Navalcarnero Bollos

We could have called them traditional sweets of Navalcarnero, sweet creations, delights of La Virgen, … or any other “more refined” name, but we wanted to call them by this name, which is how they have been known for as long as anyone can remember, and which José Luis continues to make in an almost artisanal way, obtaining a product that is hard to find anywhere else. If they weren’t baked today, they are surely from yesterday. Although they contain no preservatives, they have a long shelf life (but you’ll surely finish them within a few days).

These bollos have been made for more than 50 years, and there are two main types: the oil ones, which are made all year round with oil from the centuries-old olive trees that grow in Navalcarnero, and the lard ones, which are only made in the cold months. Likewise, the women used to make them after the pig slaughter, which took place in early December, using the pig’s lard to prepare the bollos for Christmas.

You will find that each bollo looks different from the one next to it (in shape). No two will be the same. They are artisan bollos and there is no machine that can make them completely identical. They are different because, even though the mold is the same, one is pressed a bit more than another, one is slightly taller than another, but all of them are of exceptional quality and flavor. It’s like the french fries: if you go to a restaurant and they serve you fries that are all identical, they are frozen; if one is bigger than another, one wider, another shorter, they are natural potatoes.

Some years ago, in January 2008, we published Horno Jose Luis in Navalcarnero. To this day, it can be said that if anything has changed, it has changed for the better. The address has changed: they used to be on Calle Libertad, and for about two years now they have moved to Calle Real No. 12 (parallel to the previous street, in this case pedestrian and behind the church). It starts at the Plaza de Segovia, the main square of the Royal Town of Navalcarnero.

In this new location, in addition to improving all the facilities, they have installed a café which, although it doesn’t have many tables (capacity for 20-25 diners), is always full, mainly at breakfast and snack times. A café where, and we must say it, the restrooms (a mirror of the cleanliness of the establishment’s interiors) are completely clean, with disposable towels for drying your hands if you wish, taking care of every detail.

A detail that does them credit is that they have always been proud to live in Navalcarnero and of their work, since all the boxes bear the slogan “Visit Navalcarnero”. It’s not passion, but we do like the oil ones more than the lard ones, though both are exquisite. In our case, at Christmas, we give our friends a box of bollos and a small bottle of Toledo olive oil. We think it’s an original gift that all our friends appreciate. And you, why not give Navalcarnero bollos as a gift?

In addition to the address listed on the information card at the beginning of this article, there is another establishment at Avenida de la Dehesa 3, Local 9. Tel.: 91.818.46.22, also in Navalcarnero. And another day we will talk about the bread, the colón, the candeal bread like the one that was made years ago, an artisanal bakery with great professionals who enjoy and love their work. Congratulations!!!

We imagine the continuity is assured, since there are photos of three lovely girls dressed in outfits to help out in the workshop, who will surely continue this work, to the enjoyment of all the inhabitants and visitors of Navalcarnero, because it is worth visiting its church, its streets, its wine cellars, its restaurants, its…

Tasty Things Madrid #aceite #bollos #iglesia #manteca #navalcarnero