Food glorious Food

[MelMc]

Looking forward to eating some great food starting in Sjpdp and heading towards Burgos. As they say here in Ireland hunger is the best sauce ,what are some of your highlights of the food you have experienced on your walk

 

[Jarrad]

So much to say about that! The first wine that was served at the first dinner I had in SJPdP is a strong memory for me. Table wine served in a glass tumbler. And it was awesome!

 

[Tincatinker]

Morcilla de Burgos. Pulpo. Percebes. Tetilla. Tortilla de patatas. Sidra de Asturias. Godello. Pa amb tomàquet. Sopa de Ajo. Jamon de Jabugo. Chorizo Riojano. Cantabrian Anchoas. Almejas a la plancha. Secreto Iberico. Mencia de Bierzo.

Do try and remember it’s supposed to be a pilgrimage

 

[BROWNCOUNTYBOB]

So many delicious items throughout the camino! Includes:

• Cafe con leche
• Tortilla Espanola
• Olives (acetunas)
• Calamares
• Pulpo
• Paella
• Chorizo
• Mushrooms
• Toast with tomato salsa
• Vino !
• Cerveza !
• Ensaladas (many kinds)
• Pollo (many kinds)
• Bistek (many kinds)
• Caldo Gallego
• Sopa de Lentejas
• Patatas Bravas
• Pimientas de Padron
• Queso (many kinds)
• Menu del Dia
• Menu del Perigrino
• Mariscos
• Empanadilla
• Croquetas
• Lots more!

Cindi and I can't wait until our next Camino! We are planning a "half" CF from Leon to Santiago for the fall of 2025. We are taking it easy after her severe leg stress fracture from our 2021 CF, plus we are hiring a dog watcher for our two beagles (one named "Cafe con Leche") and her 91 year old mother recently moved into Assisted Living. Bob

 

[MelMc]

Morcilla de Burgos. Pulpo. Percebes. Tetilla. Tortilla de patatas. Sidra de Asturias. Godello. Pa amb tomàquet. Sopa de Ajo. Jamon de Jabugo. Chorizo Riojano. Cantabrian Anchoas. Almejas a la plancha. Secreto Iberico. Mencia de Bierzo.

Do try and remember it’s supposed to be a pilgrimage

As my Spanish isn't great (zero basically) could you give me a few of the above in English please. Appreciate it.

 

[MelMc]

So many delicious items throughout the camino! Includes:

• Cafe con leche
• Tortilla Espanola
• Olives (acetunas)
• Calamares
• Pulpo
• Paella
• Chorizo
• Mushrooms
• Toast with tomato salsa
• Vino !
• Cerveza !
• Ensaladas (many kinds)
• Pollo (many kinds)
• Bistek (many kinds)
• Caldo Gallego
• Sopa de Lentejas
• Patatas Bravas
• Pimientas de Padron
• Queso (many kinds)
• Menu del Dia
• Menu del Perigrino
• Mariscos
• Empanadilla
• Croquetas
• Lots more!

Cindi and I can't wait until our next Camino! We are planning a "half" CF from Leon to Santiago for the fall of 2025. We are taking it easy after her severe leg stress fracture from our 2021 CF, plus we are hiring a dog watcher for our two beagles (one named "Cafe con Leche") and her 91 year old mother recently moved into Assisted Living. Bob

Thanks Bob I hope your wife on her mother or doing well I appreciate you taking the time to replace to may post take care of Buddy

 

[MelMc]

So much to say about that! The first wine that was served at the first dinner I had in SJPdP is a strong memory for me. Table wine served in a glass tumbler. And it was awesome!

