We will be in Barcelona between Christmas and New Years and I hope the markets will have percebes--goose barnacles. Does anyone know if they are available at that time of year? I've eaten them and enjoyed them, but frankly never knew if they were raw or cooked. If I should be lucky enough to find percebes at a Barcelona market, how would I prepare them?

I ate mine steamed in Madrid in May. I was under the impression that they are a specialty of Galicia, which doesn't preclude finding them in Barcelona, but I bet they are pricey.

http://www.google.com/search?client=...8&oe=UTF-8

As far as I know, they are generally harvested in December and often eaten around the holidays.

You wouldn't want to eat them raw! They are generally boiled (in plan water, perhaps with a bay leaf) or grilled and eaten plain or dipped in butter or some other sauce you'd eat with shellfish. They are also prepared in savory stews, along with other seafood and crustaceans.

Thank you both. We will be staying in an apartment rather than a hotel so I'm thinking I can get some of these at the market and cook them up--as you say with salt water and bit a of bay leaf--and have a fine holiday treat probably for less than I'd pay in a restaurant for these admittedly pricey little creatures.

Yes, definitely served cooked. I do not know the season, but when I was in Galicia/Asturias in May a few years ago they were certainly available. My guess is that the harvesting depends a great deal on the weather conditions--when the seas are too rough, it is too dangerous to be scampering around those rocks rising up from the "Coast of Death," in Galicia..

We visited the main town where they are gathered--San Andres de Texeido--and even on a clear day, the sea was rough and the coast battered by winds..

...it appears that the preferred method is a quick blanch in boiling water seasoned with salt and a bay leaf (hoja de laurel).


http://cocinagallega.iespana.es/marisco.htm

Is this the green knuckle percebe? They have them available in Cadiz often and they're served directly at the bars which sell shellfish.

I was told they were great but I never managed to order them.

Anyway, you can find them in Andalucia.

Blackduff

The really good ones, from Galicia, not too long nor thin, similar to a thumb will be really expensive in Christmas time. Right now their price goes for 60 euro/kilo aprox. It is also important that they don´t have lots and lots of nails, because that means they come from Morocco.

I am pretty sure that you will find them in La Boqueria market.

The way my mum cooks them (and also my friends in Galicia) :
- put lots of water and salt in a pot and bring it to boil
- drop the percebes inside
- when the water boils again, get them out, drain them and put them in a bowl.
- bay leaves are optional, and if you put them, just a couple so they don´t cover the flavour.
- best eaten warm.

As you have already eaten them, I won´t try to explain you how to eat them. It is not the first foreign friend who has looked at them totally puzzled.

My best ones have been in Cedeira, I still dream of them.

Bye, Cova

Gracias, Cova!

Here is a related article by Penelope Casas, from 1990:


http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpag...54C0A966958260

And a well-reviewed restaurant in Barcelona serving Galician seafood:


http://www.riasdegalicia.com/

I know that this is an acquired taste and a rather expensive one, so wouldn't you just know that I found it easy to acquire. I'll have to go to the Boquieria and splurge. Thanks for everyone's help. I'll let you know what luck I have.

Julie I just want to say that I am so happy that you are able to take your trip to Spain. I know that I speak for many when I say that we will be looking forward with great hunger for your food-centric trip report!

I won't bore you with my gushing about Cal Pep or La Boqueria since you probably have been there..


Oh, also, would you mind posting the link to the apartment in Barcelona..I have got to get back there someday soon..

"I won't bore you with my gushing about Cal Pep or La Boqueria since you probably have been there.."

What did I miss something? I want to read about it Scrunchy!

ams

Julie,
my galician friends always talk about an italian friend of us. They brought him to Cedeira and ordered percebes. The poor guy looked at them not knowing how to eat them and asked if he could have something else. They insisted and insisted until he relented and began to eat.

Once the dessert time arrived, and they have a wonderful milk rice at this place (don´t remember the name, it´s a big place right at the harbour), he, who had a very sweet tooth, simply looked and asked : "Can I have more percebes?"

Bye, Cova

ekscrunchy, Penelope Casas´s article mentions the place in Cedeira, "El nautico".

Also, if someone can find Tom Parker Bowles´s "The year of eating dangerously", it has an hilarious chapter explaining how he went with a couple of friends to Galicia to "fish" barnacles. Very, very funny.

Bye, Cova

Such fun foodie exchanges. I was in Cedeira but alas was unaware of its percebe reputation. I came to percebe awareness in Ribadesella.

Ekscrunchy, I'm working on my list of Barcelona restaurants right now. Tell me how you scored a place at Cal Pep. There will be 3 of us and I fear we'll never be lucky enough to get seated--just at the same time, not even together. Or am I making this seem tougher than it really is?

Cova: I loved that Tim Parker Bowles book! If you that one, there is another good one of that ilk called The Devil's Picnic by Taras Grescoe..

http://www.laurahird.com/newreview/devilspicnic.html



I was in Barcelona about 6 years ago and I don't think Cap Pep was quite as famous as it is today. We had about 6 days in the city and ate there just about every day..on one day we ate there for lunch AND dinner!

Even then, though, there was usually a line. We always got there well before opening time and were able to get two seats..

Ana: I never did write a trip report, as this was pre-Fodors..but I would love to get back there someday soon..and I promise I WILL write a report when I return from THAT trip!

thank goodness for Wikipedia - I found this thread, and could not imagine what goose barnacles are (but had guesses quot;> ). And, I thought I was pretty well traveled. So, for those of you who, like me, need elucidation:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gooseneck_barnacle

Hi Julie and all,
Here's an article from the Sunday London Times about percebes, how to prepare them, when and where to eat them. Hope you can find them at the market and enjoy your goose barnacle feast, which is coming up quite soon!

http://tinyurl.com/9mt3bm

Maribel, Thanks for reminding me. We leave tomorrow for NYC and then from there to Barcelona on Christmas Day. I'd forgotten that one of my intentions has been to get Percebes at the market and cook them in our apartment. We plan a run on the Santa Caterina market as soon as we arrive to stock our Born apartment. If we can score percebes there, we could be having them for breakfast the next day. If not, we'll check at Boqueria the following day. Can't wait. Merry Christmas. Happy New Year. Feliz Navidad and however they say it in Catalan.

ĦBon Nadal, Julie! May your trip be filled with joy!