Yesterday I was watching Samantha Brown in Barcelona, she got a glass of champagne in some special champagne bar, and the bartender told her to... oh, boy, my fingers are trembling... to eat an anchovie first, then wash it down with champagne.

Anchovies and champagne, or horror of horrors! I love them both, but not at the same meal

Is it true, not some TV gimmik, is it customary in Barcelona to have champagne with pickled fish? Not with fruit or chocolate?

I saw that too! AND was thinking the same thing, how a chocholate covered strawberry would have been sooooo much better. LOL.

For me, Champagne goes well with a good blue cheese -- Roquefort or St. Agur.

And many other sparkling wines, at a fraction of the price, work just as well on my palate as does Champagne. Saumur Brut suits me well enough.

I seemed to have dragged myself away from both elements of the original question.

But I suspect that one is more likely to drink Cava in Barcelona than champagne.

I saw that, too, and thought "Oh GAWD!!" I mean, a martini, yes, but champagne? I Don't Think So!

But at least it wasn't one of those horrid herrings that the Dutch like to gulp.....

I could never eat anything that still has eyes. amp; I'm with laartista, give me CHOCOLATE!!

Mediterranean anchovies bear little resemblance in taste to the overly salted ones we get in North America.

This is what my co-worker explained (her boyfriend is an owner of a french restaurant so maybe she knows more than I do!)

Champagne and caviar go together, also served not as often as champagne and fruit/chocolate. Maybe anchovies are a cheaper version of this expensive appetizer?

Still I don't like to combine fish and this delicate drink!