Yes, I know :) It is exactly the same here. Association of ideas : "the champion" of chocolates , jejeje. There are some other brands, but this is the only instant one.

IMO, you can´t compare a good chocolate made from tablets, slowly cooked and mixed with milk, to get a thick and nice chocolate con leche.

In any case, Paladín is a decent substitute and makes a good chocolate for urgencies (not thick, though...)

Do they make chocolate con agua as well as con leche? I know this isn't Mexico so don't jump me for asking. I don't drink milk (except for the crema in my cafe solo).

I'll second the recommendation for the Boqueria. It's a feast for the eyes, as well as the stomach! If you have children with you, they will be amazed.

It isn´t common to drink chocolate with water in Spain, chocolate here is thick and creamy thanks to the milk. If you use water instead of milk, you get a kind of chocolate drink where you can´t dip the churros or cookies. The difference is that the real chocolate is "eaten", and the chocolate with water is drunk.

In any case, the taste of milk goes unnoticed.

mikel, I do thick chocolate (in fact, sometimes too thick, I'm not a good cooker :P ) with Paladin. You just have to put more chocolate spoons :) I do like it thick !!

Just back from checking my kitchen...I found a Paladín box...I guess I must have used it for making chocolate...I also found the chocolate a la taza tablets...it´s getting cold up here, time for hot thick milky chocolate...together with some Galician orujo...

that´s life...

amsdon: Thank you! Yes, the disco was Joy Slava! Great memories.

Also correct that Italians call the croissant a "cornetto." I have to confess, I will always love the unhealthy French croissant the best!! No one else compares. Just flaky, buttery goodness.

I also miss the REAL SPANISH EMPANADA that I had. With the light, flaky crust. So hard to find this in the U.S. I am in Los Angeles now and determined to find it... Don't really fancy the Argentine or other versions of empanada.

Cheers!

mikelg: I prefer a dark Cuban-type Rum with my chocolate caliente. Save the Orujo for a Queimada!
BTW
My favorite is Orujo de Liebana

Hey there Betty, I am near you in Simi:

Do you mean Empanada Gallega? The large pie type.? Because you won't ever find that in our area of CA unfortunately...... I love it.

You will only find other versions types of empanadas. I think I will strat a thread on that for recipies...yum! Although the empanada gallega is THE BEST IMO!

It IS possible to find a great typical spanish empanada in the Los Angeles area if you're willing to drive to the South Bay. There's a great place called La Espanola in Harbor City:

http://www.laespanolameats.com/

I found out about it through a local newspaper when they ran an article on small businesses. In 1982 a woman bought an old butcher's shop and started her own business specializing in homeade spanish sausages (she's originally from Valencia). It has stayed in the family and grown into a company that specializes in these incredible homeade sausages and spanish imports. The "store" in Harbor City is tiny but it is chock full of wonderful spanish meats, cheeses, wines and other wonderful things that will remind you of Spain. Many of the customers are from Spain. They are a supplier of several spanish restaurants in the US.

On Saturday's they make paella and homeade empanadas. You need to calll in and reserve the paella in advance - I'm not positive about the empanadas. I didn't reserve in advance but I may have been lucky. You can also get various types of bocadillas - not sure if this is only on Saturdays but if you call I'm sure they'd know.

Oh yes Cathy I know the place well & love it.

..but the Empanada Gallega they sell is not home made it is somehow imported & frozen (?)
I saw the label...

I do know if several empanada places but sadly no Gallega...I will have to make it.

In any case this is a great link thanks for posting it.
I love La Espanola & just got alot of cheese there for a party along with the fanous chorizo (Bilbao) that is NOT supposed to go into a Paella (don't tell on me plz it was so good)

amsdon-
So funny - I bought the Chorizo Bilbao on my last trip to La Espanola and am making it for dinner tonight! Found a recipe for chorizo with chickpeas and red peppers....so I'm not putting it in paella. They do have great cheeses - I just returned from Catalunya and am addicted to the Honey and Mato cheese dessert. I couldn't believe it when I found the Mato cheese at the store! You've burst my bubble on the empanada gallego at the store though - now it will never taste the same to me!


pdx - haven't forgotten you. I have the names of 3 breakfast places near your hotel. The receipts are in my big bag of stuff to organize this weekend. I'll find them and post later.

