People never believe me, but it’s not always sunny in Spain. Even in Seville, Europe’s hottest city, winters are COLD, COLD, COLD. Well, OK, probably only the one “cold” would have done. In normal, lowercase letters.
Look, it did snow here. Last year. For about a milllisecond…
Anyway…
I was looking for a reason to explain the need for hot chocolate so thick it would fill the eurozone deficit and churros so hot it puts George Clooney to shame. I was searching for answers, for an explanation, for words to justify why I ended up in a churrería, reaching for the hot stuff when it’s 18 degrees outside…
Churros and chocolate. They just go together so well…
Research, that must be it. A good journalist is compelled to research. Particularly on such a cold day…
Lovely stuff. Definitely one of the highlights of my Granada trip a few years back. You can get them in Edinburgh now, not even a Spanish resto, just a regular cake n coffee shop! Wonder if they’ll become the ‘next macarons’?
Edinburgh just moved up my travel list…
Ahhhhh. I remember when I went to Spain, my friend took me to this amazing chocolate cafe in Madrid and ordered hot chocolate. The hot choc was sooooo thick it plopped from the spoon, not dripped. Amazing. That looks sooooo tasty!
One day I shall take a photo of a spoon standing up in hot chocolate…Just as soon as I’ve developed a little more willpower…;)
Italians have amazing, pudding-like chocolate as well. Blew my mind the first time I had some. No wonder people think American cocoa is so weak!
The title of one of my high school Spanish books was Churros y Chocolate. It has been in my mind for years, so I desperately tried to have churros y chocolate when I was in Tenerife. For some reason several of the restaurants had closed recently. Huge disappointment, HUGE!
It took me a while to find some good churros in Seville as well. In the tourist hotspots, it’s often a bit limp and lukewarm and the really good places often only serve it early in the morning…
It sounds as though I shall have to spend more time in Italy as well…:)
Don’t worry, your mind know that it’s winter because it’s night at 6 o’clock… an 18 degrees beautiful night…
Exactly!
In answer to your question: Oh YEAH!
I loved eating my morning Churros while in Spain – DELICIOUS!!!!
Everytime i Go To madrid i take porras WITH chocolate as Breakfast. In mallorca we take ensalmadas WITH chocolate .
I clearly need to do more research…
I didn’t try churros in Seville, mainly because due to a nasty toothache I was avoiding anything sweet. However, I was very tempted because I saw something similar to churros (actually the very same shape, now I don’t know about the taste) in Turkey and Iran. Do you know if they are the same sweets? That would be so weird.. or not, due to the Moorish connection..
I have no idea – but what an interesting question. I could easily imagine there’s a link…I shall have to keep an eye out for the sweets you mention in Turkey (and Iran if they ever let me in!)
Of course I have! Both in Madrid (where I am originally from) and in Seville. It’s by far my favorite breakfast. Unfortunately, it’s not the healthiest one either…
In Madrid, one of the best places is the Chocolatería San Ginés. I’m sure you already know about it. It’s very famous because people go there after New Year’s Eve celebrations. I also like a cafetería called Java (c/ Santa Engracia, 43).
In Seville, I’ve tried chocolate con churros at the Puente de Triana kiosk (good), at the Macarena kiosk (very good) but I need to try the ones at c/ Arfe. Have you tried them?
Oh, and I agree with you, Seville can be very cold INSIDE. Houses here are definitely not prepared for low temperatures (if they can be seriousli considered low…) :-)
…seriously…
Sorry, I could have edited that for you :)
No, not too healthy I’m afraid. I try to hold myself back as much as possible! Having said that, I have tried the kiosks you mention except for Calle Arfe…so I obviously haven’t been holding myself back ALL that much.
Cheers for the backup about the cold!
OMG I want some right now!!. I LOVE Spanish chocolate.
Me too. Feeling the cold again…
I lived in Madrid for three years and churros and chocolate are part of the staple diet there. The best? Chocolateria San Gines – go there for breakfast after a night out on the town. Hmmm, need to squeeze a winter return to Madrid into my diary/finances…
Y’know, I’ve never actually made it to Gines…Next time I’m in Madrid I will make sure I close that gap in my research ;)
OH. I had this in Madrid in summer of 2005. And I can still remember how amazing it was.
Mmmm…I shouldn’t have started to answer these comments on an empty stomach. All I can think about now is HOT CHOCOLATE!
Haven’t tried it, but we’re on our way this summer!
Mmmm…Enjoy. Make sure you find somewhere that serves it fresh, rather than reheated from frozen. And I prefer the thicker chocolate but others prefer the more watery versions…(Disappears into cloud of chocolate dreams…)
Tried it too many times and keep coming back – not good! But hard to avoid.
I try to limit myself to the cold days…With variable results…:)
Pretty sure I could commit to churros and chocolate everyday while I’m there…followed by a very long walk!
Mmmmm churros con chocolate… *drool*