Before his vacation in Spain, self-confessed foodie Joshua Bousel expected a full-fledged cultural experience of the sights, sounds, and distinctively Spanish flavors. He treated his taste buds to the world-renowned Catalan cuisine, which is characterized by a melting pot of flavors, spices, and other peculiar characteristics. Catalan gastronomy and tapas in Barcelona are dominated by an assortment of appetizers, eaten in Barcelona and other Catalan municipalities. One of the most recognized tapas in this region is the Pimientos de Padrón, which thoroughly captivated Bousel, as he described in his article on SeriousEats.com.
“One of my favorites was blistered and softened Pimientos de Padrón – a small green pepper grown primarily in the Galician locality of Padrón. I figured it would be something I’d have to get in Spain, so when I saw them at the supermarket last week, I got all giddy and brought some home to cook.
I was going to give them the traditional fried treatment, then figured they’d probably do just as well on the grill. Lightly tossed in olive oil and then cooked over high heat, they charred and blistered in minutes. A quick sprinkle of sea salt was all they needed to finish.”
Often cooked by frying, the Pimientos de Padrón are small green peppers, five to seven centimeters long. They are endemic to Padrón, from the Galician region of Spain, located 22 kilometers from Santiago de Compostela. The peppers were first grown in the village of Herbon, by monks living in the Franciscan Convent monastery. The monks are believed to have brought the Padrón peppers from their South American colonies in the 16th century; the peppers are still being cultivated in the area after 400 years.
Known for their distinctive fresh and salty-sweet flavor, the Pimientos de Padrón have steadily worked their way into becoming one of the most delicious tapas specialties in Barcelona, as savory as the local favorites. Aside from their load of flavors, the peppers are also stacked with unparalleled nutritional value for their small size. They contain vitamins A, B1, B2, C, protein, and calcium among others, while having virtually no calories.
The Pimientos de Padrón and all other tapas can undoubtedly be enjoyed outside of Spain. However, there is nothing better than experiencing authentic tapas right in the heart of Spain itself, especially in Barcelona. If you are planning to spend your vacation here, check out delicious tapas bars like Ziryab, which serves a variety of tapas 24/7. A trip to Spain will never be truly complete without savoring the culture and food the country’s regions have to offer.