Spanish Memories - #1

#1 - The Spanish People

I have never been much of a tourist, and while I love food and sports (as my countdown can prove), I use both as ways to foster social gatherings.  Fortunately for me during my six months here in Spain, I met an incredible group of people at work to learn and enjoy the Catalan culture with.  It is great to tour around Barcelona and to try new and exciting food, but the core of living (for me) is about relationships and interactions, and the people I met helped to fill (as much as possible) the large void of being away from Jessica, Berkley, family, and friends.

Starting on my first day of work, each and every person I met at the office made a point to say hello each day, to help me wherever they could, and to make me feel as much at home as possible away from North Carolina.  As the days and weeks passed, I became friends with the other engineers, joining them for beers after work on Fridays, nights out on the weekend, and even a few rounds of pitch-and-putt golf.  In the second half of my stay here, everything became less about me being an American and instead about just being co-workers and friends.  Emails with photoshopped pictures were passed around, inside jokes started, and everything evolved into what I'd consider "normal" friendships.

Now that it's time for me to return to North Carolina, I realize how much I'll miss seeing everyone each day in the office.  I feel like the bond I've formed here at work is different than the ones at past jobs because I had to rely on these people for EVERYTHING, and they always helped.  I am hopeful that some will visit our North Carolina site and I'll be able to show them around and be their help just the way they were for me, because I don't know how else to show my appreciation.

At the start of this assignment, I really had no idea what to expect.  Jessica and I worked very hard to get through the tough time apart, and we're just a few days away!  I knew there would be great food and an exciting city, but I didn't think much about my daily life here.  Now that I am packing to come back home, I realize that the experience here for me was mostly about meeting new people and understanding their culture, both in and out of the workplace.  I'll take back a million memories from my time in Spain, but the ones I'll remember most, and hope to keep creating, are the relationships I made and good times I had with my friends here.  Tourists can experience numbers 2-20 on my list, but not #1.

#2 - Mas Albereda
#3 - El Clasico
#4 - Espai Sucre
#5 - Nose-to-Tail Eating

#6 - Costa Brava

#7 - Spanish Ham

#8 - Cerveceria Catalana

#9 - La Sagrada Familia

#10 - Hilton Barcelona

#11 - Bocadillos

#12 - Octopus with Paprika

#13 - MariscCo

#14 - Bar Londen

#15 - Duck Confit is Everywhere

#16 - McDonalds

#17 - American Fox Television

#18 - The Granollers Bowling Alley

#19 - Scobie's Irish Pub

#20 - Prices Include Tax in Spain

Spanish Memories - #5, 4, 3, and 2

Upon completion of today's blog, there only remains the top item on my list.  In addition to the 20ish items I've covered, there are hundreds of others that have made the six month experience here in Spain incredible! 

To continue the countdown...

#5 - Nose-to-Tail Eating

For those unfamiliar with the concept, nose-to-tail eating is the idea that all parts of an animal can be used for one thing or another in a kitchen, frequently with surprisingly great results.  This idea is MUCH more prevalent in Spain, and while it is gaining momentum in America, I appreciated the chance to try so much variety here.  What follows is a list with a few of the dishes I tried during my stay:

• Pig trotter (pictured above) - Probably my favorite; the flavor was rich with a perfect mix of textures
• Cudillo (pork elbow) - Similar to a lamb shank in appearance, excellent flavor, and texture
• Shrimp heads - The flavor is great, and stronger than the shrimp body; odd texture and method for eating though
• Morros - Fried pieces of pork taken from in around the cheek... delicious
• Murcilla - Blood sausage that is made from pork, rice, and onions; my second favorite style of sausage here behind the typical butifarra

The old adage of "don't knock it until you try it" certainly applies to Spanish cuisine.  I would have missed some GREAT food if I had been discouraged by the name or the description, and instead I was able to take full advantage!

