Oil, and the drive back
Chloe, Vero and I went to an amazing Olive Oil specialist called "olisal" just down the road, in Gracia (again -- such great shopping!). The store was recommended by Alex, and is totally amazing. I was only sorry that mom had left earlier in the morning, because they are also specialists in sea salt, which she loves.
I bought a big can of oil for cooking called "Oli d'Arbeca", with the following description:
"Oil from the Arbeca Cooperative, Lleida. This cooperative brings together 700 members, producing all the oil under the same standards, with three basic clues: artisan collection and production, rigorous quality control test under the supervision of the PDO Regulatory Control Les Garrigues, only made from Arbequina olives, not using any kind of chemicals, preservatives or dyes."
as well as two for salads, dipping in bread etc: A southern oil with stronger flavor called "Cortijo de Suerte"
"Eological oil, natural blend, from a grove planted in 1924 in which are intermingled the three varieties typical of the DO Baena: picudo, hojiblanca and Picual. Prepared by natural decantation, a procedure that preserves the most polyphenols, beneficial antioxidants that preventcellular aging and cancer cell degeneration. The pest control trappingoccurs encouraging natural predators of insect pests. The packaging is made by order, meanwhile the oil is conserved in stainless steel tanks to ensure their high quality."
The second was a milder oil from the North, called Terrall, without a description. Finally, I bought a beautiful hand blown glass olive oil cruet (decanter) from the Galo Mercade factory.
Next, clean up the house and find food! I was hoping to repeat the "buy the seafood, walk a few feet, have it cooked, eat it" experience, but sadly all the fish sellers were closed (maybe on all thursdays?). Instead, we bought some decent Bellota and Chorizo and bread. Finally, we hopped in the car and made the six hour drive back home.
This was my first time in Spain, amazingly, and I really loved it. My neighbor tells me that Easyjet has a lot of flights from Lyon to other places in Spain, so that might be the way to go for more Southern cities.
I bought a big can of oil for cooking called "Oli d'Arbeca", with the following description:
"Oil from the Arbeca Cooperative, Lleida. This cooperative brings together 700 members, producing all the oil under the same standards, with three basic clues: artisan collection and production, rigorous quality control test under the supervision of the PDO Regulatory Control Les Garrigues, only made from Arbequina olives, not using any kind of chemicals, preservatives or dyes."
as well as two for salads, dipping in bread etc: A southern oil with stronger flavor called "Cortijo de Suerte"
"Eological oil, natural blend, from a grove planted in 1924 in which are intermingled the three varieties typical of the DO Baena: picudo, hojiblanca and Picual. Prepared by natural decantation, a procedure that preserves the most polyphenols, beneficial antioxidants that preventcellular aging and cancer cell degeneration. The pest control trappingoccurs encouraging natural predators of insect pests. The packaging is made by order, meanwhile the oil is conserved in stainless steel tanks to ensure their high quality."
The second was a milder oil from the North, called Terrall, without a description. Finally, I bought a beautiful hand blown glass olive oil cruet (decanter) from the Galo Mercade factory.
Next, clean up the house and find food! I was hoping to repeat the "buy the seafood, walk a few feet, have it cooked, eat it" experience, but sadly all the fish sellers were closed (maybe on all thursdays?). Instead, we bought some decent Bellota and Chorizo and bread. Finally, we hopped in the car and made the six hour drive back home.
This was my first time in Spain, amazingly, and I really loved it. My neighbor tells me that Easyjet has a lot of flights from Lyon to other places in Spain, so that might be the way to go for more Southern cities.
