Artichoke season is still going strong in Spain, with huge piles of them in the markets. Artichokes are a cold weather crop that are at their best from November to April. Once the weather heats up, the artichokes will grow too quickly, open their leaves and begin to […]
There are many pizza and pasta restaurants in Valencia, but where do the Italians living in Valencia go for authentic Italian food? Our Italian friends recommend a place that they affectionately describe as their grandmothers kind of Italian food. That special place is L’Alquimista, a tiny little gem […]
Okay, have you had enough of Spanish cuisine? Need a break from sardines, croquetas, jamón, and paella? Then it is time to step out of Valencia’s city center and venture into another part of the town where you can find restaurants with cuisine from all over the world. […]
Some of the most interesting restaurants in Valencia are found outside of the Old Town in the trendy neighborhood of Ruzafa (Russafa). This is where Ricard Camarena, one of the most well known chefs in Valencia, chose to open his third Michelin-starred restaurant. Ricard Camarena Restaurant opened in […]
Everyone knows that Valencia is famous for its paella, but there are actually multiple styles of rice dishes that are typical of Valencia including dry rices like paella, rices in broth called arroz caldoso, and arroz meloso. We have recently developed a love for meloso, the creamy rice […]
Our first experience with salt cod was in a little French restaurant in Virginia. The cod was mixed into a creamy brandade, a rich dip that we recreated over and over for anyone willing to eat at our house. Finding good salt cod in grocery stores in the […]
2017 started with a bang, and a light show, and a techno beat. Nochevieja (New Year’s Eve) found us in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, our pockets loaded with grapes. A crowd of people surrounded the town hall, drinking cava from plastic cups and dancing to the techno music under […]
Today was very peaceful in Valencia. Christmas Day is a national holiday in Spain, but it is celebrated at home with family and friends. I suspect that the local Valencians were sleeping in this morning to make up for a late night. On Christmas Eve, which is called Nochebuena, […]
Valencia may have 320 days of sunshine a year, but sometimes it has to rain. We’ve had a spell of dreary weather with cold temperatures and rainy days that has us craving comfort food. We searched for a dish loaded with seafood that would also be hearty enough […]
How do they celebrate Christmas in Spain? It’s all going to be new to us, so we thought we would share the experience along the way. December 8th was the Feast of the Immaculate Conception celebrating the conception of the Virgin Mary. It was also the official start […]