Posted in appetizer, bacon, brains, bread, breadcrumbs, Castilla-La Mancha, Castillano, castille, cheap meal, Chorizo, cumin, easy, Garlic, hearty, manchego, offal, peppers, pigs, racione, Restaurant Review, Spain, Spanish, tourism, tradition, travel, trotter, unhealthy on Feb 16th, 2016
“The pen is the tongue of the mind.” – Don Quixote de La Mancha I have been told that the Inuit have more than 30 words for snow and a similar number of descriptors for the myriad tones of white, blue and grey that color their environment. If desert-dwelling Arabs had a similarly nuanced vocabulary […]
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Posted in Castilla y Léon, Castillano, castille, Chorizo, Fall, Madrid, Meat, morcilla, octopus, offal, pigs, pork, pulpo, racione, Restaurant Review, Segovia, Spain, Spanish, suckling pig, tourism, tradition, travel on Jan 4th, 2016
Five years in the making, and after at least six months’ meticulous planning, this was not an auspicious start. Within twenty minutes of claiming our luggage off the futuristically-plastic baggage carousel at Madrid-Barajas, and after spending the few coins we brought with us on a pair of sorely-needed cortados, we stood, incredulous and cash-less, in […]
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Posted in America, barbecue, chicken, chops, crispy, fried, Garlic, holiday, Olive Oil, Spain, Spanish, summer, tourism, travel, Vermont on Sep 3rd, 2015
An old joke tells of a Philadelphia area man who, panicking when his doctor diagnosed him with incurable cancer and predicted he had six months to live, begged the medic for help. “Isn’t there any way I can live for longer?”, he asked. “Go marry an Italian girl from South Philly and those six months […]
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Posted in African, alcohol, almond, chicken, chicken stock, cumin, family, Garlic, healthy, hearty, rabbit, Spain, spices, tourism, tradition on Jan 27th, 2015
As an icebreaker at the beginning of the birthing classes we took in preparation for the arrival of our first-born, participants were divided into male and female groups and invited to sit together and discuss their greatest hopes and apprehensions for impending parenthood. The biggest concern of our fellow soon-to-be-parents turned out to be making […]
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Posted in acorns, America, animals, Asturias, bacon, ban, book review, Castillano, castille, Chorizo, Galician, Gallego, ground meat, Madrid, Meat, morcilla, offal, pimenton, prosciutto, Spain, tradition on Apr 3rd, 2014
With some cookbooks, you just open them, find something that looks good and go straight into your kitchen and start cooking. Charcutería – The Soul of Spain, the new book from Jeffrey Weiss, is not that kind of book. This is partly intentional in that the book is structured in such a way as to […]
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Posted in appetizer, chick peas, chickpeas, Chorizo, cilantro, grilled, grilling, octopus, Olive Oil, pork, sauce, sausage, Squid on Mar 8th, 2014
I know that I am the best cook(er) in the world because my three year-old son tells me so when I make him fridge surprise for dinner. (The surprise being that there is anything remotely edible in our fridge.) Naturally, this makes me exceedingly happy, especially so since he tends to eat such meals with […]
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Posted in almond, Barcelona, broiled, calamari, Chorizo, cuttlefish, fish, Garlic, Madrid, Murcia, noodles, nuts, Olive Oil, Pasta, pepper, peppers, pulpo, Spain, Squid, tradition, travel, Valencia, wine on Nov 14th, 2012
For centuries, mankind and cuttlefish have had something of a difficult relationship, certainly from the latter’s perspective. Even prior to the development of the photographic tint known as sepia – a brownish hue that makes the late 19th century appear to have been an unusually dusty period – the ink of the cuttlefish was prized […]
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Posted in African, appetizer, castille, chile, Garlic, herbs, history, Meat, Mexican, Olive Oil, pepper, peppers, pimenton, pinchos, pork, racione, Spain, tapas, thyme, tradition, travel on Jun 6th, 2012
St. George, the patron saint of England, whose plucky, dragon-slaying derring-do is taken as emblematic of the English spirit, far from being a native of the British Isles, or for that matter, far from ever having come close to visiting them, was actually an adventurous squire of the modern-day country of Georgia who lived around […]
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Posted in alcohol, alcoholic drink, almond, Garlic, history, pork, sauce, sherry, Spain, tradition, travel on Feb 25th, 2012
With wine there is probably more room for personal interpretation and opinion than in any other area of gastronomy. The sheer variety of wines available from across the globe encourages this, but the reputation of the wine connoisseur and his often ridiculous descriptions of the perfumes to be nosed out of the glass makes wine-tasting […]
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Posted in America, Asturias, beans, cabrales, Chorizo, cocido, fabada, Garlic, history, Meat, morcilla, Olive Oil, paprika, pimenton, pork, saffron, tradition, travel on Mar 11th, 2011
Almost seven years ago I journeyed from Santillana del Mar to Santa Maria de Lebaña via San Vicente de la Barquera. So many saints, so much devotion, that it was little surprise to learn that beyond the monastery of Santo Toribio de Liébana and through the Picos de Europe lies the hallowed ground of Covadonga. […]
