Pipas!

[Brian]

Is anyone else here addicted to the Spanish brands of sunflower seeds?

So, here's a poll- Do you prefer Manisero, Grefusito, or perhaps some other brand? Regular size or giant pipas? Salt or no salt?

For me, I prefer Grefusito regular size with salt!

[Marina]

I haven't eaten pipas for very loooong time but I would always choose them salty!

[catavino]

In the US I always had some in my cheek. I love them, but the ones here are WAY toooo salty. Caked with salt they burn my lips and hurt my stomach! UGH, how do you eat them? Every so often I buy the unsalted ones when I can find them, and even those are almost too salty. I don't get it

[greytop]

In the US I always had some in my cheek. I love them, but the ones here are WAY toooo salty. Caked with salt they burn my lips and hurt my stomach! UGH, how do you eat them? Every so often I buy the unsalted ones when I can find them, and even those are almost too salty. I don't get it
You spit the shells out Catavino! Eat the soft middle bit. Usually after a parade etc. the pavements look like some giant birds have been feeding round the pueblo.
PS I did find some shelled ones that had a chocolate covering. Mmmmm

[Ben]

I love them, but they are a bit fiddly. I think you expend more energy trying to eat them than you actually get from doing so!

[rob]

Someone taught me how to eat them here, but I tried it and what looked so easy for them was nigh on impossible for me to accomplish.

There must be a hidden art to it, because as Ben said you put so much energy into trying to break it open right, then removing all the broken bits from your mouth and then getting the actual nut that by the time you've done all that you've lost interest.

[Brian]

There must be a hidden art to it, because as Ben said you put so much energy into trying to break it open right, then removing all the broken bits from your mouth and then getting the actual nut that by the time you've done all that you've lost interest.

Definitely must be, because my wife, who is a meticulously slow eater, is able to eat them twice as fast as I. Doesn't take away the enjoyment, though.

[Edith]

Unsalted, and I love them in whole-wheat bread or in salads. :) IMO, sunflower seeds taste good wherever they were cultivated. In Holland, pipas are very popular with the Moroccans, which I find striking because originally, sunflowers are from the Americas. They were cultivated for the first time by Native Americans, but somehow both Spaniards and Moroccans grew fond of them very soon after the conquest! Moroccans have also mastered the art of eating them at a very rapid pace.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunflower

[Marina]

I'm sorry to say that there is no trick to it, it is only infinite practise when we were small:D:D:D

By the way Catavino I didn't say that I liked them caked with salt, only the normal salted version not the crudas ones. Those ones I buy peeled from the health food shop and use them in salads.

[Jimmy]

Ahhhhhhhhh Pipas - I remember now. My cousin's dashboard was covered in the things. There seemed to be a trick to crack open the shells quickly - with one hand as well.

Anyway - I don't remember the name of the brand, but it had a woman's body on the packet !!!!!!!! :thumbs-up:

[ValenciaSon]

I love them, but they are a bit fiddly. I think you expend more energy trying to eat them than you actually get from doing so!


I'm with you on that one Ben. It is too high a maintenance snack to consume. My sisters loved them in Spain, especially at the movies. I always preferred kikos.