apparently come from Egypt. So they do come from, you know, the huge Arabic influence that was in Spain for many years. And the reason that they were initially called Chochos was because apparently in Mazarabic it was like sos. Okay. There was something to do with the saltiness or salted or brind. Right. And then people eventually kind of felt it was a little bit like uh not very refined to be calling them chochos, and that's when they started calling them al-tramuth, which is also an Arabic word. It comes from Arabic as well.
SPEAKER_03Oh, right. Any word that typically here starts with al. Exactly. It has an Arabic.
SPEAKER_05And in the on the other side of the world, where from quechua, they actually call them chuchous. So it's totally unrelated to continents. But what I find really fascinating about these as well, and I had no idea, they're considered a keto snack. They're super high protein. Wow. So they're very low carb, very high protein, and you can have a ton of them without, you know, kind of adding to your carb count or whatever. Right. And also, this was very funny. I found that they're also called tar we've taris. Yeah, we've we saw that when we were kind of doing research into but I think the tarwi one is the one that's from the Andes. Oh, that's not this one. So this is not considered a tarwi, but the one that is across the Atlantic, that one's considered a tarwi. This is just a Altramur.
SPEAKER_03But we were actually discussing this. How that it is not native to Spain.
SPEAKER_05I don't think it is. I think this was brought in again because it is originally from Egypt. It's where they came from. Uh, so I'm not sure what the connection is with the Andes and how these seeds ended up in different parts of the world, but they must have been brought in uh during the time that, again, there was a a lot of Arabic history in in Spain, right? Particularly in the south of Spain. And I do think I've seen these more consumed Valencian community, southern Spain, Andalucía than I don't think I've seen like in San Sebastian people eating Aldramuthes, you know, in the north of Spain. I don't know, actually. I don't know. I mean, I could check.
SPEAKER_03Some of these things are a little bit maybe old-fashioned, and you wouldn't. I mean, when we went for Bahia in Valencia and that little farm with uh, oh, I f I can't remember the guy's name now. Tony. Tony, Tony Montoliu. Tony. We had them there. That was the first time that I had them, and you had to show. I said, Oh, what is this? And you're like, this is a really kind of like old-fashioned, very traditional thing that you would have. It's briny, that's why it's like with a beer or you know, a little snack before a main meal, which I think is really interesting because again, it is not an expensive thing. It's probably it's very cheap. It's yeah, not expensive to buy even in the grocery store.
SPEAKER_05Like way cheaper than olives, for example.
SPEAKER_03100%.
SPEAKER_05But with what I was gonna also mention, uh, that you um, you know, you said that, you know, maybe like something different when we were in Donimondoliu. Uh I I think it's something that also is very it conserves for a long time. Right. So it's something that's very accessible, you could say.
SPEAKER_03And you know, it's interesting because when we were talking about it, I said here in Spain, you have this, uh, you have edamame, for example, in you know Japan, and even in, you know, the sort of like Indian side, West Indian, that type of food, you have um chickpeas. Yes. That would be fried. So and that would be considered some little drinking, basically a drinking snack. So it's interesting that when you start to look at these things, cultures really adopt small little bites all across the world. I mean, I don't know what they would eat in Italy, for example. Like, what would you eat in Italy?
SPEAKER_05I'm not entirely sure, but one thing I was gonna mention to you, you know those saladitos that you like? Yes, the little kicko's and all that. I bet you have had altramoses in those and you didn't realize it was because they're in there. Oh but they look totally different when they're like fried and like treated like that. Right. The kicko's and the peanuts. Yeah. So you will have had these in there where they just look like a flat bean.
SPEAKER_03Oh.
SPEAKER_05It's these.
SPEAKER_03Okay, interesting. Well, let's just call it now. That's gonna be the next superfood. Yeah. It will be. It'll be the next superfood that's high in protein, very inexpensive, very filling, etc. And it will not sell for 1 euro 50 for a jar.
SPEAKER_05Pistachos, move out of the way.
SPEAKER_03It'll be uh five times the price because it will be the hot item. Exactly. We coined it. Okay, now we're moving on to. I mean, these are just things that interest us. Yes. But for example, we're talking about mayonnaise. Now, when I first moved here, I always thought that it was very strange. A lot of the little snacks um, you know, you would find anywhere, like in any cafeteria, any little taverna, they contain mayonnaise. So if it's uh Russian salad, for example, which is even though it's called Russian salad, we don't really know if it's Russian, but no, but it's a very common Spanish thing. You find it in almost every single bar. It's mayonnaise. There's a lot of mayonnaise in it. And I always thought that's very strange that I did not think that Spanish cuisine contained as much mayonnaise. So when I'd go to a restaurant, they would bring out always ketchup and mayonnaise, and I thought, oh my goodness, they really think I'm have no culture because I that's all I'm eating because I'm a foreigner. I need ketchup and mayonnaise on my food.
