Xarcuteria Creus: Jamon, Jamon

You could possibly fill a blog with stories from the market hall, alone. Usually I prefer the local colmados, the small neighborhood stores, for my daily errands. But there are probably no better places than the Palmesan markets – Mercat de l’Olivar, Mercat de Santa Catalina and Mercat Pere Garau – to buy all your groceries. This is certainly true for fish and seafood, but the huge variety of vegetables, dried fruits, cheese and meat is also extraordinary.

One of the most impressive market stalls at Mercat de l’Olivar is Xarcuteria Creus. It’s where you probably find the biggest choice of jamon you have ever seen. On Saturdays, people are waiting twenty minutes or more for their turn to choose from the dozens of different kinds of ham, from the most simple yet delicious Jamón serrano to the famous Pata Negra “Gran Reserva“ from the Spanish Extremadura.

Creus has been a family business and an institution for over 40 years. Today, they even vaccum seal the purchases of travelers and sailors to take home or onboard. Enjoy it the simple style: with fresh tomatos sprinkled with olive oil and flor de sal, a piece of queso de cabra (which Creus sells, too, by the way), and a fresh baguette. Bon profit!