Don't lose good habits.
yours is one of those instagram accounts It is not advisable to see them hungry. Fuet sandwiches, squid, cooked, sausages, potato omelette, bacon or ingredients of any kind decorate the careful feed of the profile of ' Esmorzaret ', an authentic declaration of intentions towards the ** Valencian lunch **, an initiative with which it is intended to return to this traditional practice the relevance and importance that corresponds to it.
Especially in the new generations, with whom we try to rediscover that link between tradition, good products and gastronomy that is sometimes relegated to the background by the 'posturing' of the networks and fashion stores.
The time has come to pay homage to the origins, to the mid-morning stop that is sacred, that is not forgiven (regardless of the day of the week in which we meet) and that, for those who live or are of the Valencian Community, It is practiced generation after generation in families, friends, couples or co-workers.
In hundreds of proposals and combinations, Valencian lunch is one of the best meals of the day. And this Instagram account is clear proof of that.
A mid-morning beer accompanied by some tapas. Now that is happiness!
THE ORIGIN OF 'ESMORZARET'
This profile was created just over a year ago by John Ruiz , a young 37-year-old Majorcan living in Valencia since 2013, who combines his great fondness for the Valencian lunch and his creative facet on Instagram with his work as financial controller at CuldeSac Experience, a creative and strategic consultancy based in ** Valencia **.
“I am a very curious guy and, sometimes, a bit or quite a dreamer: I always have ideas that run through my head, almost none or none of them give me money... but they give me life; I have tried to make what the majority likes to please me too, but I can't. ”, explains Joan Ruiz to Traveler.es
After studying Business Administration and living in Mallorca, England, Galicia and Madrid, he decided in 2013 to settle in Valencia with his partner Eva de él. Professionally, he moved from the world of financial markets to the field of interpretation, first as an actor and then as manager of the Microteatro de Valencia.
There are traditions that it is better not to lose... The Valencian lunch is one of them.
After several frustrated work attempts, he discovered in the financial department of CuldeSac a “The most creative and stimulating project” in which he learns every day and which he currently combines with that of content creator in 'Esmorzaret', the great personal and emotional work of him.
This project arose like almost all great ideas, without prior planning and almost without warning. During a summer storm on August 22, 2018, Joan Ruiz was in the car when it came to her mind to create a proposal related to lunches . At that time, he was not very clear about exactly what it was going to consist of, but he knew that it had to be in digital format.
He searched on Instagram if the 'esmorzaret' profile was free and immediately took it. Without knowing very well what he was going to do with it, he left it parked until a month later on the way to Cuenca (in the Madrid-Valencia cart at the height of Utiel) he stopped at Grandma's House and, right there, he uploaded the first photograph of him to the profile and the first stories of him.
At that moment he began this beautiful and delicious adventure. "I have to admit that although I had zero followers -I didn't even follow myself- I was a little embarrassed to upload the stories speaking to the immensity of the social network -although at that moment that 'immensity' was reduced to zero-”, indicates Joan.
At the time of writing this article, the 'Esmorzaret' account can boast of having more than 4000 followers and endless snapshots that invite you to the best of mid-morning stops, either in one of the recommended bars that usually have a great story behind them, with some of the culinary proposals proposed in the form of a sandwich or appetizer (without forgetting to accompany them from the mythical carajillo or beer on duty ) or with the most demanded popular recipes. Joan is in everything.
**A TRIBUTE TO THE ROOTS, TO THE TRADITION, TO THE PRODUCT AND TO THE VALENCIAN GASTRONOMY **
This initiative is not a mere portal where lunches or places to have a sandwich are posted, but it goes much further. "For me, 'Esmorzaret' is a link between tradition and new generations: With this project, I want to value customs, dishes, good products and gastronomy, that we know where things come from , why they are done in one way or another, in this digital, fast and overstimulated era. Sometimes, we are losing the bond with the things of all life and we must recover the essence of what we must not lose”, he suggests.
To all this we must add that the digital world, and especially applications like Instagram, dominate our lives, showing only the most superficial and 'perfect' facet possible . In the gastronomic field, the 'cuquismo' has invaded our feed and it seems that if a restaurant or place does not have an instagrammable decoration and dishes, it is as if it does not exist or as if it is destined to fail.
And here is Joan to show us the opposite. The time has come reinvent the tradition . Continue with the customs and the quality product but without neglecting the digital world. It may be that having lunch in one of the most traditional bars in Valencia may not be as ideal as dining at the trendy restaurant, but this is where the magic happens.
Why not return to the Valencian lunch the relevance and importance that corresponds to it? “We must conserve and value in a current way and adapted to the times in which we live **the customs (in this case the Valencian ones)** so that they can be maintained over time, and help that the new generations know and connect with the origins ”, indicates the creator of 'Esmorzaret'.
For Joan it is not just eating a sandwich, some olives and a coffee: "for me, it encompasses much more since, on the one hand, I think it's the best time of day to take a break, your level of hunger is adequate and the informality of the atmosphere is perfect to enjoy the moment Plus it's delicious."
THE VISUAL IDENTITY
All the work related to the visual identity of 'Esmorzaret' has been carried out by the agency CuldeSac: “They did a great research job, with the purpose of being able to have references on compositions, resources, colors and fonts that were used in years 50-70 . That's where all the resources came from, a typography that I love, robust and with character".
"Then came the graphic universe, the illustrations, the applications for the RRSS and the shot of energy that entails seeing that the project is taking shape on a visual level . The fact of having an identity allows me to give shape to many ideas that I want to develop”, says Joan.
THE PERFECT VALENCIAN LUNCH
What is for Joan the ideal example of a traditional Valencian lunch?
"Although it can be presented in hundreds of forms and combinations, at lunch you cannot miss the picaeta, the sandwich and the coffee . Then, depending on each person and the area of the Valencian Community in which we find ourselves, it can be taken in different ways, but These three elements are the ones that should not be missing in this gastronomic ritual ".
1. THE 'PICAETA'
**The perfect picaeta (or aperitif, in Spanish) ** must contain split olives, collaret cocoa and some green chillies with just the right amount of spiciness. “As an extra, I must admit that I like to enjoy some starter and if it is offal better than better: tripe, pig tail, ear or trotters, they are my weakness ”, indicates Joan Ruiz.
two. THE SANDWICH
The sandwich is the heartiest part of this mid-morning meal. the ideal bread is the freshly baked and for Joan his favorite is the one accompanied by “ undercooked potato omelette, sausages and green pepper. But if I have to be honest, one of the sandwiches that I like the most is the cocido (I usually prepare it at home since it is not easy to find)”.
3. COFFEE
And finally, what cannot be missing is coffee alone either creamet . "Without it, lunch is half done, and if it's not up to par I leave with a bad taste in my mouth, so, for me, is an essential part of lunch ”, he suggests.
At the moment, the reception of this profile is being highly acclaimed, especially among true foodies. “I would never have imagined that it would work so well, people love to have lunch and are passionate about sharing their experiences so I eat a lot of what they recommend. In fact, 'Esmorzaret' would not exist and would have no reason to exist if there were no people interested in it. With this project I have realized that Instagram and social networks do not have to be only a hedonistic showcase of self-exposure , but they can be a very powerful tool for strengthen the ties and values of a community Joan reflects.
In his words, 'Esmorzaret' is an initiative that “is born from a passion, that of eating, and it is also a project with which I am learning a lot every day, and I love that because it allows me to develop creativity, meet people and be active".
Here is a true Valencian lunch.