#FridayFinds DISCLAIMER: This might be controversial to some Spaniards out there. Prepare yo’selves.
Dearest diary, I have a confession. I love Spain, but
I HATE THE BREAD.
Pan or “bread” is an extremely important part of the Spanish lifestyle. And when I say important, I mean soo important, that one cannot eat a meal without their fork, knife, and PAN. Don’t believe me? Listen to this…
So, the other day I had a “comida” or a big meal with my Spanish friends. Everything was prepared, hot n’ steamy, and ready to eat! The problem? WE FORGOT THE PAN. Mass PANic. (Hehe…see what I did there? 😉 ) They then insisted we wait to eat the food until someone went on a “pan run” and returned with 4 loaves of bread…
Eating a meal without a fork and knife? Doable. Eating a meal without pan? Total social foodicide.
What’s my problem with typical Spanish bread, you ask? It’s all WHITE. If you go into any typical Spanish bakery, supermarket, corner store…they’ve all got the same, white loaf of bread. Many bakeries and supermarkets will have alternative integral breads, but those are generally slim pickins’, and the neglected poor little brown loafs sit on the shelf lonely, waiting to be loved. Poor guys…
Going out to eat? Even every restaurant has this same, cloned white loaf of pan, regardless of how nice the restaurant is. Sure, if it’s “good,” it’s usually freshly baked. But it’s always bland, white, flavorless bread. It ain’t got no personality! And I luh’ me some PANsonality.
As for the typical Spanish bocadillos a.k.a sandwiches? They generally only have one to two ingredients (jamón, Manchego cheese, etc.) and no sauce. I eat a bocadillo and it’s like the damn Sahara Desert up in here! DRY DRY DRY. Don’t get me started…
But no fear. I found bread in a hopeless place!
In the midst of my bread angst, I found THIS panaderia from heaven. It’s called
CASABASE Panaderia.
Synonymous for bread and sandwich heaven.
It’s in Salamanca, a 5 minute walk from Retiro Park.
Why is this is so perfect? Because it’s PICNIC SEASON! Talk about having the best damn sandwich in all of Retiro. Make a pit stop on your way to the park, pick up some killer bread, Italian meats, Spanish cheeses, and make a BALLIN’ picnic. Or, let them do all the sandwich work…
This place is special.
Did you see that awesomely quirky couple in the video? Those are the owners. They are an Italian couple who moved to Spain a couple of years ago, and brought with them the finest Italian ingredients. And these guys get it. They understand that bread is an art. Each different type of artisan bread should be treated as an individual. Amen! Whether it’s ciabatta, spelt, rye, multigrain, raisin & nut… No bread is the same, yet all receive the same luuuv and attention, baked in one of the only wood fire ovens in Madrid! The result? Extra crispy outside, and soft, tender, moist inside. MmmmmMMmm.
As for their sandwiches? They source the finest cheeses, meats, olive oils and veggies from tiny Spanish and Italian suppliers, who they all know on a personal level.
They even sell artisan beers, cheeses and meats to take home with you, in additional to all sorts of made-with-love artisan products.
And if you have no other reason to go, just hang out with Francesco y Angelica.
Aren’t they the cutest?
Find it:
Calle Dr. Castelo, 8, 28009 Madrid
Totally agreed!!. After travel across different countries and cultures, what we think when we arrive in Spain is that we LOVE our food but the bread is not its soulmate at all!
Yes!! Glad to know someone else has this bread complex haha. You gotta check out the bread at this place! And tell me what ya think 🙂
Currently I’m living in Munich, my friend!. Next time I’ll stop by in Madrid I’ll try. By the way, the bread here is amaaaaaazing!.
Take care and enjoy my beautiful home country as you are doing so far. When I read your blog is like be there!
I’m always on the lookout for a good sandwich in Madrid with more than one ingredient in there! Also, check out Panic in conde duque- they don’t have sandwiches but they have several types of bread and they’re all delicious!!
Awesome- thanks for the insight!!! When I’m back in Madrid I’ll have to try it 🙂 Enjoy Casabase!!!