T
inned produce may be at the bottom of the food
chain in most Northern European countries, but
in Spain it has gourmet status. Indeed,
conservas
–
tuna, clams, mussels, sardines and
other seafood tinned with olive oil, salt water or
served in an
escabeche
marinade – are enjoying a renaissance,
led by Quimet y Quimet, the century-old tavern that’s often
cited as Barcelona’s best tapas bar.
Yet none of Quimet y Quimet’s tapas are actually cooked.
Owner Quim Pérez is known as the master of the
conserva
,
and
every day his tiny, standing room-only space becomes packed
with local workers wanting their midday
vermut
,
a traditional
appertivo of vermouth, olives and small plates of sardines and
other
conservas
.
After asking their food preferences, Pérez
quickly gets to work arranging preserved seafood, cheeses,
olives, capers and other titbits onto mouth-watering
pintxos
–
or Basque style canapés.
“
When tourists come in and see that the only food we serve
is from cans, they are slightly confused,” he says. “But when
they try it and ‘get’ it, many end up buying tins to take home.
The difference in Spain is the quality of the produce. Here the
best quality seafood goes into cans – in other countries the
opposite is true.”
To do your own
pinxtos
,
Pérez suggests combining mussels
with sundried tomatoes, oregano and a dollop of caviar or
anchovies with a soft goat’s cheese. Serve with a glass of
vermouth or crisp white wine for a thoroughly Spanish aperitif.
Quimet y Quimet, Carrer del Poeta Cabanyes 25, +34 93 442 3142
Tinned food is
cheap, right?
Not in Barcelona, where the city’s
best tapas bar has ushered in a
renaissance in tinned
conservas
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