Cheers mate

 

[Tincatinker]

I can but if you want to try them you’ll need to know what they’re known as locally. Morcilla de Burgos: a blood pudding made with a high proportion of rice rather than oatmeal. Usually sliced and charred on a plancha / griddle. Pulpo: Octopus, boiled, griddled and served with boiled potatoes and paprika. Percebes: Goose Barnacles. Tetilla: a breast shaped cow’s milk cheese from Galicia. Tortilla de Patatas: a potato and egg “pancake” sometimes also containing onions and other aberrations. Sidra: cider. Godello: a white grape wine from Bierzo. Pa am tomaquet: toasted or griddled bread served with crushed tomatoes, garlic and olive oil. Sopa de Ajo: a soup made with garlic, stale bread and, traditionally, the bits of a chicken you wouldn’t want in a sandwich. Jamon de Jabugo: arguably the finest air-dried ham you’ll find in Iberia. Chorizo: air cured pork sausage with paprika, often spicy. Anchoas: salt cured anchovy (small fish). Almejas : clams, shellfish. Secreto: I can’t tell you, it’s a secret. Mencia: a red grape from Bierzo. Bierzo is an ancient caldera with a distinctive climate and interesting soils that produce distinctive wines. All available in “Mi Tienda in Villafranca de Bierzo.

There you go. Just think how much fun you could have had researching that yourself

 

[Giorgio Braga]

There you go. Just think how much fun you could have had researching that yourself

I think he'll have a great time experiencing that, it's one thing to read about it and make your mouth water and another to taste it on your tongue

 

[JustJack]

Just to show a different perspective, do understand that a typical pilgrim menu is a piece of beef, pork or chicken that has been pounded flat and fried, with a handful of french fries beside it. Maybe a small piece of pepper to act as a vegetable, or a mixed salad.

Yes the wine and beer and coffee are fantastic. And there is incredible food. But if you will be eating pilgrim menus then get ready for some monotony in your diet. Just sayin'

 

[MelMc]

I can but if you want to try them you’ll need to know what they’re known as locally. Morcilla de Burgos: a blood pudding made with a high proportion of rice rather than oatmeal. Usually sliced and charred on a plancha / griddle. Pulpo: Octopus, boiled, griddled and served with boiled potatoes and paprika. Percebes: Goose Barnacles. Tetilla: a breast shaped cow’s milk cheese from Galicia. Tortilla de Patatas: a potato and egg “pancake” sometimes also containing onions and other aberrations. Sidra: cider. Godello: a white grape wine from Bierzo. Pa am tomaquet: toasted or griddled bread served with crushed tomatoes, garlic and olive oil. Sopa de Ajo: a soup made with garlic, stale bread and, traditionally, the bits of a chicken you wouldn’t want in a sandwich. Jamon de Jabugo: arguably the finest air-dried ham you’ll find in Iberia. Chorizo: air cured pork sausage with paprika, often spicy. Anchoas: salt cured anchovy (small fish). Almejas : clams, shellfish. Secreto: I can’t tell you, it’s a secret. Mencia: a red grape from Bierzo. Bierzo is an ancient caldera with a distinctive climate and interesting soils that produce distinctive wines. All available in “Mi Tienda in Villafranca de Bierzo.

There you go. Just think how much fun you could have had researching that yourself

Thank you so much you made me chuckle reading your post.

 

[Bill905]

The first time I had Secreto Iberico I had to look it up to ensure I wasn't getting some type of internal secreting organ!

Early in your Camino, try some Gateau Basque (Basque Cake) for dessert with hot café con leche. Later on, be sure to try Tarta de Santiago (Santiago Cake). Both great almond-flavored desserts.

Comments about a flat fried meat of some kind along with fries are spot on. Therefore my go-to was Ensalada Mixte which is a good variety of salad stuff along with tuna.

The menus del dia are very affordable and somewhat flexible if you ask nicely to replace the fries with a small salad. Buen Camino and Buen Provecho!

 

[MelMc]

The first time I had Secreto Iberico I had to look it up to ensure I wasn't getting some type of internal secreting organ!

Early in your Camino, try some Gateau Basque (Basque Cake) for dessert with hot café con leche. Later on, be sure to try Tarta de Santiago (Santiago Cake). Both great almond-flavored desserts.

Comments about a flat fried meat of some kind along with fries are spot on. Therefore my go-to was Ensalada Mixte which is a good variety of salad stuff along with tuna.

