Tapas Sin Jamon... y Sin Carne y Sin Pesce...



Estoy vegetarian. (I am a vegetarian - for those of you who know Espanol about as well as I do). And since the Spanish consider cured swine hindquarters an indispensible delicacy AND a decoration, the last time I was in Spain (five years back - Madrid, Seville, and Andalusia) I pretty much wasted away while simulaneously being traumatized by the site of weepy and dripping pig appendages, complete with their hooves, proudly displayed in every restaurant, coffe shop, bar, hotel, back alley, phone booth, nice little lady's lace shop, WHEREVER! (Seriously! Someone Spanish...what gives with the incessant pig leg parade?!?) It seemed waiters either had no understanding of the term "vegetarian" or, after hearing it, rolled their eyes in a way that made me think they were going to spit in my food as punishment for my sacrilege to the jamon god (and to meat in general).

Sorry. Short soap box. I'm finished.

Anyway, I was a touch worried about eating in Espana this go-round ... but fortunately, I needn't have been.

I just got back from Txakolin, a popular Basque tapas restaurant on Av. Marquès de l'Argentera, where you stand at a U-shaped bar while the staff come around with plates of small offerings on skewers. You pick whatever looks too good to turn down (pretty much everything looks that good - even to me), and when you're finished, they tally up your number of sticks.

Of course, the bulk of these little bites involve some sort beef, fish, and (really, it goes without saying) the infamous jamon. However, when I told the very-nice-guy at the bar, Eduardo (I walked into the placed and said "Busco Eduardo?" - I think that means "I'm looking for" - since Tash mentioned he was one person at the place who spoke near-perfect English) that I was a vegetarian, he smiled and nodded knowingly. He promptly scouted out the two platters sitting around the bar with veggie items and brought them my way... then told the kitchen (and the owner, Paco) that there was vegetarian in the house.

"Just wait five minutes," he told me, "some hot stuff will be coming out of the kitchen for you."


I almost couldn't believe it. Veggie tapas... custom-built for me... in Espana... But there's the proof!




Here's the back of Eduardo... offering customers some very tasty looking non-veggie morsels.

(One should also note the utter lack of slowly decaying pig flesh hanging from the ceiling - sorry, it's called a tie-back, I couldn't help myself)

7 comments:

Ms.Nožisková said...

Hey Jimmy - pasting your comment on this post, just 'cause it seemed more fitting...

Jimmy Ho said...
Eduardo has an amazing memory!
He recognised me after 6 months, and knew exactly what i was wearing at the time too! freaky!

Capre D is a place, and since it is your motto, you MUST visit :)

How are the evil cats?

July 24, 2008 5:31 PM

anne spice said...

Yeah, Eduardo seemed very pleased that I was Tash's friend and told me to come back - so I'm sure he'd remember you... I mean, as much as you naturally blend in with the Spaniards, yellow shirt/red pants/overstated bling combinations are hard to forget...

Read: I now understand why you must outsource all operation "non-evil evil cat" mole duties... I report that the cats are angels.

Dianne said...

Soy(not estoy) vegeterian!

I'm so proud of your Spanish vocabulary! Hopefully there won't be any jamon nightmares this go-round.

Besos!

Ms.Nožisková said...

Ha ha ha Dianne! When I first glanced at your comment I thought you were going to recommend a soy substitute for jamon!

Let it be noted people: Soy vegetarian, not estoy! The Spanish language is so very appropriate in this context! (Um, what does 'estoy' mean?)

Agreed, we hope there are no nightmares this go-round... am taking precautionary measures and avoiding establishments con jamon...

Besos mucho (tambien?)!

Jimmy Ho said...

I am just glad that you are eating well....

:)))

Ms.Nožisková said...

That makes dos!!

Dianne said...

In this case estoy would indicate a more temporary condition, whereas soy is more permanent. How annoying are my little Spanish lessoms? :o)

I'll second Jimmy though, I'm glad you're eating well!

Ms.Nožisková said...

Di! Please...soooo NOT annoying! Rather, your Spanish lessons are needed and necessary! You are too-right, my veggie-ness is hardly a temporary condition...soy!!