Apart from the University of Alcalá and being the birthplace of Miguel de Cervantes (the author of El ingenioso Don Quijote de la Mancha), Alcalá is also known for its almendras garrapiñadas. Glazed almonds.
Brian, Utah, USA
Anyway, you can buy these from any shop in town. But the best ones are at the Convent of the Clarisas of San Diego, right next to the University.
These monjas (nuns) are cloistered (meaning they can’t have any contact with the outside world), so there is a super sneaky way to buy almonds from them. You go through a door into a small room. There is a bell and a kind of turntable window. You can’t see the other side of the window. You ring the bell and wait for the monja to get to the other side of the window. The password is “Ave María Purísima” (Hail Mary most pure). The monja replies “Sin pecado concebida” (Conceived without sin). Then you tell her which size box of almonds you want. You put the money on the turntable, then the monja turns it around and BAZINGA! There are your delicious almonds.
The nuns use the money to finance their convent. You get delicious almonds for dirt cheap. It’s a win-win situation. Also, God wants you to give monies to the convent. And you get delicious almonds for dirt cheap. So it’s a win-win-win.
To summarize: “Ave María Purísima” = delicious almonds.
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