Beach Club, the Marbella beach club and restaurant is one of the best places to enjoy one of the leading gastronomic attractions Costa del Sol has to offer during the summer. But what exactly is an espeto? Why is this way of cooking fish so distinctive and unique?
An espeto is a way of grilling several fish skewered on a reed or stick using the heat from the embers of a fire. The procedure is quite simple, efficient and the result is incredibly tasty. The fish should be skewered in the back, always making sure to leave the spine below the piece it’s going through so that when you turn the fish the part that is already grilled doesn’t break away and fall into the fire.
Traditionally, the espetos were made using reeds, but nowadays many places use metal skewers for hygiene and cleanliness issues. The espeto is positioned at a 45-degree angle over the embers; it’s best to use olive wood and the optimal serving time depends on the heat from the fire and most of all the size of the fish
Miguel Martínez Soler was credited with inventing this cooking style. At the end of the 19th century, he had the idea to start with this practice in his beach bar “La Gran Parada” in the El Palo neighbourhood of Malaga, after seeing some fishermen on the beach with leftovers from their catch. The espeto was originally done in the sand, but little by little some cooks started to use abandoned boats filled with sand to make it more comfortable to work with.
It’s uniqueness and picturesque nature leaves tourists worldwide fascinated by the tradition surrounding it and the distinctive flavour it gives the fish. And when we speak about its rareness we’re not exaggerating, of the 1000s and 1000s of kilometres of coastline around the world, there is just over 100km of coastline between the towns running from Estepona to Nerja where you can enjoy this dish. It’s also limited by time and can only be enjoyed between the months of May and October.
Many types of fish are cooked in this way (horse mackerel, snapper, gilt-head bream, squid, striped bream). However, the par excellence base material is the sardine, also known as “manolitas”, and noted for having a slight layer of fat and a soft meaty texture. As a general rule, each espeto usually has between six and eight fish on it. The skill of the “espetero”, the person who cooks the fish in any of the bars or restaurants in the areas we previously mentioned is of paramount importance to the final result of this summer delicacy.
Marbella, due to its proximity to the Malaga capital and its ancient maritime tradition, is one of the best places to enjoy a delicious espeto within the city. The Blue Gourmet Beach Club, located very close to the well-known Puerto Banús, is a great place to try one thanks to the experience and expertise of the master espetero working there. The restaurant is on the promenade leading to Puerto Banús, where apart from espetos, tourists can enjoy traditional paellas, barbeques, pan-seared and grilled dishes from the Mediterranean styled menu.
