{"id":3680,"date":"2024-02-07T12:22:06","date_gmt":"2024-02-07T10:22:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/blog\/erasmus-catalonia-calcotada\/"},"modified":"2024-07-05T09:40:16","modified_gmt":"2024-07-05T07:40:16","slug":"erasmus-catalonia-calcotada","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/en\/erasmus-catalonia-calcotada\/","title":{"rendered":"Erasmus in Catalonia: cal\u00e7ots season!"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-1 fusion-flex-container nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"--awb-border-radius-top-left:0px;--awb-border-radius-top-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-left:0px;--awb-flex-wrap:wrap;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row fusion-flex-align-items-flex-start fusion-flex-content-wrap\" style=\"max-width:1248px;margin-left: calc(-4% \/ 2 );margin-right: calc(-4% \/ 2 );\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-0 fusion_builder_column_1_1 1_1 fusion-flex-column\" style=\"--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:100%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:1.92%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:0px;--awb-spacing-left-large:1.92%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column\"><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-1\">\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-2\"><p>When you do <strong>Erasmus in Catalonia<\/strong> there are many places to visit and many experiences to live. A trip to the Pyrenees, a night in Barcelona, a visit to the Sagrada Familia&#8230; But there are also many experiences that you cannot miss and, at this time of the year, celebrating a cal\u00e7otada with friends is a date marked in the agenda that, yes or yes, you have to take advantage of.<\/p>\n<p>If you have never had a cal\u00e7otada, don&#8217;t worry! From the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/en\/erasmus-residences-barcelona\/\">Unihabit residence halls<\/a> we give you all the advice you need so that you don&#8217;t miss out on the essence of it. But first of all&#8230;<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-title title fusion-title-1 fusion-sep-none fusion-title-text fusion-title-size-two\"><h2 class=\"fusion-title-heading title-heading-left\" style=\"margin:0;\"><strong>What are cal\u00e7ots?<\/strong><\/h2><\/div><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-3\"><p>The cal\u00e7ot is a <strong>type of onion with an elongated shape of up to 25 cm<\/strong> that is grown under what in Catalan is called <em>cal\u00e7ar<\/em>, a term that refers to the soil that farmers continually add on top of the soil where the onions grow to prevent them from widening. Thanks to its elongated shape,<strong> the onion cooks evenly<\/strong> on the grill, preventing it from becoming raw on the inside, which would happen with a round onion.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-image-element \" style=\"text-align:center;--awb-caption-title-font-family:var(--h2_typography-font-family);--awb-caption-title-font-weight:var(--h2_typography-font-weight);--awb-caption-title-font-style:var(--h2_typography-font-style);--awb-caption-title-size:var(--h2_typography-font-size);--awb-caption-title-transform:var(--h2_typography-text-transform);--awb-caption-title-line-height:var(--h2_typography-line-height);--awb-caption-title-letter-spacing:var(--h2_typography-letter-spacing);\"><span class=\" fusion-imageframe imageframe-none imageframe-1 hover-type-none\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" alt=\"erasmus in catalonia\" title=\"erasmus cataluna calcots\" src=\"https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/erasmus-cataluna-calcots.jpg\" class=\"img-responsive wp-image-12658\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/erasmus-cataluna-calcots-200x133.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/erasmus-cataluna-calcots-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/erasmus-cataluna-calcots-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/erasmus-cataluna-calcots-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/erasmus-cataluna-calcots.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/span><\/div><div class=\"fusion-title title fusion-title-2 fusion-sep-none fusion-title-text fusion-title-size-two\"><h2 class=\"fusion-title-heading title-heading-left\" style=\"margin:0;\"><strong>How are cal\u00e7ots cooked?<\/strong><\/h2><\/div><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-4\"><p>The <strong>cal\u00e7ots<\/strong> are cooked on a traditional barbecue with some differences in the cooking process:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Firstly, the fire is ideally made with <strong>dry vine shoots<\/strong>, as it offers a better aroma and provides a perfect fire.<\/li>\n<li>Next, the cal\u00e7ots <strong>are placed sideways and in both directions, always with the edible part (the white part) in the centre of the grill.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>The onion roots should not be cut beforehand as they will burn completely in the fire during cooking.<\/li>\n<li>Once the cal\u00e7ots are fully roasted on one side, it is essential to carefully turn the grill so that they are cooked on the other side.<\/li>\n<li>Finally, when both sides are cooked, you should <strong>pack around 15 to 20 cal\u00e7ots per packet in newspaper<\/strong> to keep the heat of the cooking.