SPEAKER_05Where did you think mayonnaise was from before coming here? French. Okay.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. I always thought it was a French because um French cuisine tends to uh have like a lot of mayonnaise or emulsified um sauces and that type of thing. So I always thought it was a French invention. So story goes that the French uh in the late 1700s had uh occupied um the island in the Balearic region, Minorca. So you have Ibiza, Minorca, Majorca, Formentera, Minorca, and the French had occupied it, and as a celebration, they want to have this celebratory dinner. The chef, who's French, did not have the ingredients to make this type of sauce and had to improvise. And that is how mayonnaise was born. Now, Jose Andre says that even though a French hand prepared it, it is Spanish because it was created technically in Spain. There's some debate as to if that's true or not. But food historians have said that they found recipes from how do you call people from Menorca?
SPEAKER_04Menorguine. Menorgues, Menorguine.
SPEAKER_03Please don't kill me. Yeah, Menorgu, I think. That they found very old recipes that locals had already used that type of sauce. So interesting or I yeah, I don't know if it is uh necessarily true, but that's the story that is told about the invention of mayonnaise. So it's a very common ingredient in a lot of food here, a lot of snacks mostly.
SPEAKER_05So if you would have asked me before doing this research and everything, where I thought mayonnaise was from, even though um, again, I'm Spanish and I hadn't really, you know, looked into the history of mayonnaise, I would have actually thought it was from Belgium. Oh, really? Yes. Oh, because I've been to Belgium a few times. Right. And I think I've mentioned this to you at some point, but it was really crazy. I have never seen so many mayonnaise adverts in my life. Oh, like every TV break has a mayonnaise advert. And Belgians, and I love people from Belgium, I work there all the time. I mean, mayonnaise galore. Like in all the sandwiches or in a lot of the sandwiches, in in like if you go to a proper restaurant, may even a nice, nice restaurant, mayonnaise is there. I think it's because this huge culture around fries.
SPEAKER_03Right.
SPEAKER_05Like French fries, which they think they think they're not French, they're Belgian. But anyway, so they they actually use mayonnaise like way more than we do. So I actually thought it originated from there. And please, if you're Belgian and you're listening to this and you're watching this and you think it is, and there's a different story, we'd love to hear.
SPEAKER_03Hear it. We uh a thousand percent. I would love to hear alternate versions of these uh stories that we've researched because it is interesting. Food tells the history of any country, it also tells the history of our world, really.
SPEAKER_02You know, so I find that Hey Washington DC, class it up with crocs. You know back to school is coming in fast. So why wait to find your new Fay footwear? Step into a local croc store and step into your new look. Try it, style it, make it yours. Because the right pair doesn't just show up, it shows off. First aid fits, handled. Walk out ready for whatever's next. Visit your nearest croc store today.
SPEAKER_03Okay, so we've covered the beans, we've talked about tapas, we've done a distinction between tapas and pinchos. Um, we haven't said what your favorite tapas would be.
SPEAKER_05Uh, I would say my favorite tapa usually tends to have anything with an egg on it. I am a very egg-centric person. Yeah. And I love anything that has like a fried, so like the ones that have the little um quail uh fried eggs. Oh, because you know they're like little tiny ones with like uh some tomatoes. I love that stuff. But I did want to talk about one thing because we talked about mayonnaise, but one sauce that looks similar to mayonnaise but is different to mayonnaise is aleoli. Okay, and again, kind of blending the historical side into this as well.
SPEAKER_03Okay, yeah, let's let's do a deep dive into it. Because it is again, is it Spanish?
SPEAKER_05Well, I don't think it is specifically Spanish, but there's a huge culture around aleoli here. Like, you know, again, it's one of the things that is served with paella as well, etc. So the interesting thing about aleoli is that it is so basic. Like mayonnaise, for example, has eggs in it, right? Right. Alleoli is olive oil and garlic and a pinch of salt. That is it. Okay, like there's no more to it. And when we were doing the research for this episode and I was asking some of my family members and everything, some of these like stories that came up about what you know people who are older would have said around making aleoli totally blew my mind. Wow. Yes, such as such as apparently, uh, this was also and I had to do some research into who is Pliny the Elder, but apparently had a lot to say about a lot of different things. Okay. So he had given a recommendation that like women on their period shouldn't go anywhere near someone making alioli because it would curdle. And by the way, the same thing curdle, is that the right word?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, or basically you break the sauce so it separates. You can't and it once you separate it, it never comes back together. Exactly.
