Passers-by in Toledo, Spain, look at a replica of a church made of marzipan, a confection made of ground almonds, sugar and egg whites. The display was outside the Santo Tomé bakery shop in the heart of the city. (Scott Schonauer / S&S)
Toledo is known for its cuisine.
A saying in Spain is “If you want a cook and a driver, you’ll have to get them from Toledo.”
But the choices on the menu in a typical restaurant in Toledo might not satisfy some American tastes.
The signature dish in a traditional Toledan eatery is game. Venison, pigeon and quail cooked in onions, herbs and vinegar have been popular in the province for centuries. Toledo’s famous partridge dish even gets a mention in Cervantes’ Don Quixote.
Some typical dishes are gazpacho de cazador, similar to Andalusia’s cold soup but garnished with diced cucumber. Caldereta de cordero — or lamb stew — and migas — fried bread crumbs with garlic, diced ham, bacon and sausage — should be considered if you want an authentic dish from Toledo.
The area also is known for its Manchego cheese, made from ewe’s milk or a combination of ewe’s milk and cow’s milk. It is served either as an hors d’ oeuvre or a dessert.
No dinner in the old city would be complete without a glass of the La Mancha region’s fine wine, which come from the outlying areas.
For the sweet tooth, Toledo has plenty to offer.
There is a wide selection of cakes, sweets and jams made at local convents. Toledanas are popular locally made shortcakes with jam filling and topped with almonds. Marzipan — a pastry — can be found on nearly every corner.
One of the best places to find such sweets is at the Pastelería Santo Tomé, where the staff constructs churches and models of famous landmarks in town out of marzipan. Many tourists buy a bag of marzipan before boarding the train back to Toledo.
And if partridge and venison doesn’t satisfy your appetite, you can get your American fast-food fix in Spain’s historic city. There is a McDonald’s at the Plaza de Zocodover near the royal palace.
