barcelona || a trip to mercat de la boqueria
If you want to learn and get to know the people and culture of a certain place, you should try and visit their food markets. Prior to visiting Barcelona, I came across Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria, or simply called La Boqueria to many. This market officially opened its doors during the 1840βs. I believe it was originally built as a place for fishmongers and butchers.
Nowadays, several snack bars can also be found in the market serving tapas and wine, but there was this bar called Pinotxo and a man named Juanito that caught my attention in an article I had read. It made me very curious as to why Juanito was very famous in the market, so I was in high hopes that I would be able to meet him when we visit.
Fast forward to the day we are visiting Barcelona - as we made our way to the market entrance in the morning, I suddenly realize that right in front of where I stand from is the infamous Bar Pinotxo. I sit down at the bar stool, giddy and excited when Juanito approached us and took our orders. All four us, my husband and I together with my best friend Joana and her husband JR, ordered a local milk chocolate drink called Cacaolat, which was steamed up by Juanito himself. It had the perfect foam on top and was served in a unique personal sized bottle.
I introduce myself and tell him that I came to his snack bar simply because I just want to meet him. Juanito radiantly smiles and joyfully chats with us, not minding the language barrier. He is very gracious and has a certain warmth that makes us all feel very welcomed and taken care of. Each customer is greeted, served, and then sent off in the same ecstatic and cheerful manner and I finally understand why Juanito is an institution at La Boqueria. He's not a star but day in and day out, he just surely puts a smile on everybody's faces with his happy and upbeat demeanor. We finally say our goodbyes, taking a few pictures, and shaking his hand to thank him. What a way to start our day, I am so ecstatic that we finally met Juanito Bayen!!!
As we make our way to the busy stalls in the market, we uncover many great food finds. First of, I notice the vibrant fruit and vegetable stands, some selling ready-to-eat fresh fruit conveniently packed in ready to go containers. There are several vendors selling colorful fresh fruit juices displayed on ice. Name the flavor combination you like and they probably have it. We buy some fruit flavored paletas (ice pops) and enjoy the market even more. As we weave through each alley, we discover endless displays of Spanish cured meats, huge jamon legs hanging in hooks, a wide array of Spanish cheeses, different kinds of local pastries like empanadas, displays of nuts, olives, meats, poultry, fish and so much more!
As we walk through the market, next thing I know my husband is tapping me on the shoulder asking me if I was okay. For a moment I freeze, just standing in awe, literally not knowing where to look first. I was delighted at so many displays of perfectly molded chocolates and vibrant candies. I admit that I am very skeptical about the quality of the truffles so I only buy a small bag, they sell it in grams, and I was so pleased to find out that they taste as good as they look!
My trip to La Boqueria is so memorable and to this day, I still dream of going back to Barcelona just to visit this vibrant market. The eye candy displays and the quality and freshness of the produce and products is unforgettable. I'm not sure how to describe how I felt but this trip for me was like a trip to Disneyland....or maybe like a little kids' trip to a candy store --- literally!!!
