the entrance of La Boqueria
it is so easy (and, not to mention, so cheap) to get the freshest foods at la Boqueria, a good-sized (yet not overwhelmingly large) market place that is made up of an assortment of stands where you can find anything... fruits such as coconut, strawberries, cherries, lychees (love these), and all sorts of fresh fruit juices that made for the perfect breakfast; vegetables like
deliciously ripe avocados, asparagus, peppers of any color, and the most heavenly tomatoes; you can find any type of raw meat, chicken, fish (not the most appetizing part of the market, but really any part of any animal's body was available); there were stands for just dried fruit and nuts; and one of the many chocolate stands sold the largest selection of anything chocolate you can think of!... and, buried in between all the market stands are a handful of bars that cooked up heavenly tapas, perfect for lunch! at one bar called Pinoxto (which I went to two days in a row it was so good) the sauteed calamari was divine and a dish of chick peas mixed with an assortment of spices were the best i think i have ever tasted...
another special place for lunch was found at a different market. the restaurant/bar was called Ciunes Santa Caterina, located at the Mercat Santa Caterina. this was a bit more upscale, with a beautiful decor and fabulous atmosphere. and, not to mention, every dish we ordered was so heavenly! an assortment of the most incredible tomatoes came, which made me crazy for the local tomatoes! sauteed calamari was again a favorite, flavored with green onions and delicious olive oil... and we ordered crayfish (something i would never think to order, but thanks to my uncle we did) which turned out to be so good. just looking around, i could see the colors of all the ingredients and just how fresh they all were...
i will end on another tomato dish that is a traditional catalan dish served all over barcelona. we rarely had a lunch without this... crusty, relatively thick bread is toasted. then, they take a delicious tomato, cut it in half, and with the cut side down, rub it all over the top of the bread. ! then it is brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with a bit of salt.... the juicy tomato soaks into the bread and it turns out so wonderful! such a simple concept that is so popular throughout the city and tastes delicious.
getting out of paris was a nice little break, especially in a city that serves food like that in barcelona... the colorful markets and dishes were no surprise in a city that is so colorful itself!
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