A reader wrote in to ask me about a Kitchen shop. Where might she find one? Williams Sonoma or Sur La Table type places.
Ah –
Well…
You see, those kind of places don’t really exist in Barcelona. Kitchen Shop Barcelona are a hard find.
Paris has the likes of Mora or E.Dehillerin to swoon over, with more copper than there are cheeses in France. (Maybe. Possibly. There are 450 distinct types of French cheeses and there are a lot of copper pots in E. Dehillerin.)
London has the Cookware shops of the big department stores and independents like Divertimenti or Lakeland.
The closest thing might be the cookware section at El Corte Ingles. You are more likely to find a cake pop maker than anything actually useful and necessary for a kitchen. Then there is Macro a large cash & carry used by restaurants small and large: accessible only with a membership card. Here you will find cheap utilitarian kitchen ware – for example, they will have a zester but it won’t be a microplane (I did get a great deBuyer crêpe pan here the other day.)
If you don’t have a hookup with someone who has a Macro card, I’ve got another suggestion for you: Casa Gay. This place can set you up for with the basics. Afore mentioned Microplane graters in a selection of sizes. Aluminium cake pans, the best ones to ensure that your bakes don’t get too dark on the outside before the inside has had a chance to cook. Copper ware: I have one large straight sided Mauviel copper sauté pan and though it cost a small fortune, the results it gives me with poultry and meat are unrivaled.
Casa Gay has a large selection of Arcos knives, a Spanish made brand that is cheap to buy but easy to keep sharp. They also sell Robotcoups, pasta rollers, silicone bakeware, pots, pans. Most things you need to fit a professional kitchen.
That’s what you want after all. Things sturdy enough to withstand the intense use of a professional kitchen at good value for your kitchen home.
Give it a whir and let me know what you think.
Casa Gay Kitchen Shop Barcelona
Carrer De Roger De Llúria, 12
08010 Exaimple
tienda.casagay.com/es
I have used Cuisinaart all my life, even had one made 220 volts for me when Irving in Argentina many years ago. When moving to Cadiz twelve years ago I purchased a ROBOT COUP, in two words, HATE IT.
I have actually come across several SUPER kitchen shops in and around Gracia. At present I do not have the names and address’ but on my next trip into ‘the big city’ I will certainly note them down for you.
I use a Magimix at home but I used a Robot Coup at work and didn’t mind it. Definitely share the kitchen shop addresses in a comment. For me – I find that some shops do somethings well and lack other bits. They aren’t holistic. Case Gay covers a lot of essential ground skipping a lot of trendy silly gadgets.
Hi Foodie
I’m trying to buy a restaurant quality table for 2 …. the king of table base and top that are found in many cafes and restaurants here in the city…. any ideas on where I could try ?