Scattered along the promenade that fronts the beach are seafood restaurants with indoor and outdoor seating. Alongside each restaurant are what look like boats but are really barbecue pits (well, sand-filled boats with wood fires). When the wood is hot, you'll usually see large, locally caught sardines skewered and smoking. I'm not a fan of sardines
(except when prepared by our friend Gonzalo at Catalina Casa de Comidas y Más in Sevilla — click for more), but I love seeing this. We might have to give one of these places a try before tourist season (June, July, and August) is upon us. My sense is the last place I pass might be be best; it's always busy. And today, in addition to the sardines, they were smoking salmon when I first passed and langostinos on my walk home (in Spain, the name "langostino" refers to prawns). Unlike sardines, salmon and langostinos are a safe bet for me.
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| SARDINES SMOKING ON A SPIT. |
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| MAKING MORE SMOKE. |
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| A LESS RUSTIC BARBECUE BOAT. |
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| ANOTHER BOAT. |
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| SALT-ENCRUSTED SARDINES. |
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| ANOTHER ALUMINUM HULL. SMALLER SARDINES HERE. |
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| GOOD AND HOT, AND WAITING FOR SOME FISH. |
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NOTHING COOKING YET.
BUT THE RESTAURANT SHARES A NAME WITH MY FRIEND ALBERT. |
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| SHIPWRECKED. |
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| A VERY POPULAR PLACE. SALMON, TOO. |
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MORE SARDINES AND NEWLY SKEWERED LANGOSTINOS.
THE BARBECUE CHEF WAS VERY FRIENDLY. (HARD TO TELL HERE.) |
Oh, Poor Us
Today is the first day I've seen lifeguards posted along the beach. So, I guess I won't complain... Even though temperatures are still below normal and clouds and rain are never far away. Anyway, I'll have you know, the lifeguards, while perched on their tall lifeguard chairs, were wearing sweatshirts!
It is indeed a strange weather year. We just got 8" of snow (over a foot a few towns north of here!)-- this is not normal. It's spring break, and we've got a ton of snow.
ReplyDeleteVery cool shots of the boat barbecues ;)
Judy
Judeet:
DeleteWe'll be visiting the Duchess in NY soon. I sure hope winter is over before we get there!
That boat is on fire!
ReplyDeleteJohn:
DeleteThat was my initial reaction from across the street. But then I caught on.
I would love to try the prawns they would be my favourite. So I take it there are many boats to choose from, you'll have to try a few of them.
ReplyDeleteLifeguards aren't on the beaches yet, who would have thunk! I'm surprised you haven't has blistering hot weather yet. Just imagine with the breezes coming off the Med and blowing through your open doors and windows!
Heaven!
Ron
Ron:
DeleteThe individual restaurants on the beach like this are nicely scattered and only in our barrio of Los Boliches. There are less than 10, I think, so not too much scouting to do.
The "breezes" have been a bit brisk (and sporadic). One of our 6-foot-tall yuccas got blown over the other night. We're now securing them to the railings.
This IS heaven! I LOVE sardines but the only ones I've had are from a can! I can't imagine how good these are. I do hope San Geraldo likes sardines....if so you must get his reaction to them.
ReplyDeleteI am sure you must be freezing there, Mitch! It's only March for crying out loud! lol
Beautiful boats, and great photos. Must be something 'international' about brightly coloured fishing boats, don't you think?
Jim:
DeleteBefore moving to Spain, the only sardines I had ever had were also out of a can. Blech! These are entirely different... and very big. But they're normally still a bit too "fishy" for my taste. The ones at Catalina in Sevilla were wonderful. Maybe I'll find something I like here, too, but it's nice to nice there are salmon and langostinos.
Thanks for your "sympathy." It's a chilly 69 degrees today!
The seafood looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteDean:
DeleteI'm looking forward to trying some. I'll let you know if it tastes as good as it looks. We HAVE had a fired fish specialty at a local (very local) restaurant. Incredible.
Well your post title sardinely made me do a double take; I'm dolphinately with you on the langostinos and salmon.
ReplyDeleteAnd, yes, I wrote these puns on porpoise...now I'll just perch over here quietly...
Jacquelinean...
DeleteGroan... And I had no particular reason for writing this blog post. I did it just for the halibut.
Such a beautiful area... I love how adventurous you guys are. And I can't say that I'm a fan of sardines, but I cannot say that I'm not, as I've certainly never had them as you show them here!
ReplyDeletePearl
Pearl:
DeleteSardines and anchovies here in Southern Spain are entirely different from any of those I've seen or tasted before. Who knows? I might even develop a taste.
Mitchell,
ReplyDeleteWhat a most inspiring post!!! While I may not barbecue in a sand filled boat I do want one as a fire pit at lake house, Thanks!!! - gary
Gary:
DeleteThe restaurant on the beach right across from us just opened for the season today. They had a huge delivery of wood and I watched them fill their "boat" with sand. The fire has been going for a few hours now. Charming!
how delicious but the sodium in the photo raised my blood pressure just to see it !
ReplyDeleteSpo:
DeleteThis is the kind of thing my high-blood-pressure-father would eat AFTER having his regular blood work done.
All looks very "abroad" to me!
ReplyDeleteI too am wearing a sweatshirt. Well, it's a hoodie really. It's somewhere under my pullover, gilet, coat, scarf and hat - and somewhere over my t-shirt, thermals and string vest. I kid you not. Triple socks are the order of the day here in Blighty!
Can't help but think that if you saw most "sealife" crawling across the lounge carpet the natural reaction would be do bash it with a shoe and call in the dog to clear up, not to eat it yourself! Eeek - and ugh!
Owl Wood:
DeleteT-shirt weather here today (although I wish most of these people would put pants on).
I'm with fellow Twin Citian Pearl. I'm not inclined to try sardines either!
ReplyDeleteMs. Sparrow:
DeleteWell, whenever you get here, you'll have to consider giving them a try... just to know for sure. I'll try many things (not all), but I won't promise to like them.
Sunshine and barbecued sardines - my idea of heaven.
ReplyDeleteHere in the UK we are still under several inches of snow and eating stodgy winter food.....we are so tired of feeling cold.
Jean:
DeleteI sure hope you warm up soon. If I were in your shoes, I would be ready to see the back end of winter by now. We don't even cope well with our version of winter.
I don't know how I missed this post... glad I caught up with it today. Really makes me sorry that we don't have time to come visit..
ReplyDeleteSharon:
DeleteOh, how I wish!
This looks divine! And using those boats is a clever idea.
ReplyDeletePeter:
DeleteIt really is fun to see.