Un Dia en el Mercado

The dawn is breaking over the coastline as I slowly stretch my way out of bed and walk softly towards the window so as not to wake the husband, still wrapped up like a burrito in bed covers.  I peer through the deep purple curtains that attempt to keep out the brilliance from the sun – that luscious sun that begins to rise over the sea in the early morning hours – Mi gusta las horas de la manana!   I love the morning hours!!

The coffee maker gurgles out a nice hot cup in the faded Shack Up Inn coffee mug that I just couldn’t leave behind. I open the French doors leading to the porch, and once again, as every morning, the scent of the sea takes me by surprise in the most pleasant way.  I settle in on the porch with my steaming mug of hot coffee, staring in zen fashion at the sea as the waves take their turns grabbing at the sandy shoreline.

Soon, Mike will join me on the porch and say, “Lista para ir a caminar?”  Ready to go for a walk? “Si!  Listo!!  Vamonos!!”  We put on our walking attire and grab our shopping bags because today is shopping day!   We’ve learned quickly that in Ruzafa almost every day is shopping day, with a visit to el mercado becoming part of our daily routine.   Sometimes we ride our bikes if we know we’ll have a load to bring back, but this morning, we’re just on a quest for some fresh fruit and vegetables, and whatever else the locals happen to tempt us with during our visit that we just have to try!!

It’s a cool brisk morning, not quite sweater worthy, as we make our way out onto the street and head towards the plaza that fronts the large open warehouse that houses El Mercat St Josep.  It’s the smaller of the two mercados near our apartment, but a bit closer, heading towards the city centre.  As we cross the Plaza del Mercat, we can begin to smell the aromas that have started to permeate the sea fresh air, as the mercado vendors in their booths prepare their samples for tasting.    

As we enter the opening of el mercado, the first booth we see displays a dry-cured ham shank, the ultimate in freshly sliced prosciutto, the headliner at the carving station.  As we approach the booth, the young man wielding what is obviously a very sharp knife, expertly shaves the thinnest of slices off the shank, and hands it to me to taste.  There are fresh red grapes in bowls that you can use to combine the sweetness of the grapes with the sweet saltiness of the 2 year old cured ham shank for a flavor to savor!   I grab a couple of grapes so I can share my sample with Mike.   Deliciosa!  The booth next door has some freshly squeezed oranges, Valencia oranges we are told.  We stop for a sample cup to help quench the thirst from the prosciutto.  

Two booths down and literally dozens more to explore.  Booths loaded with herbs and spices of all smells and colors, tastes and seasons, including saffron, the elegant spice that is the star of Paella, the popular rice stew of the region. Fish mongers with so many varieties of pescado, proudly displayed on beds of shaved ice, freshly caught from the sea that’s virtually walking distance from el mercado.  Fish we had never heard of before – Conger, Sea Bream, Hake, and some more familiar – flounder and sea bass.  

Further down the first aisle, we find several booths with fresh produce.  We divide and conquer, each of us taking a bag.  I’m in charge of finding the veggies and Mike’s in charge of the fruit.  It’s not long before our bags are filled with goodies, a variety of lettuces, fresh peppers, tomatoes, and eggplant.  Mike proudly shows off a brown bag filled with a dozen Valencia oranges that give off a citrusy aroma even before we peeled one to sample the batch.  Then he grins as he pulls from his bag a big bunch of red grapes, “I think we may have to go back and get some prosciutto to go with them!”