There are mornings in Barcelona that practically beg you to set aside the croissant and surrender to the noble art of traditional early-morning stews. That’s the essence of L’Andreuenc and El Racó del Mercat, two beloved spots in our city that have just secured their coveted direct ticket to the grand finale to choose the best “esmorzar de forquilla” in all of Catalonia.
After shining in the demanding provincial semifinal held this past Sunday, September 6, in La Garriga, the Catalan capital now has its representatives for this month’s grand gastronomic final, where slow-cooked stews and fine offal will vie for supremacy among the region’s top chefs.They’ll do so at the ultimate event of the Lliga del Porc i la Forquilla, a competition that celebrates this hearty breakfast as one of the purest expressions of traditional Catalan cuisine, giving new life to the less-prized cuts of pork with recipes brimming with tradition.
L’Andreuenc and the Art of Defending the Title
The Catalan capital now has its representatives for this month’s grand gastronomic final, where slow-cooked stews and fine offal will vie for supremacy in the region’s culinary competition. Last year, they took home first prize in the competition thanks to an unforgettable “sea and mountain” dish featuring homemade “butifarra del perol” sausage, “ganxet” beans, and “sepia sucia”—a dish that has become a true bestseller at their restaurant.
This year, they haven’t lowered the bar and have been crowned the top finishers in the Barcelona semifinal with a groundbreaking dish: a pork ear fricandó served with homemade carquinyolis. For the grand final in Lleida, Alcoriza is already planning to surprise the jury once again by turning to its greatest weakness: surf and turf.
Barcelona’s other great cause for celebration comes straight from the aisles of the Mercat de Provençals. Sonia López, who runs El Racó del Mercat (Calle Menorca, 19), was making her debut in this competition and achieved a spectacular second-place finish with classic Catalan-style pig’s trotters.
Rounding out the podium for the province of Barcelona was Cristina Candelich, from the Can Candelich restaurant in Samalús, who took third place with a rich, sweet stew of beans, pork belly, and tongue.
In total, the La Garriga semifinal featured seven mouthwatering entries that were blind-tasted by a jury of five industry experts: journalists Albert Molins and Ferran Caldes, content creators Mike Cano and Marta Clot (also a sommelier), and Jonathan Nuevo, an expert on these breakfasts. Now, all that’s left is to wait for the final showdown on September 27, where 12 recipes from the four provinces will prove that in Catalonia, when it comes to pork, people love every part of it.
