Spain and Portugal for Visitors

Posted by : John Ross on Jan 08, 2008 - 06:41 AM FoodAndDrink

January 18th to March 9th is the Garoinada, the sea-urchin season (in the gastronomic sense), in Catalonia's Baix Empordà (the Lower Ampurdan, on the Costa Brava). In Palafrugell, particularly (which includes its three resorts, Tamariu, Llafranc and Calella de Palafrugell), a set menu is offered by various restaurants consisting of a first course of garoines, sea urchins, and second course cazuela de calamares y escamarlán, a dish of squid and Norway lobster, with Peralada wine, dessert, and coffee thrown in for 35-45 euros. More of this story.

I learn from Nick Lloyd's estimable website on Iberian Nature) that there are "750-odd sea urchin species" of which only a few are edible, including the garoin eaten on the Costa Brava, which is Paracentrotus lividus for the scientifically minded (what is generally called the "edible sea urchin" in English is another species, Echinus esculentus). More important from our current perspective is that Nick proclaims them "wholly delicious," and as I have not had the opportunity to try them I must bow to his superior knowledge. I do know that they are much esteemed in places like Japan (though it does seem that the Japanese like their food to be, how shall I put it, challenging), and that they are popular with new-wave chefs like Ferran Adrià (whose El Bulli restaurant is just up the road in Roses).

So the gastronomically adventurous or sophisticated will not want to miss a visit to the Ampurdán at this time of year - the Costa Brava tourist board press release which alerted me to this story points out that the set menu is available in these restaurants: La Casona, Símbol, La Xicra and Pa i Raïm i Xadó in Palafrugell; the Hotel Restaurant Llevant, the Hotel Restaurant Llafranch and the Hotel Restaurant La Llagosta in Llafranc; and Les Voltes and the Hotel Restaurant Garbí in Calella. And here is some tourist information for Palafurugell:
Palafrugell Tourist Information Office:
17200 Palafrugell (Baix Empordà)
Telephone:
(+34) 972 300 228
Fax:
(+34) 972 611 261
e-mail:
turisme@palafrugell.net
Website:
palafrugell.net/turisme