Pata negra and Spanish meatballs

We are not that impressed with the food in Spain, not in general anyway. Of course, we understand that you can find great food here, especially if you visit someone's grandmother or know which restaurant to go to. But the fact remains: as a confused tourist, you're likely to end up at a boring joint that serves French fries with... something fried.

Food in supermarkets

Experiences from the supermarkets are not so encouraging either. The yoghurt looks like gelatinous jelly, the powdered soups taste like water and the bread dries up before you get it home. BUT one big and important exception is ham and pork. The Spaniards know how to raise pigs!

Pata negra

Pata negra, or 'Jamon Iberico' is the name of a special type of air-dried ham from Spain. The pigs, which are free range, must be of the Iberian breed and have black hooves. The hams are labelled according to the pigs' diet and the finest ham, 'Jamon Iberico de Bellota', comes from pigs that have only eaten acorns.

The ham is first salted and then hung up to dry. The longer the ham has been dried, the better it is considered. "Reserva" is aged for at least 24 months and "Gran Reserva" is aged for at least 36 months. And good it is, we can promise!

In the supermarket, the hams are hanging in a row ...

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Spanish meatballs

Another favourite we just discovered in the supermarket is meatballs made with Iberico pig meat. Sold fresh and pre-rolled at the meat counter of the Carrefour supermarket, the meatballs are spiced and packed with pine nuts. It's crazy that something as simple as meatballs can be so delicious! The mince is more chewy than Swedish pork mince, and the colour is somewhere between Swedish pork and beef mince.

We fry the meatballs and then cook them in a tomato sauce. Then we serve them with pasta and wine, and Friday dinner is ready!

28 March 2015 11:04

Food and drink, Spain

exotic food, food and drink

Helena

Administrator

22 Comments

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Bosse and Gerd says:

Good thing we're not standing near you - we'd eat you out of house and home...
We agree = good-good-good-good-good !!!

28 March 2015 - 11:40

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joy says:

We have no experience of Spanish food, have not been there. Surely it is the case that the small tips you get are the best. We usually leave the main street and look where the locals go. The ham seems good, you have to live on it and meatballs.
Nice weekend Hugs

28 March 2015 - 11:42

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Ditte says:

I agree! You have to find the more local restaurants to get good food and not just in the tourist areas.
In general, I find that Spanish food can be 'heavy'.
We can easily find fresh produce, preferably from local butchers and market stalls, and we cook a lot at home. We buy fresh fish and seafood at Carrefour and Consum and in the market hall.
The pata negra ham is so good and we also eat a lot of chicken. The selection of fruit and vegetables is great.
But if you are travelling through, it is not easy to find the gems. In Italy, I think it's easier to get good food in most places, as well as in Greece and France.
Glad you found the meatballs, we like them too.
As for bread, we buy good coarse bread from the bakery, preferably sourdough baguette.
You can stock up on the ham and manchego cheeses....

28 March 2015 - 11:52

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Mr Steve says:

I'm just saying that food is important and as a tourist you always go for a few mines, but there's usually a little something special every now and then.

28 March 2015 - 12:20

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BP says:

You're probably right there - you do need to know where to go to get something other than fries and something fried. Otherwise, it's the tourist traps you end up in.
Yoghurt is actually the French Danone that we choose in Spain. Bread for us is always a Rustique or sourdough baguette which is identical to the ones you find here.

As for the hams, you are absolutely right there too, of course. The ones you describe cost a fortune here and are only available sliced, not in "blocks".

I haven't actually tried the meatballs, but they sound good.

Try Manchega cheese which comes from Manchega sheep/goats. It's delicious and we always import at least a kilo. Even that cheese costs a fortune here.

28 March 2015 - 11:29

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Roger&Lana says:

You have to try their chorizo de pavo (turkey chorizo), the best is at Mercadona and goes with their air-dried salamis and sausages. Super good with a piece of sourdough baguette and some good olives and the like. If you're feeling brave, try their blood sausage. Also available at Mercadona and often sold together with other good flavoured sausages. Great with just a simple salad and bread. Anchovies in oil and vinegar is also a great tapas that we like.
Have a wonderful trip and if you can't find anything good to eat in Spain, you'll soon be in France and you'll gain a couple of kilos just by visiting their fantastic supermarkets!

28 March 2015 - 12:46

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Comment by post author

admin says:

BP, thanks for the tips! French yoghurt sounds like a good choice and I recognise Danone! We have tried Manchego cheese and agree, it is good!

Bosse and Gerd, haha, good food is not bad!

Yes, that's right! Sometimes you get it right and sometimes it gets boring. That's part of it.

Ditte, agree that the food is quite heavy! We also eat a lot of fish and seafood! Funny that you also like the meatballs! Several people mention sourdough baguettes, so maybe we'll try that!

Steve, can only agree, that's exactly how it is!

