Hi ekscrunchy. Sorry, I know what you mean - I suppose I mean membrillo is available in UK cities with good cheesemongers, but I'm sure it isn't available everywhere

I think my soap is right judging by your description & by the link showing a box. I'm going to wait to open it until we move to our new flat with its cool black bathroom (next month I hope, keep your fingers crossed for me !). Thanks for telling me & others about it.

I just adore the purse I bought in Madrid, and wish now I had bought another one while I was there. I also love the table linens I bought.

But the single item I wished I had purchased and didn't? Olives. Simple, Spanish, green olives. I became addicted to 'em. I can't find the "right" ones anywhere around here, even if the label "says" Spanish. The ones here are way, way too salty! Blah! I wish I would have brought home several jars now!

What a great thread . . .

A few relatively easy and inexpensive things, for yourself or for gifts: soaps/scents, small ceramics, fans. These pack well and have the advantage of being available at Corte Ingles on that last day when you are rushing around checking your list of people to buy gifts for.

My favorite scents are:

Magno (the black soap -- although we can get it in KC the big bottles of gel are a lot cheaper in Spain)

Alvarez Gomez (heaven! the kids A.G. is lovely too)

Puig Lavanda (we buy oodles of the soap for next to nothing and keep it in linen closets, sock drawers, gym bags, luggage, etc. - smells soooo good and will be a "scent memory" of your trip.)

Macedonia soap is also a fun gift -- looks like marbled candy.

More expensive, but with the intoxicating, amazing, and oh so Spanish smell of orange blossom is Adolfo Dominguez "Azahar." Any of the Loewe scents are great too (Aire, Essencia Femme) and are distinct from what you find in the U.S. perfume market.

Another nice gift for someone you really like, or yourself, would be Majorica pearls. Again, available at C.I. -- be sure to get your IVA refund paperwork while you're there.

I also like to browse around the paper department and pick up fun little notebooks with squares instead of lines, interesting folders of different sizes with stretchy band closures (now you can find some stuff like this at Target, but it used to be a novelty). If you read Spanish, C.I. in Sol has a great section of books on Madrid (many with lots of photos in case you don't), books of regional tourism/history, maps, etc. Yes, I'm revealing my inner geek -- I spend my final hours in Madrid in the bookstore wishing I could fit more in my suitcase.

My soap arrives from Spain tonight - oops...I mean my daughter. lol

I am going to Barcelona in June and have already made a reservation at the Avenida Palace......Has anyone ever stayed there? Also, does anyone have some wonderful restaurants to suggest??

queenbee-

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...aire&fid=2

Just kidding. That thread did not work. I don't know how to paste the thread, but do a search for tapas and you will get some great barcelona restaurants. Sorry about that!

Another thread reminded me of: Espadrilles!

Somehow nobody mentioned my favorite cheese: Torta del Casar - fabulous but very expensive. On the other hand my favorite Andalucian spice(I tried to buy it in Barcelona but found none and they never even heard of it), Anejo & Perejil (Garlic and Parsley) is very inexpensive and everything (well, almost everything) tastes better with it.

I am so pleased that you mentioned Torta del Casar. I am very keen to taste it for the first time during my upcoming trip. I will be in Extremadura where I believe this cheese originates. Can you tell us anything about it..I know it is semi-soft sheep's milk but not much else. Thanks!

they probably never heard of it because you mixed up some words..
it should be "ajo y perejil".

very common.

Here is some more information about foods to bring home from Spain. This store recommends another cheese that is similar, but not the same as, Torta del Casar. I will be happy to try them both!

http://www.idealcheese.com/catalog/spain.htm

ttt for the question about what to bring back from France and Spain

Being Catalan-American I would say a "poron" is an excellent addition to any wine conniseur's collection. It is essentially a decanteur, but a little more fun. Jamon Serrano, especially "pata negra" or the black foot is something you'll have a hard time finding in the US, especially as good as it is there. Other cured pork products like "llangunisa seca", you will never find here, which is like a dry sausage, or "butifarra negra" or "butifarra blanca" which are types of sausage. Again, you will never find this in the states. The best is to go to a local butcher, in a small town, because they normally have family recipes for these sausages, which have hundreds of years of history behind them. If you have the time, go to a small town called Marça, in the Priorat region of Catalunya. There is a butcher store there, which makes the BEST "butifarra" in the land. Unfortunately Pere died a few years back, I personally knew the man, but his daughter is doing a fine job running the shop, and the recipe for the "butifarra" hasn't changed. Enjoy with some Pan Tomata, and a poron of some fine Priorat wine.

Again, I am Catalan-American, and am very proud of my culture. I have a small farm there. Any questions on the land and it's cuisine and people feel free to ask. Visca Catalunya, que viscui la pau entre totes las nacios.

ekscrunchy, a few years ago I purchased a house from a lady that was born and raised in Seville. She still has all her family there. On the exterior of her house is the most beautiful Spanish house numbers (white bordered in a beautiful blue). She left them on the house. I would think that would be a beautiful souvenior that you could use forever, well unless you moved of course.

As I was poking around a regular old supermercado in Burgos trying to fill up a backpack with stuff not available back home, I came across a chocolate bar by Lindt called "Crema Catalana." I bought eight of them for something like 1.25 euros each. I wish I had bought more, though I don't eat chocolate, because everyone who got one raved about it.

Bringing this forward to prepare for upcoming trip..

Ingmarla,

Isn't there a concern with bringing back pork/meat products described?

yea..like it is not permitted and will be confiscated if found.. i imagine you might get into a bit of trouble if you lied about having it to begin with.

i was told you can't even bring in canned meats.