CathyM - That would be great. We leave on Monday. Toss some dinner recommendations into the mix, too, ok?

pdx-

Maribel's guides are right on with the restaurant recommendations. I'd use this as my ultimate guide for food!

The breakfast places that I found:

-One morning I visited the famous Boqueria market and ate at the equally famous counter Pinotxo. Honestly, I wasn't overly impressed. Perhaps it is more of a lunch counter though.

-The next day I visited the Mercat Santa Catalina, just off the Via Laietena on the way from the Cathedral to the Palau de la Musica Catalana (a must!). I really enjoyed this market. It didn't seem as busy or touristy as the Bouqueria. There were several counters and I chose Bar Joan. I had a spinach tortilla espanola on a bocadilla (with tomato and olive oil of course). The total for the bocadilla and my cafe con leche was 3.35 euros!

-On my final day I was craving churros con chocolate. I had past a churreria on Via Laietana on my walk from the Mercat Catalana to the Palau the previous day. It was on the same side a couple of blocks up from the market. Unfortunately it was closed! The bar about 1/2 block prior looked good and they were making fresh churros. This was a winner (if you like churros). Unfortunately I don't have the name but you can probably find from the description.

The only restaurant recommendation I'd have outside of Maribel's guide is:

Vascelum, Pl Santa Maria 4

I found this restaurant (bar downstairs) in the fall 2002 and ate there almost every day. They have a good lunch menu with excellent choices. The food is modern catalan and wonderful. It's next door to La Vinya del Senyor (in Maribel's guide).

Hope this helps and have a wonderful trip to Barcelona.

Great! Thank you.

AMSDON: Honestly, I have no idea if the empanada I had was called Gallega or not. It is a thin, light, flaky crust that seems to melt in your mouth. Inside is either cod or some kind of meat. Perhaps it is not even that common in Spain, who knows??

The empanadas I've had here tend to have a thick, heavy crust... just not the same taste at all. I remember having more luck when I lived in NYC. There are so many tapas places there now, each one trying to be the authentic "Spanish" one.

CATHYM: Thanks so much for sharing your info! In general, I don't think good cheese is easy to find in Los Angeles. My husband and I complain about the Italian parmesan here all the time also!

NOW, IF ANYONE CAN RECOMMEND A PLACE IN LA TO FIND THAT GREAT, THICK HOT CHOCOLATE I HAD IN SPAIN, I'D BE THRILLED! (I've seen some decent Mexican-brand hot chocolate in our local Rite-Aid!) Cheers.

bettyo70 writes: "NOW, IF ANYONE CAN RECOMMEND A PLACE IN LA TO FIND THAT GREAT, THICK HOT CHOCOLATE I HAD IN SPAIN, I'D BE THRILLED!"
On the Plaza in Barajas Pueblo there's Toribio's Churreria, open from 5:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Many Airline crews breakfast there with Fresh, squeezed Orange juice, Churros (or Porras) and rich, thick Chocolate caliente.
They also serve a good Café con leché

Betty you are so right the trick is the crust. I have a recipes
I found and I am trying to get the time to test it. I know what you mean about the thin flaky crust, it's the best one for sure.

I did see the bar of chocolate at La Espanola that supposedly is used for the hot chocolate. Check online at the site cathy gave. I have not tried it here, only in Spain at San Gines.

NEDSIRELAND: In regard to finding the hot chocolate in Los Angeles, you responded:

"On the Plaza in Barajas Pueblo there's Toribio's Churreria"

Just curious... where exactly is this area you are mentioning? Could it be the Mexican area in downtown LA??!