Leanne Kitchen in Andalusia, Spain

22 Sep

Written By Antony

Leanne Kitchen, co-founder of the LSC and a seasoned food and travel writer, has ventured far and wide across Asia, Turkey and the Middle East. Currently she’s fixated on the flavours and old-world charm of Europe.

1. What’s your ultimate foodie destination, and why does the food there blow your mind? (Is it the flavours, the vibe, or something completely unexpected?)

Unfair!! Only one? Sheesh. Currently I’m obsessed with Andalusia. I went for the first time in 2022 and it really blew my tiny mind. I loved it all; the energy on the streets that somehow translates to the food, the freshness of the seasonal produce, the way the locals eat and drink with such gusto (who doesn’t love a day-drinking culture??) The food is essentially simple but big-flavoured. It’s casual, but makes you stand up and take notice. (With a few exceptions the bread is pretty sub-par, but I can forgive the Spanish anything. Even crappy bread). It’s basically my kind of food: Im not into prissy restaurant food… the more rustic and ‘real’, the better. And there was plenty of that.

2. What’s the one dish from this place that you dream about when you’re back home? (We all have that one dish we can’t stop thinking about. What’s yours, and where did you have it?)

Jamón ibérico, for sure. The way it melts, then lingers on your tongue… mmm. I ate my bodyweight in jamón while in Andalusia (and in Madrid) and no single place stands out as it’s available from any tapas bar or restaurant. Then there’s the seafood. I went to Cadiz, right on the Atlantic in a southwestern corner of Spain, and the fish market was utterly stupendous – Rick Stein himself is a fan. I can’t get the slabs of fresh tuna out of my head. (Can I slide in churros too? I know this is a predictable choice but people should know about a smart-casual place called Chocolat in the Huertas neighbourhood of Madrid. It’s off most tourist radars and many locals think they make the best churros and chocolate in the city. I also loved affordable San Gines, open since 1894, and although very much on the tourist trail and they’re so busy they virtually throw the churros at you, it’s an experience that has to be done. They’re open 24/7 so if you pick your moment, you can have a much quieter time). And that’s three things. Deal with it!

3. When you’re in this dream destination, what does a perfect food day look like? (Walk us through breakfast, lunch, and dinner—and don’t forget the snacks!)

To be honest, when I travel I really only eat two proper meals a day as I don’t have enormous capacity. I love breakfast and in the parts of Spain I was in, that’s either toast with EVOO, tomato and maybe a side of jamón, or churros. Or I’d beeline to a bakery for some local speciality… in Cordoba that was pastel cordobés, a dense, sweet pastry filled with spaghetti squash jam. It tasted so-so IMO but hey, I can say I ate it. After that, I’m generally stonkered until late lunchtime and in, say Cordoba again, I’d hit up Al Grano Arroces y Mas for paella (yeah I know this is not an Andalusian dish but this resto is terrific and full of locals) or Taberna San Miguel with its lovely, tucked-away setting near the 13th century San Miguel church. We ate local dishes there like silky, cooling salmorejo, and espinacas con garbanzos, where spinach is wilted with chickpeas, paprika and cumin. I’d either skip dinner or maybe lightly graze at a place like iconic, character-filled Taberna Guzman, where I’d pick at pickled mussels, little meatballs in tomato sauce and, of course, boquerones. With, natch, superlative vino fino. The other thing I love for a light dinner is shop at a supermarket. Foreign supermarkets are an obsession of mine and you learn a lot about everyday local food by visiting one. In Spain we’d buy large tetra packs of chilled salmorejo for dinner with bread, which cost a few measly euros. The supermarket is an excellent option for the budget-minded.

4. Is there a restaurant or café in this location that you think deserves a cult following? (What’s the spot you keep going back to, and why should everyone else know about it?)

The places we visited in Andalusia are pretty much on tourist trails so they’re already well subscribed. In Seville, I adored Casa Morales for the atmosphere as much as the food and wine. Just sitting in that room (dating from 1850), eating plates of octopus, grilled padrón peppers and lomo al jerez (pork loin in sherry sauce), is a memory that stays with me.

5. What’s the most surprising or underrated ingredient you’ve discovered in this place? (Share a hidden gem that you think more people should know about.)

I can’t say that anything was surprising and that’s not because I’m a know-all. It’s because I had my snout buried in Frank Camorra’s excellent cookbook MoVida Solera for months before travelling and it’s packed with information, both food-related and specifically travel. I can’t recommend this book enough. Even if you’re not visiting the region, by the time you’re through with Camorra’s book you’ll feel like you’ve been.

