Food and Drink in Barcelona – Much More Than Crema Catalana
Thursday, December 31st, 2009
Crema Catalana might well be Barcelona’s most famous contribution to the world’s menus, but there is much more variety to the food you’re likely to find when visiting this city trapped between the mar i muntanya – the sea and the mountains.
Catalan cuisine, which is known to have been flourishing as far back as the thirteenth century, is a beguiling melange of the best ingredients that the Mediterranean and the grazing slopes of the mountains can offer. This means that it is quite common to come across combinations such as lobster and chicken – often served in a hazelnut sauce; meatballs and cuttlefish; chicken and crayfish; and the simply scintillating rabbit and rum. The Barcelona locals like their sauces too – especially allioli (garlic and olive oil), sofregit (tomatoes, garlic and onions) and samfaina (chilli pepper and aubergines).