Saborosa

Yes please I'd be really interested in hearing more about it. I'd also love to hear the experiences of anyone else who has or is going to take any kind of culinary classes here in Barcelona. Thanks

Thanks everybody. Geetha I'm particularly interested in fish and seafood, which I guess Kerala is good for!? Also if there's one or a few particular dishes that are the typical or most interesting dishes of the region? I'm interested in eating anywhere with good food, obviously and perhaps with a local atmosphere. In terms of cooking classes I'd like to perhaps go shopping with someone and then prepare a meal, perhaps a special celebration meal - something challenging! Sorry if I'm being too vague. Thanks everyone for your tips so far. I'll be sure to report on my experiences when I return

Hi We'll be in Kerala and Tamil Nadu in December from 5-26th. The only definite stop so far is Kochi where we'll be flying in and out, but will stop, too. I'm interested in doing a cooking class or course while I'm there - any suggestions? Also any other eating and drinking tips gratefully received. It's my first time in India so no info will be too basic for me! I'm based in Barcelona, Spain, so would be happy to reciprocate with tips for anyone visiting Barcelona or elsewhere in Spain, if I can. Thanks everybody

Anyone know a good place in Barcelona for snails? I've seen a couple of 'snail-specialist' places - for example there's one on or around Pl Letamundi in the Eixample - but haven't tried any yet. It's hard to find a willing accomplice! The best I've had were in Menorca - tiny ones, that were definitely land, not sea snails, that seemed to have been plainly cooked - I couldn't detect any other flavour other than snail - and served with a rich allioli. They were amazing, melting and not at all chewy, with a rich foresty flavour. A top chef in Mallorca told me that some restaurants clean snails in a washing machine. Anyone know any more about this method? I've read they need to be fasted to get rid of their poop or make them disgorge themselves. I found this: "The trick is to make them disgorge themselves. You can do this by keeping them in Snailhausen for two weeks and then immersing them in saltcrystals. This is the traditional way used in France (now you know where the Marquis de Sade drew some of his inspiration from). However French friends tell me that by far the simplest method is to put them in the fridge. This is also more natural and healthier for us as we don't then consume a lot of artery hardening salt with them. They think that winter is suddenly upon them and to avoid a tummy upset or worse botulism, they empty themselves preparatory to hibernation. Once this is done they are ready to be prepared. This is the preparation for cooking. Small snails unlike the Burgundy ones are just popped in a pot of boiling water whole for a few minutes and then eaten with a pin. This is the Provencal method. Crete is another place they are big on snails, there is a clinic now on the Côte d'Azur which treats arteriosclerosis with diet of Cretan snail dishes using snails that have been raised uniquels feeding on herbs." from this website: http://www.mrandmrswheatley.co.uk/snailhau...hausen.html#eat - a rather controversial site!

Bux, I believe a friend of mine had monkfish liver at El Bulli recently, and she's predicting it will be popping up on many more restaurant menus soon in that 'when Ferran Adria sneezes, Barcelona restaurateurs catch cold' kind of way. (sorry - bit of a mangled metaphor there - blame the BCN heat!). Saborosa www.saboroso.com

Just to confuse everyone further, here in Barcelona I've only seen them called (now let me try and spell this right) 'tallerinas', which is easily confused with tallarines - tagliatelle. Though I've also seen the clams spelled 'tallarinas'. I think I'm thinking of the right clams - tiny wedge clams with beautiful purple interiors to the shells. (Mind you I've also seen these labelled as rossellos (spelling?) on a menu - but rossellos are carpet shells.) Consistency of orthography and naming of foodstuffs (particularly seafood it seems) doesn't seem to be top of anyone's list here. Perhaps its the result of being a place with a mixed language history - native Catalan, enforced castellano under Franco and before, Castellano-speaking immigrants (and South American Spanish-speaking), Italian from when parts of Italy were in the Arago-Catalan empire. It's all part of life's rich and confusing pageant.

Petras is an icon, you're right Pedro. He has a book of recipes (sold at the stall, of course!) where he recounts having secretive meetings on motorway lay-bys to pick up rare loads of wild fungi. And he looks like a character too - full beard, a healthy figure - enjoys his food certainly! The stall has recently started selling edible insects, which I'm slightly disappointed in as it's something of a move away from the air of traditional, wild, local and seasonal food that the rest of his products have. Of course, he can sell whatever he likes, and it is an interesting addition, but the insects are products I've seen before elsewhere, such as Selfridges in London, and they seem rather gimmicky - ie foods with an insect stuck in for freak value, rather than as an inherent part of the foodstuff, such as lollipops with a bug in or some jam with a worm at the bottom of the jar. I'd prefer to see the insects sold as ingredients themselves with suggestions of how to use them. To be fair, I've only had a brief glance at the display so maybe he's doing that too. Any thoughts? Another thought on the Boqueria - it's starting to feel more and more like a food tourist attraction than a market. You can now buy Boqueria souvenirs from a stall at the market entrance! Still love it though. Silly Disciple - if you haven't found the Petras stall yet, it's right at the back of the Boqueria if you're coming from the Ramblas, you can recognise it by its mushroom decor. I think he usually closes in the afternoons and all day Monday.