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Well, now that you know what cal\u00e7ots are and how to cook them, let&#8217;s get down to business!<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-title title fusion-title-3 fusion-sep-none fusion-title-text fusion-title-size-two\"><h2 class=\"fusion-title-heading title-heading-left\" style=\"margin:0;\"><strong>How do you eat cal\u00e7ots?<\/strong><\/h2><\/div><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-5\"><p>Cal\u00e7otada is a<strong> typical Catalan meal to celebrate with family or friends<\/strong>, either at home or in a restaurant. The most traditional way for many people to eat them is standing up; however, when the cal\u00e7otada is held in a restaurant you will find people sitting down. Another tradition for eating cal\u00e7ots is to wear a bib, to avoid staining your clothes.<\/p>\n<p>If we go into the technical side of how to eat a cal\u00e7ot, you <strong>must hold the cal\u00e7ot firmly by the upper part<\/strong> (green part) in a vertical position. With the other hand, <strong>grab the tip of the cal\u00e7ot, press and pull it downwards<\/strong>, so that the onion is peeled, e<strong>liminating the superficial and burnt layer<\/strong> and leaving the good, edible part attached. You can then dip it in the special sauce for cal\u00e7ots or romesco sauce and put it directly in your mouth. In general, between 20 and 35 cal\u00e7ots are eaten per person, as meat or other vegetables such as grilled potatoes, artichokes, etc. are eaten afterwards.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-image-element \" style=\"text-align:center;--awb-caption-title-font-family:var(--h2_typography-font-family);--awb-caption-title-font-weight:var(--h2_typography-font-weight);--awb-caption-title-font-style:var(--h2_typography-font-style);--awb-caption-title-size:var(--h2_typography-font-size);--awb-caption-title-transform:var(--h2_typography-text-transform);--awb-caption-title-line-height:var(--h2_typography-line-height);--awb-caption-title-letter-spacing:var(--h2_typography-letter-spacing);\"><span class=\" fusion-imageframe imageframe-none imageframe-2 hover-type-none\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" alt=\"erasmus cataluna calcotada universitaria\" title=\"erasmus cataluna calcotada universitaria\" src=\"https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/erasmus-cataluna-calcotada-universitaria.jpg\" class=\"img-responsive wp-image-12655\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/erasmus-cataluna-calcotada-universitaria-200x133.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/erasmus-cataluna-calcotada-universitaria-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/erasmus-cataluna-calcotada-universitaria-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/erasmus-cataluna-calcotada-universitaria-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/erasmus-cataluna-calcotada-universitaria.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/span><\/div><div class=\"fusion-title title fusion-title-4 fusion-sep-none fusion-title-text fusion-title-size-two\"><h2 class=\"fusion-title-heading title-heading-left\" style=\"margin:0;\"><strong>Why is the cal\u00e7otada held?<\/strong><\/h2><\/div><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-6\"><p>As previously mentioned, cal\u00e7otada is a<strong> typical Catalan meal ideal for celebrating with friends and family<\/strong>. It originates from the town of Valls (province of Tarragona) where a farmer discovered the special way of growing white onions at the end of the 19th century. At the beginning of the next century, the cal\u00e7otada began to spread throughout Catalonia and even the Balearic Islands.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The cal\u00e7otada season is usually between February and April<\/strong>, with cal\u00e7ots with sauce as the main dish, followed by grilled meat, accompanied by a good wine and finally a good dessert.<\/p>\n<p>Nowadays, the most popular cal\u00e7otada is still celebrated in the city of Valls, the original city of this typical food, &#8220;<strong>La gran fiesta de la cal\u00e7otada<\/strong>&#8220;, an original and unique experience if you are on Erasmus in Catalonia to share with your mates in the student residence or at the university.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-title title fusion-title-5 fusion-sep-none fusion-title-text fusion-title-size-two\"><h2 class=\"fusion-title-heading title-heading-left\" style=\"margin:0;\"><strong>Everything you need to know to make a good cal\u00e7otada!<\/strong><\/h2><\/div><div class=\"fusion-title title fusion-title-6 fusion-sep-none fusion-title-text fusion-title-size-three\"><h3 class=\"fusion-title-heading title-heading-left\" style=\"margin:0;\"><strong>The essential dish: cal\u00e7ots<\/strong><\/h3><\/div><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-7\"><p>With all the information you now have about what cal\u00e7ots are, how to cook them and how and where to eat them, we explain step by step how to enjoy a good cal\u00e7otada with your university friends, and enjoy a typical and delicious meal at your Erasmus destination.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Light the grill in time with raw wood. A good cal\u00e7otada is not made in a hurry! Arrive early and start preparing the fire, while you are making the vermouth!