Recently, I went to Mercat de L’Abaceria in Barcelona. I really enjoyed visiting this market because it showed me the way local people in Barcelona buy their produce. This market was very interesting to visit because not only did I get to interact with the local people, but I also got to see the differences between the way Americans shop in supermarkets and the way Spanish people shop in their local markets.
One of the first things I noticed when I was walking through the market was that all of the produce, meat and fish are not covered by anything. I found this to be especially interesting because in America, this would be seen as unsanitary.
I noticed many things in the stands that sold fish that I would not see in America. One of the main things that stood out to me was that the fish are presented whole, on ice, with their heads still on. I learned that by having the heads on the fish, it allowed the customers to see how fresh the fish was. By speaking with the owners of the stands, I learned that they get their fish fresh everyday from La Mercabana, a huge market where most smaller markets buy their products from. One interesting thing that I was told was that when customers come to the market, they are usually asked how they would like to cook the fish and then the owner will provide them with a specific cut of the fish in order for their meal to taste the best. Additionally, I picked up on the fact that many of the fish stands had women working, which is not something you would normally see in America.
When looking at the vegetable stands, I noticed many things I would not see in America. One thing that really stood out to me was the fact that most of the produce was grown in Catalunya. On each vegetable, there were little notes that specified exactly where in Catalunya that vegetable or fruit was from, which was interesting to see. The owner told me that the produce that couldn’t be grown in Catalunya was imported, which was mostly fruits, such as pineapple. I was also told that usually, they have a wider variety of vegetables, but right now is not the best season, which is why they only offer certain vegetables at specific times of the year.
I learned that many people only buy their produce at these local markets because they guaranteed freshness and quality. I really enjoyed going to this market because it taught me about the local people and how they buy their groceries on a weekly basis.
Barcelona Past and Present 