The city is beautiful! Full of genious buildings, great street life, beaches, mountains, cool stores, monuments, historic places, and more, much more. And the food, oh the food... Barcelona and all the Catalunia region have some of the best chefs and restaurants in the world (Adrià's El Bulli is probably the most famous).
And what about their patisseries? This city is the home of a few of my favourite pastry chefs, and it was the perfect opportunity to go drool over their trendy patisseries. I was a happy (and well fed) girl these days! Wanna come on a tour of the sweet side of Barcelona?
Let's start with the big Oriol Balaguer, he's probably the pastry king in Spain right now. He wrote one of the greatest pastry books ever and his shop looked more like a jewelry store instead. Everything was so darn perfect! I bought a box with 4 gigantic vanilla financiers. Lovely...
Next stop was Enric Rovira, a master chocolatier. Another jewelry store like shop, with pretty and modern packaging and cool flavours.
Almond, milk chocolate and mostard or wasabi, white chocolate and peas? Oh well, I'll take the saffron ones instead... Would you look at the color of that saffron ganache?
Another chocolate heaven was Xocoa. One wall completely covered with different flavours bars. But it was too hot to carry chocolate around so I decided for a basil-coffee chocolate chip cookie. Interesting stuff...
So after that generous quantity of sugar I decided to go to the famous market in the city center, La Boqueria.
I though it would be a good opportunity to buy some fruit and some healthier things. Yeah, right... Of course I found fruit, but my eyes were more interested in the chuches, gomitas, frutos secos y otras porquerias...
Everywhere I looked there were gummies! They're very popular in Spain, so if you live by the rule "In Rome be a Roman", well then in Spain... eat gummies!
Right next to the market, in probably the most popular street La Rambla there's another iconic pastry shop: Escribà. They're most well known for their jewelry made out of sugar.
Caramel rings that you can eat?! That gotta be better than diamond ones, right?
I didn't buy a caramel ring, but if I had bought it I would probably propose to Carles Mampel, the head behind my absolute favourite pastry shop from this trip: Bubò.
I'm in love with him, with his style and with his... pistachio macarrons.
What about his Opera Cake (remember this?) on a stick, covered with chocolate and crunchy bits? Carles will you marry me?
So now back home I think I'll have to start considering cutting down on the sugar to compensate for the enormous amount I had last week. I'll start with these spanish olives I brought back with me. Even thought they're almond brittle covered in white and dark chocolate, they're still olives. Right? And olives are like vegetables, right? Right???
54 comments:
OMG..sugar sugar everywhere! I would be as big as a house!Glad you had a great time!
Wow, how did you control yourself? It all looks amazing especially the Macaroons!
Welcome back! Your trip looks like it was wonderful. Those pastry shops are gorgeous. I bet everything tasted great as well!
OMG.. Rita! This must be heaven! You're sooo lucky! I haven't been in Barcelona in about 10 years and i can see it has changed a lot. I love the book by Oriol Balaguer by the way. Pure genius. And THAT pistachio macaron, i WANT!
I'm glad you had fun! Thanks for sharing. :-)
I seriously hate you right now. I'm going to throw a tantrum because I didn't get to go.
Everything looks sooo good. Look at all those gummies!
Oh how I envy you! You came back from Barcelona...and I came back from a road trip with my kids from Seattle! Ah well.
I am just drooling at all your pics! love how those macarons look!
What gorgeous pictures! I think the best part about going on vacation is getting a free pass to eat all the sugar (and other food) that you want. Looks like you used your time well! Thanks for sharing.
LOVE all the pics from your trip! Oh, that chocolate. That's the first place I'd stop if I go out of the country....a chocolate shop! Great post, glad you had a nice trip!
bienvenida...a mi tambien me hubiera gustado ir y conocerte...espero que hayas disfrutado
Bueno, si ya tenía ganas de ir por Barcelona, ahora tengo más. Me quedaba convencer a mi chico y creo que tus fotos me ayudarán (los pasteles y las gominolas van a ser una baza definitiva a mi favor).
