The Spanish Definition of Whole Chickens Is Different Than Ours.

Our first stop on Saturday, the last day, was over at the Santiago market.  We wound our way through the quiet city’s ancient streets.  The market is everything you would hope it would be.  Yes, we had been to markets in San Sebastian (okay), Oviedo (really good), and now Santiago (excellent).

I never get tired of it.  The market is both outside (primarily vegetables), and then in six buildings.  Aner was buying cheese for a snack later in the day, and so the cheesemonger gave him slices of other cheeses for us to taste.  As could be expected, some people like cheeses that others did not, and vice versa.  The two cheeses I liked most were the best (Editor’s Note: Just.  Stop.)

A purveyor of beef and hams was also selling his homemade local wine, and I was tempted to buy it.  Alas it was three bottles for 12 Euros, and I didn’t want to bring that much wine back to the States.  That increases the risk of breakage, as well as the weight of our already heavy bags.  Now, of course, I regret not checking to see if he would sell me one bottle for 5 Euros or so.

We saw ridiculously large slabs of beef.  The kind Rocky would punch in the meat locker.  And, I swear that the 2.5 foot long ribs were from the set of the Flintstones.  (Editor’s Note: You do realize that was a cartoon?  Blogger: Another cherished childhood memory smashed.  Thanks.)

The highlight may well have been the chickens, however.  They came whole, as in with the feet and head still attached.  We buy whole chickens in the States, and they have no feet, neck, or head.  The Spanish will use those parts in soup stock.  It occurred to me I had never seen a whole dead and plucked chicken before.  No, I was not grossed out.  Just hungry for chicken.

In the seafood building, there were stunning large crabs, big shrimp, and, yes, even Percebes (these were small too).  The fish was fresh, and I knew why the fishmonger was showing the monk fish belly up, with the guts showing (to prove it is fresh!).

Next time I’m in Spain, we’re going and buying some provisions at the local market.