Bodega 1900, Barcelona

Pleasant pre-concert wine and tapas stop at the Adriá's...

Expo 2015: The Pavilions, Part 1

My visits to the Expo site continue, here are some of the pavilions (also inside):

Clockwise from top: Mexico, Spain, Qatar, Coca Cola

Click on "read more" to, well, read more about each of these pavilions...

Mercer Boria hotel, Barcelona

Design accommodation in Barcelona's gothic quarter.

Snapshots of Barcelona

After a month break, I'm back! and what's better than starting the year with some photos of beautiful Barcelona?

Plaza de España, Seville

 A walk through the impressive monument built for the Ibero-american exhibition in 1929.

Perhaps you remember it from Star Wars: it was used for some of the scenes of a couple of episodes of the saga. Also on Sacha Baron Cohen's The Dictator.

Garlochí, Seville

This tiny bar filled with virgins, velvet and inciense is definitely a must-see in Seville.

Triana market & Guadalquivir river, Seville

After the visit to the Cathedral and climb to the top of the Giralda tower, we went for a walk under the summer sun along the Guadalquivir and arrived to the Triana market.

Cathedral of Seville

"Let's build a church so beautiful and big that those who see it will think we're mad"

The impressive Cathedral, with its five naves is the largest Gothic building in Europe and part of the UNESCO World Heritage sites' list.

Bar Estrella, Seville

A nice discovery in the alleys of Seville.

Hotel Fontecruz, Seville

Nice design touches and excellent views of the Cathedral from the rooftop of this 4-stars hotel in the heart of Seville.

 

Medina Al Azahara, Cordoba and the road to Seville

A visit to the ruins of the palace-city built by Caliph Rahman III in the outskirts of Cordoba. 

Snapshots (& food) of Cordoba

"Nunca merezcan mis ausentes ojos
Ver tu muro, tus torres y tu río,
Tu llano y sierra, ¡oh patria, oh flor de España!"
- Luis de Góngora, A Córdoba

([if] my absent eyes should never again deserve

 to see your walls, your tower and your river 

your plain and mountains, my homeland, the flower of Spain!)

Cordoba might be considered a small city now, but as we read in this post, it was once the capital of Al-Andalus (Islamic Spain) and the center of its cultural and political life.

Cathedral Mosque, Cordoba

One of the world's most impressive monuments, rich of history and culture.

As much as we wanted to, we couldn't spend the whole day in Cordoba at the Mercado Victoria eating & drinking, so the time came to visit the breathtaking Cathedral Mosque.

Mercado Victoria, Cordoba

"Happy ever after in the market place..."

 

 The Mercado Victoria is one of those pleasant surprises Cordoba has to offer. Especially for market nuts like myself.

Eurostars Palace, Cordoba

Modern and comfortable hotel in Cordoba, just minutes away from the breathtaking Mosque-Cathedral.

Salmorejo

It's been so hot on Milan these days! And to be honest, I don't hate it, I mean, yes it's bad to jump on the subway and get all those funny (bad) smells and the sensation that the asphalt is melting under your heels is not a pretty one but, I'm a summer person, and I love summer clothes and sun and bright light so I can get past all those things to have a sunny warm summer.
And I happen to know a great dish to make a hot summer day a bit more bearable, it's called Salmorejo, it's a cold soup and it comes from Spain, Andalucia, to be more specific. It's like the more famous Gazpacho but it's lighter since it has less vegetables in it (gazpacho contains also cucumber, peppers and onion). And since salmorejo is thicker (due to the bread in it) it can also be used as a sauce.
It has a very antique tradition, and actually a nice story for us Hispanic-Mexicans because, even if it is a 100% Spanish dish, it has a bit of Mexico in its history. I'll tell you why: salmorejo was prepared in Spain since ancient times by mincing bread and mixing it with vinegar, but it was a white 'dish', since tomatoes didn't exist in Europe. It was after the discovery and Conquest of America that they were brought to Spain. Among the conquerors, there was an eyewitness called Bernal Diaz del Castillo who later wrote all about their trip and their findings in the New World, and he described that the natives used tomatoes to prepare a sauce that was similar to their 'white salmorejo'. So, after they brought the this vegetable with them, tomatoes were accepted widely in Spanish kitchen and also introduced to the salmorejo. Here's the way I prepare it:

Salmorejo

Ingredients (serves 4):

My first 30's!

