Although esmorzaret, the traditional Valencian lunch, is still an eminently local phenomenon, is becoming better known in the rest of Spain. And is not for less.
Valencian lunch surprised by its forcefulness. Not everyone is capable of cracking down on a huge sandwich accompanied by olives, salted meats and peanuts between 10 and 12 in the morning. But the thing would not go beyond folklore if it were not for the fact that the Valencian bars serve some of the best sandwiches in the world. A donkey from which, after having lunch in many bars, I no longer get off.
For eight years, the esmorzaret have even had a prize, with an increasing following in the Valencian Community: the Cacau d’Or.
There are several “golden peanuts”, by provinces and honorifics, but the most reputable is the Cacau d’Or Special, sponsored by the Amstel brewery, which in the last edition fell to the Pitti cafeterialocated next to La Marina in Valencia capital.
His sandwich was the protagonist of the act with which the Valencia City Council and Amstel itself promoted during the Fallas the declaration of March 16 as the Official Day of Esmorzà. There were the mayor and the older fallera enjoying a sandwich that well deserves an official day and whatever it takes.
The recipe for the best snack sandwich
We spoke with Alba Grancha Bordanova, the creator of a sandwich that has been a sales success: since it won the award, Pitti’s bar can easily dispatch up to 100 sandwiches in the three hours that lunchtime lasts, which are served in its bar from 9 to 12 .
And what is he wearing? campaign pate and grilled bacon, lettuce, mayonnaise, poached onion, fried egg and melted havarti cheese.
–We were looking for a typical Valencian goat”, explains Grancha.
-But that Wasn’t it Uruguayan?-, asked.
–Well, look, yes, but it became fashionable in Valencia because a boy came here and said in a bar, “I want a goat” and they told him, “I don’t know what it is, but I’m going to try to make it”–, Grancha explains. – “I’m going to open the fridge and I’ll throw whatever I see that looks like it”. and this is the valencian goat–.
The key to the sandwich is in the campaign pate, from Castellón, which, when passing through the iron, is left with a crunchy texturevery similar to the one that has become fashionable now with the smash burger.
A delight, suitable for all budgets. And it is that the good thing about the Valencian esmorzaret is that, although the prices have risen, it’s still very cheap: It is not difficult to find complete lunches for 5 euros that include beer, peanuts, olives, sandwiches and cremaet, the famous carajillo typical of the matter.
The winning lunch costs a little more. “Currently we have it at a higher price than normal lunch, at 8.59,” explains Grancha. Of course, you are eaten. And if you’re hungry, you can try other of the local specialties, such as the bocadillo de chicken tears, guacamole and cheddar cheese. “That one is also succeeding a lot,” concludes Grancha.
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