If the media appearances of the Catalan Popular Party's presidential candidate Xavier García Albiol at times leave a bad taste in the mouth of his political opponents, his participation in a programme on Tele 5 offered a slightly different flavour - and one that Albiol couldn't really define. The PP candidate was showing the presenter how to eat a calçot - a famous Catalan vegetable delicacy, usually enjoyed with sauce at barbecues known as calçotades. However, Albiol slipped up when he tried to explain the dish to the programme host: "They come from the southern part of Catalonia, a calçot is a variety of garlic". However, as many Catalans are well aware, a calçot is a variety of spring onion.
Según @Albiol_XG el calçot es un ajo... pues a jo... derse toca. Es una cebolla !!! Y no haré la rima @alvaromenlon @ochinabos pic.twitter.com/aMLGzpooU0
— Sebas Maspons (@MaspiDIAL) 3 of December 2017
Social media was rapidly flooded with comments and jokes from those criticizing the PP leader for not knowing his onions:
És que aquest home no n'encerta ni una. Ho fa exprés o... https://t.co/bF75ADNUda
— Lluís Llach (@lluis_llach) 3 of December 2017
Translation: This man doesn't even get one single answer right. Does he do it on purpose or...? - Lluís Llach
Si no sabe lo que es un calçot ni sabe comerlo, va a ha saber de política catalana. Absurdo el @Albiol_XG https://t.co/sYsUas2cBD
— tito hernandez (@titosantako) 3 of December 2017
If he doesn't know what a calçot is or how to eat one, what he is going to know about Catalan politics? Albiol is absurd
Albiol gran catala. El calçot es un all, i tu un capgros!
— Anna Parareda (@PararedaAnna) 3 of December 2017
Albiol a great Catalan. The calçot is a garlic, and you're a bighead!
En Xavier García Albiol demostrant que no en té ni fava de calçots, ni de res en general. https://t.co/gMQNq0U12m
— Never Keta (@mai_keta) 3 of December 2017
Xavier García Albiol showing that he has no idea about calçots, nor about anything in general.
Albiol li diu a España q els calçots, ''es un ajo''
Com a embaixador de Catalunya a l'Estranger, arruinaria el país el primer dia. https://t.co/uacVQLBxh1 — Susanna (@Susanna8138) 3 of December 2017
Albiol says in Spain that a calçot "is a garlic"
As an ambassador for Catalonia abroad, he would ruin the country on the first day.