The luxury chickpeas to which an entire family in Mura dedicates their lives

WallGrandfather Josep Perich, a charcoal burner by trade, was forced to change professions when butane gas appeared. "They offered him the position of butane gas representative for the region, but he refused; he was that visionary," explains his grandson, Jordi Perich, the cook at Cal Carter, with a touch of irony. Having lost his job, he and his wife, Margarita Singla, opened a restaurant in Mura on Puig-Geli Street. Initially, the establishment was called Cal Batista, after the house it was located in, but it soon became known as Cal Carter, because Grandfather, in addition to the restaurant, also found work as a mail carrier. He had to pull every string to bring home a paycheck. The restaurant took off, and his two sons, Martí and Jordi, "who were mischievous," would spend their days there after school. When the eldest son was 18, his mother, Margarita, died, and he had to take over the kitchen. The youngest son started in the dining room. And so they continued with a job that led them to serve up to two hundred meals in a single service. "Dad and uncle cooked a lot," explains Jordi.

Over the years, the coal merchant's grandchildren, Josep and Margarita, have taken the reins at Cal Carter. They work between Cal Carter, the restaurant, and Cal Batista, the bar, which are located next to each other on the same street. The four Perich cousins ​​continue their parents' passion, each playing a part in the family business. The cook's son, Marc, is the sommelier, and the waiter's son, Jordi, is a chef with extensive training from culinary schools. Jordi's sisters, Berta and Mireia, work in the dining room, providing attentive and friendly service. "My cousin is a wine enthusiast. He's a genius because he has a great memory, and everything helps him know how to taste wines," Jordi explains about his cousin Marc, and Marc also speaks highly of Jordi. They all experienced a great loss last Christmas when Marc's father passed away. He was a well-known man in the Bages region for his kindness and good rapport with customers, which was how his family came to know him.

Roe deer eating chickpeas

And now that we have the family tree drawn, let's talk about the cuisine. If we had to describe it, we'd say it's seasonal and focused on the product, especially the product. "We look for the best produce we can find near our home, which means we have a good relationship with our suppliers," says Jordi. Hence the chickpeas from Mura, Let the small chickpeas, the luxury legume of Bages, be the star dishNow that it's February, Jordi brings them to the table with a hint of truffle, which makes them even more delicious. The golden sphere is tender, the portion is generous, and it's one of those dishes you'll want to take home. Or better yet: one that will make you return to Cal Carter again and again. "Traditional Catalan cuisine is what you get when you lack R&D," jokes Jordi, adding that he likes all cuisines from around the world well done, but Catalan is his. The classic chickpea dish, which his uncle started, is with shredded cod and gratinated aioli. They maintain it, even though "we're going through a difficult time for Mura chickpeas because the roe deer are eating them." A few years ago, wild boars were devouring them, and now that they've finally got the plague under control and all the necessary measures have been taken, the roe deer have started. It's a constant struggle in the fields, and you can never guarantee a harvest.

If you've finished your chickpea dish, you'll want to have dipped some bread in it. You'll be right to do so, because you'll love it. It has a good crust and a soft crumb. It's made in Mura, in Mura's own bakery. "I buy it from Àngel, just like I buy local sausage too, because if they're good quality, I don't need to look elsewhere." And one more thing: near the restaurant you'll also find a farm shop where you can buy the famous chickpeas, raw, of course, in bulk.

Beyond the chickpeas, you can also try the dish of fried eggs with artichokes and slow-cooked bacon (a delight); the turbot with pil-pil sauce and capsicum (a highly recommended dish); The beef tenderloin with Périgord sauce (made with port wine and truffle), and, to continue, game lovers can choose between hare à la royale, pickled venison, or pickled partridge.

For dessert, try the "calls of heaven," which the Perich family calls the truffles From heaven, because now, in season, they also include truffles. Or try the house flan, made with Fuego de Llama mulled wine from the Abadal winery, the renowned winery of the region, owned by the Roqueta family. Finally, for those who like to end their meal with cheese, take note of this suggestion: El Milagro cheese, made by Sílvia Soler in SolsonaMade with the exacting standards of one of the most renowned cheesemakers in our country. The Perich family's philosophy is based on seasonal, locally sourced products, where they find the quality they seek. And they have done so for over 60 years. Here's to many more, Perich family.