Skip to main content

Visiting MADRID

Hello friends,

Over the past couple of years I have visited Madrid more times than I can remember, for long weekends and at the start and end of holidays. I feel like I know parts of the city very well, but like any capital there is always more to see. I could probably write an essay about Madrid as a whole so for this post I wanted to introduce you to my favourite place to visit - I go here at least once per trip to Spain, and I hope you will want to visit it too if you are ever in the neighbourhood.















The Mercado de San Miguel

In English this translates to the market of San Miguel, and it is located in the older part of the city, very close to the Royal Palace, Opera Square and Plaza Mayor (all places that are also deserving of a visit). In a nut shell, this is a glass building which inside contains a very wide array of stalls with many of the different delicious types of food and drink that Madrid has to offer. 

The beauty of this market is that within one small almost open air building you can try many different specialities. A firm favourite of mine is croquettes - there is a lady with a small counter which sells Roquefort, chicken, chorizo, cod and a few other flavours which she heats up for you there and then. At one euro fifty this is a cheap tasty bite.



Another favourite of mine is the paella stand - you can get meat, fish, vegetable or the local favourite black paella (made with squid ink). This is sold in two sizes, ration or tapas so if you want to try lots of different things go for the ration.




Stands that I don't often visit are the fish stands, and the meat stands where you can get cones of mini chorizo sausages and plates of lomo and jamon - these are tasty but always leave room for dessert because there is an AMAZING sweet stand (personally my favourite bit of the whole market). I always go for a giant meringue but the do cakes, churros with chocolate and much more.


On the drinks front all tastes are catered for - wine bars, beer carts, cocktails and yummy yummy freshly squeezed ice juices are all on offer.


The only down side of the market is it's popularity, which means you are often elbow to elbow with people walking around and sometimes it is tricky to find a place to perch and consume. Please don't let this put you off though, it is worth a visit even if you only try one thing! 

If you visit and enjoy it please let me know, I love hearing shared experiences of one of my favourite places!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

BBC Good Food Caramel Brownies

Another get together with friends has prompted some more baking (whilst the baby is sleeping) and the salted caramel cover recipe from a BBC Good Food issue from a while back caught my eye. I have been storing this recipe waiting for a good excuse to bake it, and I can say (after scoffing a few), these brownies do not disappoint and will be made again. Brownies are very easy to make, the one stumbling point I often find is the temperature of the oven and the time they are baked for - as ovens vary vastly this is quite hard to write into a recipe, but I have a fan assisted fairly new over which bakes quite hot. They key for baking the brownies is checking after the stated time, and they should still be a little liquid in the middle if you want moist squishy squares. Leaving them to cool completely in the tin is also an essential, as if they are cut too early they may still be too liquid. Time to make batter - around 15 minutes Baking time - 35 minutes depending on your oven I...

Classic Victoria Sponge

Hello friends, As we are in Wimbledon week, what better cake to celebrate with than the classic Victoria Sponge, with a cream and strawberries filling. This is a beautiful looking cake and an ideal desert to the countless BBQs and outdoor meals as we celebrate the coming of summer. Ingredients: 175g softened butter 175g caster sugar 175g self raising flour 3 duck eggs 250ml double cream 1 tbsp icing sugar 1 tub of strawberries, halved  Method: This makes an 18 inch sandwich cake. Preheat oven to 180C/ 170C fan assisted. In a bowl beat together the sugar and butter until it is pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well. The mixture may separate a little after the eggs are added, but this will come together as you beat it. Fold in the flour gently, and pour the batter into two greased sandwich tins, then put into the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven when golden and allow to cool fully. Whilst cooling, whip the double cream until it f...

Nutella cookies!

Hello friends, So..... Nutella. Anyone else obsessed with this? I love the chocolate-hazelnut yumminess and will spread it over pancakes, toast, muffins, crumpets, anything really that seems like a good combo. So it struck me the other day, that I haven't made the most appealing bake - Nutella cookies! This recipe only has three ingredients, it is so simple and makes gooey cookies that won't stick around for long!  Ingredients : 130g plain flour 260g Nutella 1 egg Extra Nutella for the gooey center Method: Preheat the oven to 180C/ 160C fan assisted. Mix together the three cookie ingredients and beat well until the dough is consistent. It will be quite a greasy dough and will stick together well. Take a spoonful of mixture and roll into a ball, flatten slightly and make a little well in the middle. Put a teaspoon of Nutella into the well and then take another spoonful of dough, roll and flatten then cover the Nutella. Press the two halves together to make ...