Here's a little collage I made to symbolize my first 30 years in this world...

... and if the next 30 are as great as these were, can't wait!!!

my taste of Galicia

A couple of weeks ago we were in Galicia visiting family and enjoying the fresh weather that you can only find in Galicia during the summer. And you know, while we were there, why not enjoy the delicious food of the region?



Galicia's typical dishes are mainly seafood dishes, being surrounded by the Atlantic ocean on two sides. The most famous (and delicious IMHO) are:

Percebes

  - Percebes (gooseneck barnacle): Percebes grow on rocks on the north-western Spanish coast, and they are dangerous to collect (that's why they can be a bit expensive). They look like dinosaur claws (I have never seen dinosaur claws but that's how I think they would look) and the way to cook them is to boil them in water. You eat them with your hands, to open them (using your nail) you squeeze the tube right on the base of the shell and take the flesh out. The flesh is like a snail's, but the taste is unusual, delicate but tasty as an oyster.

Grilled Sardines

- Sardinas (sardines): I was used to small (canned) sardines, but the sardines in the northern coasts of Spain are huge! And tasty! best way to eat them? grilled and sprinkled with coarse salt. You eat them with your hands, peeling the skin and eating the rest, even the spines. Don't forget to use bread to absorb the grease of the skin and then eat it, delicious!

Oysters

- Ostras (oysters): if you happen to pass by Vigo, make sure you visit a street called Rua de Pescaderia, a street covered with a tent (it rains a lot here) where the ostreiras (oyster ladies) outside the restaurant open the oysters and serve them with fresh Albariño wine. The street is covered , it rains a lot in Galicia so they have a permanent tent that covers the street so people can sit outside. Some say it has become a tourist trap; OK, it can be filled with tourists, but the oysters we had were huge, delicate and delicious.



Padrón pepper

- Pimientos de Padrón (peppers): OK, these are not seafood but they're worth mentioning. These are tiny green peppers from a town called Padrón, fried in olive oil and sprinkled with coarse salt. There's a saying in Galicia: "los pimientos de Padrón, unos pican y otros no" (peppers of Padrón, some are spicy others not), trust me, if you get the spicy ones you'll need liters of water!



Other delicious specialties:


Navajas (razor clams)

Mejillones (mussels)



caldo gallego (galician broth)

Since no visit to Galicia is valid without having some pulpo (octopus), here's my personal recipe:

Pulpo a feira con cachelos (Octopus a feira with potatoes)
Ingredients (serves 2)

1 octopus of 700/800 grams (fresh or frozen - see below for more details)

4 medium potatoes
2 leaves of laurel
2 garlic cloves
olive oil (the best you can get, since it goes raw)

coarse salt
paprika

If the octopus is fresh you must get it  perfectly clean and remove the ink sac (your fish vendor can do that for you). Then you place it in a plain surface and beat it with a mallet, I know, it sounds cruel but you must do it in order to make it softer. If you can't beat it then you should get a frozen one, in this case beating it is not necessary.
Boil water in a tall pan and when it boils, put the octopus inside completely, then take it out immediately, wait until the water boils again and repeat the process three times. This process is called "frighten the octopus" and it helps to keep the skin while cooking the octopus.
Once "frightened", put it back in the water together with the potatoes, a peeled garlic clove, the laurel leaves and a teaspoon of coarse salt.
The time of cooking depends upon the quality and the type of the Octopus that you are cooking. Take the potatoes from the water after 20 min. peel them and dice them.
I normally leave the octopus boil for 45 minutes per kilo (so in case you have a 2 kilo octopus it must boil at least an hor and a half). Remove the octopus from the pan with the aid of a skewer and leave it to dry for 10 minutes.
In the meantime, chop the other garlic clove and mix it in a bowl with olive oil (about 6 tablespoons). Cut the octopus into 2 or 3 centimeter pieces. Put the diced potatoes in a plate (wooden would be better), cover with the octopus pieces sprinkle with salt and paprika and top it with the olive oil/garlic mix.

