Tag: Spanish Food
-
Creamy Artichoke Soup
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 transform into beautiful but inedible flowers. Artichokes […]
-
Bacalao at Taberna El Balconcillo
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 United States was a challenge. It was […]
-
Zarzuela de Mariscos
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 to warm our bones. We found Zarzuela […]
-
Spanish Tortilla
The Tortilla de Patata, known elsewhere as a Spanish Tortilla, is a simple and satisfying dish loved by all in Spain. I would be willing to bet that every Spanish restaurant in Spain makes tortilla. You can order a slice of it as a tapa or pincho, but most people here seem to like it […]
-
Mariscos A La Plancha, Catalan-style
Mariscos a la plancha translates to grilled seafood. When our Catalan friends Miki and Mariangels S’Agaro announced that they were going to prepare fresh mariscos a la plancha for us in their home on the Costa Brava, I went into my yummy dance. Our day started with a trip to the market in Sant Feliu […]
-
Spanish Conservas. Yes, you can get great seafood in a can
Our interest was piqued at Jib’s Gastrobar, a little bar in Valencia across from the Jardin del Parterre (Garden of the Parterre). We ordered the Mejillones (mussels) under the list of Conservas on the menu, and were surprised when they arrived to the table in a can. The plump mussels inside were basking in a […]
-
Tasting Jamón Ibérico in Valencia
Few things are more important to Spanish cuisine and culture than jamón ibérico, the celebrated ham made from Black Iberian pigs. Spanish ham is considered to be the best in the world. Massive legs of jamón hang from ceilings in restaurants and markets all over the country. I can’t recall seeing a restaurant menu in […]