I have this recurring vision that usually comes to me and hour or so before lunch time. It is the grilled chorizo sausage in a hard roll that I got in Madrid one August day of 1973 when I was in Madrid.

I don’t know where the bar is that served me this unforgettable snack. All I know is that on that lazy morning as I wandered down an unfamiliar street, something smelled delicious. I followed my nose into the bar and saw the barkeep preparing some sausages on the grill behind the bar. Chorizos! The smell was delicious, intensifying the nearer I approached, heightened by the sight and sound of the flames from dripping grease flaring up around the sausages. Mercifully, we were not yet aware of this carcinogenic hazard in 1973 and I was allowed the epicurean delight. I ordered one of the sandwiches.

Now I’d heard of chorizos from Bilbao, but never assumed that one could get a genuine chorizo in Madrid. Little did I know! The roll was a Spanish version of the hard rolls that in those days it seemed were only commonly available in Europe. Its geometry fit the chorizo perfectly. No soft, insubstantial hot dog bun made by Wonder Bread – this one had a man-sized heft to it, along with a crunchy crust, and a soft white interior. Possessing real character, the roll was a perfect compliment to the chorizo.

I don’t remember what was put on the chorizo, if anything. All I can say is that the sensation of that first bite made an unforgettable impression on me. Bursting with flavorful juice, the perfectly grilled sausage was indescribably delicious. I can now see that the role of the soft interior of the roll was to prevent losing this goodness.

I don’t know why I didn’t order another. I can only assume that I was stunned by what I’d just experienced, and regretfully didn’t have the presence of mind to do so.

I have often thought that such a memorable gustatory experience would be reason enough for a return to Madrid. Sadly, I have never done so. I subsequently made numerous trips to nearby Paris in the 1980’s. Why I never took a cook’s tour of Madrid remains unexplained to this day long after. Perhaps I was subconsciously worried about not being able to find that bar…

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