I don’t know about you but when we go travelling the first things we pack are the bits and pieces that we need to cook on the road, thick tea towels, chef’s knives, a pepper grinder, maybe an oyster shucker and definitely a wine knife. Food markets around the world are always a top priority and first on the list and there is nothing sadder than looking at amazing produce and not being able to cook with it.

 

One of our most incredible foodie trips was a Summer spent travelling in Spain. It was just before we opened B&P Sweet Studio and would influence some of our most loved, future desserts. 

First stop Barcelona; located in the Catalonia region of Spain, offers a rich and diverse culinary experience that combines both traditional Spanish and Catalan flavours. The food in Barcelona is known for its Mediterranean influence, which means a focus on fresh, high-quality ingredients, and a wide variety of dishes. We found a quirky roof top apartment just off one of the main thoroughfares, Las Ramblas, and a short work to one of our favourite markets Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria: This bustling market, also known as La Boqueria, is a food lover's paradise and an excellent place to experience the vibrant food culture of Barcelona. Filled with stalls offering a wide array of fresh produce, meats, seafood, and make sure you stop off at Bar Pinotxo for some tapas, prepared in front of you with produce from the surrounding stalls. 

We spent hours in that market drooling over the magnificent jamón ibérico (cured ham) incredible seafood, including a very curious barnacle known as Percebes from Portugal. (pictured middle) and incredible array of the freshest fruit and vegetables.

In our little apartment late at night, overlooking a lesser Gaudi we’d knock up some Catalan Tomato Bread - crusty toasted bread, rubbed with a fresh garlic clove and the ripest most delicious tomatoes , drizzled with local olive oil and sprinkled with salt washed down with a refreshing Cava. We ate mountains of Jamon and local cheeses, and buckets of Pecebes (which taste like something between a lobster and a clam) drank gallons of vermouth, made paella, and tapas and beautiful fresh salads, it was joyous. We also ate in some extraordinary tapas bars and restaurants and of course every pastry shop we saw. We were lucky to meet a brilliant pastry chef Jordi Puigvert and he gave us some fabulous insider tips for dinning out. We’ll be sharing all of our favourite recipes from this part of the world when we launch StudioKitchen.com.au on November 30th.

 

Looking ahead, on the 14th of November, Darren will be hosting a special FREE event for our good friends at Vanrooy Machinery. This industry event showcases the Bravo Tritico, a remarkable piece of commercial equipment all the way from Spain. We were among the first businesses in Australia to embrace this machine, and Darren become an expert in crafting exquisite ice creams, custards, creams, curds, and, of course, his famous salted caramel. Joining forces with Jordi, they will demonstrate and discuss their exceptional skills with this machine. If you’re a professional, don't miss this exciting collaboration.