I travel to eat good food, but because I have decision paralysis it can be the most frustrating part of our vacations. I have learned to book food experiences to make it easier on myself and less annoying for my husband.
During my research phase, I saw numerous recommendations for the Paella Club and it was not a disappointment! First rule of the Paella Club, said our host/chef, is TALK about Paella Club! He has an amazing energy and is so passionate about Catalan food and music that you cannot help but have an amazing experience. Plus, the Cava is seemingly never-ending, so come prepared to drink!
We had a full class and were at the vegetarian paella station. But at the end of the class, we all sat down at a long table and were able to try all the other versions that were made at the stations. My favorite was the pork paella. I have never made paella and had only eaten it once before, so this was a great introduction and I feel confident that I could replicate it at home.
And because the food experiences were a 'plenty in Barcelona, we also booked a tapas tour through Airbnb.
At the first stop we tried vermouth. I don't think I have ever in my life tried vermouth and I was not confident that I would really enjoy it since I'm not a big liquor drinker. But when in Barcelona, you must try vermouth and it was surprisingly tasty! I did not eat the olive, though, since it was stuffed with anchovy.
Our first stop also included some Manchego cheese (yum!) and pickled fish. The fish I did not try. Sorry, not sorry!
The crochets, though, at the first stop were quite delicious!
This beautifully displayed dish is tuna loaf. I tried it.
This was my favorite bite of the night--fried green tomatoes and fried Camembert cheese. It reminded me of the South!
At the third stop we tried a bunch more things. Bread smeared with tomato (a Catalan staple), fried Cod balls (my absolute LEAST favorite bite), fried Calamari (I tried it so I could tell my father-in-law that I did) and a cheese, potato and onion quiche-like dish. We had this at the hotel for breakfast, too, so it was neat to find out that it's a local dish.
At our last stop I completely forgot to snap a photo, but we tried another croquette and dessert.
We had a fun group with us. One guy was from the Northeast (came across as a privileged white dude), one couple (a cop and a nurse) was from the San Fran area, one couple was from Italy and then us. I don't know how, but near the end we ended up discussing America's 401k system and gun control. Call me a nerd, but I loved every second of it!
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