Come winter, cal\u00e7ots are the undisputed kings of Catalan cuisine.<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
The cal\u00e7ot<\/em>, a cross between a spring onion and leek, is by and large one of the region’s most beloved products. For more than a century, they’ve been an integral part of Catalan cuisine<\/a> every winter.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Sweet, tender and absolutely delicious when dipped in romesco sauce, cal\u00e7ots<\/em> in Barcelona are wildly popular\u2014and so is the tradition that comes along with them.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n Cal\u00e7ots<\/em> are a relatively mild-flavored member of the onion family that are traditionally eaten grilled. Just peel off the outer layer of skin, dip the cal\u00e7ot<\/em> into plenty of romesco sauce, eat, and repeat!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Though considered native to the area surrounding Tarragona (and enjoyed throughout all of Catalonia today), cal\u00e7ots<\/em> come into season around November and are available until April or so. They’ve become such a beloved staple of local cuisine that they’ve earned a Protected Geographic Indication label from the European Union!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Roughly between the months of December and March, when the cal\u00e7ot<\/em> is in season, people throughout Catalonia head out to the countryside to enjoy the cal\u00e7otada<\/em>. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n A cal\u00e7otada<\/em> is a winter barbecue where the cal\u00e7ots<\/em> are packed tight on a grill, charred to perfection, and then dipped in that rich and nutty romesco sauce (but as we said, be sure to remove the charred outer layer first!). <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n But the feast doesn’t end there. After piles upon piles of these guys come all types of grilled meats\u2014like botifarra, <\/em>the traditional Catalan sausage, lamb, rabbit, and more. These are all delicious when dipped in romesco sauce as well. And of course, it’s all washed down with plenty of local wine. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n If you’re looking to try cal\u00e7ots<\/em> in Barcelona, you can’t miss the opportunity to take a day trip to a nearby town for an authentic cal\u00e7otada<\/em>. <\/em>So come with a good appetite, tie a bib around your neck and go to town with the cal\u00e7ots<\/em>. It’s a messy but worthwhile experience\u2014they only come once a year, after all!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n So where do the cal\u00e7ot<\/em> and the cal\u00e7otada<\/em> come from? <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n If you zoom in on a map, about 100 kilometers west of Barcelona, you’ll find a small town called Valls in the province of Tarragona. It was here, in this lost little town, that the cal\u00e7ot<\/em> was born.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n During the late 19th century, a village farmer in Valls decided to try an experiment by planting white onion bulbs in trenches as usual, but then increasing the depth of the soil as they grew. The result was the mild, sweet, and incredibly delicious cal\u00e7ot<\/em>. The Catalan verb cal\u00e7ar<\/em>, which literally means “to put on footwear,” became associated with this unique method of growing these onions by adding more soil to the base, and that’s how they got their name.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n From that point on, the people of Valls started to host cal\u00e7otades<\/em>, or essentially cal\u00e7ot<\/em>-eating parties, for holidays and special family meals as a way to enjoy this local product with friends and family. However, little by little, word spread. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Today, they’ve become a popular tradition all around Catalonia. You can even enjoy cal\u00e7otades<\/em> in the city of Barcelona (more on that in a bit)!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n If you want to try cal\u00e7ots<\/em> in Barcelona province, you have two options: the city center or the countryside. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Many would argue that in order to authentically experience the cal\u00e7ot<\/em>, you have to go outside Barcelona for a day trip<\/a>. Masias<\/em>, or Catalan countryside houses or farms, are where you will find the rustic atmosphere traditionally associated with cal\u00e7ots<\/em>. Here are a few of our favorites near Barcelona.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Don’t have a whole morning to spare? There are plenty of places to eat cal\u00e7ots<\/em> in Barcelona, and you don’t even have to leave the city center. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Barcelona is home to a number of restaurants that specialize in cal\u00e7ots<\/em>. If you can’t make it out to the countryside, let them bring this seasonal delicacy to you.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n This blog post was originally posted on January 8, 2015 and was updated on January 25, 2021. Come winter, cal\u00e7ots are the undisputed kings of Catalan cuisine. The cal\u00e7ot, a cross between a spring onion and leek, is by and large one of the region’s most beloved products. For more than a century, they’ve been […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":47,"featured_media":14618,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"_oasis_task_priority":"","inline_featured_image":false},"categories":[2097],"tags":[1202,1272,868,156,1307],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n![\"Grilling](\"https:\/\/assets.devourtours.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/calcCCA7ots-in-barcelona.png\")
<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\nWhat are cal\u00e7ots?<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
![\"Group](\"https:\/\/assets.devourtours.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/calcCCA7ots-calcCCA7otada-HL.jpg\")
The cal\u00e7otada<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
![\"If](\"https:\/\/assets.devourtours.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Devour-CCT-High-Res-95-of-182-1.jpg\")
Cal\u00e7ots in Barcelona and beyond: A brief history<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Where can I find cal\u00e7ots in Barcelona?<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
![\"One](\"https:\/\/assets.devourtours.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Devour-CCT-High-Res-153-of-182-copia-1.jpg\")
![\"Cal\u00e7ots](\"http:\/\/assets.devourtours.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Devour-CCT-High-Res-121-of-182-1.jpg\")