Where to buy Spanish ingredients around the world

[Ben]

Jaqui from London gave me the idea for this thread when she sent us an e-mail about where to get Spanish ingredients in London, in her case Pimientos de Padron. So I thought we could try and keep a thread specifically about where to pick up Spanish ingredients outside Spain. If you have a favourite Spanish Deli or market stall in your corner of the world, why not list it here for others to find and enjoy? Start with the name of your town/city, then the info, and let's see how long we can stay on-topic!!

[Ben]

London

"During the podcast (http://www.notesfromspain.com/531/) you asked whether people could get a hold of fresh pimientos del padron where they were in the world. I am sure you probably have had lots of replies but in London I have been able to buy them at a couple of stalls in Borough Market including Brindisa, and at J Garcia on Portobello Road. They do come sealed in plastic bags and are not cheap, but nice for a treat in between visits to Spain. I also have them often at La Rueda on Clapham High Street, the people who run it are from A Coruna so I guess it is their signature dish." - Jacqui Aitken

[Edith]

Utrecht

One of the things I would like to know is where you can buy pimentón, this fabulous ground-up red bell pepper powder from Spain. Just the other day I heard about a great fish recipe on TVE and it made me wonder where to get this essential ingredient.


http://www.fiery-foods.com/Dave/pimenton.html

BTW, in Holland we have got the Spanjewinkel (Spain Shop) in Breukelen.

http://www.spanjewinkel.nl/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1

(sorry, it's in Dutch only but you can enjoy the products' pictures)

EDIT: AH! And they have also got pimentón! :-) So it's off to Breukelen for me!



http://www.spanjewinkel.nl/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/91d0270478930638c7aa5b1b2be97851.jpg

[ValenciaSon]

US (DC area and Internet)
Pimientos del padron (http://www.tienda.com/food/pop/vg-08.html)

Pimenton (http://www.tienda.com/food/pimenton.html)

Cheeses: ahumado de Mahon, Manchego, Tetilla (http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/products/specialty/index.html)

Wines and Cheeses (http://www.wineaccess.com/store/calvertwoodley/our-catalog-search.html?region_cd=48%2038)

[dave]

US (DC area and Internet)
Pimientos del padron (http://www.tienda.com/food/pop/vg-08.html)


arrrgh! I just looked for them there this past Saturday and they were out, so I hit the 'please notify me when they're in stock'. Apparently it doesn't work. On the bright side, I should be able to try the pimientos this week! :)

I went looking for them here in Hartford, CT. We have a well regarded spanish restaurant, Costa del Sol (http://www.costadelsolrestaurant.net/), which has a little tiny specialty store inside. I thought I might get lucky there. The proprietor is from a town in Galicia about 50 mins from Padron (I forget the name). He actually used to grow the pimientos in his garden, but sadly that is no longer the case. I did leave with some nice Jamon Serrano, though.

The worst part is I was *just* in Santiago a little more than a month ago. Somehow I didn't run across the pimientos while I was there. Once I saw the post on Aug 22, I became a man on a mission. In the end, I've been reduced to running around town accosting little old Galician men! ;D

[Marina]

Thanks to all of you!!! Great information!

Edith, if you don't find pimentón you can use paprika instead and then buy a couple of boxes when you go to Tenerif. It is the kind of thing that takes ages to go off.

Anyone has more useful info of his/her areas???

[ValenciaSon]

In the US, Costco also has Manchego and a Manchego de cabra con romero. Pretty good cheese at a reasonable price.

[Brian]

Thanks to all of you!!! Great information!

Edith, if you don't find pimentón you can use paprika instead and then buy a couple of boxes when you go to Tenerif. It is the kind of thing that takes ages to go off.

Anyone has more useful info of his/her areas???

It's very very difficult to get Spanish ingredients outside of larger cities. Pimentón picante is non-existent, and I've found that even American paprika doesn't have that wonderful Spanish smoky flavor.

I've heard that many folks have a lot of luck finding embutidos at Trader Joe's, a specialty food store chain.

It's very common, however, to find the Valencian pearl rice in supermarkets, as well as a host of olive brands and types. Asparragus tins are also easy to find, as are artichoke hearts in vinegar.

[dave]

arrrgh! I just looked for them there this past Saturday and they were out, so I hit the 'please notify me when they're in stock'. Apparently it doesn't work. On the bright side, I should be able to try the pimientos this week! :)

I should have know that I'd receive the notification email as soon as I opened my mouth. :)

[Marina]

Good!!! Enjoy them and let us know what you think of them, please.

[Rita Marley]

[/URL]

If you live in the USA:
[URL]http://www.tienda.com/ (http://www.tienda.com/)


Ibuy from them online...but make sure you make the order worth it. Shipping will kill ya...

Marie

[dave]

[/URL]

If you live in the USA:
[URL]http://www.tienda.com/ (http://www.tienda.com/)


Ibuy from them online...but make sure you make the order worth it. Shipping will kill ya...

Marie

You weren't kidding! In the end, I added some chorizo for me and a couple jars of Bitter Seville Orange Marmalade for my wife. Huge brownie points for me. :-)

[chicarcas]

I don't know if they're the same thing as Pimientos del Padrón, but here in my home town of 18 million people ;D, you can find Pimiento Morrón (green, red and yellow) fresh and canned in every super market (Walmart) and in the street markets too. Hopefully next week I'll post some pics.

[Edith]

Thanks to all of you!!! Great information!

Edith, if you don't find pimentón you can use paprika instead and then buy a couple of boxes when you go to Tenerif. It is the kind of thing that takes ages to go off.

Anyone has more useful info of his/her areas???