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Posted in Argentina, Asturias, chocolate, chops, empanadas, Garlic, lentils, Portuguese, side dish, South America, Spain, travel, Uruguay on Dec 21st, 2010
Those of you who raised your eyebrows at the very idea of lentils mixed with chocolate might be forgiven for thinking that we have lost our tiny minds, that too long around infant children, cooing and a-goo-goo-gooing, has softened our already mushy brains beyond repair. Indeed, had we not gone out on a limb ourselves […]
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Posted in brandy, castille, chicken, cognac, crispy, fried, Garlic, herbs, Olive Oil, Potato, sauce, Spain, tapas on Mar 13th, 2010
“Eat no garlic nor onions, lest they find out thy boorish origin by the smell…” -Don Quixote to Sancho Panza, Chapter XLIII, Don Quixote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra Sitting around the table last night with gusts of strong breath coloring our domestic atmosphere, Amy and I were considering the profound effect […]
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Posted in Clams, culture, fish, Gallego, Garlic, healthy, history, Jose Andres, Olive Oil, parsley, Paul Bocuse, Recipe, sauce, seafood, Spain, sustainable, tapas, tradition, travel, white fish on Feb 3rd, 2010
It is no coincidence that, in the 30 years since Franco’s death, Spanish creativity in the arts, architecture, business, and gastronomy has blossomed. It is also no coincidence that it has been, predominantly, though not exclusively, Spain’s sub-national and regional groups — who were repressed most viciously by the Fascist dictator — that have led […]
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****Ahhh, the old dippy egg automatic food p*rn shot I remember the night in Madrid Jonny and I thought it would be a good idea to do a tapas crawl after having many, many drinks. We weren’t yet at that “I’m so drunk I must shovel food in my mouth now” place, but were maybe […]
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Posted in Argentina, barbecue, beef, Buenos Aires, Food Commentary, french fries, Garlic, grilled, grilling, holiday, Meat, parsley, Restaurant Review, Steak, tongue, tourism, travel on May 15th, 2009
No, friends, let me reassure you that you have not accidentally stumbled upon some weird, faux-rustic “pron” site. For good or bad, the only p0rn you’ll find here is daring, ultra-close-up pics of the juicy, young flesh of pasture-fed Argentine cattle. And the only things being roasted (or stripping for that matter) are long strips […]
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Posted in calamari, cuttlefish, fish, Garlic, healthy, Murcia, Olive Oil, peppers, pimenton, piquillo peppers, Recipe, saffron, seafood, shrimp, Spain, Squid, squid ink, tomato, travel on Mar 4th, 2009
Those readers who’ve been following us for a while know (and, we hope, appreciate) that we frequently put our bodies and constitutions on the line for your benefit. Indeed, some of you may remember, that during our stay in Madrid last year, one of us, quite literally, pushed himself to breaking point in this endeavor. It was […]
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Posted in barbecue, culture, delicacy, Europe, festival, festivals, fish, Food Commentary, Garlic, grilled, Olive Oil, paprika, peppers, Recipe, Recipes, sauce, Spain, tradition, white bread, whole fish on Jul 22nd, 2008
As you know, we received a beautiful package from a fellow blogger in Spain and we have been slowly using all the contents in various meals. Another element of this package was a jar of Spanish Marcona almonds. These almonds are amazing on their own and taste incredibly different (sweeter and meatier) than the almonds […]
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Posted in acorns, anchovies, appetizer, bread, culture, delicacy, easy, Europe, Garlic, grilled, grilling, ham, holiday, iberico, jamon, Madrid, pigs, pinchos, piquillo peppers, racione, Recipe, Recipes, Spain, tapas, tomato, tourism, tradition, travel on Jul 18th, 2008
Not long ago our good friend Nuria at Recipes Pic by Pic offered to do a food exchange with us, knowing both how obsessed we are with Spanish food and their comparative scarcity over here in the States. In return she asked that we send her some typical American products of our choice as well […]
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Posted in British, calamari, chile, chipotle, easy, fish, Garlic, grilled, grilling, Jamie Oliver, lemon, Meat, Mexican, morcilla, Olive Oil, onions, parsley, racione, Recipe, Recipes, sauce, sausage, savory, seafood, Spain, spicy, Squid, tapas, tomato on Jun 4th, 2008
A lot of people love Jamie Oliver for his informal, cheekie-chappie attitude and antics, which they welcome as a nice break from the seemingly unapproachable TV chefs of the past. Personally, I find his mockney styles and instant familiarity grating, and have let this issue influence my opinion of his cooking. However, I’m big enough […]
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Posted in blogging, Castillano, castille, chicken, chicken stock, easy, Europe, Fino, hazelnuts, nuts, poultry, Rachel Ray, rant, Recipe, Recipes, saffron, Spain, tradition, wine on May 17th, 2008