#4 - Espai Sucre

Jessica and I enjoyed Espai Sucre during her two-week stay here.  Below is my blog from our visit (including mention of the best pork dish I had here in Spain!):

"Espai Sucre (http://www.espaisucre.com/) is a restaurant that specializes in desserts with a focus on molecular gastronomy and unique flavor combinations.  Instead of serving typical savory courses and then having a dessert menu, they actually offer full menus of desserts only (as well as two options where they create one or two savory courses integrated with the sweet).  For our meal, Jessica chose the five-course dessert option while I selected the six-course menu with two savory items (octopus in my second course, pork in my third).  To best understand the meal, I'd suggest you look at our pictures on Instagram, but for a quick summary:

- The dishes all looked and tasted incredible.  Each had unique flavor combinations (often times matching fresh herbs with fruit flavors as well as chocolates, coffees, and even tobacco) as well as varying textures, with foams, ices, jellies, creams, and even tapioca in my final course.  The colors were great too... bright yellows and light greens contrasted with reds and whites and dark chocolates.  Just viewing the plate was satisfying I thought!
- The pork dish I had, covered with a coffee streusel, was one of the five best flavors I've tried in my life.  It was a high quality rib cut, but tasted more like a perfectly braised belly piece with a meatier consistency.  The coffee crunch was excellent as well, and I've never had a better reduced pork sauce than this one.
- Even with the complex courses, sometimes pairing five and six flavors, I found (with one exception) that each ingredient served a purpose and the best bites were ones with every component included.
- Service was incredible.  The restaurant only has six tables I think, and each course is explained perfectly by the two servers.  For us, the main waiter was great describing the wines as well, and generally led us through the meal.  Rarely do I feel that service adds or takes away much from my experience, but here it was integral to our enjoyment!"

I cannot make a good case that you must try Espai Sucre as part of the "true" Spanish experience when visiting Barcelona.  However, it is the most interesting, unique restaurant I've ever eaten in, and one I'd recommend to all people, particularly those that are fans of molecular gastronomy.

#3 - El Clasico at Camp Nou

Our trip to Camp Nou for the Barca - Real Madrid match was fantastic.  Neither Jessica nor I had ever been to a game, and to take in one of the world's best sports rivalries with 90,000+ other fans was the perfect way to do it.  We saw five goals, including scores from Messi and Ronaldo, and watched as Barca held on for a 3-2 victory.  Our seats were set right at midfield and we were able to see all of the action!  I have nothing else to compare this experience to, but I am guessing it spoiled me as a futbol fan, as I'll always now use it as my benchmark.  If you cannot see a match when you visit Barcelona, at least go through the tour of Camp Nou to get a feeling for what major club soccer feels like!

#2 - Mas Albereda
 



Jessica and I spent our first wedding anniversary together at this wonderful hotel and restaurant.  Every detail was perfect and it was a trip that both of us will never forget!  My blog from May is below, which highlights the incredible meal we had, as well as some details of the hotel.

"For our anniversary day, we ventured to a northern village outside of Vic to celebrate in a more relaxed, calm environment.  We stayed at a farmhouse that has been converted into a modern hotel and restaurant called Mas Albereda (http://www.masalbereda.com/).  Even though it was rainy, we thoroughly enjoyed the grounds, the peacefulness, and the accommodations at the hotel.  Jessica was able to get a massage while I watched a Spanish game show (the details of which I neither understand nor can explain) before dinner. 

We had a drink at their bar, which was a running joke for Jessica and me.  Here in Spain, it is very common for everyone to say, "Let's take a beer" instead of "Let's have a beer" like many would say in America.  I really like this different way of saying it, so I asked every ten minutes whether we could "take" a drink before she finally conceded.  I am going to try to get this phrase to stick when I come back to Clayton for sure.

Dinner at Mas Albereda was magnificent... this could really be its own post but for the sake of time and attention span, I'll summarize as best I can.  We shared a bottle of local red wine that, to a novice like me, was great.  The meal started with a HUGE fresh garden salad for Jessica and cod fritters for me that were so incredibly light, I honestly thought they could float in the air.  If you take a standard hush puppy and cut the density 100 times, you're probably close to what these were.  The flavor was just strong enough to remind you it was cod but not overpowering.  Honestly, it was one of the most impressive fried food executions I've ever had.

As strong as the meal started, the main course was another level up.  Jessica had a whole veal tenderloin (seriously, it was probably 18 ounces!) coupled with a mushroom and potato hash.  Cleverly, the chef included a scorching hot ceramic tile on the plate allowing the diner to further "cook" their meat if they desired.  In this case, they served the tenderloin medium rare so Jessica could just touch it off to get to medium while I could enjoy as is.  My meal, called on the menu as "Pig trotter and black sausage shrimp ravioli", was my first real taste of molecular gastronomy.  Instead of using pasta, the shrimp were the ravioli, pounded thin and then "glued" together somehow to hold the filling.  I have seen on shows before the use of protein glue to get this type of effect, so maybe that is what was used.  Regardless, the shrimp were amazingly sweet on their own and then just perfect when matched with the meaty pork products inside.  Visually, I was stunned (in a good way!) when the plate came and somehow the taste even exceeded the presentation.  Dessert was a rich chocolate brownie with strawberries and ice cream... delicious but not as good as the first two courses for me!"

