Tapas Tuesday: Pulpo a la gallega

This weeks tapa: pulpo a la gallega/pulpo a feira
English translation: Galician style octopus/fair octopus

Tapas Tuesday: Jamón Iberico

This weeks tapa: jamón iberico

(My) English translation: "thinly sliced pieces of heaven"

Once upon a time I was a vegetarian. Back in 2011 I made my first trip to Spain on a crazy whim to get to know this Spanish man I had met in Turkey a little better; hours of skype just wasn't enough. In hindsight I'm happy to have acted on instinct, however spontaneous it was. It was during these wonderful two weeks that I was introduced to jamón. This salty, silky, cured and incredibly thinly sliced piece of meat called me out of my vegetarian state, taunted me with its rich aromas and acclaimed amazing-ness. From the moment I tried my first piece, there was no looking back, and I have been a content meat-eater ever since.

Tapas Tuesday: Pimientos de Padrón Fritos

This weeks tapa: pimientos de padrón fritos
English translation: fried Padrón peppers

Oribu Gastrobar

I'm always up for trying new restaurants in the city. And when it's locals who are choosing where to go, I'm never disappointed. On Saturday I went out to dinner with a group of Nacho's friends to a restaurant called Oribu Gastrobar in Chueca, just off of Gran Vía.

Tapas Tuesday: Foie

This weeks tapa: Foie
English translation: duck liver

Tapas Tuesday: Solomillo

This weeks tapa: Solomillo
English translation: Sirloin

Tapas night in San Sebastian (Summer 2011)

Tapas Tuesday: Cojonuda

This weeks tapa: Cojonuda

English translation: "awesome" "superb" "fucking good"

Tapas Tuesday: Rabo de Toro

I am starting a new series called Tapas Tuesday, which will document some of the many Spanish tapas I sample. Warning: Do not read when hungry. Enjoy!

This weeks tapa:  Rabo de toro
English translation: Oxtail or tail of the bull

Impromptu Peruvian Tapas Tasting

Saturday morning was for sleeping in and taking things super slow. With no real plans for the day, we saw an ad online for a tapas tasting at a Peruvian restaurant close by and decided to check it out. The place itself was tiny and didn't look like anything special. Both Nacho and I agreed that, had we not seen the advertisement, we would never think to try the place out. But we gave it a chance and were not disappointed. We were lucky to have showed up early, within the hour the place filled up with people from all over the world. Nacho and I were able to grab two seats at the bar while there was still space!

Churros con Chocolate

Come on now. I wouldn't be writing a blog in Madrid without the classic Churros con Chocolate post!
So here we go:

Crêpes by Candlelight

Don't get me wrong, I love my tortilla and jamon, but on Saturday night it was time to take a break from Spanish cuisine. A friend I work with, Roxanna, is from Paris and invited me to dinner at a French crêperie called Breizh for a traditional Brittany dining experience. When I was studying in Greece I tried my fair share of crêpes, both savory and sweet, but something told me these would taste different- and they did! My idea of French food consists of cheese, wine, baguettes and macarons. I mean, what more do you need, really.. I have never been to France nor have I ever been close to anyone from the country so my knowledge of its cuisine is actually quite limited. When Roxanna invited me to go out with some of her friends I was thankful to try something new and expand, if only a little, my limited idea of french food.

Una Comida Valenciana

Five of the 27 present on Saturday..

It has been weeks since I've visited Nacho's family, so it was with smiles and open arms that we reunited at the house of Nacho's brother, Daniel, with the entire family for a big lunch on Saturday in Boadilla.

It's time for pie

Homesickness Cures

Ok, there really are no real cures for homesickness (besides the obvious which is not an option for me). It's crazy how one moment I can feel so lucky. So alive, spontaneous and happy living in this foreign, wonderful place. You know, when you get those ever-so fleeting moments and you say, 'ah, yes, this is what living is.' Those moments happen quite often here.

But then there is the other side of the coin. There are moments when I'm extremely sick of my scenery. When the exact reasons why I love this new and different city become the main reminders that I am so far from home. There are many moments when I just want to be home. So I have figured out that the best way to deal with homesickness overseas is to 1) distract myself completely from those feelings or 2) recreate the comfort of home in a number of ways. I usually opt for the latter, unless the homesickness has come on extra strong, in which case total distraction is my best bet. Here are some of my cures:

1) surround myself with people. Sure, they're not my family. Hell they may not even be close friends, not like my friends from home. But the social interaction takes my mind away from thinking about home and in the end, I always feel better.

2) get a change of scenery. Whether it be hiking, exploring a new town, or even just going to an area of the city unseen, surrounding myself something new usually rejuvenates and reminds me that there are endless amounts of beauty to be appreciated in this place.

