Paella in Alicante . . . (Photo by Daniel Chow).
If you're searching for Christmas gifts and you've never read The Shadow Of The Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, then I just saved your day. It's not an intellectually stimulating philosophical work, but it's compelling and it takes place in Barcelona. It's a great little novel. Read it.
The greatest dessert in all of Spain . . . Churros con chocolate (Photo by Marta Lino at San Gines in Madrid). That said, I've never had churros con chocolate after paella. Perhaps it's too rich after a rich paella. But churros sure do remind of winter mornings in Barcelona . . .
Somewhere in Barcelona . . . (photo by Jeremy Keith)
The aftermath . . . (Photo by Grapa).
Sometimes you happen upon a paella so rich that it takes a serious stomach. I've come across my fair share of these during my time in Spain. (Photo by Paola Sucato).
Paella for everyone in Gijon (Photo by Manuel).
Matt Goulding just released a new book entitled Grape, Olive, Pig that I plan on reading as soon as reasonably possible. The book appears to be a food journey through Spain, and the excerpt on Saveur.com seems to validate that. "You're not going to find paella like this in a restaurant!" (Photo by Matt Goulding).
Pedro Almodovar is clearly the most famous film director in Spain (and maybe Europe). Now, after seeing nearly all of his movies, I still don't know if I am a fan. Some of his films resonate with me, but others are so overtly bizarre that I can't stomach them. That said, I absolutely love the music in nearly all of his films. There is an insightful article published in the New Yorker this week by DT Max. I recommend it. I had no idea that Almodovar loves Breaking Bad.
The only true way to make an authentic paella . . . on a fire of vineyard clippings (Photo by Jakob Renpening in Tregura Spain).
A number of variations of this statement are said on any given day in Spain among Paella chefs . . .
When your hosting a big group . . . (Photo by the Iglesia de Valladolid).
Deep deep thoughts at Lloret de Mar . . . (photo by muffinn).
La Paella Valenciana . . . simplicity is the ultimate sophistication (photo by Kent Wang).
The final step . . . (photo by Ben Sutherland)
“Paella in Barcelona?” you might ask. “I thought that Paella was born in Valencia?" Well, it was. But while purists will tell you to board the first train south to Valencia, us open-minded Catalanistas will tell you to hold your horses! The best Paella I have ever eaten was in Barcelona. Now granted, the chef on that occasion was a small bald man from Valencia named Federico. But good Paella is all around Barcelona . . . you simply need to know where to look. So here is my list of the top 5 locales serving the best paella in Barcelona.
1) Lombardo, on Rambla Catalunya 49 (not the Ramblas that tourists are so familiar with, but the avenue that runs west from Placa Catalunya toward the hill, which is much more authentic & lovely that the Ramblas with its crowds, prostitutes, pick-pockets, and bastardized cultural display).
2) Pitarra, in the Barrio Gotic on Calle Avinyo 56.
3) Can Majo, in Barceloneta, on L’Almirall Aixada 23.
4) Can Ros, also in Barceloneta, on L’Almirall Aixada 7.
5) Sete Portes, on Passeig Isabel II 14.
Finally, some people have reported to me that if you have good timing, you can find Paella in the hidden corners of the world famous La Boqueria market . . . but I have never been so lucky. So don’t be fooled by all of this “Valencia” talk. Remember, Barcelona is only 215 miles north of the Paella’s birthplace, so I simply don’t buy the argument that there is no good Paella in the city. Hit the cobblestones and start looking.
(Photo by Bastien Deceuninck).
1) Lombardo, on Rambla Catalunya 49 (not the Ramblas that tourists are so familiar with, but the avenue that runs west from Placa Catalunya toward the hill, which is much more authentic & lovely that the Ramblas with its crowds, prostitutes, pick-pockets, and bastardized cultural display).
2) Pitarra, in the Barrio Gotic on Calle Avinyo 56.
3) Can Majo, in Barceloneta, on L’Almirall Aixada 23.
4) Can Ros, also in Barceloneta, on L’Almirall Aixada 7.
5) Sete Portes, on Passeig Isabel II 14.
Finally, some people have reported to me that if you have good timing, you can find Paella in the hidden corners of the world famous La Boqueria market . . . but I have never been so lucky. So don’t be fooled by all of this “Valencia” talk. Remember, Barcelona is only 215 miles north of the Paella’s birthplace, so I simply don’t buy the argument that there is no good Paella in the city. Hit the cobblestones and start looking.
(Photo by Bastien Deceuninck).
I had never heard of Omar Allibhoy prior to seeing this video, but now I'm a follower. He nails some of the basic truths of paella by saying that (i) his reputation is on the line because Valencianos are religiously particular about their paella, (ii) add lots of salt, (iii) use chicken with the bone & skin, (iv) always use short grain rice, and (v) DON'T STIR once the rice is even.
Omar is from Madrid and worked at El Bulli under Ferran Adria. So he's no amateur. He now lives in London. I think I'll watch him a little more closely. Eh?
Omar is from Madrid and worked at El Bulli under Ferran Adria. So he's no amateur. He now lives in London. I think I'll watch him a little more closely. Eh?
