Calçots time

The calçotades are here, bringing with them an opportunity to enjoy the return of the good weather, family and friends.

It is a tradition that is celebrated in Catalonia year after year, from late winter to early spring, in which calçots, typical Catalan spring onions with a unique flavour, are eaten, making the calçotades a gastronomic festival.

Its origins date back to the 19th century, in the area of  Valls, Catalonia. It is said that a peasent called Xat de Benaiges was the one who discovered the famous calçots. There is a story about its origin, which tells that one day Xat de Benaiges was cooking some onions on the fire, but they burnt. Benaiges, instead of throwing them away, peeled them and ate them, so that he discovered that they tasted tender and tasty.

Calçots have a special cultivation, as a specific technique is used to grow them. The method consists of covering the onion shoots with soil in order to obtain longer, white, tender stems. In addition, these are eaten with the hands (removing the charred outer layer beforehand) and are accompanied by romesco sauce, which gives them a delicious flavor.

To make the calçots you have to follow a few steps… To begin with, they need to be cleaned and the hard outer layer removed. Next, the embers are prepared, and when they are well formed, the calçots are placed on the grill and on the embers to roast them. For good cooking, it is advisable to turn from time to time. As soon as the outer layer of the calçots is well charred and the inside is very tender, it means they are done!

Finally, remove the calçots from the grill and wrap them in newspaper, leaving them to rest for a few minutes to finish cooking. Once it is all done, do not forget to enjoy yourself and get your hands dirty!

In the centre of Barcelona there are several restaurants offering calçotades. Remember that with Aerobús you can travel from the airport to the centre of Barcelona, and that the service operates 24 hours a day, every day of the year.