Catalan Olives and Where to Buy Best Olive Oil in Barcelona

Olives and the oil extracted from them are the very essence of Mediterranean countries. They permeate our traditions, our idiosyncrasy and our very existence, since they give us health too. Wild olives were collected by Neolithic peoples as early as the 8th millennium BC. Its trees were grown even before language came to life. Shrub-like "feral" olives still exist in the Middle East and represent the original stock from which all other olives are descended. 

Oil was used to anoint athletes after winning or was applied to the dead. Olive oil purifies and soothes the soul, cleanses the mind. Does that mean that if you use the extra virgin kind, would you be cleaner?. I digress. By the way, virgin or extra virgin, means that you do not use chemicals to produce it, that you get the oil just by pressing the olives. 

In Catalonia, there are many varieties of olives that are cultivated across the region. Among them you have the picual (very common and responsible for 25 % of all oil in the world), the empeltre (black) , the arbequina (smaller, very tasty and one of my favorites). Also cornicabra, blanqueta, farga, manzanilla fina and sevillana just to mention some. 

Before buying olive oil you should know that some of them really make the difference. There is good Andalusian oil, and there is good Catalan oil, and so on. I have bought myself extremely good olive oil in Priego, Cordoba for example and have found good rivals many times in oils produced in Lleida, Catalonia. 

Here is a good article on where to buy excellent olive oil in Barcelona  

At the local markets you can find gourmet stands specialized in Catalan olive oil like this one at Mercat de la Concepció from Les Garrigues, Lleida   where you can buy excellent Arbequina extra virgin olive oil 

But where to buy the olives? I recommend you visit this stand at Mercat de Sant Antoni Olives i Conserves Torres.

Here are some more places to buy olive oil in Barcelona:

Orolíquido: Located at Palla, 8 in the Gothic Quarter, Orolíquido is a charming shop that showcases a wide selection of extra virgin olive oils from top producers. In addition to oils, they also offer natural cosmetic products that contain olive oil as an ingredient. The shop is known for hosting tastings, product presentations, and conferences.

Olives i conserves El Piñol: Situated at La Rambla, 91, El Piñol is a stall within the vibrant Mercat de la Boqueria. Here, you can find an extensive variety of olives, alongside a curated selection of international and gourmet products. It's a great place to explore the rich flavors and options available.

Olives i conserves Merino: Located at Creu Coberta, 93, within the Mercat d'Hostafrancs, Merino is renowned for its wide range of olives, including sweet varieties. Apart from olives, the shop focuses on appetizer specialties, offering an assortment of conserves for vermouth. They also feature a selection of Cavas, wines, and gourmet Italian products.

Vom Fass Barcelona: Vom Fass, situated at Cigne, 14, is a shop that pays homage to olive oil. It has been recognized by the Barcelona City Council for its sustainable model. The shop offers an array of products, including the finest extra virgin olive oils, flavored oils (such as fruit-infused and nut oils), and a diverse selection of vinegars and balsamics.

Oli Sal: Nestled in the Gràcia neighborhood at Travessera de Gràcia, 170, Oli Sal is a specialty shop that shares its name with two daily essentials: olive oil and salt. With a passion for extra virgin olive oil, they offer a range of oils sourced from different geographic regions. Additionally, they provide an assortment of salts and vinegars from various locations.

Olis 1921: Situated at Entença, 124, Olis 1921 is a shop owned by a cooperative that brings together different producers of arbequina olive oil, which is crafted in the Lleida region of Les Garrigues. This shop specializes in extra virgin olive oil, emphasizing the properties and value of this precious ingredient in the Mediterranean diet. They also offer organic options.

Pa de Pages, Our Modest Catalan Bread

In Catalonia when we make things we make it big like say, this modest, tiny, insignificant bread. Hansel and Gretel would have had bread crumbs enough to leave a generous trail behind them, feed the birds and make a nice toast at the end of the road. Pa de Pages is, I quote: "...a rustic round loaf, baked in a shaped tin, containing wheat flour, water, salt and starter dough. It has a generous crumb and thick crust. The body of the bread is dense and rich in flavour, and it can be kept for several days providing that it is bought unsliced..." (Gastroteca.cat). I recommend you browse this interesting site to find a quite complete compilation of Catalan products and recipes.

La Escala Anchovies: A Genuine Catalan Product vs The Competition

There are plenty of brands selling bottled or canned anchovies. A good anchovy should not be too salty or dry and they are better in plain olive oil although the ones that come salted make better fillets once gutted and cleaned. I am no expert but as a good consumer I can tell by the taste and sometimes by the look. In fact I used to sell anchovies for a small company catering bars. I had to distribute small plastic containers full of fillets. I remember they were sold as L'Escala anchovies (Cat. anxoves). To tell you the truth they were not too genuine. Our anchovies (L'Escala is a fishermen town in Costa Brava), have a great rival: Cantabric anchoas or boquerones. You can tell the difference sometimes by the color or the degree of dryness but mainly by the taste due to curing differences. As it happens with all good brands it is difficult to come across the authentic product. They must carry the original label and preferably some small tag inside the can or bottle. I have had the opportunity to try them both and I can assure you they really mark the difference compared to other anchovies (Palamos anchovies are a great option). Personally I prefer Cantabric anchovies but of course that might be considered as some kind of "treason" since they are not Catalan. I think that food is food and knows no boundaries. Some local-product defenders go crazy for Jabugo ham or Burgos morcilla (Black pudding) and that does not seem to tarnish their unpolluted image. Well, I do like both but I like the Cantabric ones better. The species is the same though: engraulis encrasicolus or European anchovy, the difference lies in the habitat which is more appropriate up north according to experts. I won't talk more about the competition. L'Escala has been engaged in the process of curing anchovies since 1940. It is more home-made, less industrialized, applying salt curing techniques inherited from the Greek (the ruins of Empuries nearby are good proof). Due to the low amount of this fish to the north of Spain, captures have been temporarily banned by the government so Mediterranean anchovies are being more demanded than ever. I don't want to bother you with stats or details. My point today is to show you how the label on the bottle looked so you can spot the good ones, to remind you that these two regions lead the market here and finally to emphasize that the anchovies you can buy in other countries, specially in America are not by any chance all the good they are supposed to be (more recently they can be bought on gourmet stores or online) so when you visit Spain buy yourself some good bottle of anchovies, oil-packed or salt-packed (they are not that expensive!), and don't miss the opportunity to treat yourself with exquisite new flavors. Oh, I almost forgot, help yourself with some pa amb tomaquet, some Manchego, Cabrales or Valdeon blue cheese and a good bottle of Albarino or Rueda wine. An even better idea is to go and visit El Xampanyet, on Carrer Montcada 22, one of the best places in Barcelona to try good anchovies among other tapas. But that is part of a different story...

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Palamos Anchovies, A Catalan Delicacy

Palamós is a town on Costa Brava. It belongs to Girona, another Catalan province. Palamos is well known for its prawns but another delicacy that they are very proud of is their anchovies. Although presented in different ways, it is better to buy them bottled in brine. For me these are second best to L'Escala's famous anchovies also on the same coast. I found this wonderful article that explains every detail about this wonderful Catalan product: Anchovies from Spain. I hope this food article helps to grow an appetite. I have to say that the picture was taken in a local market in Barcelona.