Mucho Corazón

If the Spanish tourism authority hired me to write a strapline, it would be easy: Spain is for Sharing. 

Last weekend I went to Granada for a friend’s wedding, and while I’m fluent in the language, I found it more difficult travelling alone than I did in Thailand.  Why?  Portions.  As I sat down to a heaping plate of calamares and the joyful sounds that reminded me of my familia, I longed to have them share this with me.

One of our family favourites is churros y chocolate, and it just so happens I was staying in an area well known for them.  Churros, for the sadly uninitiated, are fat pieces of fried dough, served alongside ridiculously thick hot chocolate.  It’s more like pudding.  The French have nothing on this.

My search began at breakfast, conveniently right outside my hotel at an outdoor café.  Unsurprisingly, a huge bunch of churros accompanied a comparatively small mug of the dark stuff.  The spoon resting alongside it wasn’t for adding sugar – this chocolate was too thick too drink.  But as I dipped the churros in it, I closed my eyes and convinced myself that this was, indeed, what I was looking for: the ultimate chocolate caliente, and right on the steps of my hotel!  I left satisfied, believing this was it – that no other chocolate would do.  Nevermind how thick it was.  Or that the churros were rather dull and I didn’t have room for more than a quarter of them.

The next morning – or nearly noon if I'm honest – I stepped into the Spanish sunshine and went straight for the convenient café.  Then something told me to keep going.  I walked around the plaza.  No sign of churros y chocolate.  I walked a bit more and eyed what other places were serving.  Nope.  “I guess that café was it after all,” I thought.  But then I walked a bit further.  I ignored the rumblings just under my heart.  And I listened to something within it that told me to keep searching.

Then I rounded a corner and spotted a friendly, busy place with an empty table by the door and a sign saying they did half portions of churros.  I ordered mine with a required cup of you know what, and when I looked down at it, I knew.  Even before I lifted it up to my lips, I knew.  Thick enough to dip, thin enough to drink.  And a plate of churros just my size. Oh, the joys I would have missed had I settled for that other café!  It took me a couple of times around the block, but I had found it.

The other strapline contender: Spain is for Soul Searching.

Comments

[Loving Annie]

So glad that you found just what you wanted ! An anticipated treat is a delight :)

[Alicia Heeneman]

Yum. Wish I had some right now.
Have you seen Hotel Chocolat Dipping Plates. Do you have an opinion?

[Jess]

Thank you, Annie. Haven't tried the Dipping Plates yet, Alicia, but I did pay the place a visit today on another mission so will update soon.

[Anne]

this post made my mouth water.