Foods to Eat in Spain - Madrid

- Caracoles a la Madrileña -

When one mentions snails, your mind might first think of the garden pest that terrorises your pavements with slime, even upon a little bit of rain (so practically everyday in England). When you add the word 'delicacy', the French may now come to mind, however, snails are eaten in numerous countries and places across the world, one of which is Madrid. Caracoles a la Madrileña are snails that are cooked in beef broth with a little bit of chilli. They are traditionally cooked in earthenware dishes (as indeed many Spanish tapas style dishes are) and pairs wonderfully with a glass of red wine.

Historically, snails were collected near the vineyards and sold fairly cheaply leading to their increasing popularity with the working class (as is the case with many of the traditional foods of Madrid). While once upon a time they were served in almost all tapas bars, increasing wealth (and increasing negativity, especially with tourists) means that they are not nearly as common as they once were, however, there are still many places that thrive on this dish.

Where better place to try Caracoles a la Madrileña than Los Caracoles (found in the trendy La Latina district), where their namesake is one of their most popular dishes. They have good food, reasonable prices and friendly owners, what more do you want? 

When we went there, the indecision of what to order must have been clear on our faces, as the owner (or owners son?) quickly insisted on us trying a bit of everything (for free!). We eventually waddled out after ordering far too much food in our exuberance (Caracoles, Zarajos and Oreja a la Plancha to name a few) and the never ending plates of bread did not help matters any! One note of mention is that the food here (and of many tapas of Madrid in general) are fried or cooked with a generous amount of oil which can feel a bit heavy so moderation is the key here. If you want to try a bit of everything, you can always order a media-ración which is a half portion and is a common serving size in Spanish tapas bars.

As always, I recommend two places (in case one isn't convenient or closed). The second place to eat Caracoles a la Madrileña would be Casa Alberto which is within a 5 minute walk from Puerta del Sol and has been around since 1827 (legend has it that the writer Cervantes wrote one of his books here). As well as snails, Casa Alberto is also known for its Rabo de Toro (bull's tail stew), pig's trotters and vermouth (on tap!).