One of my favorite things to do when I am traveling is to visit grocery stores and food markets. I love looking at the different foods that are available, how they are displayed for purchase, the differences and similarities with foods I am used to at home. I notice differences in grocery stores even in different states within the US. Costco in Anchorage, Alaska is a world unto itself, with its “Alaska sized” coffee roaster. The selection of pastas, tomato sauces and other Italian foods in Philadelphia is huge compared to what we find in North Carolina.
Since I am working on a book set in Spain right now, I found a photo I took on my last visit to Spain of the colorful spices for sale in the Santa Catarina Market in Barcelona. Santa Caterina Market was built in 1845 as a venue for the working people of the neighborhood. It was built on the former site of the Convent of Santa Caterina. During the period following the Spanish Civil War, when much of the country suffered from severe food shortages, Santa Caterina became the main food supplier to the towns on the outskirts of Barcelona, as people traveled into the city on the tram to buy food in this market.
Zoom in on the photo and enjoy the photos of the spices. The names are listed in English as well as Spanish and Catalan.