<\/li>\n<li>Before cooking the cal\u00e7ots in the fire it is important to remove the root piece, but do not clean or soak them in water.<\/li>\n<li>Now it&#8217;s time to grill the cal\u00e7ots. Remember that you must turn them and that the most important thing is to cook the white part of the cal\u00e7ot. Therefore, it is important to place them strategically so that the leaves are outside the grill and the white part is placed inside.<\/li>\n<li>Once the skin of the cal\u00e7ot begins to open and the juice starts to drip inside (a good sign!), it means that they are ready to be cooked and you can take them out. It is important that they are well toasted before removing them from the heat, or you will eat them without them being well done!<\/li>\n<li>As you remove the cal\u00e7ots from the heat, it is important to keep them well stored so that the heat doesn&#8217;t escape. The best option is to wrap them in newspaper!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-image-element \" style=\"text-align:center;--awb-caption-title-font-family:var(--h2_typography-font-family);--awb-caption-title-font-weight:var(--h2_typography-font-weight);--awb-caption-title-font-style:var(--h2_typography-font-style);--awb-caption-title-size:var(--h2_typography-font-size);--awb-caption-title-transform:var(--h2_typography-text-transform);--awb-caption-title-line-height:var(--h2_typography-line-height);--awb-caption-title-letter-spacing:var(--h2_typography-letter-spacing);\"><span class=\" fusion-imageframe imageframe-none imageframe-3 hover-type-none\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" alt=\"erasmus cataluna calcotada salsa\" title=\"erasmus cataluna calcotada salsa\" src=\"https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/erasmus-cataluna-calcotada-salsa.jpg\" class=\"img-responsive wp-image-12652\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/erasmus-cataluna-calcotada-salsa-200x133.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/erasmus-cataluna-calcotada-salsa-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/erasmus-cataluna-calcotada-salsa-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/erasmus-cataluna-calcotada-salsa-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/erasmus-cataluna-calcotada-salsa.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/span><\/div><div class=\"fusion-title title fusion-title-7 fusion-sep-none fusion-title-text fusion-title-size-three\"><h3 class=\"fusion-title-heading title-heading-left\" style=\"margin:0;\"><strong>The cal\u00e7ot sauce: the indispensable complement<\/strong><\/h3><\/div><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-8\"><p>During the period that you have been living as an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/en\/erasmus-in-barcelona\/\">Erasmus student in Barcelona<\/a> you have probably heard a lot about the cal\u00e7ots sauce or romesco sauce, an essential element to enjoy the cal\u00e7otada 100%.<\/p>\n<p>Once you have the cal\u00e7ots ready, before eating them it is very important to always dip them in the cal\u00e7ot sauce.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-title title fusion-title-8 fusion-sep-none fusion-title-text fusion-title-size-three\"><h3 class=\"fusion-title-heading title-heading-left\" style=\"margin:0;\"><strong>Also not to be missed&#8230;<\/strong><\/h3><\/div><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-9\"><p>A good cal\u00e7otada needs good cal\u00e7ots and sauce, but that&#8217;s not all. You can also accompany it with a good snack, with potatoes, olives and a drink&#8230; As well as grilled meat and toasted bread, taking advantage of the fire!<\/p>\n<p>If you are on Erasmus in Catalonia and are looking for accommodation to live in, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/en\/erasmus-residences-barcelona\/\">Unihabit&#8217;s halls of residence<\/a> offer rooms in Barcelona, Girona, Sant Cugat and Manresa. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/en\/contact-unihabit\/\">Contact us for more information!<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><div style=\"text-align:center;\"><a class=\"fusion-button button-flat fusion-button-default-size button-default fusion-button-default button-1 fusion-button-default-span fusion-button-default-type\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/en\/\"><span class=\"fusion-button-text awb-button__text awb-button__text--default\">VISIT OUR UNIVERSITY RESIDENCES<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12661,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[195,226,227,155],"class_list":["post-3680","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-blog-en","tag-residentes-universitarios-unihabit-en","tag-unihabit-residencias-universitarias-en","tag-university-residents-in-barcelona"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3680","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3680"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3680\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13787,"href":"https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3680\/revisions\/13787"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12661"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3680"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3680"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unihabit.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3680"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}