An afternoon at the local chiringuito

When my friend Pilar heard that The Mister and I hadn't yet tried Málaga specialty espetos - something we Americans would call "fire-roasted sardines on a stick" -  she was so startled that she literally stopped in her tracks, like in a movie, forcing me to walk three steps without her before realizing that she was still behind me.  "We absolutely must go," she said, "what are you doing Saturday?"

So this past weekend we met up with her and her boyfriend Juan and another friend, Maria del Mar (who I will forever love because her real, actual first name is Maria del Mar) and we went to the chiringuito.  Chiringuitos are little open-air restaurants, right on the beach, that specialize in fish, seafood, and all types of marine life delicacies.  They usually have a little fire somewhere nearby on the sand or in an old carved-out boat, over which lots of whole fish are smoking and roasting.

I belong to the category of people who are somewhat ambivalent about fish.  I try to get used to the taste, the smell, but have never warmed up to the whole thing.  I am, however, a firm believer in food experimentation and strongly in the Anti-Picky Eating Club, so I had to give it a shot.

The verdict was that it was all pretty good.  I didn't mind eating around the head, and when the little fried anchovies came along, I ate them whole like everyone else.  Fins, eyeballs and all.  They ended up being my favorite thing.  So crunchy (maybe it was the bones?) - yum.

So if you're in Spain anytime soon, especially on the Costa del Sol, get yourself to a chiringuito and try some espetos.  And then afterwards, try to find yourself a friend named Maria del Mar. It's even cooler than it sounds.

Pilar, Maria del Mar, and me.