Y esas aceitunitas... ¡Qué perfección! las mías quedan a la altura del betún... ;-)
Sounds like such a fun trip and just my kind, full of goodies. Did you do a lot of walking? When I was in NY, I was grateful for all the walking, to equal out all the goodies I ate!
My boys would certainly be in gummy heaven there!
Me, I'll stick with chocolate, thank you!
Great pictures!
P.S. I DO sleep in my bed in our bedroom, but it's not far from the kitchen! ;)
Oh the goodies, so many of them! Those caramel rings sound like a yummy idea, I mean who could say no to such a proposal? :))
Looks like you had TONS of fun!
Oh, these pictures are killing me! And today I was going to start being a little more "healthier eater" (diet in other terms). Glad you had fun on your vacation!
Oh, the Netherlands is soooo boring when sweet stuff in concerned! I love all the stores in Barcelona, I knew it was a beautiful place but now I know for sure I have to go there!
Leslie- Yes it was a bit of sugar overdosis, now the gym waits!
Cathy- Who told you I controled myself?
Tanya- Oh yes they did!
Zen- You should go back asap! The macarron was as amazing as it looks!
Emiline- Lol! I know the gummies are something else!
Cakebrain- Oh well Seattle must be great too!
Liz- Oh yes I did, I had the full free pass to eat sugar, lol!
Jenny-
Just bad it was too hot, beacuse I would have bought more, much more!
Emila- Bueno tu eres de Madrid, no? A veces me paso, no está tan lejos, ya quedaremos para cafelito la projima vez que vaya, ok?
Morgana- Nunca has ido? Pues si tienes de ir, es preciosa la ciudad!
Katrina- Oh yes I did walk a looooooooooot. It was good, beacuse I would have to buy new clothes now, ahahah!
Lore- They were cute, but a bit expensive I think.
Lisa- I will be on the "healthier side" for a while now, after this!
Linda- You're not far at all from barcelona! You should deninetly try to go!
I want the pistachio macaroons! I'm so excited to go to Europe in the fall, even though I won't make it to Spain on this trip. I love Spain and I always have such a good time eating my way through.
How in the world did you have such self control? Come on, I know about your sweet tooth (teeth rather) and your carb cravings :)
I'm happy you had such a good time, it seems to be a pastry lovers paradise there. I want that basil coffee chocolate chip cookie (say that 10 times fast)!
pistachio macarrons!! omg!
I am so envious. I've been working on a food post for my vacation, but this one has mine beat. I'm getting a wonderful sugar high just looking at this.
oh, I wanna go back. Barcelona was my favorite place to visit. We stayed at a town called Roses at the beach, not too far from Cadaques (gorgeous! city).
Oh god! Saffron ganache!! I need to stel that idea!
did you eat at el bulli?
I would jump over my own mother to eat there.
I JUST read an article about a pastry tour in Barcelona (in a German pastry magazine). I have to tell you - yours is better. Covering many of the same spots, I like that you show us the pictures too.
Thank you!
Alexandra
Prudy- Will you make it to Portugal?
Adam- My sweet tooth is that obvoius???
Meghan- Omg, indeed!
Disorder cook- Lol! Sugar high it's a bit of an understatement, lol!
Irina- I was just in the city, but all that area is beautiful.
Brittany- Hell no! They have years waiting list and not really the cheapest place to eat! Maybe some day...
Look at all of those sweets! The pistachio macarons sound really good.
...Intellectuals and artists like Picasso and Salvador Dalí were frequent visitors of Cadaques and helped give it the international prestige that it is known for today... . I sound like a tour guide...sorry
Rita, welcome back! It seems like you had a wonderful time! And who wouldn't? I so need a vacation!
Holy cow! I would be in heaven. All those candies. I love gummies too, but that Opera cake on a stick? Hello?
That one pic of all the gummies is such a beatufil picture; you should enter that one in a photo contest.
I am so jealous! What a fun trip! Everything looks so delicious!
I love Barcelona!!! I wish I were there! Those olives are a great thing to bring back!
