MÁLAGA FOOD NEWS: Celebrating Málaga´s Iconic Espeto
Posted By: Málaga Food Guide Team - Málaga Province
There are a few things that capture summer in Spain, the heat, the busy beaches, the tourists and the noise, but there is one thing that affirms summer has arrived and that is Espeto. Whether you are a local or on holiday, the smell of Espeto cooking over the olive wood fires on the beaches epitomises Spain in the summer.
The salty, smoky aroma in southern Spain can only mean one thing: It’s espeto season.
The Espeto is a typical dish from Málaga and the Granada Coast in Southern Spain, and consists of skewering fish, traditionally sardines, on thin long rods, to roast over firewood on the beach.
On this day in 2006, the city of Malaga inaugurated a statue of the Espetero — a person who makes the sardine skewers — to celebrate the traditional job.
On this day in 2006, the city of Malaga inaugurated a statue of the Espetero — a person who makes the sardine skewers — to celebrate the traditional job.
Espeto gets its name from the Spanish word Espetar, which means “to skewer." The snack's origins date back to the late 19th century in Málaga, Spain. Espetos are only eaten in months without an “R” in their name and never on a Monday since there are no fish markets on Mondays.
Today, espeto remains a celebrated beach-side snack, but the prep work has moved to boats filled with sand and wood fires. Chefs place six sardines on a skewer, season them with salt, and grill them over an open wood fire for around six minutes. Once fully cooked, the golden sardines are drizzled in lemon juice. Sardines are more plump during the summer months, which gives them even more flavour.
