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Posts Tagged ‘spanish drinks’

sevilla: where to find the best food markets & tapas bars

Posted in culture, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 2 January, 2015| Leave a Comment »

one of the many perks of living in spain are the endless options for eating out and enjoying the spanish food. fresh seafood, tasty wines, delicious cured meats and of course the world famous tapas are among the options one has when opting for a taste of the real spanish food. this time we will give you some tips to find the nicest tapas bars in sevilla and to discover its best food markets.

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the city of seville

first of all, one should know that people from sevilla love to be outside on the streets and meet their friends, family or just walk around town watching people and enjoy some sun. even at night the streets are very lively and for many people being out of the house means socializing over dinner or enjoying a nice wine out on the many terraces in town. all streets are buzzing with a mix of young people ready to go out, families having dinner together or tourist trying to find the best place to enjoy some real spanish food. the latter is the perfect reason to inform you on all the great food places that sevilla has to offer.

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locals enjoying tapas in seville

the real way to enjoy a tapas “meal” is to get a glass of wine or beer and to have a small tapa with it, after finishing you head on to the next bar and start the session again. in spain this kind of bar-hopping is called “ir de tapas”, so here we go:

  • los coloniales – this place serve big portions at a very low price. all tapas dishes they offer are huge and of a very good quality. make sure to come early and expect to wait a little since this place is very popular. most dishes (raciones) and tapas cost around 2,50€. address: plaza cristo de burgos, 19 and calle fernández y garcía, 36 y 38. the restaurant is open for lunch and dinner daily.
  • bar alfalfa – this nice and charming place is situated in a building between two streets. it offers simple yet delicious tapas dishes and is a very popular spot among both locals and tourists. the bar is located on a lively plaza which truly reflects the ambiance of the bar. address: calle candilejo, 1. open all day.
  • duo tapas – is a place missed by many people and less touristy than many other bars. this restaurant is located on the charming alameda de hércules square and offers ‘new school’ kind of tapas, an inventive alternative to el rinconcillo’s ‘old school’ ones. most tapas have an asian twist which makes this venue a good options for those looking for something different. we recommended to order the green chicken with rice and spicy noodles. address: calle calatrava 10. open all day.
alfalfa-bar-seville

the beautiful facade of bar alfalfa

if you are more into food markets sevilla has a lot of options too. below some of our recommendations and tips to get the best and most fresh food in town:

  • mercado lonja del barranco – is a venue that opened recently and has yet proven to be a successful formula appealing to many foodies from sevilla. this market is housed in an old building that served as a fish market 40 years ago, now it looks more like an open loft space with loads of glass and light coming from outside. the market features many stands that all offer goodies that come from the surrounding region, meaning a stand that sells acorn-fed ham, one specialized in salmorejo or one that focuses on the creation of the perfect spanish omelette. of course all of these delicious foods can be washed down with a cocktail or a glass of wine or beer as there are some bars available as well. address: calle arjona s/n. open from 10am all day.
  • mercado de la calle feria – is one of sevilla´s oldest markets which is specialized in fresh fish. you can find some small bars around the market where you can enjoy a beer and a small tapa. one of the nicest ones is la cantina, which is popular among locals. address: calle feria. open monday – saturday from 8am to 2:30pm.
  • mercado de la encarnación – this market can easily be found as it is located right under the famous metropol parasol. this market is also quite new (it opened in 2012) and offer plenty of options for grocery shopping and basis tapas. moreover, the place serves as a cultural centre which makes a trip here a nice options for those willing to combine good food with some spanish culture. this area offers nice bars and restaurants so after visiting the market foodies can continue the food trail in the close neighbourhood! plaza de la encarnación, s/n. open all day.
ING MERCADO LAS NAVES DEL BARRANCO 9.JPG

the lofty interior of mercado lonja del barranco

the following delicacies come from the andalucian region and one can taste them all over town in the many bars, restaurants and on the food markets:

  • serrano ham. serrano ham is regional delicacy. the andalusian highlands have low humidity and cold winters ideal for curing this famous spanish meat. you can eat this ham as it is or combined with tapas, cheese or melon.
  • manzanilla olives. seville is famous for its manzanilla olives. this greenish-brown olive grows in the region’s fertile soil and warm climate. locals enjoy these olives with tapas or in salads and numerous other dishes.
  • gazpacho. this is one of the best-known foods in andalusia. gazpacho is a cold tomato soup with bread crumbs, garlic, olive oil, raw cucumbers and peppers. the people of andalusia often serve this refreshing dish in the spring and summer as a lunch starter before the main entree.
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tapas andalusian style

as many know, andalusia embodies the classic image of spain, from the flamenco dancing and bullfighting to the intense nightlife and ancient architecture. but as shown above, andalusia also boasts many delicious foods, offering travellers a chance to try out all the best this region has to offer.

when you are staying in seville we would recommend you to visit one of the places above and enjoy some good food spanish style! we think that a stay in andalucía is not complete without a tapas and food market tour. for more recommendations or places to visit please contact us, we would be happy to give you more advice.

