Discover La Boqueria food market in the heart of Barcelona

(NLDO) - "When you come to Barcelona, ​​remember to go to the food market!" That was the message from a friend before my family took a flight from Germany to the beautiful land of Catalonia.

After 2 days of sightseeing, I was fascinated by the unique works of architect Gaudi such as: Sagrada Familia Basilica, the magical house Casa Batllo, the fairy park Park Güell... or strolling on the streets from the medieval period, admiring a series of famous Gothic architectures such as: Barcelona Cathedral, Monestir de Pedralbes monastery...

Author in Barcelona - Spain

Finally, we followed the bustling crowd down the tree-lined La Rambla, which stretches 1.2km from the northern Catalunya (central square) to the southern coast of Port Vell.

Colorful culinary picture

We entered another world , where the enticing aroma of food, the vibrant colors of fruit and the friendly greetings of vendors blend together into a colorful culinary picture.

It is La Boqueria market, which dates back to the 13th century, a place not only for shopping, but also where Catalans preserve and spread the unique culinary features of their people.

La Boqueria market dates back to the 13th century.

I fell in love with La Boqueria from the moment I stepped through the gate. The light shines through the Art Nouveau-style multi-colored glass panels in the dome, creating beautiful shimmering rays of sunlight. The market is quite clean, divided into stalls and sections like traditional Vietnamese markets. We arrived just as tourists were looking for a place to have lunch, so the atmosphere in the market was much hotter.

The first impression that caught my eye was the colorful rows of smoothies and fruits. Most of them were Mediterranean fruits such as: strawberries, citrus fruits, grapes, pears, peaches, plums, cherries..., then there were tropical fruits such as: pineapple, mango, avocado, papaya, dragon fruit, guava, longan, mangosteen, rambutan...

Looking at the eye-catching, plump, golden fruits stacked on top of each other, or the red pieces of watermelon floating on the sand placed on ice. No one could bear to pass by without stopping to treat themselves to a cool smoothie or a cold fruit cup in the middle of the afternoon. I was quite surprised that the price was only 3 euros per cup. Much cheaper than the previous afternoon, when the whole family walked on the beach and drank smoothies for 7 euros.

Colorful spice stalls, fresh vegetable stalls, eye-catching dried fruit rows

A little further into the market, the smoked hams hung neatly in front of each cheese and sausage stall, making me suddenly think of trying the famous ham of this country. The dark-skinned Spanish guy quickly asked me which kind I wanted to try.

All are salt-cured hams that have been naturally hung in the wind for a long time, sometimes up to several years, the longer they are left the more fragrant and rich the flavor becomes. The best quality meat costs up to several hundred euros/kg. I picked up a thin slice of meat that I had just bought and put it in my mouth to try. The aroma of the dry curing rose, a moderate salty taste wafted through, then the sweetness of the meat and the fat of the fat blended together and melted. The salesman smiled brightly and told me to eat it with cheese and salted olives, and a glass of fresh beer to get the perfect taste.

Fish and squid eyes are still clear, shrimp and crab are popping, oysters, snails and clams are colorful.

Enjoy seafood prepared on the spot

While I was busy admiring the colorful spice stalls, the fresh vegetable stalls, and the eye-catching dried fruit stalls, my son suddenly pulled me very quickly to the fried seafood stalls inside, a favorite dish of young people.

So crowded, people lined up in circles. No matter what the dish was called, just looking at the golden layer of batter surrounding each tiny shrimp, squid, and anchovy, the urge to eat was irresistible.

We bought a mixed portion for 10 euros. As we walked, we skewered each piece of hot seafood, dipping it lightly in the chili sauce the vendor gave us. We could clearly feel the crunchy taste mixed with the salty taste of the sea. It was simple but so memorable.

Right next to it were rows of fragrant baked goods. The saleswoman with a green scarf tied around her head enthusiastically introduced me to the fried chicken, beef, or mushroom-filled fried bread, or tapas wrapped in spinach and cheese. After much hesitation, we decided to buy some churros. She wrapped them in thin wax paper, and my hand could still feel the warmth through the paper. When I took a bite, the fatty, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside flavor was completely different from the hot fried bread back home.

Entering the fresh fish area on the right side of the market, I didn’t feel any fishy smell because behind each counter there was a convenient water tap and drainage ditch. Here, seafood was arranged neatly on the stalls, covered with white stones that sparkled under the lights. Fish and squid still had clear eyes, shrimp and crabs were popping, oysters, snails, and clams were colorful. Just looking at them made me regret it. If only the hotel I rented had its own kitchen, I would have bought all kinds of things to bring home and cook for the whole family.

But no matter, even though we were full, we still wanted to enjoy a seafood meal at the on-site food stall, where they cook, sell and serve at the same time with only high chairs around, fresh food is placed in the refrigerator right in front. You can choose lobster, octopus, abalone, crab, snails... or anything you like for the chef to prepare. The price is reasonable, much cheaper than the downtown area or on the beach.

There are many stalls selling golden paella with red prawns on top for only 6 euros per portion. This is a famous dish of Barcelona and is loved by many people. The saleswoman told me to try the paella in the dark, it was very special. Her smile and her mysterious squinting eyes made my decision.

Dark paella

A plate of charcoal-black rice was brought out. Oh, it was cooked with squid ink sacs for color and flavor. I was surprised when she revealed the ingredients. The rice was a little hard in the Mediterranean style, combined with sauce, vegetables, and lots of chopped seafood. It was quite flavorful, worth a try.

In the story she told, I learned that she is the third generation to take over this stall, her son and daughter who are helping next to her will inherit it in the future. Perhaps not only her family but also many small traders here, they all carry in their hearts love and enthusiasm, together preserving the traditional values ​​of the market, so that it does not fade away with the flow of time.

We left the market with full stomachs but our hands were still full of small packages: a bag of pastries, some pre-packaged ham, a bag of tropical fruit for dinner. But perhaps what stayed with me the most was the vibrant atmosphere of this place. A place where people live by taste, smell and heart.

The shouts of "Hola, guapa!" are not to attract customers, but are the sincere and close greetings of La Boqueria. Where each seller, each dish, is telling you a story full of scents and colors. It makes you love Barcelona more in its own way.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/kham-pha-cho-am-thuc-la-boqueria-giua-long-barcelona-196250822163309333.htm