Calçots at the Market
Last January, Les and I had just left a meeting of the Barcelona chapter of Democrats Abroad where we made sure that we were registered to vote in last year’s election (not that it did much good). Looking for a place to have dinner, we first tried one of our favorite wine bars, Amo Vino. Unfortunately, they were booked solid, so we tried a restaurant across the street, La Flauta. Their specialty, as you might have guessed is flautas, which in the US are essentially rolled tacos, sometimes called taquitos.
We sat down to dinner when Les remarked that they were serving calçots. I had never heard of them before that night. Les explained that they were a small leek that was grilled and served with Romesco sauce. As usual, I was game to try a new dish, so we ordered them. What arrived looked like a bit of a mess. The plate set before us held about 10 of these spring onion-like vegetables. At first glance, they appeared to me to be nothing more than a clump of flame-grilled weeds. Les insisted that they were tasty, so I picked up the first one and dipped it in the sauce. As I bit into the charred bulb, what I tasted was far from expected. Although calçots are in the onion family, it was unlike any other that I’ve ever eaten. It had a slight bite but not overpowering, milder than most other alliums. Yet I detected a hint of sweetness. Its texture inside was creamy but not so that you needed utensils. The outer leaves were somewhat tough, but I enjoy burnt bits of food every now and then. I thought it provided a nice balance to the tenderness of the interior. I never met any vegetable in the onion family that I didn’t like. If leeks are on the menu or shallots in the ingredients, I’m all in. If a recipe calls for two cloves of garlic, I usually add at least four more. Likewise, I also appreciate caramelized red onions, especially on a steak or burger. Calçots were unique, but just as pleasing experience as any other of the afore-mentioned vegetables.
Fortunately, at that time, we were at the beginning of calçot time in Catalonia. Right now as we head into March, we are in the throes of the season so there is plenty of time to enjoy their tastiness at least until the end of March. Calçots are grown primarily in the region of Valls in Catalonia where it is a traditional food1. The plant itself is harvested in the winter of its second year2. It’s also a huge industry with an annual market value of calçots was 20 million euros (approximately 22 million dollars) according to the President of the Valls Chamber of Commerce3. Its heritage and intrinsic value to the region has led it to be designated as a “Protected Geographic Indication” by the EU. The calçot’s iconic status culturally, economically, and gastronomically has also led to efforts to improve and increase the harvest4. As fellow “Substacker” The Travel Essayist will attest to, the city of Valls also hosts an awesome annual event, the Gran Festival de Calçots every January to kick off the season5.
It is not difficult, either, to see the outpouring of excitement over calçot season here in Barcelona. In addition to its appearance on restaurant menus, supermarkets, food halls, and greengrocers, I noticed that some shops would grill calçots for you at your request. This way, you can conveniently bring the calçotada experience into your own home. So what is a calçotada and why would anyone want an in-home experience?
Poster Advertising the Pre-cooked Calçot Option
I can’t talk about calçots without discussing calçotadas. After our first calçot experience, we decided that to fully appreciate this vegetable, as well as familiarizing ourselves with local traditions, was to attend a calçotada. Although a New York Times piece describes calçotadas somewhat broadly, I’ve found that they’re better described as a gathering of family, friends, and/or neighbors for the sole purpose of grilling and eating calçots. The closest approximation that I can think of would be the famed Maryland crab feasts, held around the state every crab season. As with crab feasts, there is an art to eating a calçot which we didn’t know at first. Until that is, when a random stranger offered to show us the proper technique.
Barcelona being a city of festivals, it didn’t take long to find out about GastroFest 2024. One of the main attractions at this event was the calçotada. Yet, unlike the previously-mentioned crab feasts, which tend to be a more private gathering of friends and family members, calçotadas can take place in private settings or public venues all over Catalonia. After reading so much about calçotadas and hearing about them from the staff at our language school, this would be a chance for us to experience one first-hand. We invited our friend Jean-François to come along with us. We befriended him when we joined a Meet-Up Supper Club event in December. Since he was a fellow foodie, we thought he might enjoy this festival as well.