Re: outdoor markets in Barcelona. There's a pretty good (if rather touristy) one in Plaza Pi off the Ramblas run by the Col.lectiu d'Artesans de l'Alimentacio (Artesan Food Producers Collective - rough trans). All the stalls are run by Catalan artisanal food makers - cheeses, chocolates, hams, pates, honeys etc. It's all rather cutesily packaged and possibly priced for tourists (though still good value in my opinion), but it's a great place for visitors to get gifts to take home. Personally I go there for chocolate - there's a particularly interesting stall which sells very pure chocolate (Xocolata Vall d'Or). It's made by a collective in deepest darkest Catalunya (a village famous for its witches which possibly explains its magical taste). There are a number of South Americans in the collective so there's spicy mole sauces and bars of chili chocolate as well as chocolate-covered pieces of cocoa kernel, a chocolate (cocoa kernel) infusion, and 100 per cent cocoa chocolate, plus lots of other more usual flavours. My favourites are the tequila truffles and the chocolate bars with chewy pieces of real orange. They used to have a tiny shop behind the cathedral run by the lovely Ricardo who handmade many of the products himself - it was a very spiritual process for him. We used to go in looking for tequila truffles but he'd say he had to be in the right frame of mind (and soul) to make them. He was a great fount of information on all the ancient Aztec and Mayan traditions and beliefs with regard to chocolate. Sadly, he left the collective and the shop closed. The market is held on the first and third weekend of every month (Fri, Sat, Sun). Sorry - I've got a bit off-message with this one! Turned into a chocolate post. Here are a few other shopping tips to compensate: I echo the recommendation of Botifarreria de Santa Maria. Also great stuff at Arantxa C/ Tallers. It also does great hot and cold tapas and there's a dining room at the back. Ask to try some horse ham if he has any in (cecina de caballo). For cheeses try La Formatgeria de la Seu on C/Dagueria off C/Jaume I. Run by a wonderful Scottish lady called Katherine. She specialises in small-production Spanish cheeses. Because she's so picky the range of her stock can be limited but it's all v good. She does tastings too. For wine try Torres on C/Nou de la Rambla. It used to be a really trad dusty old grocers with small but very good value wine selection. Now they've moved to large shiny new premises across the street (where the little old lady behind the till looks a little lost). Now the prices are still good but the selection is bewildering. The Boqueria can be expensive and quality not great - get there early and become a regular at a stall (and speak Catalan). My favourite stall is Petras for great salad leaves and herbs at reasonable prices compared to the rubbish you get elsewhere (and of course his mushrooms are amazing!) Also get fruit and veg from the market garden stalls (mornings only and not every day, all day Sat I think) in the square to the side of the market. That way you know the stuff is at least local and seasonal - what we ought to be buying! I've had Peixos Arrom in Merca Santa Catarina (in temporary premises along Passeig Lluis Companys) recommended to me, though I've only been there once - got some great freshwater trout from them. Nice people, great filleters. There's also a great charcuterie stall in the same market run by Alex Corretja (tennis star)'s mum and dad. Hmm... hungry now, better pop out and follow my own advice. Kirsten www.saboroso.com

Hi Conor You should have a great time in barcelona especially during San Joan. But the holidays may mean some restaurants are closed and others are busy so do book. A few places I'd recommend for not so expensive fine eating are: Shojiro, C/ Ros de Olano 11, (00 34) 93 415 6548: a set-menu place (about 30-40 euros) that mixes Japanese and Med cuisine - fusion cuisine is increasingly common in BCN with often disastrous results, but this place is increasingly becoming known as one of the best places for Japanese food in its own right! It's in Gracia which is just to the north of the centre of town, but not that far (a few minutes on the metro) and a fun and interesting barrio that's worth a visit. Laurak, (La Granada del Penedés, 14-16, (00 34) 93 218 71 65, www.laurak.net) in the Eixample is also a little out of the centre but worth a trip for an excellent Basque menu degustacion for 47.50 euros per head + tax. I remember melting trotter and caramelised octopus salad and crisp suckling pig with pistachios. The only downer is the decor's a little stark and can be echoingly empty midweek evenings. My favourite restaurant in BCN at the moment though is Anima (C/ dels Angels, (00 34) 93 342 4912), in the Raval, the once-dodgy, now funky (and slightly dodgy) area to the right of the Ramblas (as you face the sea). Its cool design (camouflage curtains, toilets in jungle-like darkness, large mirror over open kitchen) may make you fear it's form over function, but no, this is low-key creative cuisine at its most relaxed and delicious. Beautiful cuts of meat and fish are dressed in delicate intriguing combinations of spices and sauces. My favourite dish recently has been Anima's pudding of chocolate and spice icecream with manchego wedges in mandarin jus. Divine! And at fantastic prices - starters below 10 euros, mains about 10-20 euros. Very short, modest but well chosen wine list. The Loxarels are brilliant drinkable every day wines - they make my favourite cava. You can check out my website for more. Plug alert! (If you book a tour with us you get a free restaurant recommendation and booking service). Sorry! But it's a potentially helpful plug!? Disfruta! Kirsten www.saboroso.com