Here in Catalonia, the thing to do before a Sunday meal or when out meeting friends, is to visit a vermuteria, and sit down for a chat and a vermouth, negro o blanco. And if you’re on this part of the Maresme coast, you may very well choose to go to Espinaler in our next door town, Vilassar de Mar. It’s been part of the local scenery since 1896.
While it started as a simple bar, it’s gone on to bigger and better things: producing its own vermut; developing a piquant sauce, also called Espinaler that brings a little spice and je ne sais quoi to whatever you’re eating; preserving seafoods; and finally developing, in 2012, a gourmet store-tavern-warehouse in Vilassar. That’s where Malcolm and I went today – to window-shop ahead of buying a few treats to take home with us. Here are a few of the things we spotted. Before of course sitting down for a vermut and a tapa or two.






You might notice they even have the odd item from England. I haven’t any photos from the appetising cheese and charcuterie counters, because – well – they weren’t very geometrically-packed products.
this isn’t low brow, this is a culinary delight. What a treat to have this around the corner. Guessing the English one won’t be coming back with you!!
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Peach jam doesn’t do it for me anyway. Too sweet.
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good in sponge!
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👍
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I thought you were going to say ‘because you’d eaten it all’ (the cheese), Margaret! Reminds me of the days when the lads went to the pub while the lasses cooked the Christmas dinner… but I know it’s not like that at all.
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I could very well have eaten all the cheese!
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What a delicious accompaniment to good conversation.
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Definitely!
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An enticing display!
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Yum, eh?
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I would skip the fishy bits and go on to the cheese!
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Agreed.
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Looks like a good selection available
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Delicious post! I really fancy some peach conserve with tomorrow’s toast.
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Um. Too sweet for me. But probably a good choice.
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Wonderful selections!
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I don’t care how much Omega 3 they contain, keep those sardines away from me!
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No a fan then? I feel like that about tinned pilchards.
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They’re a no no too!
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Quite. Devil’s food.
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Sounds a marvellous place, right up my street!
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Definitely!
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That looks like a wonderful place to buy delicacies to take home, although maybe not Tiptree jam!
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Well quite – but doubtless exotic to some!
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