Mas Albereda is about an hour north of Barcelona, and may not be a popular tourist spot if even for a night.  Jessica and I, though, will always hold the hotel and staff in a special place as they provided the best first anniversary I could have imagined, while allowing us to celebrate the Catalan way of living!

#6 - Costa Brava

#7 - Spanish Ham

#8 - Cerveceria Catalana

#9 - La Sagrada Familia

#10 - Hilton Barcelona

#11 - Bocadillos

#12 - Octopus with Paprika

#13 - MariscCo

#14 - Bar Londen

#15 - Duck Confit is Everywhere

#16 - McDonalds

#17 - American Fox Television

#18 - The Granollers Bowling Alley

#19 - Scobie's Irish Pub

#20 - Prices Include Tax in Spain

Spanish Memories - #6 and 7

As I approach the Top 5 on my list, I wanted to add some "Other memories receiving votes" to the countdown since I forgot and / or ran out of room for everything.  And so, here they are:

• Spanish language - I've improved a fair amount in the past couple of months, but more so in my writing and speaking than my listening (which is still near impossible).  I now feel confident that I could communicate, at least basically, with someone here who speaks no English.  Also, my friends at work have taught me a few of the "off-color" sayings and that's always enjoyable. 
• Passeig de Gracia - I spent a great deal of my time in Barcelona on this very street; it has nice shops, good restaurants, and interesting architecture.  It's a wonderful place to start a tour of the city, and I'd recommend La Vinoteca Torres as a good place to eat and have a glass of wine (even if the prices are a little high, the food is incredible).  You can also see two Gaudi houses.
• Picasso Museum - By no means am I an art scholar, but I really enjoyed seeing Picasso's "evolution" as a painter.  The museum is tucked away in the Gotic area, and is seamlessly fits into the neighborhood (except for the long lines waiting to get in).
• Rancid concert - I already mentioned this at the beginning of the countdown, but it was truly great.
• Palau Musica Catalana - This is the most famous concert hall in Barcelona, it is absolutely gorgeous inside.  Jessica and I took the ~ 50 minute tour and it is well worth your time.

#7 - Spanish Ham

Spanish ham, called "jamon" (and pronounced ha-moan) here, is arguably the most respected and important single ingredient in Barcelona.  People here eat it on sandwiches, alone with olive oil, on bread with tomato, and incorporated into many dishes.  There are so many different grades and qualities but the best is Iberico, which can be identified by the black nail on the pig trotter (and are fed acorns to increase flavor).

One of the coolest things about the ham here is seeing the shops with full pig legs hanging, and watching the worker slice off individual pieces as you order.  The color (dark purple) and aroma (heavenly) are so different from any of the ham in America; I don't even really consider the two from the same food group!

No matter where you go in Barcelona, you'll see shops selling the Iberico ham.  And knowing that you don't have the chance to try it when you leave, you'll always want to stop if just for a single slice.

#6 - Costa Brava

For part of our two week vacation in August, Jessica and I spent two nights in the Costa Brava.  I wrote about the experience in a prior blog and have copied that below...

"To get the true Spain-in-August experience, we booked two nights in the Costa Brava at Hotel Aigua Blava.  The Costa Brava is an area on the northeastern coast of Spain with jagged rocky shorelines and spectacular views of the Mediterranean Sea.  Our hotel was located on a small bluff overlooking a bay filled with boats of all sizes... a perfect view to wake up to each morning.  We spent most of our time here relaxing by the pool (which also overlooked the bay) since the rest of our trip was more hectic, and we enjoyed every second of it.  It was great to sit by the pool reading with a Fanta or water or Coke Zero or beer and not have to worry about anything else... I think it's just what we both needed!  We didn't travel to any of the other beaches in the area (and there are MANY) which is what a lot of locals do, but I couldn't have asked for a better getaway for a few days."

While our short stay limited the chance to see other beaches and towns (which are all known for their food, culture, and history), we saw enough in our two days to understand why the area is so popular for tourists and Spanish people alike.  The Costa Brava, with its breathtaking views, cool water, and relaxed pace of life, definitely lived up to its billing as a world class travel destination!

