Whether or not you believe it was Christopher Columbus who discovered America, there is one thing we can all agree on, the only thing fresh on the menu while at sea was likely caught off the side of the boat. The pantry necessary for Christopher Columbus’ journey had to feed a hungry crew for several weeks and endure extreme weather conditions.

Just for fun, we did a little research and figured a boat leaving the Spanish port of Palos de la Frontera in 1492 might be stocked with these delicious staples:

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Categories:	Holiday • Mediterranean • Spanish • Travel	2 Comments
Tags:	1942 • Christopher Columbus • Christopher Columbus food

I had images of barbecuing all weekend, kicking it in the sun while languidly listening to the waves lap against the side of our boat, reading my Kindle and favorite food mags.

But instead of sun we got rain.
Lots of rain.
And wind. (Give me a moment to dab my eyes).

Mean Mother Nature waylaid those grand plans (can’t you go down to the fires in LA where they need you?), and we’ve been stuck inside like it’s already fall. Instead of barbecuing we’ve been cooking up an International storm indoors. Last night, inspired by his days long ago in Spain, Barnaby created a fabulous forget-about-barbecue meal that made us feel like we were sitting in a Madrid cafe.

The day before, we made the picturesque trek over to Taylor Shellfish in Shelton, WA and picked up an assortment of oysters, mussels and clams. On our way home we stopped off Pike Place Market for chanterelle mushrooms and a visit to The Spanish Table for chorizo.

Off to our warm and dry shelter for dinner! Barnaby gently sweated some garlic in olive oil then cooked the chanterelles, topping them with freshly chopped parsley. In another pot, he sauteed slices of the smoky, bold chorizo with tender fingerling potatoes. Adding white wine and bay leaves he simmered the clams into a dish known in Spanish as Almejas con Chorizo. The aroma alone was enough to make you want to dance the Flamenco.

We served it up with a warm rustic bread, tender green salad, a good Rioja, and even better company.

Go to Foodista for the recipe:

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Categories:	Fish & Seafood • Shellfish • Spanish	4 Comments
Tags:	chanterelle m • chanterelle mushrooms • chanterelles • chorizo • clams • Spanish

There’s an old cliché that says, “People who like politics and sausage shouldn’t watch either being made.”  I watched Barnaby make the latter yesterday and I can attest that the cliché stands true. The result, I must admit, is mighty fine and actually quite lovely looking (and tasting!).

But let me start at the beginning…

Having always wanted to make sausage we purchased a food grinder with sausage maker attachment for our KitchenAid mixer. The grinder produced perfect mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving, not the glutinous masses that can easily result from over mashing, and was the easiest 8-pound batch of mashed potatoes I’ve ever made. Let me add, even much better and easier than a ricer. So we embarked on sausage making, or I should say, Barnaby embarked on sausage making.

We started at Uwajimaya where we found natural casings. I quickly learned that the ugliness of sausage making occurs before the actual sausage making begins. To be blunt, the casings look much like the first cousin of tapeworms.  I have photos but decided they just weren’t something your kind eyes needed to see. Let not this ugly part deter you! Be strong, sometimes good food requires you to push through a bit of grossness in order to arrive at divinity.

Barnaby, having studied in Spain, decided to go with a chorizo recipe for his test batch. He first ran the fresh pork and spices through the grinder in order to remove as much of the connective tissue as possible. Then, he cut about a 4-foot length of casing and slid it on to the stuffing tube. With a flip of the “On” switch we were in sausage making business! What we weren’t expecting was the pockets of air that began to form in the tube. Think forced meat meets balloon making machine. We simply poked holes with a toothpick where necessary, per the manufacturer’s instructions, and all was well. After about 5 or so inches of meat filling he gave it a few twists, then started filling again. Fun times!

Let me tell you, homemade chorizo, with its fresh ground pork and succulent spices, sure does taste gooooood! Although, I have to say,  I am a bit concerned as to how the ones hanging in our basement will age. Between you and me, I’ll let Barnaby taste the fruits of his labor first!

