The Boqueria and the Markets of Barcelona

The Boqueria is one of the great European food markets, the pride of Barcelona and nearly the center of the historic city.  This celebration of the Boqueria and its smaller cousins throughout the Catalan capital offers an enticing collection of recipes which showcase the fruits, vegetables, meats, and seafood found there.

This book originates with an Italian publisher and author, so we look at one Mediterranean cuisine through the eyes of another. This is in most cases an asset, because there is no shying away from unusual ingredients because of supposedly unadventurous American sensibilities. We learn about Carnival sausages enriched with eggs and spices that will soon be forbidden during lent, and a traditional lamb dish sauced with a bitter chocolate sauce.

There are times when the translation into English is less than idiomatic, though clarity is rarely lost. There is an assumption that you’re comfortable with instructions such as “clean the tripe.” If not, and you’re interested anyway, you know how to find out at this point in your life.

So in the face of international trends which homogenize the foods we think about, The Boqueria is a refreshing alternative.

Hardcover. Color photographs throughout.  In English, although the publisher has only provided us with sample photos of the Italian edition.