#8 - Cerveceria Catalana
#9 - La Sagrada Familia
#10 - Hilton Barcelona
#11 - Bocadillos
#12 - Octopus with Paprika
#13 - MariscCo
#14 - Bar Londen
#15 - Duck Confit is Everywhere
#16 - McDonalds
#17 - American Fox Television
#18 - The Granollers Bowling Alley
#19 - Scobie's Irish Pub
#20 - Prices Include Tax in Spain

Spanish Memories - #8, 9, and 10

At the halfway point, I've covered mostly the random things in Spain that offered me a link to home.  I then added a few of the regional foods (which will continue), and now will begin with the major sites and events that I experienced while here.

#10 - Hilton Barcelona

The Hilton Barcelona benefits on this list from two things... low expectations and being part of Jessica's and my night at the Camp Nou for El Clasico.  It's not particularly Spanish but the hotel, its bar, its restaurant, and its location really were great during our visit so I wanted to include it (it is clearly overranked but oh well).  To summarize, I've made a list:

- The hotel seems brand new and is extremely modern (which I always like).
- The bar served random candied nuts with our drinks, and the bar tenders gave us a crash course on attending the match at Camp Nou.
- The outdoor restaurant had an innovative, almost Indian take on patatas bravas.  They served 10 cubed potatoes; half in a green spicy sauce and half in red.  It looked like a checkboard on the plate.
- We were given a room on the executive floor with access to snacks and free drinks during the afternoon.  This was critical to our pre-game plans.
- Just a block away from the hotel is an upscale mall that has a cool market in the underground floor worth visiting for the sights and smells.
- The hotel service was incredible.
- We could walk to and from the futbol match in 10-15 minutes.

If you are in Barcelona and need a place to stay, I cannot recommend this Hilton enough (it's the Hilton not as close to the beach but more in the city center).

# 9 - La Sagrada Familia (and all Gaudi works)

La Sagrada Familia is easily the most famous, and popular, tourist site in Barcelona.  It is a mammoth cathedral designed and started by Gaudi, the best and most famous architect here in Catalonia (and one of the best in the world I can only assume).  In addition to this attraction, Gaudi also designed two houses on Passeig de Gracia (Casa Batllo and Casa Pedrera) and Parc Guell, all of which are worth seeing and made in very typical Gaudi fashion.

For me, Sagrada Familia is probably the most impressive man-made tourist attraction I've ever seen (and it inexplicably ranks 9th here, an indictment of my bias towards food and experiences).  The outside, which is still under construction, has massive towers reaching high into the sky, and intricate design work around the entire outer wall.  Without ever stepping foot inside, you can see such detail and creativity that some people don't bother with the paid tour and instead just look from outside the gate.  For me, though, the inside is far, far better.

Stepping into the main area of the church, I was struck by how immense and modern everything was.  The outside looks weathered and ancient; the inside clean and brand-new.  As the picture above shows, there are columns reaching to the ceiling and stained glass all throughout, both of a size that I've never encountered before.  Further, there is a 1000 seat choir area as well as spiral staircases with glass railings in the corners of the cathedral that wrap up to the higher floors.  Just the idea that someone could conceive this design and then carry it out (with help from others of course) is amazing to me.

I have yet to see any set of pictures that do justice to the inside of La Sagrada Familia.  It is truly something that must be seen in-person, and it's worth whatever wait you face when you arrive outside.  Those who see only the outside see a great building; those that go inside EXPERIENCE the architecture and vision of Gaudi.

#8 - Cerveceria Catalana

I've already written about Cerveceria Catalana before, so I'll post that below.  Since that initial visit, I've been back four or five times and enjoyed it just as much with each trip.  I tend to stick with the things I know (croquettes, salmon crudo, jamon, etc.) but always see so many good new tastes that I wish I always had this place at my disposal!

Here is what I wrote...

"The first night in Barcelona, I tried Cerveceria Catalana, a true tapas bar in downtown, with my boss and another co-worker.  We went during what would be happy hour here (people eat dinner around 9:30 PM or so and we went at 7:45 PM) and the place was PACKED.  It had many tables in the back of the restaurant, but the front basically had two sushi-type bars, one on each wall.  In the "display" glass, there were countless different tapas, all of which looked great.  The tapas "bar tenders" would then take orders, either by name or by people pointing and shouting, and it created quite a unique, awesome, and chaotic experience in the restaurant!  With people jam packed inside, I'm not quite sure how the server figured out who ordered and ate what, but they did and everything was fantastic.

