MADRID: Travel Gluten-free
Restaurante Casa Benigna. Some of our gluten-free starters.
Yes, we did indeed sign up to run with the bulls in Pamplona. A little crazy, perhaps, but definitely an experience worth having. So, off we flew to Madrid to continue our gluten-free travels.
We spent some time touring the museums, soaking in the works of Spain’s most famous artists, and exploring the royal palace. One of our group looked so much like the current King of Spain, Felipe VI, that it was uncanny. I’ll leave it to your imagination and spare you the royal photo, though.
Another travel companion (wife of the King of Spain doppelgänger) had done some research on unique dining experiences, and though my stomach wasn’t always on board, they’re definitely worth mentioning. (I neglected to use my enzymes with DPP-IV, which aids in the breakdown of gluten from casein in dairy. Opps. You can see DPP-IV formulas at wellevate.me/abby-wilson-kurth)
Perfect Paella (Naturally Gluten-free)
On our first evening in Madrid, we made our way to a charming suburb to Casa Benigna. We walked through the kitchen and into a darling dining room, where the chandelier was made of the founder’s cookbooks. Our host shared that his father started the restaurant, and his mother is Swedish, which explained the pickled herring on the menu. Upon learning that one of us had Swedish roots, he treated us to that very dish.
We kicked things off with a delightful salmon starter and, of course, the traditional Spanish Jamón (there is lots of ham in Spain!). We followed up with several paella dishes, including one with pasta (that one was definitely not gluten-free). It was a tasty and memorable start.
Flamenco and Food
The next evening, we were off to the Corral de la Morreria for a flamenco show. Our local friends, who drove us there, swore it was the best flamenco in town. The rest of the group agreed, as it was far more authentic than some of the other shows they had seen.
Corral de la Morreria flamenco
Not to be Missed
Our final culinary adventure in Madrid took us to Sobrino de Botin, the oldest restaurant in the world, founded in 1725. This year marked their 300th anniversary. While waiting for our table, the couple behind us from California shared that many people book their reservation at Botin and THEN plan their entire trip around it.
The place is as old as it sounds, with the restaurant spanning four stories up a small staircase. We lucked out with a table that, once again, required us to walk right through the kitchen. Their specialty is roasted meats—particularly pig. (Poor piggy in Spain.) The menu also featured Russian salad, a dish we saw often during our time in Spain, made from diced boiled potatoes, carrots, peas, eggs, pickles, some seafood like tuna, and a creamy mayo-based dressing.
After denting our car trying to exit a very small parking garage (ouch!) we were off across Spain to Pamplona. http://abbykurthnutrition.coach
Since my eating was already curated by the group, there may be other options so I suggest some other resources: https://celiac.org/2023/06/28/traveling-gluten-free/
https://wheatlesswanderlust.com
https://www.mygfguide.com/glutenfreetravel
https://glutenfreeglobetrotter.com/page/2
https://gluten.org/2023/07/18/travel-made-easy-embracing-your-adventures-gluten-free/