Wine pairing: Albariño, Ribeira would be best since they're both from Galicia, but any other dry white wine is OK.

Note: Every home in Galicia (and in Spain) prepares octopus differently, some don't use garlic, some don't use potatoes, some cook it in a cooper pan because they say it tastes better, etc. This is my version so, enjoy!

Yo me bajo en Atocha... (Madrid)

There's a song by singer and poet Joaquín Sabina called "Yo me bajo en Atocha" (I'll get off in Atocha - Madrid train station-); the place, Atocha, is sadly remembered by all of us because it was where the terrorist attacks of March 11, 2004 took place. The song talks about the beautiful city of Madrid, its art, its monuments and its culture.

view of Atocha station from the Museo Reina Sofía

So here's my personal guide to the city:

FOOD&DRINK
- Cervecería La Fabrica - Calle del Jesus, 2 - Best tapas (called canapés), small bar near the Prado, discrete selection of wines & drinks, local environment - Must eats: canapés al salmon / pulpo a la gallega (octopus w/garlic, oil & paprika) / bacalao / jamón ibérico (best variety of ham in Spain).
- Mercado de San Miguel - Plaza San Miguel, 1 - Historic site, it was an old market that has been rebuilt recently, inside you will find nice gourmeries where  you can taste good fresh seafood, wine and oysters, just steps from Puerta del Sol - it's always crowded so be patient.

Mercado de San Miguel from the outside

- Cervecería Alemana - Plaza Santa Ana, 6 - Nice place to hang out in the city center, to get a cold beer and do some people-watching in the square.
- For a drink and a snack, any bar in La Latina quarter, just pick the one you like.
- Museo del Jamón - various locations - You won't have trouble finding one of these restaurants decorated with ham. Open for breakfast, lunch, dinner or just a quick snack, they offer all kinds of cold meats (ham, chorizo, etc.) and typical dishes at very good prices. Some of their locations in the city center: Calle Alcalá, 155 - Gran Vía, 72 - Calle Atocha, 54

inside Museo del Jamón

ACCOMMODATION
Hostal Bruña:definitely not a 5-star hotel, this cozy little family hotel is in a quiet square steps away from the Prado museum and Atocha train station. Don't expect pools or spa (or breakfast), but just a very clean, simple room with bathroom; which is all you need after a full day wandering around Madrid. There are some good bars in the area so meals are not a problem. Oh, and the prices are really good!

SIGHTSEEING
The usual: Prado, Reina Sofía and Thyssen museums (all conveniently located not far from each other) - check on their websites when they offer free or reduced entrance fees; a walk in the Retiro park; typical sightseeing in Puerta del Sol, the royal palace, the Cibeles fountain, the Alcalá gate, etc.

the Alcalá gate

DAY TRIPS
- Toledo 
- Alcalá de Henares (Cervantes' birthplace)
- Escorial

somewhere in beautiful Toledo

SHOPPING
On the Gran Vía (Madrid's main street) you can find at least one shop of the main Spanish street fashion chains (which are a bit cheaper than in any other country): Zara, Mango, Bershka, Stradivarius, Pull&Bear, Oysho, Blanco, Women's Secret, Sfera, etc.
On Calle de Fuencarral, a street off the Gran Vía, you can find other famous brands like Desigual, Adolfo Dominguez and other Spanish and foreign designers.
Between Puerta del Sol and Callao squares you can find bigger shops and department stores like: El Corte Inglés, Fnac, H&M, etc.
For boutique shopping (pricey), Calle Serrano is the destination.

FAVORITE EXPERIENCES
- Having breakfast with oysters and cava wine at Mercado San Miguel
- Having a "quick snack" with a glass of Albariño and a delicious plate of pulpo a la gallega at Cervecería La Fábrica any time of the day.

Update: check out the folder "My Maps" to see a map of Madrid with all the spots in this post: http://www.tfoodie.com/p/my-maps.html