Yesterday in passing I mentioned the idea that Berliner-style doughnuts pretty much disappear from the bakeries here in Germany — and also in the South Tirol region in Italy — during Lent. They made a brief comeback around St. Joseph’s Day in Bolzano, but otherwise were unaccounted for during Lent.

This fact, and the general idea of austerity when it comes to eating during Lent, made it all the more surprising to  see signs in all the bakeries in Barcelona advertising that they had the a special sweet, called  bunyol in Catalan, buñuelo in Spanish). It’s a treat that is (apparently) available only during Lent.  A bunyol is just a bit of fried dough, shaped like a small doughnut, which is served unfilled  and covered in granulated sugar. If you’re lucky, they come flavored with just a touch of anise.

Special "doughnut" for Lent in Barcelona

I highly recommend you time your visit to Barcelona to happen during Lent to try these – delectable!