Streets of Spain at Southbank

Thanks to a sunny weekend as it made up my mind to check out the Streets of Spain food event at Southbank. Last year Karen Kennaby went and wrote up her thoughts in the article – The streets of Spain...in London! She seemed to thoroughly enjoy herself, so this year it’s my turn. As you would imagine at a big Bank Holiday event it was, shall we say, busy. In fact there were some areas so packed that if you lift your feet up you wouldn’t fall over ;)

The first stall I came to was instantly tempting with its huge pans of paella, the tempting smell wafting down the street. Many people were queuing up so by the time I got to the front the seafood paella had gone so I had to go for the meat version. Lovely it was too, with good chunks of chicken and chorizo, firm rice, the wonderful blend of tomato and saffron,  served with a wedge of lemon. Milling around it wasn’t just Spanish food on the menu. I noticed a Peruvian stall selling barbequed meat with hot sauce.

The beef looked so good I had to have a try, and what a good choice! Succulent beef with slight charring with a hot and spicy mustard flavoured sauce. They also put a piece of potato on the top, I guess a very Peruvian touch! A nice little snack and it looked pretty in its corn husk holder. I could have easily gone for the chicken version but it was time to move on.

After a couple of savoury courses it was time to try something sweet. I spied a churros stall with an enormous queue of eager looking people so I happily joined them. The churros (a Spanish doughnut) come as crisp sticks in a cup and sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon. They are served with a little cup of chocolate sauce to dip. My word they were delicious, you didn’t need the chocolate sauce to enjoy them but dipped away greedily scoffing them down.

My belly full I need to wash all that food down and what better than a nice big cup of sangria. There were a few stalls selling this most Spanish of drinks, mine was expertly created in front of my eyes and it was a perfect match to the sights, sounds and sun of the day. I thought I was full but then I noticed plates of amazing looking pure acorn fed iberico ham. At £9.00 a plate it was expensive, but oh my word it was so rich and sweet. Melting in the mouth I could have happily taken home the whole ham!

I meandered through the rest of the stalls lining the Thames, picking up some dried cayenne peppers and saffron from specialist suppliers. There was so much on offer it was a satisfying trip. The crowds were a bit off putting, but after all this isn’t the streets of Spain…it’s London. Remember to share if you went along to the streets of Spain this weekend, or to any other foodie event! Michael Robinson