Usually if I’m trying to make an authentic dish, I always try to make it just that – authentic. That means that I want to use traditional ingredients and I attempt to research the many traditional ways to make that specific dish. I then decide how to combine the best bits from all those traditional […]
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Posted in calamari, Clams, easy, fish, healthy, lemon, Madrid, meal, peppers, Recipe, Recipes, restaurant, rice, soup, Spain, spices, Squid, tomato, vegetarian on May 5th, 2008
On our final day in Madrid, it was pissing down with rain. We spent about 4 hours walking around the Reina Sofia drooling over Picasso’s Guernica (the size of a giant museum wall) and the large amount of Dali and Miro works. We’re not really artsy-fartsy folks, but that museum made me wet myself with […]
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Posted in Asturias, cheap meal, easy, Europe, fabada, french fries, fried, meal, offal, onions, paprika, parsley, Recipe, Recipes, restaurant, sauce, Spain, thyme, tradition, travel on Apr 18th, 2008
If you are a regular reader of our blog, perhaps you remember this post on my husband’s near-death by gluttony as he ate his way through a giant Asturian meal – fabada. While I had to listen to his groans and watch the thick beads of sweat roll down the side of his head as […]
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Posted in bacon, baking, bread, Castillano, cheap meal, Chorizo, cornmeal, culture, Easter, easy, egg, Europe, flour, Food Commentary, holiday, indulgent meal, Italian, Italian-American, Italy, Lent, morcilla, Recipe, Recipes, Saveur, Spain, tradition, unhealthy on Mar 21st, 2008
It was as if it was divine intervention. We finally found morcilla (see picture of sausages below – it’s the black one) in a specialty store up the block but we weren’t prepared to make a fabada or cocido – two other Spanish dishes which call for morcilla. I picked up one of my favorite […]
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Posted in alcohol, alcoholic drink, appetizer, Asturias, beans, beverage, blood, chops, Chorizo, embarrassment, Europe, fabada, Food Commentary, indulgent meal, lunch, Madrid, morcilla, offal, pigs, pork, sausage, Spain, tapas, tourism, tradition, travel, unhealthy on Mar 7th, 2008
“The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom.” – William Blake Have you ever thought, as you sit red-faced, breathing shallowly, “just… one… more… bite”? Have you ever then taken that extra bite and thought to yourself — in your blood-starved brain — “maybe, after all, I could manage another one”? And, finally, […]
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Posted in chickpeas, Chorizo, Food Commentary, Madrid, pork, Rachel Ray, rant, Spain, stew, travel on Feb 19th, 2008
I know, guys… yet again, another Ray-Ray complaint. I just can NOT stop. I try, kids… I REALLY freaking try. I put her show on and within 30 seconds, I put her on mute. Within a minute, the channel is changed. I can’t do it. I try over and over again, and over and over […]
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Posted in Jose Andres, television show on Feb 16th, 2008
This is a question that could change for me every six months. Jacques Pepin’s show isn’t on the air now, so I’m not going to crown that one right now. I love anything by Lidia Bastianich, but I’ve been watching her for years and she is a favorite, but maybe not my #1 this moment. […]
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Posted in acorns, Castillano, castille, delicacy, ham, healthy, history, holiday, iberico, important details, jamon, language, Madrid, pigs, pork, racione, serrano, Spain, tapas, tourism, tradition, travel on Feb 5th, 2008
Penelope Cruz’s “break-out” film was a lusty, comedic tale called Jamon, Jamon in which one of her suitors tells her that her breasts taste like serrano ham. Throughout the film (in which Cruz frequently appears partially clothed) there are many shots of legs of jamon serrano and iberico hanging in store windows, and the film […]
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You might not think it from the contents of this blog, but we are big fans of cheese. In fact, the only post on the subject of cheeses was written back in June and even then it only really dealt with cheese in brief, offhand kind of way. However, nothing could be further from the […]
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Posted in cheap meal, Chorizo, culture, egg, Europe, Food Commentary, fried, grilled, history, leek, Madrid, meatballs, Olive Oil, paprika, Potato, Recipe, Recipes, sauce, sausage, seafood, Spain, Squid, tapas, tourism, tradition, travel, vegetarian, wine on Jan 24th, 2008
In a later post, the husband will write about all the, shall we say, interesting tapas we ate while in Madrid. When I use the word interesting, I mean that many may find some of these tapas to be gross and/or bizarre. Personally, I am always willing to try something new. Only then can I […]
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Posted in alcohol, alcoholic drink, beverage, Castillano, castille, culture, drink, entertainment, Europe, holiday, Madrid, Spain, tapas, tourism, tradition, travel, vermouth, vermut on Jan 17th, 2008
As regular readers will know, we recently visited Madrid and gorged ourselves at its myriad restaurants, tascas, bars and any other hostelry we could find. Because of this excessive consumption, we’re currently going through what can only be described as a traumatic process of catharsis, in which we’re avoiding all meat and all booze for […]
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