Welcome home - Looks like you had such an amazing time and all those kickass culinary treats YUM. How did That is on my list of places to visit that is for sure.
oh, that's an incredile assortment of sugary bites...I envy you! Tempting pics...you see. Even the olives look so inviting...
Opera cake on a stick! How cool is that :) I'm planning on going to Spain next year so need as many tips as possible. Love this post, thank you!
welcome back! how awesome for you to have been so many places trying so many delicious treats!
Jealous. Very. Sob.
(I'm in the office pretending to work while licking the screen. Do you think they'll notice?)
Glad you had fun :)
Wow, I've been swamped with work for just a week and you've come up with a Filbert and Barcelona. I envy you ;) My favorite picture is that of the pistachio macaroon! Un-freakin-believable :D
You had a wonderful trip. Welcome back. :)
You're my hero! I couldn't imagine a better trip to Barcelona. I can see you think much like a Cake gumshoe when you're traveling...I think we'd be very good travel buddies :-)
Ai ya yai, Que mala;)
would love to go back to Barthelona, I envy you so much;)
All those sugar goodies ...*drooling*
Welcome back and wow, looks like you ate well and had a great time! Sadly, my wife and I hadn't planned our trip to Spain so well and just about every place of interest on our agenda was very under construction or pretty quiet and dead. Looks like we'll have to go back another time!
Que delícia de fotos! Também eu adoro essas bolinhas de amêndoa cobertas de chocolate.
Beijinhos
Welcome back! I love all your pictures and am tempted to go hop on a plane to Barcelona myself. If Carles won't have you, would you mind if I tried proposing??!
WOW!! I am blown away!! Your pictures are fabulous. I would love to go to Barcelona one day! Welcome back, chica!
Welcome home!!! GREAT photos!
Those macaroons and olives are TO DIE FOR!!! YUMMY
Oh I love Barcelona, it's my favorite foreign city.
Looks fantastic makes me wish I was over there. Yes do over compensate now with the olives they are vegetables completely.:)
Alexandra- Oh great! Barcelona is really happening right now, no wonder magazines are talking about it!
Kevin- I think it was my favourite, that and the Opera.
Irina- lol, thanks for the info!
Vera- Hope you have your vacation soon!
Dawn- I know the Opera is genius! I love that picture too, thank you!
Melody- It was really fun, yes!
Lina- The olives are just great, but a bit expensive :(
Cathy- i really hope you get to go there!
Shreya- The olives are just great, inside it's a crunchy brittle, really good!
Y- really, you're coming next year? Where?
Shelby- I know! I guess I'm a lucky gal!
Dee- No I don't think they'll notice, lol!
A&N- Oh yes, the macarron. have you seen that gorgeous green color?!
Hendria- Thank you!
Cakespy- Oh, I'll bet we would!
Zita- Jejeje, solo un poquito mala!
Mike- Oh so sorry to hear that! Next time take these adresses with you!
Monica- são optimas, não são?
Sharon- Carles is mine! Plus you're maried allready!
Prudence- Thank you! Hope you have the chance to go back!
Jody- To die for indeed!
Peabody- Really? I loved it as well!
Katie- Thank you, I really needed to hear that about the olives. i also though so, lol!
I hope that you had an amazing time (you sure look like you did). These are amazing pictures (and look very yummy). I would be like 200 lbs heavier after going bc I sure have a sweet tooth.
I have some really nice pictures from my travels to I would love to show but ugh I packed my usb cord and its on its way over sea's :(..
Oh, sigh... I love Barcelona...
Great pics, great post!
I think I just fainted from pure jealousy.....WOW....all those sweets...want them!!!
Solo puedo decir: QUE RICO!!
Gracias por el premio también!!!
Saluditos!!!
estuve en bubo nada mas abrir y sali enamorada. la verdad es que barcelona tiene un encanto especial!
I love the gummie photo. I had no idea they were so popular in Spain.
wow, looks like sugar heaven to me! :)
Haven't completely decided yet, but definitely Barcelona, for starters. Originally I thought I would postpone seeing Spain until I got a booking at El Bulli, but I don't think I can wait until I'm sixty to visit the country! ;P
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