The menus del dia are very affordable and somewhat flexible if you ask nicely to replace the fries with a small salad. Buen Camino and Buen Provecho!

Cheers Bill

 

[MelMc]

Just to show a different perspective, do understand that a typical pilgrim menu is a piece of beef, pork or chicken that has been pounded flat and fried, with a handful of french fries beside it. Maybe a small piece of pepper to act as a vegetable, or a mixed salad.

Yes the wine and beer and coffee are fantastic. And there is incredible food. But if you will be eating pilgrim menus then get ready for some monotony in your diet. Just sayin'

 

[Pelegrin]

I can but if you want to try them you’ll need to know what they’re known as locally. Morcilla de Burgos: a blood pudding made with a high proportion of rice rather than oatmeal. Usually sliced and charred on a plancha / griddle. Pulpo: Octopus, boiled, griddled and served with boiled potatoes and paprika. Percebes: Goose Barnacles. Tetilla: a breast shaped cow’s milk cheese from Galicia. Tortilla de Patatas: a potato and egg “pancake” sometimes also containing onions and other aberrations. Sidra: cider. Godello: a white grape wine from Bierzo. Pa am tomaquet: toasted or griddled bread served with crushed tomatoes, garlic and olive oil. Sopa de Ajo: a soup made with garlic, stale bread and, traditionally, the bits of a chicken you wouldn’t want in a sandwich. Jamon de Jabugo: arguably the finest air-dried ham you’ll find in Iberia. Chorizo: air cured pork sausage with paprika, often spicy. Anchoas: salt cured anchovy (small fish). Almejas : clams, shellfish. Secreto: I can’t tell you, it’s a secret. Mencia: a red grape from Bierzo. Bierzo is an ancient caldera with a distinctive climate and interesting soils that produce distinctive wines. All available in “Mi Tienda in Villafranca de Bierzo.

There you go. Just think how much fun you could have had researching that yourself

Arzua cheese (not " tetilla") is also good as Galician cheese. The other day I found in Madrid Alcampo Cebreiro cheese that I didn' t know. Very good with a lttle of heather honey.

 

[Robo]

Just to show a different perspective, do understand that a typical pilgrim menu is a piece of beef, pork or chicken that has been pounded flat and fried, with a handful of french fries beside it. Maybe a small piece of pepper to act as a vegetable, or a mixed salad.

Yes the wine and beer and coffee are fantastic. And there is incredible food. But if you will be eating pilgrim menus then get ready for some monotony in your diet. Just sayin'

LOL.
They do tend to look the same after a while

But rather than suggest specific foods, I would make two comments.

At lunchtime (main meal) look for the Menu del Dia rather than Pilgrim Menu. It is often only 2-3 Euros more, but the quality level is frequently off the scale in comparison. I rarely eat Pilgrim menus any more.....if there is a Menu del Dia on offer. (though they tend to be geared towards the locals rather than Pilgrims I think, so you might need to seek them out where there is heavy Pilgrim traffic)

Sometimes the simplest food, cooked with real care and dare I say 'love' beats anything.
I had a Pilgrim menu in Vega de Valcarce on the Frances that was probably the best meal of the whole journey!

 

[Anhalter]

I had lots of very good pilgrim menus. I think a frequent problem is that people go with the "safe choices"... Steak with fries, can't be much wrong with that.... And most likely in a scetchy looking place i'll do the same. But many places offer some alternative, even in their pilgrim menu, sometimes things i never heard about before. Never been disappointed with those. I made it a habit to order stuff i don't know.

 

[MarkEveleigh]

Morcilla de Burgos. Pulpo. Percebes. Tetilla. Tortilla de patatas. Sidra de Asturias. Godello. Pa amb tomàquet. Sopa de Ajo. Jamon de Jabugo. Chorizo Riojano. Cantabrian Anchoas. Almejas a la plancha. Secreto Iberico. Mencia de Bierzo.

