Let's cut to the chase. I spent the past four and a half months in Spain and it was the most wonderful experience I've had in my life. I meant to blog while I was there, I really did, but how can sitting in front of a computer screen writing to no one about the food I'm eating compare to exploring Cordoba's flower filled patios, spending the afternoon napping in the park under the hot, Andalucia sun, dining at a new tapas restaurant, or spending the weekend discovering some forgotten Spainish pueblo. Needless to say, my poor MacBook didn't get a lot of face time. Spanish culture is rich, vibrant, and enchanting. It was impossible not to spend every moment completely immersed and in love with it.
I could write a novel on Spanish food. Seriously. It was divine. But rather than berate you with my feelings towards olive oil or lecture you on the extraordinary qualities of jamon iberico, I thought I'd just show you some pictures. Because if a picture is really worth a thousand words, then these speak volumes. Take a look, and you'll begin to see why Spain will always hold a piece of my heart (and my stomach).
Sheep cheese swimming in the most divine olive oil you could imagine. Served alongside briny, succulent olives. Very Mediterranean.
A late morning breakfast on the balcony.
Produce from Barcelona's marketplace.
A sampling of San Sebastian's famous pinxtos.
More pinxtos.
Still more pinxtos. It's safe to say that we ate very well in San Sebastian.
Dates wrapped in bacon. Try not to drool all over the computer screen.
Patatas bravas, potatoes with a spicy creamy sauce.
Segovia is famous for roast suckling pig, so when we visited I naturally cast all of my moral inhibitions aside and ate it. It was absolutely incredible.
Typical Andalucian breakfast (that we incidentally ate in Castilla y Leon): Toast with a healthy slather of tomato sauce, covered with Spain's famous cured ham, and drizzled with olive oil. Served with a class of freshly squeezed orange juice and cafe con leche.
This pastry changed my life. It's called ponche segoviano and you can really only find it in Segovia itself. Imagine a layered dessert with pumpkin cake, cinnamon and nutmeg scented sugar, and vanilla pudding all wrapped in a roasted marshmellow-marzipan dough, sprinkled with powdered sugar, and then drizzled with sweet liquor. Okay, I'm not exactly sure if that's what it was, but that's sure what it tasted like. It was heaven. Don't be surprised to find a cute little pastry shop pop up in a few years selling this by the pound.
