The book that celebrates Valencia culture through its most emblematic sandwiches.  Sargantana Publishers has released ‘Esmorzaret valencià’, the definitive work for discovering, understanding, and savouring the most hedonistic and popular tradition of the Valencian Community: the mid-morning snack. A culinary and cultural journey that brings together the most representative sandwiches of the esmorzaret, from the great classics to iconic combinations that could only have originated in the region.

In this book, the reader will find everything from the brascada, the almussafes, and the chivito, to legendary sandwiches like the Superbombón from Kiosco La Pérgola, true symbols of popular Valencian gastronomy. But Esmorzaret valencià is much more than a recipe book: it is also an invitation to explore neighbourhood bars and essential establishments where each sandwich can be enjoyed in its most authentic version.

For years, writer Joan Ruiz has visited bars throughout the region, tasting recipes, interviewing cooks, and discovering the stories behind each sandwich. A research process as delicious as it was exciting, in which—as he explains—“it was very difficult to choose which sandwiches to include, because there were hundreds of wonderful references.” The result is a tribute to a “tasty, authentic, hedonistic, and approachable” tradition, a gastronomic experience that defines the Valencian way of enjoying life. In Esmorzaret valencià , each recipe is accompanied by cultural context and a recommendation for the best place to try the sandwich in its most authentic version. The reader will learn to cook legendary lunches like the pepito valencià, the almussafes, the brascada, or deeply rooted dishes like all i pebre. As the author states: “I hope you enjoy each of the recipes or the bars where you can try them as much as I enjoyed tasting and cooking the most representative sandwiches of the Valencian lunch.”

Joan Ruiz (Palma de Mallorca, 1981) is passionate about gastronomy and popular culture. Based in Valencia since 2013, he has developed an eclectic professional career spanning finance and marketing to the performing arts and communication. In 2018, he founded Esmorzaret, a project dedicated to preserving and promoting the identity of the Valencian mid-morning snack. What began as a social media initiative has become a cultural phenomenon with tens of thousands of followers and a strong presence in the Valencian Community. You can find him on Instagram as @esmorzaret.

Report by Will McCarthy

Article copyright ‘24/7 Valencia’

Link to buy the book: https://www.elcorteingles.es/libros/A57370037-esmorzaret-valencia-tapa-blanda-con-solapas/