I'm so fond of this stuff, you know! :) Today I learned about a simple yet great rural recipe in España Directo involving alubias, ajo y pimentón.

[Brian]

The really nice thing about Spanish cuisine is that the basics are easy to get, such as onions, garlic, etc. It's those embutidos that tend to be so elusive.

[greytop]

Stumbled upon this place that might be of use to our friends in the USofA

http://happyquailfarms.com/

They advertise locally grown peppers and list farmers markets in their area.

[Marbella]

London

I agree that Borough market and Brindisa are very good.

Also you can order some products online with Delicioso:

http://www.delicioso.co.uk/

[ValenciaSon]

If you live in the USA:
http://www.tienda.com/


Ibuy from them online...but make sure you make the order worth it. Shipping will kill ya...

Marie


I've bought from them before and they do have a serious selection of foods but it can be pricey.

[Janeybee]

There is a great Spanish supermarket in Portobello (London) called Garcia's Garcia's (246-250 Portobello Road, W11). Slightly more expensive than in Spain (my boyfriend went round translating everything into euros and then tutting), but a great selection of stuff (not just food).
Borough, I have to agree, is great. And, while my Mum swears I'm making this up, I have seen the padron peppers in Sainsburys before (rare occurance though).
Happy shopping!

[Valenciano]

lol, my school (primary and secondary Spanish school) is across the road from garcias.
Me and my firends used to go there for lunch to grab bocadillos de mortadela. Oh! they make bocadillos too!.

[Ben]

A pimientos de padron grower (http://www.ukpeppers.co.uk/) in the UK!

[guapo]

I think greytop may have mentioned them a while back. Looks fairly promising from the web site - did anybody try them yet?

[Jacs]

I have been reading the posts regarding places to buy Spanish food products and wanted to tell you about a fantastic restaurant that also has a deli counter/ small food shop in London -
It is called Navarro's
Address: 67 Charlotte Street, London, W1T 4PH
Phone: 020 7637 7713
Email: navarros_tapas@btopenworld.com
Web: www.navarros.co.uk


Charlotte Street runs parrallel to Tottenham Court Road.

I would highly recommend this place to anyone - its FAB but make sure you book ahead as it gets really busy.

If anyone knows of any other great Spanish restaurants in the UK I would like to hear - I live in Peterborough so the closer the better!

[omeyas]

Never been there, but there is what looks like, a very good restaurant (http://www.moro.co.uk/) also in London. They give a list of all their suppliers, and most seem UK based.
I have their cookbook, which is excellent. I see they have another one out now, so I might have to buy that as well!

[laduque]

Here on the west coast of the States is a place called La Espanola Meats and they have a website too. They have everything you can imagine direct from Spain. The only thing they do not have, but are quite good at making themselves stateside, are the various chorizos they offer. We honestly can not live without this site for our Spanish grocery needs. Well worth a visit online.

laduque

[deecree]

I have been reading the posts regarding places to buy Spanish food products and wanted to tell you about a fantastic restaurant that also has a deli counter/ small food shop in London -
It is called Navarro's
Address: 67 Charlotte Street, London, W1T 4PH
Phone: 020 7637 7713
Email: navarros_tapas@btopenworld.com
Web: www.navarros.co.uk (http://www.navarros.co.uk)


Charlotte Street runs parrallel to Tottenham Court Road.

I would highly recommend this place to anyone - its FAB but make sure you book ahead as it gets really busy.

If anyone knows of any other great Spanish restaurants in the UK I would like to hear - I live in Peterborough so the closer the better!

I can also recommend Navarros, been then a number of times and it's excellent. (But they always run out of mejillones)

[ValenciaSon]

Here on the west coast of the States is a place called La Espanola Meats and they have a website too. They have everything you can imagine direct from Spain. The only thing they do not have, but are quite good at making themselves stateside, are the various chorizos they offer. We honestly can not live without this site for our Spanish grocery needs. Well worth a visit online.

laduque

Can you PM me and send the link?

Thanks

[Brian]

Can you PM me and send the link?

Thanks

It googles up to this site:

http://www.laespanolameats.com/

Looks quite affordable, too.

[Tali]

Can't recommend any shops/restaurants in particular but if you live in the UK, please don't go to any of the La Tasca chain of restaurants. Purporting to serve Spanish tapas, the best they can muster is pre-packaged potatoes with manky "spicy" sauce which is their version of Patatas Bravas :smug:. I used to work in one and everything was just reheated muck. It was in a dodgy part of Birmingham though....maybe there are others which aren't so truly dire.:'(

[gtappend]

I found this site who will send to most of Europe:

http://www.pepperworldhotshop.de/viashop/storefront/storefront.asp?katalogID=48

Meanwhile a very good restaurant near Frankfurt is the Catalonian "El Patio" in Bad Homburg.

My personal favourite is "Restaurant Latinoamérica" in Budenheim near Mainz, which is about 1 hr drive from us but well worth the trip for the Bolivian specialities.

Both are so good, that you really do need to reserve a table or you are likely to be turned away at the door.

(If anyone wants phone numbers, PM me!)

[deecree]

Can't recommend any shops/restaurants in particular but if you live in the UK, please don't go to any of the La Tasca chain of restaurants. Purporting to serve Spanish tapas, the best they can muster is pre-packaged potatoes with manky "spicy" sauce which is their version of Patatas Bravas :smug:. I used to work in one and everything was just reheated muck. It was in a dodgy part of Birmingham though....maybe there are others which aren't so truly dire.:'(

The London ones definitely aren't as bad as this one you describe, but they're also not as authentic as the small ones dotted around.

[Davehodgo]

does anybody know a good place to buy spanish ingrediants in the birmingham - coventry area??