Roger & Lana, many thanks for your comment with many interesting tips! It sounds interesting with both sausages and anchovies, we will check that out. And we agree, the supermarkets in France are fantastic!

28 March 2015 - 13:57

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Lena in Wales says:

I like Spanish food, but maybe I have been lucky.
The fresh fish is marvellous.
As well as all the good tapas, including the meatballs, which are commonly served as tapas. Like the air-dried ham. The old cheese, Queso viejo, is wonderful. Or fried aubergine with a kind of syrup on it.
The paella is usually marvellous, but there are some places that don't measure up.
Don't forget Tostada con aseite de oliva y tomate. Toasted baguette or bread cake with olive oil and crushed tomatoes and then some salt on it. Wonderful!
And all good wines, Ribera del Duero and Navarra are almost certainly good red wines.
Hope you find the right one!

28 March 2015 - 14:52

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Lennart says:

Pata Negra and servesa grande!

Yum!

28 March 2015 - 14:59

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Veiken says:

You have to wear your gold trousers when you eat Pata Negra, but it's so good!
It is important to make the most of all the good things you can in both food and memories!

28 March 2015 - 16:36

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Åsa says:

Try the lomo iberico too! (pork fillet). Sverker's judgement when I bought him one from Spain once upon a time: Like drugs! (ie addictive) But it is also expensive. Lomo then.
/ Åsa

28 March 2015 - 18:17

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Comment by post author

admin says:

Lena in Wales, tapas is a nice way to eat, we like it! But not all tapas are very exciting... Thanks for the tips on cheese, aubergine and wines! Sounds good!

Veiken, it's not cheap, but it's delicious!
🙂

Åsa, we haven't bought pork because we usually find it boring. But now we will change our minds! We will look for pork tenderloin before we leave Spain!

Margareta, sounds great! But you don't need to have air-dried ham in the fridge, do you?

28 March 2015 - 19:31

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Margareta Jonilson says:

Then just turn back and go shopping in Jabugo or Aracena! A whole bellota ham, with the whole leg down to the hoof, can be had for about 75 euros at the ham museum in Aracena, for example. But it can be a bit difficult to bring home in the fridge...

28 March 2015 - 18:39

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Mr Henrik says:

I agree with you. As a tourist, it's hard to find the food. It's easy to end up with chips. Some "jams" you don't dare to try because you don't want to be in the stomach flu the whole trip. A difficult balancing act.

28 March 2015 - 22:24

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Åsa says:

I mean air-dried lomo, which you cut into thin slices, Helena!

28 March 2015 - 23:05

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Comment by post author

admin says:

Henrik, yes, it's a bit difficult, isn't it? We've never had a stomach bug in Southern Europe yet (touch wood) or by the way, Peter got a stomach bug once in Italy! Anyway hard to find good places!

Åsa, ok thanks for the clarifications!!!
🙂

28 March 2015 - 23:19

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Marina says:

Hope you manage to find a more local restaurant with more exciting flavours.

29 March 2015 - 5:37

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Inga M says:

There is a difference between Spain and Italy when it comes to food. I've never been to Italy, but my children love the food there and it's good everywhere.

29 March 2015 - 8:46

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Ama de casa says:

The Spanish make GOOD food in the "real" places. But as a rule they don't have much finesse on the presentation. Can look very sloppy...
In the tourist centres, it's usually pommies with ALL the food. Boring pommies.
They grind the minced meat much more coarsely than we do in Sweden, hence the chewing resistance. At Carrefour there are also very good "rolls" with pork/beef that are filled with a mixture of different things. Wild onions / pine nuts / peppers ... Cooked in the oven like a steak and they are super tasty!
🙂

29 March 2015 - 9:15

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Comment by post author

admin says:

Marina, there is of course, but then we don't go to restaurants very often either...

Inga M, we also think the food is better in Italy! But some things are good in Spain too.

Ama de casa, thanks for the tips on more fun things we can find at Carrefour! We will look around!
🙂

29 March 2015 - 10:24

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Role o Carina says:

We love paella when we are in Spain!
Squid rings are also delicious 🙂

Have a wonderful time there.....:-)

29 March 2015 - 14:29

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Elisabeth says:

We like Portuguese cuisine more. When we come to new places, we usually check out places that are popular with the locals. They usually serve good food.

31 March 2015 - 8:12

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Pata negra and Spanish meatballs

Food in supermarkets

Pata negra

Spanish meatballs

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22 Comments

Bosse and Gerd says:

joy says:

Ditte says:

Mr Steve says:

BP says:

Roger&Lana says:

admin says:

Lena in Wales says:

Lennart says:

Veiken says:

Åsa says:

admin says:

Margareta Jonilson says:

Mr Henrik says:

Åsa says:

admin says:

Marina says:

Inga M says:

Ama de casa says:

admin says:

Role o Carina says:

Elisabeth says:

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