Chorizo
Adapted from Craig Claiborne’s New York Times Cookbook

2 pounds lean pork
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 small hot red peppers, minced, or 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper lakes
1/4 cup vinegar
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 yard sausage casing

Grind the pork, using the coarse blade of the meat grinder. Add the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Using about 1-2 yards at a time, work all but a few inches of casing onto the sausage stuffer, then tie a know at the end. Feed the meat through the grinder and into the casing. Twist into links about 5 inches or so. If desired, hang the links in a cool place to dry. The dried sausage will keep for several weeks, or cook as you would fresh sausage.

Makes approximately 2 pounds.

For another Chorizo recipes click here:

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Categories:	Cooking tips • Meat & Poultry • Spanish	5 Comments
Tags:	chorizo • Food • foodista • homemade chorizo • sausage making • spanish sausage

Derived from the Arabic word meaning “bowl”, Cazuelas are traditional Spanish terra cotta dishes and cookware. Like many classics, the dishes are minimalist, made of earth fired clay, but have thoroughly modern attributes as well. They can go from stove top to microwave to oven to table with equal aplomb. The glaze is lead free and the pans are suitable for a wide range of cooking and serving applications.

The dishes must be soaked prior to first use but thereafter are simple to clean and maintain. A true multipurpose item, in our kitchen we like these so much we call them “super pans”! There are some weeks, particularly in casserole season, when I barely reach for anything else. The pans also hold their heat for ages, ideal for keeping food hot during serving and at the table. Also very forgiving when the “side” dish is ready ahead of the main, not that this ever happens to us except when it does.

Cazuelas can be found online at The Spanish Table, and La Tienda and also at many gourmet retailers and restaurant supply stores. We get ours locally in Los Angeles at Surfas in Culver City, however the selection is better at the Spanish specialty sellers for sure.

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Categories:	Middle Eastern • Spanish • kitchen equipment	1 Comment
Tags:	bowl • cazuelas • cookery • Spanish • terra cotta

Photo: WordRidden

In 2002 Barnaby and I flew to Mexico City, then hopped another plane bound for the beautiful land of Cuba. (Knock, knock, knock. Excuse me, I think that must be the Department of Treasury at my door). Barnaby was there legally as part of the Havana Film Festival. I, on the other hand, was the renegade American. I smiled a big I’m-so-happy-to-be-here grin at the Customs agent who looked at my passport and handed it back to me unstamped. “Welcome to Cuba,” he said, sporting an even bigger grin.

I felt naughty being there. And I liked it.

Havana is like a beautiful aging actress whose lipstick bleeds and foundation is cakey. You see signs of her former glory, her sexiness, her mystique, but the luster has left long ago. All she needs is a face lift and a good shot of Botox.

On our first night venturing out for food we were approached by a jinetero, which literally translates to “jockey” but more loosely to hustler, who escorted us to a paladar. Paladares are small, unadvertised family owned and operated restaurants. In exchange for high taxes the government allows families to operate these restaurants, but they must seat no more than 12 people at a time and serve only local food: pork, seafood (if you’re lucky) black beans and rice (Moors and Christians) and simple salads. The nice thing about paladares is you get good quality home-cooked food while experiencing Cuban culture.

Being unadvertised we didn’t mind the aid of the jinetero. In fact, each night we welcomed the help of jineteros. Being fluent in Spanish it was easy for Barnaby to ask about the paladar to which we were being taken. One such place specialized in smoked pork chops. We’d had a lot of pork so we welcomed the new cooking method and told the jinetero we’d love to go. His friend ran ahead to tell owners we were coming. Apparently not many Americans visited this mostly locals only place so I’m sure the finder’s fee was good.

