{"id":840,"date":"2013-11-26T11:22:53","date_gmt":"2013-11-26T10:22:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/?p=840"},"modified":"2014-04-08T08:21:10","modified_gmt":"2014-04-08T07:21:10","slug":"madrid-gastronomy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/2013\/11\/26\/madrid-gastronomy\/","title":{"rendered":"Madrid gastronomy"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"De<\/a>

Out for tapas in La Ardosa\u00a0(\u00a9Madrid Destino)<\/p><\/div>\n

Just as we have a Royal Academy of Language that monitors the correct use of Spanish, there is also a\u00a0Royal Academy of Gastronomy<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0founded on the conviction that\u00a0food<\/strong>\u00a0and the way it is prepared has always been at the very heart of our\u00a0culture<\/strong>. Studying and promoting this important heritage is the academy’s principal mission, which is why, after a long process of research, it has just published a succulent list of 100 essential Spanish recipes with details of where and how they originated. Want to know which are one hundred per cent Madrid? Keep reading!\"\"<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Soldaditos de Pav\u00eda<\/strong><\/em>
\n

\"Soldaditos<\/a>

Soldaditos de Pav\u00eda. Casa Labra (\u00a9MD, Jos\u00e9 Barea)<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

The legendary\u00a0Casa Labra<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0on Calle Tetu\u00e1n, near Puerta del Sol, is responsible for this snack that has become one of the city’s signature dishes. When the Hussars commanded by General Pav\u00eda dissolved Parliament on 3 January 1874, bringing an end to the First Republic, the people of Madrid identified the reddish hue of the soldiers’ uniforms with the battered cod strips wrapped in red pepper that they served in this tavern..<\/p>\n

Besugo al horno<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

<\/strong>Madrid may be a long way from the sea, but few dishes are as typical as this one, which is also known as Besugo a la madrile\u00f1a<\/em> (Madrid-style sea bream). Although Arcipreste de Hita (1284-1351) mentioned this fish in\u00a0The Book of Good Love,\u00a0<\/em>it only became popular in the 18th century, when the city’s taverns discovered how easy and fast it was to prepare. Then it became fashionable to eat at Christmas, accompanied by almond soup. Tip: Serve with oven-roasted potato rounds and a few slices of lemon. Although you might prefer to try it at the\u00a0Taberna de la Daniela<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Callos a la madrile\u00f1a<\/strong><\/em>
\n

\"Callos<\/a>

Callos a la madrile\u00f1a (\u00a9Madrid Destino)<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

The first written reference to this popular dish dates back to 1599, when\u00a0Guzm\u00e1n de Alfarache<\/em> published a novel by Mateo Alem\u00e1n in which tripe was described as \u201cfricass\u00e9e<\/em>\u201d of veal. The recipe was born in the taverns but by the 19th century it had found its way onto the menus of prestigious restaurants like Lhardy<\/strong><\/a>. It is typically served in an earthenware dish, although these days some chefs like to add a contemporary twist, such as you might find at\u00a0La Cesta<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Bu\u00f1uelos de viento<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\"Bu\u00f1uelos.<\/a>

Bu\u00f1uelos. Vait<\/p><\/div>\n

Although we’ve grown used to eating them filled with cream, sweet potato, truffles and other more daring flavours, bu\u00f1uelos de viento<\/em> are Madrid’s most typical version of profiteroles. They take their name (“viento<\/em>“) from the fact that all they’re filled with is air – that’s right, nothing! As everyone knows, profiteroles are made by mixing flour with water or milk, sugar and egg to form a dough which is then deep-fried. But what very few people know is that they were first eaten by the Moriscos (Muslims who converted to Christianity after the reconquest of Spain), rolled in honey. They are typically eaten on All Saints’ Day, in November. I can highly recommend the ones you will find at the cake shops\u00a0Nunos<\/strong>\u00a0<\/a>and Vait<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Canutillos <\/strong><\/em>and<\/strong> bartolillos<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

<\/strong>Here’s another great Madrid pastry. In fact, it\u2019s simply a piece of fine dough that is fried and then filled with a type of custard. No one knows if it was the Romans or the Arabs who introduced these rolled wafers in Spain, although some say they originated in the kitchens of the country’s convents. Canutillos<\/em> have a cylindrical shape, while bartolillos<\/em> look more like small pasties. You can try them at\u00a0Antigua Pasteler\u00eda del Pozo<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Torrijas<\/strong><\/em>
\n

\"Torrijas.<\/a>

<\/dt>\n

Torrijas. Horno de San Onofre (\u00a9Madrid Destino)<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

With a chato<\/em> (little glass) of wine. That’s how people ate their torrijas<\/em> in Madrid’s taverns at the beginning of the 20th century. And some places still serve them that way, even though nowadays torrijas<\/em> are associated with Easter. The recipe couldn’t be simpler: slices of bread soaked in milk or wine and then deep-fried. Honey, syrup, sugar or cinnamon provides a delicious final touch. The\u00a0Horno de San Onofre<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>makes fantastic torrijas<\/em>, and at\u00a0La Casa de las Torrijas<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>they’re served all year round.<\/p>\n

Rosquillas tontas <\/strong><\/em>and<\/strong> listas<\/strong><\/em>
\n

\"Roquillas.<\/a>

Roquillas. El Riojano (\u00a9MD, Jos\u00e9 Barea)<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

Rosquillas listas<\/em> are “clever” miniature doughnuts with a sugar coating, while rosquillas tontas<\/em>, the “stupid” variety, are served plain. Both are the typical desserts served during the festivities of San Isidro, celebrated in May. My favourites? The ones they make at\u00a0El Riojano<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

And\u2026<\/strong>
\n

\"Tortilla<\/a>

<\/dt>\n

Tortilla de patata (\u00a9Madrid Destino)<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

I’ve talked about the dishes and pastries that the Royal Academy of Gastronomy regards to be one hundred per cent Madrid, but there are others that are eaten everywhere in Spain and yet tend to be associated with this city. For example, leche frita<\/em><\/strong> (fried milk squares), gallina en pepitoria<\/em><\/strong> (chicken fricass\u00e9e<\/em> in a wine, bread, egg, almond and pine nut sauce),\u00a0potaje<\/em><\/strong> (broth),\u00a0garlic soup<\/strong>\u2026 and, of course, tortilla de patatas<\/strong> (potato omelette),\u00a0a simple, tasty snack that appears to have been invented during the Carlist wars to feed the hungry army. To try it in the traditional way\u2014delicious with onion and extra virgin olive oil\u2014head for the tavern La Ardosa<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Just as we have a Royal Academy of Language that monitors the correct use of Spanish, there is also a\u00a0Royal Academy of Gastronomy\u00a0founded on the conviction that\u00a0food\u00a0and the way it is prepared has always been at the very heart of our\u00a0culture. Studying and promoting this important heritage is the academy’s principal mission, which is why, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3],"tags":[135,89,139,24],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/840"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=840"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/840\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":846,"href":"https:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/840\/revisions\/846"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=840"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=840"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.esmadrid.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=840"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}