Calçotada

Catalan people are take extreme pride not only in their nation and language, but also in their innovativeness. In the arsenal of Catalan inventions we have Chupa Chup lollipops, bread with tomato (smeared squashed tomato, not to be mistaken with sliced tomatoes), Castelles (many stories high human pyramids where the smallest person risks their life at the top), and an oil dispenser that prevents oil from dripping on the table. At this time of year the pride and joy of most Catalanes are invested into a little onion called the calçot. It’s special because some Catalan person a long time ago figured out that if you keep on burying the tip of the onion that pokes out of the dirt the onion gets longer and longer, and bam, the calçot was born. So of course, every year this is celebrated in the spring when the calcots are harvested with a calçotada: a big lunch party where you burn the onions to a crisp on the BBQ, get your hands dirty, dip them a sauce and then deep throat them. Any socially accepted excuse to eat with your fingers is usually a good time, especially when you get to slap onions around. This nice old lady here was kind enough to give me a demonstration:

Step 1: Peel

Step 2: Dip

Step 3: Swallow