Cookbooks of Spain: Which & Where?

[melofunk]

I will be in Madrid and Barcelona for vacation in a few weeks, and I'm looking for recommendations on bookstores, which have a large selection of cookbooks or are exclusively cookbook stores.

Does anyone have any recommendations?

And, do the stores have selections/translations in English?

[Silly Disciple]

most large bookstores have a decent selection, i.e. FNAC, El Corte Ingles or Abacus, among others, here in Barcelona.

Also, restaurant Biblioteca just off the Ramblas has some good books to sell, although they are only open during lunch-dinner hours.

There's also a small bookstore (sorry, don't know the name) located inside the Mercat de la Boqueria.

FNAC, Abacus and El Corte Ingles have multiple locations.

http://www.fnac.es

http://www.elcorteingles.es

http://www.abacus.es

Restaurant Biblioteca

Junta de Comerç 28

Tel. 93 412 62 21

SD

[melofunk]

Thanks for the recommendations. I'm looking forward to checking them out.

[pedro]

In Madrid, and I guess in Barcelona, Casa del Libro has a good selection of food related books.

And if you happen to cross Zaragoza, check De Re Coquinaria.

[inespm]

You have to go to la boquería... is a market in barcelona that have a wonderfull library inside

[pim]

Yes, the little bookshop inside La Boqueria was really lovely...most books are in Spanish though, too bad I don't speak the language! Well it was still fun to look at some pictures, and there was a small selection in English and French.

It's hard to explain where the bookshop is exactly, but it's right across from the big wine shop there.

[Silly Disciple]

Yes, the little bookshop inside La Boqueria was really lovely...most books are in Spanish though, too bad I don't speak the language!  Well it was still fun to look at some pictures, and there was a small selection in English and French.

It's hard to explain where the bookshop is exactly, but it's right across from the big wine shop there.

←

If I'm not mistaken, walk almost all your way to the back of the market, and take a right on the second to last corridor before hitting the market's end. It's right there, I think. Otherwise, as Pim says, look for the big wine shop.

SD

[GeordieSteve]

I hope that this hasn't been covered before but I couldn't find anything when I searched the site.

Which are your favourite Spanish cookbooks?

I'm particularly interested in the input of our Spanish posters; there are a plethora of books in Castillian available but, as in any language, the majority seem to be little more than shelf-fillers. Which do you consider essential?

Some details would be useful as well as titles. For example, is the book a food encyclopaedia, a haute cuisine recipe book, a guide to home cooking, a guide to the cuisine of a specific region or just good old photo-filled gastro-porn!

Of course, books in English would be great to know about as well.

My own selection is extremely limited. My first book, and one which I still use, is Floyd on Spain by Keith Floyd. There are some less than authentic versions of many classics and it is sometimes little more than a random selection of the food that the author has enjoyed but for all that his enthusiam makes it a worthwhile read. Just as importantly, all of the recipies work. Floyd's anecdotes will amuse and his love for the ingredients and the country will inspire.

A second book is Cooking in Spain by Janet Mendel. This is a useful, if dry, guide to the regions, ingredients and classic recipies of Spain. There are no illustrations or photos and some of the recipies would have benefitted from testing but this is a reasonable all-in-one guide to Spanish home cooking for those who can't read Spanish books.

Firmly in the coffee-table/gastro-porn section is a book called Culinaria Spain, edited by Marion Trutter. This is a beautiful wander through the regions of Spain, with each area's specialities shown in some glorious photographs. I believe it was originally published in German. I picked this book up cheaply in the UK as I believe it was going out of print. It is a cut above most books of its kind and I have been pleasantly surprised with it.

Over to you...

Edit: I meant to ask about magazines as well (hence the thread title) but I felt it might be better in another thread. Sorry, I'm still getting used to posting on here!

Edited October 14, 2005 by GeordieSteve (log)

[GeordieSteve]

There seem to be quite a few magazines in the gastronomy section of my local news kiosco. Do any of our eGulleteers read or even write for any of these? Which are worth spending money on? Our own Saborosa writes (very well) for Metropolitan magazine in English but what else should I be reading?

[Saborosa]

It has been mentioned before elsewhere but an obvious one for me (though in the current political climate, calling it a Spanish cookbook might be controversial!) is Catalan Cuisine by Colman Andrews. Although its bones are recipes - including traditional dishes, modern interpretations and Colman's own versions of things he's eaten in the paisos catalans - its meat consists of potted versions of Catalunya's gastro-socio-political histories and jaunty anecdotes from Andrews' own experiences. It's very occasionally a wee bit dated but still probably the best intro to the cuisine written in English. Recipes work well and he's good on suggesting work arounds for cooks with limited access to some of the more specialised ingredients.

[vserna]

Steve: Re magazines, Sobremesa is IMHO the best food publication; I write for Sibaritas (which is more wine-oriented), so it wouldn't be appropriate for me to rate it!

Re books, Marimar Torres' books on Spanish and Catalan recipes, written for the American public, are very useful. There are a zillion good cookbooks in Spanish; the paperback '1080 Recetas de Cocina' by Simone Ortega is the most popular cookbook ever in Spain. The various books by El Bulli's Ferran Adrià are iconic publications - much discussed already on eGullet.

[Judith Gebhart]

Steve: Re magazines, Sobremesa is IMHO the best food publication; I write for Sibaritas (which is more wine-oriented), so it wouldn't be appropriate for me to rate it!

Re books, Marimar Torres' books on Spanish and Catalan recipes, written for the American public, are very useful. There are a zillion good cookbooks in Spanish; the paperback '1080 Recetas de Cocina' by Simone Ortega is the most popular cookbook ever in Spain. The various books by El Bulli's Ferran Adrià are iconic publications - much discussed already on eGullet.

←

Dear Victor: FOr those of us that are not Spanish, I must suggest an electric contemporary Spanish magazine: Gourmetour. This periodical is a well written and informative Spanish magazine for foreigners, that reports about the current Spanish chefs, culinary trends and food essays. We find it very useful. We have come to recognise that Spanish visitors are as educated about aspects of Spanish cusines and culture as any native. OUr task is to write about them intelligently. Judith Gebhart

[Silly Disciple]

there's this old thread about a very similar topic, with some really good references.

Edited October 16, 2005 by Silly Disciple (log)

[GeordieSteve]

Thanks. I managed to miss that thread somehow when I searched...

[Rogelio]

Vino+Gastronomia is my favourite gastronomic magazine nowadays. I heve been buying Sobremesa, Gourmets, Viandar, Sibaritas... And this is the one I keep buying now.

[Cellar Tours]

Hi there. A good mag available in Catalunya is "Cuina". Then you have the Peñín magazine, Vinos de España, Vinos & Restaurantes sometimes features interesting lesser-known restaurants, etc.Good websites for foodies:www.afuegolento.comhttp://www.verema.com/enjoy!

[nimzo]

I am a big fan of Vinos y Restaurantes and have had some great results from their recommendations.

[pedro]

I agree with Rogelio. Vino + Gastronomía is excellent.

Apicius, on a more for pro note, is also worth.

[piazzola]

Yeah would like to know few tiitles since my incursions to Spanish cooking boards have been dissapointing to say the least.