Catalonia is a country rich with tradition and La Calçotada is no exception. This culinary custom is a journey your tastebuds will never forget.
What is la Calçotada?
La Calçotada is a traditional way of eating what is known in Catalonia as calçots, a species of leek-onion. They originate in the south, around Tarragona, although in reality, they are grown in practically all of Catalonia.
El calçot is named for the special way in which the onion is grown. To lengthen the calçot, farmers plant it deeper in the earth. This way, the onion has to stretch itself to reach the sunlight. The growers repeat the process two or three times before harvesting, in order to make sure the white part is as long as possible.
After the harvest, it is time to cook the calçots! The cooks place the calçots on a grill over the flames. In order with tradition, they light the fire with pure-bred vines. Then, once the calçots are well cooked, they are wrapped in groups of six or twelve in the day’s paper until it’s time to eat. Catalans know the only way to eat calçots is with their hands, with a roman-style sauce on the side, called la salvitxada.
To eat the calçots from the grill, first you need to put on a bib. It can get messy! Next, peel off the charred bits, hold the green end in your hand, dip with white end in the sauce, tilt your head back and eat up! Kids love the fun side to this tradition. You get to eat with your hands and put on a giant bib! It’s a great way to get them to eat their vegetables.
The calçotada begins with some olives and includes a grilled meat called botifarra, which is a Catalan spicy pork sausage, and rack of lamb. Then, for dessert, try crema catalana or mató, a traditional catalan dessert of cheese and honey.
Where can you experience it as a family?
To try out this tradition for yourself, go to La Calçotada! The season of Les Calçotades is from January to March or April. This year, La Calçotada is on Saturday, February 15th in Poble Espanyol. It is the perfect opportunity to visit this magnificent town that the country created to encapsulate the essence of Spain for the Universal Exhibition of 1929. Although most of Les Calçotades happen outside of Barcelona, you can find restaurants that offer their own version!
Enjoy the line up of incredible gastronomical and cultural events. Catalonia comes alive during La Calçotada!The parade of the giants and the human towers are just some of the highlights! You won’t want to miss this showcase of Catalan culture.
As they say in Catalan, ¡Bon profit!
