Horneando mi tarta de manzana favorita

What does “tarta” mean in Spain?

“Cake” is a minefield in Spanish. In Spain a tarta is a cake or tart and a torta is a flat bread or a slap; in Mexico a torta is a stuffed sandwich and cake is pastel; in Argentina and Chile torta is the cake. So tarta de manzana in a Spanish kitchen is an apple tart — but order a torta in Mexico City and you will get a sandwich. One word, three regions, three plates.

The baker is unmistakably from Spain: Mirad estas manzanas, os explico, vale, no tienen buena pinta (they don’t look great). The apples are gnarly orchard fruit from her grandparents' huerto, chosen for taste over looks — a nice reminder that pinta means “appearance,” not “paint.”