3) eat and/or drink. Sometimes just a little homemade spaghetti and meatballs and some wine is all I need to feel a little less homesick. Those comfort foods from home make a big difference. So when I feel homesick, I make an American breakfast, a burger, or a big batch of brownies. Or I just eat lunch at noon and dinner at 6- there's a nostalgia in that routine and it's unheard of here!

4) choose a show/movie from my childhood. Friends, Greys Anatomy, Little Women. My go-to's. It reminds me of lazy days at home in Connecticut.

5) distract myself in other ways. I've come to notice that homesickness creeps in when I find I have too much free time. So I go to the gym, I do a craft or clean my house. Just busying myself usually subsides the feeling of homesickness.

6) skype. What was the glue that held Nacho and I together when I was in the U.S. now brings me close to everyone else I love. Thank god for technology.

7) count my blessings. I think about how lucky I am, how happy I am, and how blessed my life is. I think about the endless possibilities of where my choices have led and will lead me to and try to harness energy and excitement for the future. Keeping perspective is what helps me the most.

Madrid- Looking east from the Reina Sofia museum near Atocha

(If all else fails play music that makes you happy very loudly) 

The Cola-Cao Obsession

For those of you who have spent time in any Spanish home, you know what I'm talking about when I say Cola-Cao. Similar to Nesquik, this powered chocolate drink is an absolute staple in every house and cafe in Spain. It is drunk hot or cold by people young and old and it is EVERYWHERE.

Back in my skyping days with Nacho, I recall many times seeing him sit in front of the computer drinking a cola-cao. I didn't think anything of it, really. But now that I have stayed in his house and talked with my students at the school, I realize that a day does not go by without most people having one of these powdered chocolate milk drinks. Their popularity astounds me because, if we're being honest here (and Nacho don't read this..) it really doesn't taste all that good! I mean, those of you back home I'm sure you've had nesquik, right? But if you're gonna make chocolate milk you go for the good stuff- Hershey's chocolate syrup (which they don't even sell here, nothing Hershey's at all!). But nevertheless, when I ask my first year students what they have for breakfast every morning, without fail every single one says a cola-cao. When I order a coffee at a cafe, I see adults around me having a cola-cao. It seems to be the answer to everything- breakfast, lunch and dinner. I guess it's just one of those things I won't ever fully understand.. and thanks to dating a Spanish man I too now have this yellow container forever on my shelves.

Cochinillo en Segovia

Cochinillo. Better known in English as a suckling pig. I have been told by Spanish friends that I MUST try a cochinillo in Segovia. I was in luck! Every year Nacho and his friends have a big annual cochinillo lunch in Miguelañez, Segovia. So on Saturday, after a long morning of working for Nacho, we drove northwest of Madrid for about an hour and a half to the family home of Andrés, a friend of Nacho. With 15-20 people and two babies there was never a dull moment, but the day was filled with laughs, love and lots of food!

StreetXo

El Corte Ingles, 9th floor, Plaza de Callao. Here is where you'll find me, amidst a plethora of gourmet experiences. In this major plaza next to Gran Via (a very central shopping street in Madrid), the Corte Ingles building is a major tourist spot. The top floor of this famous department store offers you not only a breathtaking view of the city (see below, and also were I snapped the pic for the label of this blog), but your choice of drinks, tapas, and entrees from many different restaurants. I give you, El Corte Ingles, Gourmet Experience.

These pics are from google images- not mine

One day, about a month ago, our hungry stomachs led us to StreetXo (Xo pronouced like Show as 'X' is 'sh' in Basque, a language of northern Spain). With house music blasting and people crowded around the small, square open kitchen, this restaurant tantalizes all five senses. The chefs are young, complete with tattoos and mohawks, and they sure are talented.   

Derived from David Muñoz's 2 Michelin Star restaurant DiverXo, StreetXo allows you to taste the wonderful fusion of Japanese and Spanish flavors at a more appealing price. Although our plan was to have some lunch then go Christmas Shopping, after 2 beers each and an hour or so planted at the bar of the kitchen, our focus shifted from shopping to enjoying this gastronomical show.

We tried the butterfish, the pork belly and the chili crab. All three were amazing.

Pork belly with mussels

Chili crab

Pure satisfaction.

Above you will see the head chef chopping up the live crabs. One tried to get away, crawling over the stove in a last attempt of survival. Unfortunately, he became my lunch..

Some pictures for you

A LOT has been going on these days. Lots of celebrations, attempts at Spanish-speaking, dinners and lunches with friends, eating, laughing, exploring. And most of all, being completely hypnotized by the beautiful Christmas lights all over the city. The winding streets feel even more quaint, warm, and inviting when lined with lights and filled with happy families. Sigh. :)

.Here are some random pictures from the last week or two for you all back home

To Burgos We Go!

Hi everyone who takes time out of their busy day to read this! (Thank you!) What have I been up to lately, you ask? Well, last weekend I went to Burgos!

