Buying cheese in Santiago

[Kiwi-family]

Post-camino planning now.
Usually we have at least a couple of days in Madrid at the end of our caminos and know where to go to get nice big rounds of cheese to take home, but this time it looks like it will be easiest to fly from Santiago to Madrid and not go in to town.
Googlemaps tells me there is a Mercadona and a Lidl in Santiago. Does anyone know if either of them sell waxed cheese, tinned pimientos and plastic packets of olives? Closer to our accommodation is a large Carrefour - my experience in other parts of Europe is that they are more expensive - would that be accurate for Santiago?
Of course we can just go walking when we get there, but it looks like we will be pressed for time so I'm doing a bit of prior research - primarilly to keep the kids who are staying home happy with the prospect that we *will* return with goodies!

 

[peregrina2000]

Oh, yum, I am smacking my lips. I always bring home lots of cheese, olive oil, etc etc. I am not sure what you mean by "waxed" cheese, unless you are talking about buying a closed whole cheese. I usually get a bunch of smaller pieces that are vacuum packed. Either way keeps it from spoiling. Hands down the place I would go is the market, Mercado de Abastos. So much variety and such a nice place to visit. Last summer I got a lot of different pastes and pates in the market and some beautiful cans of tuna, bonito, some sardines, great for little gifts. I have also walked out to the Corte Inglés (you can also take a bus, it's down a ways past the train station), which has a good sized supermarket and a good selection in their supermercado. I can't tell you about prices, sorry, but I can tell you that the Spanish cheeses I get in the market are much better than what I can get in my hometown, where the manchego comes with a black rind that looks like a tire tread.

 

[SabsP]

Found you this link, remember I saw it somewhere.
In different European countries there is a list of the most economical supermarkets.
http://www.lavanguardia.com/comer/m...ermercados-mas-caros-y-baratos-de-espana.html

I was surprised to see that Mercadona is cheaper than Eroski and DIA. Always thought otherwise.
And AlCampo being the cheapest.

Of course Lidl is a discounter but imho choices are more limited.

Carrefour comes under the French flag so their always seems to be a broader selection of French cheeses than Spanish ones.

 

[ivar]

Post-camino planning now.
Usually we have at least a couple of days in Madrid at the end of our caminos and know where to go to get nice big rounds of cheese to take home, but this time it looks like it will be easiest to fly from Santiago to Madrid and not go in to town.
Googlemaps tells me there is a Mercadona and a Lidl in Santiago. Does anyone know if either of them sell waxed cheese, tinned pimientos and plastic packets of olives? Closer to our accommodation is a large Carrefour - my experience in other parts of Europe is that they are more expensive - would that be accurate for Santiago?
Of course we can just go walking when we get there, but it looks like we will be pressed for time so I'm doing a bit of prior research - primarilly to keep the kids who are staying home happy with the prospect that we *will* return with goodies!

Not sure... my bet would be that they would have a better selection at Mercadona (they are also not so far out of town).

If you are a cheese fan, this place is located in old town and is a cheese paradise:
http://www.quesosprestes.com/productos.php

Serarch for "Quesería Prestes" in google maps.

Buen Camino!
Ivar

 

[stevov]

Post-camino planning now.
Usually we have at least a couple of days in Madrid at the end of our caminos and know where to go to get nice big rounds of cheese to take home, but this time it looks like it will be easiest to fly from Santiago to Madrid and not go in to town.
Googlemaps tells me there is a Mercadona and a Lidl in Santiago. Does anyone know if either of them sell waxed cheese, tinned pimientos and plastic packets of olives? Closer to our accommodation is a large Carrefour - my experience in other parts of Europe is that they are more expensive - would that be accurate for Santiago?
Of course we can just go walking when we get there, but it looks like we will be pressed for time so I'm doing a bit of prior research - primarilly to keep the kids who are staying home happy with the prospect that we *will* return with goodies!

I would certainly recommend a visit to the Abastos Market, you can buy almost anything edible there and its also a tremendous experience. The local waxed cheese is called tetilla (little titties!) and is quite mild tasting. I also recommend the local liqueurs (see pic). If you use saffron...buying it in Spain will save u money.

 

[Kiwi-family]

Fabulous thanks people.