Gerry and Jane, visitors from Glasgow, Scotland, suggested I include a brief word about the delicious way Catalans prepare bread to accompany meals. 

The first thing the waiter might bring out to you in a restaurant are fixings for pan amb tomaquet, a typically Catalan way of preparing bread to accompany first course and/or grilled meats.

• Ingredients: slices of toasted country bread, ripe tomatoes, cloves of garlic, olive oil, and salt.
• Preparation: peal the garlic and rub the bread with fresh garlic. Cut the tomato in half and rub the bread with the tomato´s juices. Add olive oil and salt to taste... and voilà: delicious pan amb tomaquet - almost like a simple pizza.