I didn’t think I’d end up going to Spain 3 times in the last 12 months, after having waited to visit it until I moved to Europe in 2003, and then not again until last year, but there you have it. I have a soft spot in particular for Barcelona, but when I was able to head to Girona, Spain for the Travel Bloggers Exchange (TBEX) conference, I knew it would be a great experience.
The welcome party on opening night did not disappoint. It was in a castle. There were human towers.
And it was catered by El Celler de Can Roca, also known as the #2 Best Restaurant in the World, by Restaurant magazine. If that list doesn’t impress you, they’ve also got 3 Michelin stars.
I’ll let that sink in.
So I was pretty excited to get there and see what they had cooked up for us. They actually distributed a map of the food rooms throughout the castle, one being dedicated to cheese, one to wine, and one to jamón iberico, Spain’s most famous cured ham. And there were many more. There were black sesame seed honey crisps, asparagus mushroom risotto, puffs filled with a truffle cream, smoked salt tuna sashimi, about 100 different cheeses, and of course many desserts after.
I had the option of bustling around the different stations and actually getting something to eat, or balancing my teetering cava glass in one hand and fighting for a shot in the other and not actually getting any food as the crowds pulsed around me. Can you guess which I picked?
Luckily for me, one of the last things to be served that night were these quail eggs with sobrasada, pressed, spreadable, and slightly spicy sausage (similar to sopressata in Italy); which was spread on crusty slices of baguette and then the chef slid those fresh-cooked tiny eggs on top and handed them directly to you.
Hot, crunchy, soft, a little spicy, they were delicious, and super simple.
After I had two…or perhaps three of these, I was able to take a breath and finally get a shot, even if it was in the now-darkened castle.
That’s what I’m craving.
For me it was those truffle dumplings. I woke up the next morning thinking about those.
I love sobrasada too. My mom lives in Mallorca and her friends make homemade sobrasada that they send over with her when she comes to visit. You are welcome over sometime for a slice since we live in the same city ;o)
@Nuts about food – You’re lucky you get it homemade! Sure, we should have coffee sometime – send me an email!
Sounds like a great evening and am sure the food was all delicious! Don’t blame you for not taking too many pics food was calling :) I love Spain it is such an exciting and vibrant country
Carla x