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spanish drinks and drinking traditions ¡salud!

Posted in culture, traditions, tagged , , , , , , on 2 December, 2013| 1 Comment »

arriba,

abajo,

al centro,

pa dentro!

…would say the spanish when sharing a drink with friends. it is just one of the hispanic drinking rituals, a game, a phrase said before having the drinking which literally means up, down, to the centre, inside! and it is not the only tradition they ´serve´ with their many drinks specialties! apart from a wide range of famous wines (perhaps most notably the rioja and the ribera de duero), the spanish people have embedded in their traditions some other delicious drinks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic, which have become must-tries while in spain.

 

sangria – the world-renowned king of spanish drinks, it has become synonymous with the spanish summer, the august heat, or one-of-those-spanish-things you have to try in spain. it is a mix of red wine (hence the name, which comes from ´sangre´, the spanish word for ´blood´) and lemon or orange juice, a variety of fruit and for a true kick a splash of brandy or rum, depending on where it has been prepared. a true summer must!

Sangria.jpg

 

cava – typical catalan drink from the penedes region. it is the most popular spanish sparkling wine, usually white or rosé. this drink is best appreciated during spanish celebrations, whether during a wedding, a birthday or the winter holidays.

cava by arlo j and by angela llopcava  cellary in penedes

 

horchata de chufa – some might say that while in valencia, there are two things you must try, one is the famous and highly-sought paella, the other one is the less-known milky-looking drink that is horchata. it is a non-alchoholic summer drink, made of water, sugar and chufas, which are valencian tigernuts. horchata is one of the main legacies left by the moors during their domination over the spanish territory, so by trying it you can be proud you have tasted some hundreds years of spanish culture!

horchata and fartons by dayer3 and by duncanhorchata is best served with another valencian treat, the sweet ´fartons´

 

cider – this is a typical low alcohol drink from the asturias region, with its own  protected designation of origin ´sidra de asturias´, a natural apple cider that has been produced here for centuries. the cider tradition is not as wide-spread here in spain as it is, for example, in the uk. here the cider has remained traditionally apple based, following the old asturian recipes, without mixing it with other fruit or artificial flavours.

not only in the north of spain, but throughout the country, you will be expected to enjoy a cider by pouring it the traditional way. this is done by holding the bottle horizontally high above your head and letting the drink pour slowly into the glass you are holding as low as you can. this tradition has a scientific reason behind it, as it allows the cider to oxygenate and become bubbly, but ultimately it is a fun way of drinking and it allows you to act and look quite silly doing it!

sidra by iván villar and by lluriPhotonot everybody looks this professional when pouring cider the traditional way!

 

rebujito – this is a typical sherry mix popular in the southern region of andalucia. it combines sherry, a mixture of sugar and soda, ice and mint. add a slice of orange and two straws to make it ideal for lovers, which is the way it was originally served! even though the idea of this cocktail is not 100% spanish, with roots in the english ´sherry cobbler´, it is now known in spain as the star of the andalucian festivals, starting with the famous april fair in seville.

rebujito by fran linerosflamenco dancers enjoying a rebujito during the april fair

 

orujo – a strong spirit made from the skins of grapes, known in other parts of the world as schnapps or marc. here in spain it is a type of ´aguardiente´, which shows how strong the drink is, since it can be translates as ´burning water´! the orujo is very popular in the north, in the region of cantabria (where it even has a festival, and where people take the art of tasting it very seriously) and moving a bit to the west, in galicia, where you will also find the ´orujo cream´. this is a traditional creamy mix of orujo, condensed milk, coffee and cocoa powder, with a touch of vanilla. if you are serving this drink to impress your galician friends, make sure you prepare it in advance, as it tastes better if you let it rest overnight.

orujo by aherrero and by jose.jhga chupito of aguardiente (a shot of this burning water) and its cousin, the orujo cream, which is typically home-made

 

´anís del mono´ – literally translated as the ´monkey´s anisette´, is another very popular liquor from badalona, in catalonia. this is a truly emblematic drink and brand in spain, everything from its history, its factory, its advertising and packaging, its founder and its story is legendary and somehow wrapped in a magical aura. more than 140 years old, the brand has allegedly used charles darwin as an inspiration for the image on the bottle, also it launched spain´s first lighted billboard in puerta del sol, in 1913. the bottle itself almost has a celebrity status, it has a statue in badalona, it has appeared in ´the godfather´ movie, it has been also painted by juan gris and exhibited in the reina sofia museum.

anis by lapendejajuan gris´ 1914 collage of the anis label, the famous bottle and the statue in badalona

 

drinking is, without doubt, a large tradition in the spanish life, whether at home with a meal, or out with friends, or for a special celebration, or friday after work… but their way of drinking is more a social activity than a meaningless act of drinking, it is a celebration of being alive and enjoying life, enjoying the presence of the dear ones, the quality of the food, the weather, or the never-ending discussions about the political and social events of the day…

spanish people consider drinking in moderation to be a healthy sign; because of that, when they cheer, they actually say health in spanish:

¡salud!

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