Down one quaint run-down street after another we went until we found ourselves in front of a once grand old home. We rang the bell and the door opened. Up the narrow staircase we climbed to another gated door. We were greeted cheerfully by a flamboyant transvestite who owned the “not so legal” paladar with his lover. We invited our two new jinetero friends to join us for lunch and the four of us embarked on the meal of a lifetime. For us, sitting in an unknown, impossible to find gem of a restaurant in a forbidden country; for them, eating a meal they couldn’t afford.

The lovers gave us a tour of their sparkling kitchen that was part cooking lesson, part La Cage aux Folles. I loved it. They brought out heaps of flavorful beans and rice, salad, ice cold beers, and the pièce de résistance: their smoked pork chops. To this day I have yet to have a more succulent, tender and juicy piece of smoked pork. Delicious ones indeed I have found at Latino markets in the U.S., but none that quite compare. They were that good.

They were embargo-ending good.

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Categories:	Latin • Meat & Poultry • Restaurants • Spanish • Travel	2 Comments
Tags:	Cuba • Food • foodista • jinerteros • paladar • paladares • pork • smoked pork chops • Travel

Croquettes, or in Spanish croquetas, are small, lightly breaded fritters that are deep fried. A common variety in Spain is the potato and ham croquette, or croquetas de patatas y jamon. Fluffy and smooth mashed potatoes mixed with small bits of ham make these a perfect appetizer, side dish, or your own at-home tapa. A delicious comfort food any time of year.

Potato Croquettes with Ham
Recipe adapted from 1080 Recipes

1 cup finely chopped Black Forest ham, prosciutto, or other dry cured ham
3 1/2 lbs red potatoes, unpeeled
2 eggs, separated
1 clove garlic
Sunflower oil, for deep-frying
Salt

Place potatoes in a large stock pot, fill with cold water, cover and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, then continue to cook for 20-30 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Drain, peel, and mash the potatoes before they cool. Mix the diced ham with the mashed potatoes and beat in the egg yolk.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a small skillet. Add the clove of garlic and cook until slightly browned. Remove from oil and, in a mortar or on a cutting board, mash with a pinch of salt to create a paste. Add the garlic paste to the potato mixture.

Whisk the egg whites and a pinch of salt in a bowl until they form soft peaks. Fold into the potato mixture.

With damp hands, shape the mixture into croquettes (cylinders or small patties). Heat the remaining oil in a deep-fryer or deep saucepan to 350-375 degrees. Add the croquettes in batches of about 6 and cook until golden brown.

Drain well and serve immediately. Delicious with garlic mayonnaise!

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Categories:	Cooking tips • Latin • Meat & Poultry • Mediterranean • Spanish • Veggies	6 Comments
Tags:	croquetas • croquettes • Food • foodista • ham • jamon • potato • Spanish • tapas

You can’t have tapas without having a good sausage or two, and the two that top my list are cantipalitos and morcilla.

Cantipalitos are little red sausages with smoked paprika – an essential ingredient in Spanish cooking – and garlic (among a few other things). They are smoky sweet with a nice garlic tang, and are wonderful grilled over an open flame or stewed in red wine.

Morcilla is blood sausage (known as blood pudding in the UK). Yes, it is a blood-based food – and I know the prospect of dining on blood sounds a bit vampiric – but I promise, it will knock your socks off, and in a good way. I really don’t recommend you read too deeply the history or preparation of this deliciously rich and tender food as I’m afraid you won’t eat it! But trust me, it’s worth the mystery.

We grilled both sausages and served with green olives, (smashed, drizzled with olive oil, and tossed with lemon zest and sliced garlic), roasted and marinated zucchini and a simple green salad.

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Categories:	Latin • Meat & Poultry • Salads • Seasoning & Spices • Spanish • Veggies	5 Comments
Tags:	cantipalitos • Food • foodista • morcilla • sausage • Spain • Spanish • tapas

I have a deep love for cheese. Actually, it borders on an addiction, but (so far) I am able to live my life normally.

