The best Madrid stew survives the Covid: enough reservations and the delivery service "working very well"

Today, a delicacy for the most exquisite palates, a century ago a meal for the less well-off.

And that was a very common dish in the kitchen of the monarchy, mainly in that of the Infanta Isabel "La Chata".

Its popularity, being together with tripe the most traditional dish of Madrid gastronomy, was limited for years to the daily menu, specifically to Wednesday.

A custom that, according to what they say in the military barracks, is due to Franco and his taste for drinking little

from Madrid

after hunting, and that is still kept in some restaurants today.

But not in those who make stew their star dish.

We speak, for example, of centenarians

and the well-known

Whether in three turns, two, one or all together, these restaurants

this traditional dish based on broth, chickpeas, vegetables and meats, whose origin is unknown.

Its commitment to quality and tradition have meant that, in times of

pandemic

, confinement and economic crisis, their businesses continue, some better than others, but

than the rest of the hospitality industry, this is the case of La Cruz Blanca, an institution in Vallecas.

Antonio Cosmen,

his manager, has been in the news in recent weeks for

"You have to go rowing together", but in the neighborhood he is a neighbor known and loved by customers who have been going there for more than 30 years, and, as of 2008,

"It was not valued, we gave it quality and prominence." The quality was translated into an exclusive chickpea, "exclusive because

: first the soup, that is, the broth in which all the seasoning has been previously cooked and which in Antonio Cosmen's recipe includes "Basque chillies with chives";

and then the chickpea tray with chorizo, blood sausage, chicken, collard greens, and garnished with natural tomato prepared with cumin.

CENTENARY RECIPES

In the same way that Antonio Cosmen serves stew in the heart of Puente de Vallecas, it has been served for almost two centuries next to kilometer 0 of the capital.

The Lhardy decided to give the stew in two turns, and not three as tradition indicates, and

elevated the traditional tavern dish to the high and cosmopolitan society

who frequented this posh restaurant at the end of the 19th century.In this place that resists the passing of the years, the pandemic has made him consider

enter into bankruptcy,

although at the moment they trust that it is not necessary.

"We have half of

the staff in ERTE and three closed rooms.

On weekends we fill the allowed capacity, but such a large and old building is difficult to maintain. "Centenario is also the cocido de La Bola, which, according to the newspapers of the early twentieth century,

three types were served:

one of them easier at 12 noon with a price of 1.15 pesetas for workers and employees of the shops in the area;

another, at 1:00 pm, which already had goose bumps for a price of 1.25 pesetas, highly demanded by students;

and starting at 2:00 p.m. already with meat and bacon that with a price of 1.50 pesetas, this one chosen by bourgeois, journalists and politicians.Now there is one for everyone, regardless of the money you have in your pocket,

served in the same individual pot where it has been cooked over oak charcoal,

as it was done in the past, and that it can reach any home thanks

to home service.

"Due to the situation we have decided to offer the option of sending the stew instead of coming to the premises, and the truth is that it is working very well. Thanks to this, and on weekends, we survived", explains the manager, Mara Verdasco .

This pandemic has meant the first time that this 1870 tavern has closed, "not even during the Civil War we did." Another centenary began as a sale where the workers recovered strength with wine and a large amount of food, and later became in a small restaurant with a famous stew.

Malacatín was born at the end of the 19th century and little by little

its traditional stew served in three turns became popular and so until today.

The coronavirus has given him a good blow, "this would have to be our high season", says José Rodríguez, owner of the premises, but, again, thanks to the home delivery service, which began in May, its cooked "based on products from all over Spain such as blood sausage from Burgos or chorizo ​​from León and cooked in a pot "reaches the tables of its customers and its business continues,

"Although we have a staff at ERTE or part-time."

NOTHING BETTER FOR WINTER

La Taberna La Daniela, with its

four establishments throughout the capital,

It is another of Madrid's small cocktails that has become a must.

Conrado and Claudia Díez, father and daughter, run these establishments with more than 15 years of history and whose stew also now reaches homes.

"Although we know that our clients prefer to come here." But today only two of the establishments can enjoy this stew of chickpeas from Fuentesauco or blood sausage from Burgos, served as a tradition "a jack, horse and king", and accompanied by s

garlic alsa and cumin sauce

to mix with the cooked.

The other two establishments "will remain closed, we will wait and see how the situation evolves in case the hotel industry in Madrid closes again". Until that moment arrives again, if it does,

the tables of these restaurants are full, despite the reduction in capacity

, to taste this typical Madrid dish that allowed the workers of yesteryear to gather strength and became a star dish and a delicacy that lasts to this day.

Well, as Pepe Blanco, adopted from Madrid, used to sing: "Because you are pure glory, because you are pure glory,

Madrilenian cocidito ".

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