Podcast Summary: Hoy por Hoy — "La última y nos vamos | El exceso de canela es malo"

Date: September 24, 2025
Host: Àngels Barceló
Main participants: Tere, Sira Valdés, Mario, Dolores Vargas, Iñaki, invited guest Julio Llamazares

1. Brief Overview

This episode of "Hoy por Hoy" revolves around two main themes: the surprising risk of excessive cinnamon consumption and a literary segment with writer Julio Llamazares. The hosts and guests use the cinnamon news as a springboard for playful banter, self-deprecating confessions, and critical thinking about daily habits, before shifting to a more reflective discussion on memory, history, and family as introduced by Llamazares' new book.

2. Key Discussion Points and Insights

A. Cinnamon News: Health, Habits, and Humor

Time: 00:26–04:03

• The Shocking Headline
  • Sira Valdés brings up a morning bulletin that 66% of supermarket cinnamon brands exceed EU limits for a toxic compound.
    • "El 66% de las marcas de canela que hay en el supermercado no cumplen con el estándar mínimo de calidad según la Unión Europea." — Sira Valdés [00:39]
• Who Is at Risk?
  • Tere and Mario joke about who among them is most at risk due to their cinnamon habits.
  • Mario confesses to being a frequent and enthusiastic consumer:
    • "Aquí se me ha escrito que tomo canela de una manera desmedida. Yo tomo canela normal." — Mario [01:15]
• Cinnamon Consumption Styles
  • Dolores points out Tere's mountains of cinnamon over natillas (custard), making food commentary a running inside joke.
    • "Ayer te eres atruchado... había más canela que natilla." — Dolores Vargas [01:34–01:48]
  • Iñaki humorously compares Tere’s custard to "Colacao" (a Spanish chocolate drink) due to the amount of cinnamon:
    • "La natilla cuando le echó Tere la canela era un colacao." — Iñaki [02:07]
• Price and Quality
  • The conversation shifts to the high price of quality cinnamon and jokes about salary and gifts:
    • "La canela buena es muy cara." — Àngels Barceló [03:21]
• Teasing and Social Commentary
  • Jokes fly about Mario's canela budget and rising food costs.
  • Sira Valdés poetically describes Mario's cinnamon enthusiasm:
    • "No se detendrá, no hablará jamás, es como el viento. No se detendrá, no lo hará jamás." — Sira Valdés [03:54]

B. Transition: Podcast Recommendations and Guest Introduction

Time: 04:03–04:24

• Àngels Barceló recommends listening to "La Terremoto" podcast, underscoring the light, collaborative tone of the show.

C. Interview: Julio Llamazares on Memory and the Spanish Civil War

Time: 04:24–05:23

• Book Presentation
  • Julio Llamazares introduces his latest book, El viaje de mi padre, in which he retraces the journey his father made during the Spanish Civil War, 86 years earlier.
• Personal and National Memory
  • Llamazares narrates a family story about divided brothers fighting on opposing sides:
    • "Mi padre, pasado el tiempo, se enteró de que en la batalla Terul, un hermano suyo, estaban las tropas de enfrente, tenían la trinchera, la familia. Y eso yo creo que les marcó a todos los hermanos, pero como a muchísimas familias españolas." — Julio Llamazares [04:40]
  • He stresses the lasting moral weight of the war on Spanish society:
    • "Ignorar el peso de la Guerra Civil, no en términos ya históricos y políticos, sino morales, sobre la sociedad española de hoy, es un poco ingeniero." — Julio Llamazares [05:01]
• Memorable Reflection
  • He quotes a thought from his book:
    • "Las guerras son un acontecimiento en el que luchan jóvenes que no se odian por culpa de viejos que se odian." — Julio Llamazares [05:12]

D. Comic Relief and Closing

Time: 05:23–05:32

• In a light-hearted wrap-up, Tere draws attention to Jordi Farriga (head of economics) researching cinnamon brands for Mario:
  • "Mira, Tere, tienes ahí al jefe de economía... buscando las marcas de la canela." — Tere [05:23]

3. Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• "Esto tenía que haber abierto el boletín porque a mí me han hecho una... el programa, el programa a las 6." — Mario laments cinnamon news wasn't headline material [01:06]
• "La canela buena es muy cara." — General agreement about the luxury of quality spices [03:21]
• "No se detendrá, no hablará jamás, es como el viento. No se detendrá, no lo hará jamás." — Sira Valdés poetically mocks Mario's cinnamon obsession [03:54]
• "Las guerras son un acontecimiento en el que luchan jóvenes que no se odian por culpa de viejos que se odian." — Julio Llamazares, quoting his book [05:12]

4. Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:39 — Sira presents the cinnamon contamination news
• 01:15 — Mario confesses to "normal" (i.e. enthusiastic) cinnamon use
• 02:07 — Custard-with-cinnamon drama, Iñaki's comparison
• 03:21 — Discussion about the cost and quality of cinnamon
• 03:54 — Sira’s poetic send-off about Mario’s cinnamon habit
• 04:24 — Julio Llamazares introduces his book
• 05:12 — Llamazares: “Las guerras son un acontecimiento…” quote

5. Summary Flow & Tone

The episode moves seamlessly from playful, informal banter about the daily risks and rituals around food, to a moment of reflective seriousness about Spain's historical memory. The group’s rapport and humor keep the discussion light, even when touching on potentially concerning news, while Llamazares' segment injects poignant gravity, prompting listeners to consider the long shadows of the past on contemporary society.

The hosts maintain a witty, familiar tone throughout, with occasional poetic flourishes (“como el viento”) and plenty of inside jokes, making for a lively, relatable morning conversation.

For listeners new to "Hoy por Hoy":
This episode is a stellar showcase of the program’s balance between topical curiosity, irreverent humor, and thoughtful cultural discussion—all delivered in the conversational, playful style that keeps its audience engaged and informed.