Food Shopping in a Spanish Market
Although most cities have big supermarkets and large shopping malls, there are many specialty shops and markets left. Most towns of any size have a large open-air market with a roof, but no walls, to protect it from the blazing sun. "La Boquería" in Barcelona is very popular. Every district in Madrid has its own market; Chamartín market is my favorite.
At the market, merchants compete for shoppers' attention, often very vocally, surrounded by pyramids built with red tomatoes, green lettuces, purple eggplants, red apples, yellow bananas and any produce you could imagine.
Every stall has usually a specialty, some will deal with fruit, other vegetables, nuts and seed, a butcher, cheese, fish, poultry.
Chickens and many kinds of fish are sold unprepared, still with feathers, scales, eyes, and tails and the attendant will prepare them for you in the spot. Not so many years ago, before the modern food safety standards and rules were issued, in smaller towns chickens were so unprepared that they were sold still alive; killing them in front of you eyes was another step more in the preparation. That way, merchants would prove to customers that their poultry was very fresh.
Chicken and pork are probably the two types of meat consumed more often. Lamb is very much appreciated. There is very good quality beef, but as there is no large pasture land, there is no much of it.
You will probably find several stands selling fish. Fish and seafood is mainstay in the Spanish diet -probably Japan is the only country to consume more fish than Spain- and you will not see again so much variety in a single shop, from tiny to giant shrimp and lobster. From flat sole to tuna steaks or monkfish tails. The catch of the day is trucked daily, even to central areas.
At the market, you choose how much you want to buy. Opposed to the pre-packaged food from the grocery store, including olive oil; in some places, you would be able to refill your own container.
You can buy parsley at the big grocery store but at the market, it is usually included as a gift in every stand you visit, including the butcher.
Spaniards still prefer to buy little and often, almost daily.
Food in Spain through the day is an adventure.
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