Although Barcelona is a coastal city, few people know its seafaring culture. Did you know that there are still fishermen in the port of the Catalan capital? For those who don't, Cristina Caparrós, daughter of fishermen and shipowner, decided together with her family to create Cap a Mar, an association to prevent all that wisdom around artisanal fishing from being lost. From this project, which also seeks to end some myths about fish and give native species the prominence they deserve, they propose several activities.
They organize excursions through the Moll dels Pescadors, where the history of the place is made known and the arrival of the boats is witnessed, when the fishermen show the species caught that day. Next, you go to the fish auction and learn about other jobs associated with the sector, such as the maintenance of the nets. A glass of cava puts an end to the visit. Prices and schedules can be consulted on the website.
They also offer a multi-session cooking course focused on local fish, where they teach traditional seafood recipes and other more current ones created by Catalan chefs such as Quim Caselles. At these meetings, which are held on Tuesdays in the Barceloneta civic center, they explain curiosities about different species and other historical and gastronomic anecdotes.
A drawing course in which the Japanese technique gyotaku (printed fish, in Spanish) is taught is another of the activities proposed by the association. In this workshop, a fish is printed with cuttlefish ink on rice paper and/or fabric while the diversity of fish in the area is explained. The activity is suitable for both adults and children, who can also attend meetings in which popular seafaring myths and legends are explained.
Soon, a new series of dinners will begin with Barceloneta fish as the protagonist at the Barcelona Maritime Museum (MMB). These meetings with a social background, which are held on the last Thursday of each month, are born from the collaboration between the museum, the Norai restaurant, Cap a Mar and Cuina Magazine.
The chefs participating in the activity teach classes to the cooking students of the Impulsem team, a social initiative cooperative located in Ciutat Vella. They are young people at risk of social exclusion to whom Cap a Mar also teaches the diversity of fish in the area and brings the fishing community closer with visits to the pier.
After the training, these young people are in charge of preparing the themed dinners, which allow them to come into contact with work models that can become a work reference for them, and establish collaborations and synergies that provide them with new opportunities in the labor market.
The dates of these dinners have not yet been confirmed, which cost around 30 euros and include pairings with wines from the D.O. Penedès. The MMB has explained to this newspaper that they will be held between March and April, information that they will soon share on their blog and on social networks along with the theme of the meetings.
