The first thing you notice walking past Luque is the colours. Colourful flowerpots, bright oil flasks and multi-coloured, vivid pottery. All the ingredients to just make you feel happy! Luque is bit like going to Ikea, you don’t need a thing, yet you come home with a trunk full of irresistible stuff.
Unique Artistry and Culinary Delights
Antonio and Mari are the proud owners of this one-of-a kind ceramic and culinary store in Córdoba. The word ceramic doesn’t really do it justice as their mostly handmade products are unique and nothing like the hippy-pippy stuff I remember from farmer’s and artisan markets.
The Gastronomy Shop Experience
Luque is a gastrotienda, meaning gastronomy shop, where they sell high quality olive oils, wines, olives and sweets, all from the province of Córdoba.
The gastro offers a fabulous variety of traditional products that showcase the region's rich culinary heritage.
Olive Delights
Chupadedo - finger licking good! - olives are a quintessential Andalusian snack, known for their firm texture and robust flavor. These olives are typically marinated in a mix of garlic, herbs, and spices, making them a perfect appetizer or accompaniment to a variety of dishes.
Fino Wine: The Andalusian Sherry
Fino wine, a dry and pale sherry, is another standout product from Andalusia. It is produced primarily in the Jerez region and is characterized by its light, crisp taste and delicate almond aroma. Fino wine pairs excellently with tapas, providing a refreshing contrast to richer flavors. Cordobeses typically drink a Fino in the early afternoon with a tapa.
Sweet Vermut: A Complex Aperitif
Complementing the fino is the sweet vermut, a type of Andalusian vermouth that is both aromatic and flavorful. Nothing like the Martini brand my mother used to drink!
Often enjoyed as an aperitif, vermut sweet wine is infused with a blend of botanicals, herbs, and spices, resulting in a complex and slightly sweet beverage that can be sipped on its own or mixed in cocktails.
The Delightful Pastel de Cordobés
Rounding out this selection is the pastel de cordobés, a traditional pastry from Córdoba. This dessert features a flaky puff pastry filled with cabello de ángel, a sweet pumpkin filling resembling angel hair - much like spaghetti squash - often dusted with powdered sugar. The pastel de cordobés is a typical grandma recipe – read competing abuelas - that sums up the rich flavors and artisanal baking techniques of Andalusian cuisine.
From Restaurant to Gastrotienda
But this store wasn’t always a gastrotienda although Antonio and Mari served loyal customers from the same location.
They were known as restaurant Taberna Luque. They had been in the hospitality business for 35
years when they decided to open their restaurant.
Although they were very successful, the hours were long and quality of life was limited. At the end of 2019, they transformed their restaurant into the culinary haven it is today. Although the impact of COVID and economic circumstances may have been background to their decision, it seems more likely it was strategic (and smart!) rather than purely necessary.
Artisan Ceramics: A Blend of Tradition and Innovation
The ceramics are mostly handmade in La Rambla and Lucena, two small artisan towns within 60km of Córdoba. La Rambla produces much of the Cubism products while Lucena specializes in more traditional earthenware that varies in shape and size due to its handmade processes.
An Addictive Experience
While I never much liked – or perhaps understood – Picasso and cubism, I love the ingenious way the experts in La Rambla have transformed this art into beautiful and above all, practical ceramic ware.
Unfortunately, I think we’ll need a bigger place soon to accommodate my addiction to Luque!
A Warm Invitation
If you’re ever in Córdoba, tell Antonio and Mari I sent you. They are the loveliest people, super friendly and genuine.
Make sure your suitcase is half empty and your credit card up to date; you won’t be able to resist!
Luque Gastrotienda
Antonio & Mari
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