Food - Dining on the Camino '03

[Jen Seeler]

The Spanish are known for eating their evening meal at 9 PM or later.   They
usually have a big meal in the middle of the day.  For hikers who want to
get an early start out of the albergue, staying up late can be a problem.
Also, some albergues lock their doors around 10 PM.  Americans I know prefer
to eat a large meal at night.  You may want to rethink your dining times.
We did, finally.

Most (many) hikers start early in the morning in order to walk as far as
possible in the coolness of the morning and to get to the next albergue in
time to find a bed.  I suggest that after you arrive, shower and wash your
clothes, you go find a restaurant with a "menu del dia."  This consists of 2
courses, bread, dessert and beverge for from 5 to 10 eruos.   Often the menu
is not available for the evening meal.

The restaurants serve the midday meal from noon to about 4 PM.  The first
plate usually is a choice of soup, salad, pasta or cold meats.   The second
plate is french fries with a choice of something made from pork, veal or
fish.   Dessert is flan, ice cream, fruit or sometimes a piece of cake.
With this you get at least 1/2 bottle of wine, or 1/2 liter of bottled water
or a tiny cup of espresso.  Many times when you order wine you get a whole
bottle (with or without a cork and label) and you drink as much as you want.

When the grocery stores (closed from 2-5 in the afternoon) re-open, you can
buy cold cuts, cheese, bread, and whatever for your evening meal in the
albergue.   A "Swiss army" knife is very handy.

We noticed that while many of the albergues had kitchens, then did not have
any cooking or eating equipment, no pots, pans, plates, cuttlery etc.

Two final comments about eating.

We could not find pepper to season our salads or entrees.  Salt usualy was
around, somewhere.   Bring a small jar of coarse ground pepper.    Salad
dressing consists of cruets of oil and vinegar.

Bring a small spoon with you, a demi-tasse spoon would be great.   You can
purchase yogurt or flan or puddings in the grocery.  But how to eat them?
The smaller the spoon the longer it takes to eat them and the more pleasure
you get.

Vaya con dios.
       jean seeler     jeandaveamindspring.com