Notes from Barcelona: Calçotada

It’s calçots season in Catalonia, and this past weekend I experienced a calçotada.

What the heck is a calçot?

A calçot resembles a thin leek, but it is actually a member of the onion species (allium cepa).

What the heck is a calçotada?

A calçotada celebrates the harvest of calçots with a feast, typically held from early January through early March. The calçots, which are served as the first course, are grilled until their exterior chars and their interior steams perfectly. The calçots are served with romesco sauce, a roasted pepper and almond sauce that is both easy to make at home and delicious.

How does one eat a calçot?

Let’s start with how NOT eat a calçot: with utensils. The first time I encountered calçots, they came as a side dish at a restaurant. I tried to eat them like a regular vegetable, but the charred outer layers were too tough to cut with a knife. I launched one of my calçots onto the floor but on a trajectory that made the neighboring table nervous. Fortunately, they were foreigners too, so they didn’t find it as worthy of scorn as the locals might have.

To eat a calçot, peel off the outer charred layers, dip the sleek and well-cooked interior layer in romesco sauce, hold the calçot vertically above one’s mouth, and gently lower it to its yummy conclusion. Discard the top leaves, which serve as a hand-hold.

This image illustrates how it’s done, right down to the spot of romesco sauce on the middle person’s sweater.

Here’s what things looked like for me:

The Mr. Calcot pack included a bib, plastic gloves, and a wet nap. I opted for extra napkins instead of the plastic gloves, but I definitely wore the bib.

The second course of the calçotada consists of grilled meats and sausages. Calçotadas pair well with a bottle of granatxa negra (red grenache), as pictured above.