SPEAKER_05So I thought it was kind of mind-blowing because then looking into it, there's all these things that women apparently and historically weren't supposed to do. And I think it's a real kind of like sexist, you know, be from like the let's say olden times when you know, oh, you are dirty because you know you have your period and unclean, everything you touch is not going to taste good. And I just think it's incredible that it carried through for a long time. Wow. Like I would never hear that kind of thing now, but I know in my grandmother's generation, they would be like, hey, you're on your period, don't come anywhere near the alleoli. Because I've already been working on this for like 20 minutes. Oh my goodness. It's not working, and the last thing I need is for the alleoli to curdle. I'm like, what? You know, it's yeah.
SPEAKER_03Wow. Now, I will say that uh I love alleoli. And when it's brought, if you go to really kind of, you know, traditional Spanish restaurant and they make it from scratch. Which by the way, we didn't attempt to make because no, it's just uh well to be honest, I think we would have attempted it. We just didn't have the proper mortar and pestle to do it in. And we didn't want to do it in a food processor. Yes, yeah. But that's like one of my favorite things when they bring to the table. I love it. You can't, I I mean, once you start, you can't stop eating it. It's impossible.
SPEAKER_05Just don't do it on a date.
SPEAKER_03Or the date. If you're on a date, you have to eat it together.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, unless one of you is a vampire and then you will die. But that really aleoli is, I always laugh because my 11-year-old daughter loves alleoli. Oh, and you know, sometimes we sleep in the same bed. I'm like, I feel like this is just so overpowering because once you eat proper alleoli, it's with you for the rest of the day.
SPEAKER_03Right. So, but I would say it's red flag if you're on a date and that person won't eat the alleoli, red flag. Red flag because they want to kiss you.
SPEAKER_05Or if it's a first date, you know, you know, maybe don't touch the aleoli, maybe.
SPEAKER_03All right. Now there's another really kind of fun snack that's quite Spanish. I don't think you'd find this anywhere else actually in the world.
SPEAKER_05Chanchulo. Chanchullo, yeah. Yeah, so this one's the kind of no-cook. Okay. Uh, you want to show up and you want to have a little bit of fun. Because even outside of this area, you I think would be hard press. Okay, in Madrid, I've seen them do where they put the mussels on the uh on the uh fries, or it's not fries, sorry, chips or crisp. But I've never seen them do the chantulo thing outside of this area of the Valentian community.
SPEAKER_03Uh I saw Rosalia. She did um uh there's a video of her just making her own version of it, and she puts she basically puts the whole kitchen cupboard on it. Yeah. So we can we can find the video and and source it. However, I did see it then, and then we started talking about it. We've never really had it anywhere that we've gone.
SPEAKER_05We'll we'll make it today. Okay. We'll make it today. But it's basically crisps, mussels, and I am blanking. How do you say berberechos? What is that? Berberechos are those little weird what's inside the clams, but they're little. Uh I don't know. They're like mini oysters, they look like mini oysters. Anyway, so you put those on there as well.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, it's like a clam.
SPEAKER_05Anchovies, um uh pickled uh chilies, right, gindillas, etc. And you just basically stick everything in there, move it so that everything gets the flavor of everything else, and then you have that with a beer.
SPEAKER_03You just put it on a plate.
SPEAKER_05Some people actually just leave it in the bag. So what they'll do is they'll break the bag through the middle, they pour it in the bag, and then they shake the bag. Right. And you usually use the bag as your container.
SPEAKER_03Oh, that's really cool. I actually did see a TikTok video, I guess, because our phones do listen to us, um, with the little just the plain uh chips, crisps, and they said perfect party idea uh for the summer. So all they did was they opened up basically like a nice put it on a nice tray with some glasses of champagne, opened up all these bag, little single serving, and they put stuff in it, and they're like, this is your perfect party. You know, people just walk around with a bag and they just throw it out after for a snack.