So Nacho helps to coach a soccer team of girls around my age, whose practices I sometimes go to (cough-once). The girls are so sweet and nice to include the awkward American girl with the broken Spanish. One member of the team, Ana, has a family house in a very small town called Villagutierrez (population- 75!) Because last weekend was a puente (3-day weekend) because of the holiday of Constitution on Friday the 6th, she suggested people of the team, boyfriends and friends stay in the small town for the weekend, eat, drink and be merry together in the ancient country home, and explore the beautiful neighboring city of Burgos. I was up for the adventure!

Spain is broken up into communities, and within each community there are provinces. Madrid is a community with only one province- that of Madrid. Burgos is a province in the community of Castilla y Leon (See below: first find Madrid in the center of the Community of Madrid, then find the much larger community of Castilla y Leon, and within that community you will see the province (and city) of Burgos):

After about a 3 hour drive with traffic, a bumpy, dirt road that went on seemingly forever led us to the tiny town of Villagutierrez on Thursday evening. The house was everything I could have expected and more. I love country homes, and even though this one was thousands of miles from my own, its similarities filled me with a nostalgia for Salem and the simple, country life. Complete with creepy dolls and taxidermied owls, I knew every painting and knick-knack in the house had a story behind it. After exploring the house, choosing rooms, and turning the heat up up up, we gathered around a delicious meal and spent the night warming by the large fire in the fireplace, drinking and playing games. I taught my Spanish friends flip cup-hilarious! 

Villagutierrez

Yep, that's the town. All of it. Who needs more?

Friday was my favorite day. Waking around noon, drinking some coffee (or for others, cola-cao, a nesquick-type of chocolate milk that people are crazy for here..) we were ready to head out in search of some morcilla. 

Let's talk about morcilla. Blood sausage. Sounds tasty, right? Well, it is! And Burgos is famous for its morcilla. It is a sausage that is filled with rice, pig blood, onions, and some other spices- sounds simple enough but the blend of it all is magical. And spicy! It is absolutely delicious. 

So on Friday we drove to the neighboring town of Estepar, which is a little bigger and has a general store where we found and bought out their stock of morcilla.

Shopkeeper of the General Store in Estepar- seemingly shocked that her store was at capacity (all 8 of us..)

After that it was off to the cheese factory. This factory, also in the middle of nowhere, was not that big. But I learned quickly that its name is huge! The cheese of Sasamon won the silver medal for best cheese in the world! The man working there was happy to give us a taste and sell us some cheese- but it was lunch time and he was ready to close up shop. Disappointed and wanting a tour of the factory, my Spanish friends explained to this poor man that I was a journalist and potential investor from the U.S. who was quite interested in the factory. After that, he was happy to give us a full tour- and that he did! He spoke at great length to me (I understood about 15%), but I was grateful to have the tour. After stocking up on cheese we had all we needed for a hearty feast, we spent the rest of the day was spent eating, having our siesta, and enjoying another night cozied up next to the fire, playing cards, and of course- after the drinks flowed- getting everyone to speak a little English!  ;)

HUGE CHEESE!

Telling us all about the cheese

mmmmmm mold

Open Spaces. Countryside. A feeling close to that of being home.

Saturday we headed to Burgos. About 20 minutes north of Villagutierrez, Burgos, the historic capital of the Castile region, was home to medieval hero El Cid. So there was some famous medieval guy, and yea, there's this really pretty cathedral, and the Camino de Santiago runs through here, but what has caught everyone's attention here recently is Burgos' newest title, 'The Gastronomical Capital of Spain 2013.'

I really fell in love with this city. The mix of the old, detailed buildings and the trees, flowers and lights which lined the clean streets full of space for walking made me feel on the set of a movie...and ready to move here and live. The people of Burgos (typical of many cities north of Madrid) seem quite posh. Women and men dressed to the nine's perused through the streets with their vintage strollers- hell even the babies were better dressed than me! But I wasn't interested in the clothes or the shoes. I was interested in the award winning restaurants, tapas and wines- dressing like a local is far inferior to me than eating like one! So, after taking in the views of the breathtaking Gothic cathedral which stands high above the surrounding ceramic tiled roofs, we set out for a little tapa-hopping around the city. 

They shape the trees so that their branches connect and form a canopy over us- one that's wrapped in Christmas lights :) So pretty!

Morcilla

Oreja- pig ear! Tasty but the texture didn't sit well with me, the meat was too soft and the cartilage too hard 

Sneaking a pic inside the cathedral

The cathedral was stunning. 

A view of Burgos from above.

Chestnuts (castañas) roasted on an open fire!

Sun setting over the city

A walk near Villagutierrez. Almost looks like Connecticut!

The weekend came to an end on Sunday, after a group lunch together. We were tired, but everyone had a good time. I was happy to have the opportunity to practice my Spanish, and make some new friends in the process. The weekend, I'd say, was a success. On to the next adventure!