Our Spanish Hibernation 3:0

Our neighbourhood continues to surprise me. It was really busy yesterday, with Malagueños going about their routines and no doubt picking up everything they need from the local shops instead of going to a supermercado.

Alongside the butchers and hairdressers I wrote about last week, there is a perfumería/droguería, pescadería (fishmonger), frutería, floristería and a tabac. On some days a long queue forms outside the tabac, patiently waiting to buy Once tickets. Once is Spain’s National Lottery and apparently the Christmas prize fund is so big it’s known as El Gordo – The Fat One! We’ve yet to work out why the queues at Once booths is always so long ….. I mean don’t they have all week to buy their tickets?

Next to try my Spanglish in is the Frutería. So far I have bought our fruit and veggies in the supermercados but I’m feeling slightly braver. Avocado, carrots, pears and tomato (or tomate as it is known here) will be on my shopping list.

After a bit of research, it appears that the classic Spanish breakfast of Pan con Tomate is actually very simple to make. So I’m ashamed now that I have been buying the deli-style tubs from a Día Supermercado. Seemingly, you halve a tomato, grate it and mix in some olive oil. Spread on toasted bread and sprinkle with sea salt – delicious. Of course, there is no box grater in the apartment, but one of the bazaars down the road will sell me one of those for a couple of euros. No excuse, I will give it a go when we return to Malaga after Christmas. Feliz Navidad.