6. Are there any foodie or cultural experiences in this place that have stuck with you? (Street markets, cooking classes, or anything that gives you a deeper connection to the local food culture?)

In Seville we took a Devour Tours food tour and it was excellent. The guide grew up in the city and knew heaps about not just the food, but the history, art, architecture, religion and culture etc as well. Although I adore food, I think on its own it can get a bit one-dimensional so I like to learn about other aspects of a culture and have some general context.

7. When you’re planning a trip, how much do you structure your itinerary around food? (Do you chase down restaurants and markets first, or are you more of a ‘discover it on the fly’ person?)

Are you kidding? Finding great markets, cafes, restaurants, bars etc is paramount. Currently I’m planning a Central European trip and I didn’t think sausage and sauerkraut would be my thing but the more I research the cities and towns, the more I’m getting excited. Did you know the breakfast of choice in Bamberg, Germany is weisswurst, sweet mustard and SMOKED BEER?? I did not know this combo existed and now I’m like, let me at it. (I’ll report back to the LSC for sure). I literally have a huge piece of paper divided into quadrants for sketching out each day – breakfast and a late lunch are the first things to go in. Everything else has to fall into line! And yes, I’m a nerd. I also keep my antennae up on the ground to find places I might not be aware of yet; I don’t itinerise myself into a corner.

8. What are your top tips for fellow food-lovers visiting this place for the first time? (What’s the best advice for someone who wants to eat like a local?)

See answer 5. Longer answer: really, really do your research well in advance and don’t take recommendations at face value. This is true for anywhere, not just Andalusia. I’m skeptical of crowdsourced sites like Tripadvisor (once I noticed an Irish pub was recommended in the top 10 of places to eat in Saigon!) but I do go there, look at photos, and try to get an overall ‘feel’ of an establishment. Then I’ll dig up more info if somewhere sparks interest. (I love the internet; you can find out anything). I try to find vloggers who live locally, not some randos making a Youtube video just because they can. For Spain, that meant Jame's Blick’s info-packed Spain Revealed channel. Brilliant stuff. And when on the ground, I do love me an Eyewitness city guide. I generally agonise over where to go, understanding that travel can be hit and miss and you have limited time. At the end of the day if I come away with a handful of memorable food experiences from a destination, I’m good.

9. Any must-visit shops or markets to hit up for food souvenirs or local ingredients? (We’re talking spices, sauces, cookware—anything you’d throw in your suitcase!)

I’m a lover of the fridge magnet and I know that’s pretty low brow but I bought awesome, old-school moulded/painted foodie ones from obvious tourist shops; legs of jamón, plates of fried calamari and even a whole roast pig. Love them. In Seville I enjoyed the Mercadillo Histórico "El Jueves" on Calle Feria (it’s a weekly flea market) and I scored some 1950’s recipe cards with the most fabulous, time-warped illustrations. In Cordoba I bought simple white-on-white hand-decorated serving bowls from a shop called Ceramica Leonardos; they do a lot of OTT decorative stuff that’s not my thing, but these pieces are fab.

10. What would you say to someone who’s never been to this destination—what are they missing out on? (Sell us on this place! What’s the vibe, and why should we add it to our must-visit list?)

Where to begin? It might sound cliché, but the colours hit you first: the deep blue sky, the warm terracotta of the buildings, and the vibrant tiles and mosaics that seem to be everywhere. Even when it’s not sunny, it’s sort of conceptually sunny, if you get me. Moorish history is incredible; I was totally captivated by the mix of Islamic, Jewish, and Christian influences. The architecture alone—like Cordoba’s Mezquita Catedral and Sevilla’s grand Cathedral—is jaw-dropping. I’d just listened to an excellent podcast about the Franco era so that added another dimension of understanding.

Then there’s the food culture. I loved how people gather in buzzing tapas bars, standing up to graze on delicious morsels while chatting with friends. It’s not reserved for special occasions; it’s part of the everyday rhythm. There’s a lovely laid-back vibe, where you sit outside, sip wine, chat, and let the world pass by in the golden light. The wines and sherries are delicious and surprisingly affordable too.

And then there’s flamenco—pure energy and passion, all in one art form. Honestly, everything from the food, to the culture, to the affordability (okay, we didn’t dine at Michelin-starred spots, but still) made it one of the most vibrant, soulful places I’ve been. I’d return in shot.