Do try and remember it’s supposed to be a pilgrimage

Looking forward to eating some great food starting in Sjpdp and heading towards Burgos. As they say here in Ireland hunger is the best sauce ,what are some of your highlights of the food you have experienced on your walk

Some wonderful recommendations in this post! There are only two regional delicacies (albeit from the Via de la Plata) that I'd prefer to wipe from my memory:
1) stewed cock's combs in El Cubo de la Tierra del Vino
2) nuggets de oreja (pig-ear nuggets)...which I finally sampled in Zamora and which turned out to be exactly as described on the menu: ‘crusty on the outside and creamy inside’.

 

[henrythedog]

I’ll second (or third) percebes - goose barnacles. You might need to be shown how to eat them! They seem very expensive, until you see how they are gathered, at which point they seem ridiculously cheap.

 

[J Willhaus]

I also like the soups. Caldo Gallego is a soup with greens and white beans in a broth flavored with pork fat. Also good is lentil soup and and a broad bean soup called fabada.

 

[Pelegrin]

Different types of empanada: cod, pulpo, sardines, zamburiñas, meat.

 

[Jodean]

My best meals have been the communal meals served at the albergues I stayed in: Borda, Casa Las Almas in Espinosa, Albergue Bideluze, Albergue Sante Fe in Cardenuela Riopico, Albergue la Caasa del Peregrino in Navarrete, Albergue Karma in San Sol, St. Nikolas, Rosalia in Castrojeriz, Albergue So Por Hoja in Astorga, Casa Susi in Trabedelo, Rebollera in Fonfria, Juntos in Boadilla, Albergue los Canarios in Calzadilla de las Cueza.
Have had other good meals in towns like El Burgo Ranchero, Portomarine, etc.

 

[Nelle]

My favorite — zamburiñas and pimientos de padron, washed down with a nice albariño. Enjoy!

 

[MelMc]

Some wonderful recommendations in this post! There are only two regional delicacies (albeit from the Via de la Plata) that I'd prefer to wipe from my memory:
1) stewed cock's combs in El Cubo de la Tierra del Vino
2) nuggets de oreja (pig-ear nuggets)...which I finally sampled in Zamora and which turned out to be exactly as described on the menu: ‘crusty on the outside and creamy inside’.

 

[MelMc]

I also like the soups. Caldo Gallego is a soup with greens and white beans in a broth flavored with pork fat. Also good is lentil soup and and a broad bean soup called fabada.

Sounds yummy , thankyou

 

[JerryStroebele]

My best meals have been the communal meals served at the albergues I stayed in: Borda, Casa Las Almas in Espinosa, Albergue Bideluze, Albergue Sante Fe in Cardenuela Riopico, Albergue la Caasa del Peregrino in Navarrete, Albergue Karma in San Sol, St. Nikolas, Rosalia in Castrojeriz, Albergue So Por Hoja in Astorga, Casa Susi in Trabedelo, Rebollera in Fonfria, Juntos in Boadilla, Albergue los Canarios in Calzadilla de las Cueza.
Have had other good meals in towns like El Burgo Ranchero, Portomarine, etc.

Amen to that! Communal meals in small albergues are delicious no matter what is served. The camaraderie flavors it all so nicely. Buen Camino

 

[peregrina2000]

zamburiñas

I am a big zamburiñas fan, too, but last year on the Camino, I had a rude awakening. I was told in several restaurants that zamburiñas are not locally sourced anymore and that the supply that the restaurants have is frozen and frequently from Argentina. Nothing wrong with that, but I had been under the illusion that I was eating fresh galician seafood! This year I asked in several restaurants, and all confirmed that they were frozen. My unsophisticated palate can’t probably tell the difference, but I do like the idea of eating locally sourced seafood when in Galicia.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

Check out the Panaderías in each new town.

 

[Pelegrin]

I am a big zamburiñas fan, too, but last year on the Camino, I had a rude awakening. I was told in several restaurants that zamburiñas are not locally sourced anymore and that the supply that the restaurants have is frozen and frequently from Argentina. Nothing wrong with that, but I had been under the illusion that I was eating fresh galician seafood! This year I asked in several restaurants, and all confirmed that they were frozen. My unsophisticated palate can’t probably tell the difference, but I do like the idea of eating locally sourced seafood when in Galicia.

