khassandraSpain- to the south
October 31st 2006 22:34
Southern Spain
I must clarify that in my previous posting, the industrial smog referred to San Sebastian- not Barcelona.
Spain- to the south
My first impression of southern Spain was from work colleagues in London during the 70’s. Their idea of ‘an economical holiday abroad where you felt right at home" was a seaside venue complete with ‘English’ bars and fish ‘n chip outlets! Their destination?- Costa del Sol and Costa Brava-.where holiday packages were both prolific and cheap! The idea of coach loads of revellers making ‘their annual pilgrimage’ south was not at all appealing!
It was with some trepidation that I accepted an opportunity of a driving holiday around the south of Spain. The plan was to ‘go in search of Salvador Dali and explore artistic delights along the way’.
We landed on the north east coastline and proceeded to travel south (after leaving the aforesaid San Sebastian).
I decided that ‘no schedule’ was the way to go, stopping whenever we saw anything interesting. This way we could enjoy the journey to the full- basking on beaches to enjoy warm balmy days, and frequent local tavernas for sustenance. It quickly became a daily habit to buy churros snacks- fried long pieces of batter with serrated edges, sprinkled with ample sugar and sold at seaside vendor carts or at churreria’s.
I love chorizos, the meaty, fine textured Spanish sausage. Chorizos and other sausages are found everywhere- smoked, some laced with wine or herbs, mild, or hot. Be sure to check if they are ready to eat rather than raw! Ham or Jamon is another favourite; similar to the Italian Parma ham yet distinctly different; as with most specialties, there is the highest quality that I was told is Jamon Serrano.
Most dishes in Spain contain ingredients such as olive oil, paprika, onions, saffron and why not? 70% of the world’s saffron is grown in Spain from the purple crocus flower. Essential in many culinary recipes, saffron is extremely expensive to buy due to the need to hand pick during harvest time. The price varies according to the quality. It is definitely a must-buy should you travel to Spain.
Back to my travels. I decided to stay at a little fishing port close to Cadeques- home of Dali. The little harbour invited a visit early each morning to watch the fishermen unload their catch. The sight of various pesche and shellfish; small sardines, red schnappers, gambas- plump prawns, calamari, octopus gave me ideas for lunch! I took rooms in a small hotel on the beachfront- both basic and very comfortable. Best of all, it saved me walking a long way to retire after a night’s feasting and drinking! My ‘nightcap’ of choice was a large deep cup of strong coffee laced with a generous pour of Grand Marnier- topped off with a square of vanilla icecream!- Try it!
I had read up on Dali and seen pictures of his art- all rather strange to me, and some reminiscent of bad dreams! An article once reported that ‘Dali loved his wife Gala so much that he vowed to eat her upon her death to prove his love for her’…yuk! He had also written a book on ‘the history of farts!"- yes he was a strange one! Our visit to Cadeques was extremely interesting. I reserve my right to admire immensely this unique and colourful artist- but I still would not hang his paintings in my parlour!
Back to food. I have already remarked on my northern Spain piece about my love for Spanish bread- ‘Pan de Horno’- despite coming across many recipes for it, I am convinced you need Spanish flour to create the extra crusty and unique flavour that I remember. The accompaniment? - cheese.
Cheese- ah how I love cheeses. In Spain you will find it in all tastes and textures. The lush countryside gives life to a wide variety made from cow’s, goat or sheep’s milk. Marinated, smoked, and laced with liquor, blue, white or golden in colour- you will find something special to suit your palate.
I loved to snack with a thick slice of bread rubbed with one of the many excellent varieties of extra virgin olive oil, and topped with a generous chunk of cheese and/or sausage.
Off to Wales tomorrow……
I must clarify that in my previous posting, the industrial smog referred to San Sebastian- not Barcelona.
Spain- to the south
My first impression of southern Spain was from work colleagues in London during the 70’s. Their idea of ‘an economical holiday abroad where you felt right at home" was a seaside venue complete with ‘English’ bars and fish ‘n chip outlets! Their destination?- Costa del Sol and Costa Brava-.where holiday packages were both prolific and cheap! The idea of coach loads of revellers making ‘their annual pilgrimage’ south was not at all appealing!
It was with some trepidation that I accepted an opportunity of a driving holiday around the south of Spain. The plan was to ‘go in search of Salvador Dali and explore artistic delights along the way’.
We landed on the north east coastline and proceeded to travel south (after leaving the aforesaid San Sebastian).
I decided that ‘no schedule’ was the way to go, stopping whenever we saw anything interesting. This way we could enjoy the journey to the full- basking on beaches to enjoy warm balmy days, and frequent local tavernas for sustenance. It quickly became a daily habit to buy churros snacks- fried long pieces of batter with serrated edges, sprinkled with ample sugar and sold at seaside vendor carts or at churreria’s.
I love chorizos, the meaty, fine textured Spanish sausage. Chorizos and other sausages are found everywhere- smoked, some laced with wine or herbs, mild, or hot. Be sure to check if they are ready to eat rather than raw! Ham or Jamon is another favourite; similar to the Italian Parma ham yet distinctly different; as with most specialties, there is the highest quality that I was told is Jamon Serrano.
Back to my travels. I decided to stay at a little fishing port close to Cadeques- home of Dali. The little harbour invited a visit early each morning to watch the fishermen unload their catch. The sight of various pesche and shellfish; small sardines, red schnappers, gambas- plump prawns, calamari, octopus gave me ideas for lunch! I took rooms in a small hotel on the beachfront- both basic and very comfortable. Best of all, it saved me walking a long way to retire after a night’s feasting and drinking! My ‘nightcap’ of choice was a large deep cup of strong coffee laced with a generous pour of Grand Marnier- topped off with a square of vanilla icecream!- Try it!
I had read up on Dali and seen pictures of his art- all rather strange to me, and some reminiscent of bad dreams! An article once reported that ‘Dali loved his wife Gala so much that he vowed to eat her upon her death to prove his love for her’…yuk! He had also written a book on ‘the history of farts!"- yes he was a strange one! Our visit to Cadeques was extremely interesting. I reserve my right to admire immensely this unique and colourful artist- but I still would not hang his paintings in my parlour!
Back to food. I have already remarked on my northern Spain piece about my love for Spanish bread- ‘Pan de Horno’- despite coming across many recipes for it, I am convinced you need Spanish flour to create the extra crusty and unique flavour that I remember. The accompaniment? - cheese.
Cheese- ah how I love cheeses. In Spain you will find it in all tastes and textures. The lush countryside gives life to a wide variety made from cow’s, goat or sheep’s milk. Marinated, smoked, and laced with liquor, blue, white or golden in colour- you will find something special to suit your palate.
I loved to snack with a thick slice of bread rubbed with one of the many excellent varieties of extra virgin olive oil, and topped with a generous chunk of cheese and/or sausage.
Off to Wales tomorrow……
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