Does flying to Argentina for cheese count as normal?

A couple of years ago Barnaby I went to Argentina to visit friends. Really, it was to visit friends, the cheese (and wine, meat, leather!) was just a bonus. After our visit in the glorious Buenos Aires, we rented a car and headed into the pampas. Destination: Tandil, home of the famous Epoca de Quesos (Epoch of Cheese).

The Epoca de Quesos is housed in one of Tandil’s oldest buildings just off of the main square. This charming building was constructed in 1860 and operated as a staging post for travelers, when it took the better part of a month to get to Tandil from Buenos Aires. In the 1920’s it was converted into a general store and then in 1990 became an eatery to showcase the region’s incredibly rich tradition of artisinal cheese and cold-cut production.

The selection of cheeses offered was nothing short of fantastical…herbed, studded with chili peppers, dusted with smoked paprika; fresh-made to aged and ranging from the milk of cows, to goats and sheep. The old wooden shelves were laden with many cheeses I’d never seen or heard of before and the smell! Well, the smell was a bit like old, nasty milk at a vintage dairy. But to a cheese lover, it was perfume.

In addition to their bodacious assortment of traditional cheeses, they offer about 40 different cold cuts – salami, prosciutto, chorizo, mortadella – as well as other delicious snacks; beer and wine; and goodies.

Like the travelers of old, we settled into the back garden after a long dusty drive. They offered a variety of house tasting menus for 30-40 pesos each (about $10 USD). We chose a mix of meats and cheeses, which came on a rustic wooden board with a country bread. Adding to our delight was a wonderful bottle of red wine and an old-fashioned siphon of cold seltzer.

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Categories:	Beverages • Cheese • Latin • Meat & Poultry • Spanish • Travel • wine	3 Comments
Tags:	Argentina • bread • Buenos Aires • Cheese • epoca de quesos • Food • foodista • meat • pampas • queso • salami • sausage • Tandil • wine

There is a Spanish restaurant, Iberia, in Menlo Park, California that we used to love to go to for tapas. One of my favorite things to have was pa amb tomàquet. Catalan for “bread with tomato,” pa amb tomàquet is simple to make and simply delicious. It consists of toasted bread rubbed with tomato and is sometimes accompanied or topped with sausage, ham, anchovies, grilled vegetables or cheese. My favorite version at Iberia is served with a layer of hand-sliced cured ham, which is cut off of a beautiful leg perched on the bar.

This easy appetizer, or meal if served with salad, takes no culinary skill to prepare. Simply toast slices of a good quality bread, cut a tomato in half and rub it on one side and lay a slice or two of prosciutto on top.

Delicioso!

(Thanks to Tinet.org for their beautiful image).

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Categories:	Restaurants • Spanish	1 Comment
Tags:	appetizer • Food • foodista • Iberia • Restaurants • Spanish • tapas

“Get those skinny ones out of here and bring in the short, pudgy ones!”

Would that not be great if that is what we heard at Parisian fashion shows? Sigh, how life for women would change. But, alas, I speak not of fashion models, the plump beauties I’m talking about are Spanish Marcona almonds. These are the voluptuous Rubenesque sister of the regular almonds of which we are all familiar, and are blanched to reveal their creamy white skin. They also contain a higher fat content making them velvety and mild.

Long preferred as the almond of choice by chefs, Marconas are also quickly becoming the hot item to serve at swanky bars for noshing enjoyment. And the fat lady sings.

Oh, and get this, there is as much linoleic acid – an essential fatty acid good for your heart and circulation – in two almonds as there is in two and a half pints of milk! That just makes my heart go pitter patter.

Try this delicious sounding recipe for Spanish Tortilla with Almond Romesco from MyRecipes.

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Categories:	Fruit • Nuts • Spanish	4 Comments
Tags:	almonds • Food • foodista • Fruit • marcona almonds • Nuts • snacks; linoleic acid