My first "taste" of Catalan Cuisine

While part of the onion family, Calcots are milder and less “bulbous” than onions, although before my trip to Valencia with IES I had never heard of them. At first I was quite turned off by the idea of eating a large onion. But once I tried it I had a blast. The traditional Catalan method of cooking the calcots is to grill them over a flaming barbecue while wrapped in newspaper, they are served on a terra cotta roof tile to keep them warm. Before eating, one must peel away the blackened outer layers, then dip the calcots in salvitxada, a sauce made of almonds, tomatoes, garlic, peppers, vinegar and oil. While I enjoyed the practice of eating the calcots and the huge mess it made, my favorite part was the sauce. When the waiter came over to clear our plates for the main meal, I made sure to hang on to my saucer of sauce.