“Bar Pinotxo, God is in the Garbanzos,” is a joyful and often touching celebration of the history, stories and recipes from the tiny 17 stool chiringuito in the most famous mercado in the world.

Very much a labor of love for award winning film-maker Robin Willis and his collaborators, “Bar Pinotxo” took two years of joyful work and spotlights 31 of the bar’s best and most emblematic recipes; including their world renowned Calamarsets saltats amb fesols de Santa Pau, Cigrons amb botifarra negra i ceba and the spectacular Rabo de Toro.

The story of Bar Pinotxo is that of Barcelona in the 20th century. A young woman walks from Andalusia to Barcelona in hopes of employment during Spain's terrible civil war. To feed herself she sells garlic, snails and whatever she can in front of La Boqueria, the city's most important market. Later she starts cooking for the workers and merchants of the market. Her cooking becomes so popular they ask her to cook for them full time. A simple kitchen and a counter are built for her. Soon after, a little dog begins to wait for her children every day in front of the market. They name the dog Pinotxo. The customers start referring to the bar as the bar from where Pinotxo the little dog is from. Soon it becomes Pinotxo’s Bar, and after that Bar Pinotxo. And “poc a poc,” gamba by gamba, garbanzo by garbanzo, the little bar in time becomes an internationally renowned culinary destination.

Aimed squarely at the English speaking audience, the book offers an in depth history of the bar as told by the winner of the 2016 Barcelona Prize for Gastronomy, eighty five year old Joan “Juanito” Bayén and his sister Mariá. Both Juanito and Mariá continued the work of their mother Caterina, who after walking from Andalusia at the age of 17, began this institution over eighty years ago. Today, Juanito works alongside his nephew Jordi Asín and his wife María José and the very friendly and hard working crew. Extensive interviews with all members of the crew add to the book's authenticity, depth, honesty and humor.

Additionally, the book is filled with rare, never seen before photographs from the family's personal archives as well the Arxiu de Catalunya.

Renowned photographer, Becky Lawton, captures the food in a simple and beautiful way that really reflects the simple elegance of this cuisine. World class designer Enric Jardí captures the fun informality that is so much a part of Spanish and Catalan mid century design.

In love with his adopted homeland, American Robin Willis allows this affection and fascination to color every paragraph. In addition to the stories and deeply researched recipes Willis adds essays on such things as Spanish eating habits, cookware, the history and treatment and the intangibility and resonance of the most evocative of all Spanish words, “Duende.”

Bar Pinotxo, God is the Garbanzos is one hundred sixty eight pages with color photographs and 31 recipes featuring metric measurements.