21 Comments
User's avatar
Lana-Emerald Mary Astin's avatar

Crisps de Madrid will always be an aperitivo (we hope). Crisps and mejillones en escabeche (the best!) Love this, thank you Abbas

Expand full comment
Abbas Asaria's avatar

And thank you for the kind words!

Expand full comment
Fatima Pabani's avatar

Loved reading this. I never knew this about Madrid - makes me want to book a flight there immediately and go on a crisp crawl!

Expand full comment
Emily Harrington's avatar

Same! Loved the article and learning something new about a place. Thank you Abbas.

Expand full comment
Abbas Asaria's avatar

Thanks Fatima!

Expand full comment
J R SCHULZ's avatar

Among the most romantic pieces ever published by Vittles. What crisps! And those cellophane bags!

Expand full comment
Abbas Asaria's avatar

Thank you! That's very kind

Expand full comment
Alex J North's avatar

Great article. When asked my favourite crisp, the answer is always ‘the one you get in bars in Madrid’. The perfect match for vermouth on tap

Expand full comment
Abbas Asaria's avatar

Thank you! Yeah, there's nothing like it - that plus a gilda is pure perfection

Expand full comment
Ali's avatar

Lovely photos Abbas! Looks like 35mm film? Have followed your Insta.

Expand full comment
N/'s avatar

loved this piece, we have similar crisp shops where I am (fried - I assume - on the premises and displayed in large glass boxes much like the ones here), only they aren't really offered with snack accompaniments, you just buy your bag by weight and scoff it, and the things they fry include bitter melon, spiced soya sticks and sago. Much, much better than anything in the commercial crisp line too.

Expand full comment
Leigh Linley's avatar

What a fantastic article. Family holidays in Nerja, Malaga, Fuengirola always lead to a hunt for Spanish Crisps. Have shared.

Expand full comment
Vincent Raison's avatar

Loved this. As a Brit whose podcast is all about beer, pubs and crisps, I'm astonished I didn't know about Madrid's crisps. Was also staggered by the French commitment to variety in crisps recently. Côte de boeuf, Camembert, Aïoli, Tartiflette, Jura... truly astonishing, but not fresh like Madrid's.

Expand full comment
Abbas Asaria's avatar

Thank you! The podcast sounds interesting - what's it called out of interest?

Expand full comment
Jose's avatar

Great article. I love those brands you mention, and I would add "Aperitivos Medina". It's "the name" for these lovely crisps in villages/towns grown in late 70s first 80s in south zone of Madrid.

On the other hand, those little shops you mention that only open one or two days by week to sell eggs... Wow! I've grown in Madrid. I'm from Madrid. I live in Madrid all my life... And I'm still amazed for this little shops of eggs 😲😍

Expand full comment
Abbas Asaria's avatar

Thank you! Never heard of Aperitivos Medina - will have to look into them

In terms of the egg shops - the one by me is by a company called Granja Jaeña - they have a few shops around Madrid that also sells things like honey and biscuits

Expand full comment
Jose's avatar

There're (were?) a couple of these shops around Santa María de la Cabeza. I lived there some years about 10 years ago or so and used to buy eggs there on... tuesday (only) mornings maybe?

Expand full comment
Abbas Asaria's avatar

Oh nice! Yeah that's exactly where I live now actually - at the moment there's just one I know of around the neighbourhood

Expand full comment
Jose's avatar

I lived in Fernando Poo, and the nearest “huevería” (sic) was in C/ El Aguilón.

Expand full comment
User's avatar
Comment deleted
Sep 17
Comment deleted
Expand full comment
Abbas Asaria's avatar

Such a perfect combination (especially with that classic Mahou foamy head)

Expand full comment