All of the items were served on top of a small piece of bread... I believe this style of tapas has a specific name that escapes me though.  We tried the following: ham, salmon crudo (which was AMAZING), sliders, veal, grilled shrimp, and croquettes.  My favorite were the grilled shrimp; they were cooked so perfectly that they remained tender and juicy without seeming to be undercooked.  After trying these shrimp, I feel like I've never had another effort that wasn't slightly overcooked!  Even the burger, which I wasn't too sure would be good, was excellent.  They topped it with very sweet caramelized onions and cheese and in one bite, I was in heaven."

I am sure this place is a "touristy" spot, but that's only because it truly is incredible.  I would say it's the one MUST-GO place in Barcelona to me, if just for the experience of a tapas bar (not to mention the delectable food and reasonable cost).  When I come back to see Barcelona, this will be first on my list!



#11 - Bocadillos
#12 - Octopus with Paprika
#13 - MariscCo
#14 - Bar Londen
#15 - Duck Confit is Everywhere
#16 - McDonalds
#17 - American Fox Television
#18 - The Granollers Bowling Alley
#19 - Scobie's Irish Pub
#20 - Prices Include Tax in Spain

Spanish Memories - #11, 12, and 13

Major food theme on the countdown today...

#13 - MariscCo

Barcelona prides itself on serving extremely fresh seafood, and my #13 memory celebrates this fact.  At MariscCo (which I found searching through restaurant reviews online), you choose your meal from various fish and shellfish presented "market style" (shown above) at the front of the restaurant, and then wait as everything is cooked in their open kitchen.  At the counter, you select from a variety of shrimp, lobster (which is still alive), crab, monkfish, oysters, mussels, tuna, and other fishes.  I've never encountered such a place in America, but it is a great way to pick what looks good and then have it prepared any way that you'd like (although they have recommendations which I've always found to be great).

The two staples which I've ordered on all my visits are the king prawns and octopus.  The shrimp is served head-on in a delicious garlic olive oil, while the octopus is served in the typical fashion with paprika.  Both dishes are incredibly tender and cooked just until the seafood is ready; too often shrimp and octopus are chewy but here the texture is indescribably good.  My last trip, I had their tuna which was also excellent... seared on a flat-top for a minute on each side and then served with a simple soy sauce.  The quality of the tuna, served rare, was extremely high and the flavor (the meaty fish coupled with the soy and the seared edges) was fantastic.

For me, MariscCo is a great celebration of the local seafood available in Barcelona.  The front display and the simple but delicious cooking methods highlight everything that is good about the cuisine here.  While American seafood restaurants mostly center their dishes around a particular item, MariscCo keeps with the "tapas" way by offering portions of any size (picked by the customer) so that a meal can be one main course, or a collection of several small samples!

#12 - Octopus with Paprika

One of the most common, and delicious, Spanish dishes is octopus served with paprika and potatoes.  Other than duck confit, it's probably the one meal I've tried more than any other here.  With few exceptions, the octopus is served cut into coin-shaped pieces and then coated with paprika and olive oil.  For whatever reason, I find that the flavor combination here is PERFECT; the tender octopus has a very mild flavor (barely tasting like seafood) with  a nice salty quality that magnifies the taste of the paprika.  It is critical that the octopus be prepared well, so that it is tender rather than gummy (I've had one case where it was somewhat gummy and dry, and while it was still okay, it wouldn't qualify for this list in that state), which provides the whole dish with a unique texture-and-flavor match that I've never found anywhere else. 

Sadly, I've only had this dish ONCE in America, and that was in a Spanish restaurant in Philadelphia.  It is one of the foods I'll definitely miss when I return back to Clayton... and one that isn't quite so simple to make at home!

#11 - Bocadillos

Spain's answer to an American sub is the bocadillo... typically some sort of pork "deli" meat (Spanish ham, sausages, salami, bacon, etc.) served on fresh baked bread with tomato rubbed in.  Bocadillos are commonly served for breakfast (between 9-10:30 AM here) and are so simple yet ridiculously good.  First, the tomato inclusion is incredible... it is sweet and makes everything taste so fresh (infinitely better than a tomato slice).  Next, the fresh baked bread makes a huge difference as it is crisp on the outside but airy inside.  And finally, the star of the sandwich is whatever meat you select... the ham, bacon, and fuet (a type of salami is probably the best explanation) versions are my favorites, and really you cannot go wrong.  When I return home, my first trip to the grocery store will be spent collecting ingredients to make bocadillos of my own, allowing me to savor the basic and delicious staple of the Spanish breakfast.