SPEAKER_05I think what's funny is the name as well, chanchulyo. What does it mean? Chanchulyo means like something that you would do that's like not fully kosher. Oh, right, you know, something that you do like behind the scenes, like we have like a weird deal or something that's going on as a chanchulyo. It's like, you know, so I think it's like a odd. And it is odd when you think of all these ingredients mixed in a bag, but anyway. So that's the chanchulyo. And I know we have talked about this before, but something we definitely wanted to cover, and I know is uh a love of Nalini's.
SPEAKER_03The Hilda's Hilda, which is actually from a movie uh with um Rita Hayworth. Rita Hayworth from 1946, and the name of the movie was Gilda. And again, invented very organically with a few different um, you know, I guess savory, spicy concoctions on the little stick. So the story goes, it was originally invented in the north in San Sebastian, which is a huge uh mecca, I would say, for pinchos. Pinchos, yeah. So and they they claim that that's where it was invented. So I'm don't come for me with this one. And created in a bar because a regular would always come in and kind of stick these things on a little, you know, toothpick, and it kind of evolved from there. And the movie at the time was popular. The character in the movie, she was a little salty, a little spicy. So they came up with this very clever name for it. And even though that's the okay, so the original one, it is a Gindia uh anchovy, yeah, and an olive.
SPEAKER_05And a boqueron, I think, right? Or no, I think the boqueron or the anchovy, one or the other came along later.
SPEAKER_03Right. So it's and with the the olive on your little pincho, and that's your pre, you know, lunch snack, and you would typically have it, I think, with a vermouth. Vermouth.
SPEAKER_05Yeah. They're so good. Yeah. I mean, I can have gillas all day long, so I love them.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, that is uh yeah, that's a little story behind it. But what I think is really fascinating with all these stories, whether it's a pincho or it's a tapa or you know, decorated fancy chips for for example, there's uh this real long history behind it. And it comes from, I think, very humble beginnings, and it hasn't changed. Yeah. Absolutely. It's not like, oh, oh yeah, that was something that my grandfather ate or my grandma, like we would never have it today. The same thing that was made in the 1940s, people are still eating it today and are obsessed with it, and they uphold the tradition. So I think that's something that's very unique here that in this country the traditions of food are upheld and they hold very, very tightly onto we're not changing this recipe.
SPEAKER_05Yeah, I I I totally agree. Okay. So uh, in terms of the gilla, we'll actually try one for our slice of lye. Okay. But you will see that you can get a little creative with them too.
SPEAKER_03Okay, I'm looking forward to that. Slice of lye. Slice ali. Yay. So uh, okay, first, what do you have on your plate, Laura? I have a gila.
SPEAKER_05A traditional one. Yeah, delicious. Yes. So this gila has uh Nalini's favorite little fish.
SPEAKER_03Actually, I have to say, listen, Fern, I'm an outsider here, okay? So clearly. However, the anchovy, the bocaron, which is a white anchovy, or are anchovies just white?
SPEAKER_07I honestly don't know. I was like, please don't ask me this question.
SPEAKER_05I don't know. But I do know this. I think it's the same fish, okay? I do think it's the same fish, but I will say that my grandma made the white ones growing up. I do know it just requires a whole lot of vinegar.
SPEAKER_03So that's yeah, the boqueron is the the briny one.
SPEAKER_05Yes, so it tastes more like it's been pickled, it has been pickled, and I'm right pretty sure they do again, both the anchovy and the boqueron. The anchovy lasts longer because it is salted, etc. But the boqueron is also just to preserve, you know, it's a it's a way that you have an excess of these little fish, it now it has a very long shelf life.
SPEAKER_03Exactly. But I will say I don't like how it looks, but it does not actually taste fishy.
SPEAKER_05One day I'm gonna make you a bocadillo with tortilla de patata, boquerones, and mayonnaise, which we have discussed in the all three things in this episode, and you will change your mind about boquerones. Oh, it's kind of like a filet of fish.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, it is.
SPEAKER_05Like it's it's like a Spanish version of a herring. You know, like in the Holland, they sell serve you the herrings and stuff. It's kind of like a Spanish version of the fish.
SPEAKER_03And the anchovy is not um fishy as well. It's just very salty. It's more uh umami. Yeah. That's like everything there is umami. Your mouth is alive with all types of different flavors. And once you have it, you realize that oh, this is why people eat this when they're having a pre-lunch meal.
SPEAKER_05Yes. It's like almost your mouth waters when you, you know, I'm thinking about it now. My mouth's watering because it is like very, very salty.
SPEAKER_03Okay. Should we try? Um, okay, you want to talk about our lovely wine on the table?
