Banderillas

SPAIN INVENTED NICHE MARKETS LONG BEFORE MARKETING PEOPLE APPEARED. THERE IS A BAR IN MADRID THAT ONLY SELLS SARDINES — AND ONLY ON SUNDAYS WHEN THE EL RASTRO MARKET IS IN FULL SWING. IT’S NEXT TO A SHOP THAT ONLY SELLS PICKLED OLIVES AND BANDERILLAS. THESE ARE SHORT WOODEN SKEWERS ONTO WHICH PICKLED VEGETABLES AND ANCHOVIES ARE PIERCED. IT COULD BE ANY SORT OF CRUNCHY PICKLED VEGETABLE, BUT GENERALLY OLIVES, ONIONS, GHERKINS AND GUINDILLAS, A TYPE OF BASQUE PEPPER THAT IS QUI