#14 - Bar Londen
#15 - Duck Confit is Everywhere
#16 - McDonalds
#17 - American Fox Television
#18 - The Granollers Bowling Alley
#19 - Scobie's Irish Pub
#20 - Prices Include Tax in Spain

Spanish Memories - #14

Wherever you live, it's important to find one or two places that you can rely on for good food, good drinks, and a nice atmosphere.  Fortunately for me, that place in Granollers was only a block from my hotel.

#14 - Bar Londen

When I first saw Bar Londen, I hoped it would be an English bar that for some reason chose to set up shop in Granollers.  This was not the case, but everything worked out anyway.  Bar Londen is typical of the Spanish bars in and around Barcelona; they serve tapas, sandwiches, and mostly beer (for liquor drinkers in Spain, be aware that they made the drinks probably 2-3 times as strong as in America and in tall glass...  also no place has Crown Royal somehow).  There are seats inside and out on the sidewalk, and they have a very neighborhood-y loyal clientele.

After my first or second visit where the workers figured out I was American, I was greeted with short English sentences, which was a nice touch.  No matter how poorly I asked questions in Spanish (at first, I didn't even try but even today, it's not always pretty), they always helped and got me what I needed.  This welcoming atmosphere provided a good spot for me to come after work, or for a sandwich on the weekend, just to relax and for a few minutes not worry that I was in a different country across the ocean from the US.

My three favorite dishes here were chicken croquettes (basically chicken soup that has been "soaked" into flour and then deep-friend... delicious), patatas bravas (pictured above... fried cubed potatoes in a spicy mayo sauce), and their bacon sandwich (basically a bacon sub) with tomato rubbed on the bread (a classic in Catalan cuisine, and one of the best things that exists).  I never really strayed from these three dishes, and I was always happy with the results.  Sure, nothing was gourmet, but it was the closest equivalent to American bar food I could find and that's an important food group for me!

Spanish culture is much different than American when it comes to places like this... in America, few people  (if any) would go to their local bar just to sit outside for an hour, talk, and have a Coke.  Here, it's quite common.  As a result, the Spaniards see one another often and create their social circle by being out and about rather than isolated in their flats (another reason may be the limited living space I suppose).  Bar Londen is a great example of this, and one I wish existed more in the US; nothing fancy or expensive but a great place to relax, have a drink or snacks, and spend time with your friends.

#15 - Duck Confit is Everywhere
#16 - McDonalds
#17 - American Fox Television
#18 - The Granollers Bowling Alley
#19 - Scobie's Irish Pub
#20 - Prices Include Tax in Spain

Spanish Memories - #15

My time here in Spain, contrary to what the first few items on the countdown suggest, has been mostly filled with amazing experiences and great regional food.  And so onto my fifteenth memory...

#15 - Duck confit is EVERYWHERE!

Before arriving in Spain, I'd been fortunate enough to have duck confit maybe five or six times (including the best version I've ever had, even still, at Blue Ribbon Bakery in New York) in my life.  More common in America is the duck breast, although I'm not totally sure why since it seems to me that slow cooking a bone-in duck leg in its own fat would be far simpler than expertly grilling the breast to medium rare.  Anyway, the flavor of duck confit is so incredibly rich, flavorful, and unique that I order it EVERY time I see it on a menu.

That brings me to Spain... where it is ALWAYS on the menu!  Within my first two weeks here, I'd already had duck confit twice and started to realize that it was as common as a chicken breast would be in the States.  Except for neighborhood bars and tapas restaurants, I am not sure I've been somewhere where I couldn't order it.  Even in the grocery store, I was able to buy a frozen version that I then pan-heated into pure deliciousness (added bonus for the aroma in my room the rest of the night!).

Almost invariably, duck confit here (called confit de pato) is served with fruit in a sweet sauce, a classic and perfect pairing to contrast with the richness of the meat.  I would guess I've had it eight or nine times in Spain, and the only differentiating factor for me when comparing the various versions is how crispy the particular restaurant can get the skin (always the best part of duck).  The picture above, showing the leg served in a wonderful apricot sauce, probably was the winner in the past five months, but even the worst version was fantastic. 

For those of you who have never tried this wonderful dish, PLEASE take advantage when you see it on a menu in America.  Or just come to Spain and you'll always have a chance at your next meal...

#16 - McDonalds
#17 - American Fox Television
#18 - The Granollers Bowling Alley
#19 - Scobie's Irish Pub
#20 - Prices Include Tax in Spain