SPEAKER_05Sure. Uh, which one of the bottles would you like to talk about?
SPEAKER_03Well, let's talk about the more interesting visually of the two, which is this Pirates of the Caribbean looking bottle.
SPEAKER_05Yes, it is definitely a Pirates of the Caribbean. So this is called submarine wine, okay, literally. And it says six moons under the sea. Wow. So approximately six months. Exactly. And the interesting thing is that this is from a two-person artisan garage winery in Lanutia, very close to where we are. And in 2021, they started this production. And again, this uh specific bottle, six months, like you mentioned, no light, constant temperature, and it basically uh surfaces with a different taste than if it wouldn't have been under the water. Right. So they have a lot of like someliers and Michelin star chefs and restaurants that are basically fascinated by the taste of this wine, and it's become very popular. So usually they sell out, and it's yeah, we had the chance to see the winery, but our next little adventure with them will be going to see how they put it under the sea.
SPEAKER_03And what's really fascinating about these um independent, whether it's a winemaker, you know, olive production, anything, you know, fashion, whatever it is. I find here because they're so artisanal, um, they are really dedicated. They're not looking to have their business explode and go international. It's a very different mindset. They are really committed to the craft and sustainability, the quality of it. Um, they call their little cellar a garage cellar, garage cellar. Yeah. I mean, it's in an in the industrial area, very close to where we live. I mean, next door, I think you have a garden shop, you have a, you know, tire manufacturer cellar down the street. You're you would not expect that there's this little wine, you know, company there. And they're just so passionate about this craft and putting out a fantastic product. So maybe it's not going to be the same price as a wine that you would, you know, mass-produced wine from a grocery store. But what you're getting is their life story in a bottle, their passion in these bottles.
SPEAKER_05This particular bottle is about 90 euros. Right. And their other wines do go between, I think, 13 and 18, 19, 20 something. Right. Uh, we are going to save the bottle uh to open for a special occasion. Uh, however, I do think that, you know, if you go on their website, which is the Teller Marde Beans, uh, we'll put it on the episode notes so people can find it. Right. I would really recommend, you know, again, supporting people who are doing things that are a little bit different. And can you imagine getting this as a present if you're a wine lover?
SPEAKER_03If you're a wine lover, or just like something really different. And the even the artwork, we haven't talked about this, but this artist, um, she's from Altea. Altea. Yes. So they have all the different bottles and they each tell a story that is very local to the area. Yes. So I just think that's really special. It is not mass-produced, it's actually the reverse of that. So when you support businesses such as Mardevine, it is their uh passion.
SPEAKER_05Yes, it's it's passion, it's things they enjoy doing. And at the same time, you can also, uh, if you're in the area for 25 euros, you know, you can go and actually have a tasting there. So even though it's a little garage winery, it's still a very cool experience. So very much recommend it.
SPEAKER_03Yes, and that you can also do the tour in English. So don't feel intimidated that you can't. You can do the tour in English. It's fantastic. It was a fantastic visit and a really um interesting project. So we're really happy that we met them. Absolutely.
SPEAKER_05So now we're getting to our slice of life. Yes. Ending and the ending of this episode. We couldn't be happier that you all are joining us on this journey. Uh, we are going to be reading uh in some of the episodes emails from our listeners. We love hearing from you. So if you're not already following, please subscribe, follow along, follow us on socials where we are uh very much uh growing the Made in Spain community and really appreciate the community that is being built around this podcast and about these experiences. With that, we're gonna go to the saying of the day. Okay. And I know Nalini's been working very hard on her Spanish. I'm extremely proud of her accent. If you didn't see the reel that was on Instagram about how beautifully she says paella, I think it's like, you know, artistic almost paella.
SPEAKER_03So Laura taught me how not to say it. That's why. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_05Okay. So the saying of the day today is donde comendos, comen tres.
SPEAKER_03Uh I'm gonna thank my Spanish tutor for this. Why eat two when you can eat three?
SPEAKER_05Actually, what is where two can eat, three can eat. Okay, close. Close. He's gonna give me half a mark for that. Donde comen dos, comendo. Meaning that, and again, going back to your tapa's story before, where there's enough for two, there's enough for three. That's so perfect. Just like come along, yeah, eat a tapa, we can make some more. You know, this is uh a kind of very much a social experience when it comes to getting together to eat. I love that one. Awesome. Thank you very much for being with us today. Yeah, thank you. Bye for now. Bye.
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