Yes, it is very complicated finding authentic zamburiñas in a restaurant You can find either volandeira or vieira from the Pacific. Volandeira is usually fresh and also from Galicia. It is good but inferior to zamburiña. Most people in Spain don' t know this fact and have volandeira or vieira from the Pacific when they order zamburiña.

 

[bullingtonce]

Looking forward to eating some great food starting in Sjpdp and heading towards Burgos. As they say here in Ireland hunger is the best sauce ,what are some of your highlights of the food you have experienced on your walk

Sorry, at my well-advanced age, I do not make 'good food' part of my pilgrimage. Not judging at all; just stating where I am in life. In fact, I prefer very basic and almost primitive food on my pilgrimage because it helps me keep things in the proper perspective. Having said this, each to their own. Chuck

 

[DoughnutANZ]

 

[MelMc]

Wow that's what I'm talking about.

 

[Kirkie]

O Cebreiro. A bar with a wooden bowl sitting on the counter, exquisite veins, polished beautifully, filled with eggs. A lovely atmosphere. A soft white cheese, curd-like. Honey.
Elixir. Fuel to carry on to the next stage!

 

[Bill905]

I am a big zamburiñas fan, too, but last year on the Camino, I had a rude awakening. I was told in several restaurants that zamburiñas are not locally sourced anymore and that the supply that the restaurants have is frozen and frequently from Argentina. Nothing wrong with that, but I had been under the illusion that I was eating fresh galician seafood! This year I asked in several restaurants, and all confirmed that they were frozen. My unsophisticated palate can’t probably tell the difference, but I do like the idea of eating locally sourced seafood when in Galicia.

My granddaughter fell in love with zamburiñas when we arrived in Tui this year, and in every reasonably large town after that it was "Da, can we find some zamburiñas?" Well, what are grandfathers for, if not to spoil their grandchildren ... aka getting even with your children!

 

[RangerRick]

There are some opportunities for higher rated fare. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/28/travel/spain-restaurants-la-rioja.html?searchResultPosition=1

 

[Janade]

Looking forward to eating some great food starting in Sjpdp and heading towards Burgos. As they say here in Ireland hunger is the best sauce ,what are some of your highlights of the food you have experienced on your walk

The best meals I had (and unfortunately one of the worst) were communal meals, typically prepared by the host (although the very best was prepared by a chef who was the leader of a tour group that stayed in the same albergue in Zubiri). I was so impteased with the meal, I thanked him and gushed “That is the best meal I’ve had on the Camino!” He laughed and said, “You’ve only been on the Way for 2 or 3 days!”

 

[Pelegrin]

My granddaughter fell in love with zamburiñas when we arrived in Tui this year, and in every reasonably large town after that it was "Da, can we find some zamburiñas?" Well, what are grandfathers for, if not to spoil their grandchildren ... aka getting even with your children!

View attachment 176890

For their size (bigger) I think those are "volandeiras" which of course are good and I like them. I wish you could find authentic "zamburiñas" that have a more intense favour.

 

[Bill905]

For their size (bigger) I think those are "volandeiras" which of course are good and I like them. I wish you could find authentic "zamburiñas" that have a more intense favour.

Thank you for the tip. Next time they will be on my more discriminatory hunting list! We only ever ordered zamburiñas, so I guess we are somewhat at the mercy of whatever a restaurant decides to call them!

 

[VeganCamino]

Looking forward to eating some great food starting in Sjpdp and heading towards Burgos. As they say here in Ireland hunger is the best sauce ,what are some of your highlights of the food you have experienced on your walk

As a vegan, the best food for my diet was between Sarria and Santiago, where far more vegan options abound. Also for those walking the Portuguese, Lisbon and Porto have such amazing vegan food and great coffee that if I stayed there any longer, I would have needed to buy bigger clothes!

 

[DwainS]

This was such a simple meal but so good. Chorizo cooked in red wine and sliced tomatoes with soft mozzarella on top.