Pamphlet for GastroFest 2024 (ignore the artichoke, the stars of this festival were the calçots)
The Crowd Has Gathered
We arrived at GastroFest in a downpour but fortunately, the location was well-protected from the deluge. We lined up for the calçots which were served alongside grilled artichokes and the famous Catalan sausage, butifarra. Balancing plates of deliciousness in one hand (beer in another) we headed to a table to enjoy our fare. We shared a table with several other festival-goers, who were all in a jovial mood. No sooner had we dipped our calçots in the Romesco sauce, when one of our tablemates excitedly rushed over to us. “No. no, no, that’s not how you do it,” he exclaimed. “Here, I will show you,’ he declared. “OK,” we thought, “we’re willing to learn.” He demonstrated the appropriate way to eat a calçot. First, you grasp it lightly by the bulb end with one hand. Then with the other, you peel away a few of the outer leaves (and here I thought the outer leaves were the best part). After which, while still holding the bulb, you then grab the leafy end and pull away from the bulb. You should be left with the inner portion of the bulb intact and more tender lighter green leaves. Then you dip it in the Romesco sauce, tilt your head back, slurp it, and chew away. None of us knew this guy from Adam, but he was happy to illustrate for us the “ways of the calçot.” We thanked him for sharing his knowledge. He could have just left us to our own devices, and they would have all had a laugh watching us chomp on our grilled calçots. Yet, he decided that the “sanctity” for the event superseded our lack of knowledge, much to our ultimate benefit.
Eating Calçots Can be a Messy Proposition
Now that we were certain that we “mastered” the art of eating calçots, it was time to seek them out while they were still in season. In Barcelona, calçots can be ordered at many restaurants throughout the city. Public calçotadas also continue until the end of March. Can Vador is well-known for their calçot-focused menu during the season, and they didn’t disappoint We experienced a more gourmet take on calçots as they arrived peeled and plated, bathed in a cream sauce. We were eager to hone the “peel and eat” skills we acquired at the recent calçotada, but the calçots we were served were delicious, nonetheless.
A Young People’s Politically Left Calçotada
Calçots Grilling
Calçots as Haute Cuisine at Can Vador
Calçots appeared on the menu at another local restaurant that we stumbled upon, Cuines Santa Caterina located in the Mercat de Santa Caterina. These were served in the traditional way. I think we earned points with our waiter when he saw that we were relatively adept at eating them. And, yes, these were just as appetizing as all the others that we had eaten previously. Afterwards, we spoke about our calçot experiences to friends and even local residents. The locals usually raised their eyebrows in surprise. Perhaps, they were even impressed that we enjoyed them as much as we did. Maybe they even appreciate that we are interested in this aspect of their culture.
Although we were saddened with the passing of last year’s calçot season, we have jumped into the new season with gusto. So far we’ve prepared calçots at home (roasted in the oven and sautéed in olive oil) and enjoyed them with fresh seafood and eggs. Next week, we are planning to attend GastroFest 20257 with our friends Laurie and Daryl who will be visiting from Phoenix. They are considering a move here, so this should give them a tasty introduction to Catalan culture.
Les and I continue to find other dishes and rituals in which we can partake as we settle into Barcelona. Only this past, I discovered a new dish, Trinxat d’Or. It’s made with cabbage, pork, potatoes and egg, similar to the British specialty, Bubble and Squeak. It was completely unknown to me until our friends Corey and Jordan pointed it out. To me, this proves that there is still a world of food specialties to explore, and we may have only scratched the surface. This can only help us to get better acquainted with our community, make connections and enjoy participating in their customs.
Les Enjoying Calçots in the Traditional Manner at Cuines Santa Caterina
Works Cited
1“Listado de Frutas.” Frutas & Hortalizas, Listado de Frutas, Guide of the Best Fruits and Vegetables: Cataluña (English Language Version), www.frutas-hortalizas.com.
2,3,4Simó, J., et al. “Breeding Onions (Allium Cepa L.) for Consumption as ‘Calçots’ (Second-Year Resprouts).” Scientia Horticulturae, vol. 152, 2013, pp. 74–79, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2013.01.011.
. 5“From Dawn to Dipping: A Day at Valls’ Gran Festa de la Calçotada.” The Travel Essayist, 28 Jan. 2025,
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6Sexton, Josie. "Spring in Barcelona Means It’s Calçot Season." The New York Times, 24 March 2012, http://login.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/blogs-podcasts-websites/spring-barcelona-means-s-calçot-season/docview/2215975978/se-2.
7GastroFest KM0 2025. https://gastrofest.cat/.
It was such a delightful surprise to see my name mentioned in your Substack newsletter. Thank you so much for including me and for sharing your experience with Calçots! I truly appreciate it. 😃