The best part of Spain in November? Cool nights & street corner roasted chestnuts in a paper cone. No question. (Photo by F Mira)
I'm a big proponent of some good bread with your paella . . . (Photo by Sodexo USA).
It's no secret that I'm a big fan of the Catalan chef Jose Andres. I loved his PBS series "Made in Spain" . . . if you can find those episodes anywhere, I highly recommend them. So I was jazzed to hear him interviewed this week on the well known podcast How I Built This (by NPR). Give it a listen. It's priceless. From the interview:
"My father would always cook on Sundays for family and friends . . . and he would make a big paella, but he would never let me cook. He would always put me in charge of making the fire. He would send me to the forest to pick up the wood. And I got so upset, I said 'Dad, i want to cook.' And he said, 'No, I need you in charge of the fire.' And when the paella was finished, he pulled me aside and said 'Son, I thought that you understood, I gave you the most important task, the cooking itself is easy if someone is controlling the fire. You wanna be a great cook? Be in charge of the fire. Then you will be able to cook whatever you want in life. That was a big lesson."
"My father would always cook on Sundays for family and friends . . . and he would make a big paella, but he would never let me cook. He would always put me in charge of making the fire. He would send me to the forest to pick up the wood. And I got so upset, I said 'Dad, i want to cook.' And he said, 'No, I need you in charge of the fire.' And when the paella was finished, he pulled me aside and said 'Son, I thought that you understood, I gave you the most important task, the cooking itself is easy if someone is controlling the fire. You wanna be a great cook? Be in charge of the fire. Then you will be able to cook whatever you want in life. That was a big lesson."
Artichoke might seem to be an unorthodox ingredient for your Paella. But I once sat next to a middle-aged man with a grey beard on a train in Barcelona who, with fire in his bones, told me that a Paella is not a Pealla unless it contains quartered artichokes.
“Artichoke?” I asked. “I’ve never eaten a Paella with artichoke!”
“Bahhhhh” he responded with a wave of his hand, “then you have never eaten Paella!”
So artichoke in Paella? Yes, it can be done even though it isn’t done too frequently. And the artichoke is actually native to the Mediterranean region, so why not? In fact, I am seeing a growing trend in Spain (and the US) whereby artichoke is becoming the new hip Paella ingredient. My friend on the train suggested that the artichoke be quartered and added to the hot oil from the outset (alongside the bell peppers). He promised me that, if nothing else, the artichoke could be thrown away when the Paella is finished, but the flavor will remain . . . for years to come (Spaniards are the ultimate models of using hyperbole to make a point). (Photo by Muaro Cateb).
“Artichoke?” I asked. “I’ve never eaten a Paella with artichoke!”
“Bahhhhh” he responded with a wave of his hand, “then you have never eaten Paella!”
So artichoke in Paella? Yes, it can be done even though it isn’t done too frequently. And the artichoke is actually native to the Mediterranean region, so why not? In fact, I am seeing a growing trend in Spain (and the US) whereby artichoke is becoming the new hip Paella ingredient. My friend on the train suggested that the artichoke be quartered and added to the hot oil from the outset (alongside the bell peppers). He promised me that, if nothing else, the artichoke could be thrown away when the Paella is finished, but the flavor will remain . . . for years to come (Spaniards are the ultimate models of using hyperbole to make a point). (Photo by Muaro Cateb).
You are living right when you stumble upon this street in Valencia . . . (photo by Keith Ellwood at Las Fallas in Valencia).
This 1981 painting is called "Study For The Paella" by Australian painter John Henry Olsen. It's 12 feet long & 5 feet tall and is currently on temporary exhibition at the NGV in Melbourne. It's interesting, isn't it? Reminiscent of Joan Miro?
This looks like a good start . . . coals + olive oil + salt + chicken legs + rabbit (?). (Photo by Carquinyol).
The beauty of this paella in Valencia is that it's sitting on an old egg carton inside a restaurant. I've never seen that before, but I love it. (Photo by CucombreLibre).
If you've ever wondered whether you should buckle down and learn Spanish, this will convince that you that ,YES, you should . . . Bebe is a Spanish singer from Valencia, and her control of the language is admirable.
The meditation stage of the paella . . . where you sit back, relax, and watch the process. And don't stir! (Photo by Mark Crossfield).
This is a photo of Basque pigeon hunters Jean Labiaguerre & Peiro Amestoy (photo by Celine Clanet). The NY Times recently published a piece entitled "Hunting Pigeon in the Pyrenees" which describes the centuries-old tradition of hunting pigeons with paddles and nets in the Basque Country. Because pigeon is considered a very rich tasting game, it made me wonder if any Basques (or other Spaniards) have ever made paella with pigeon. I've never seen it, but I have to assume it's been done since Spaniards use everything from chicken, to duck, to rabbit, to snails in their paella. Please ping me if you've ever heard of "Pigeon Paella." From the article:
"[In the Basque Country], whitewashed split-timber hamlets dot the velvety mountainsides, and close, intergenerational family networks are doing better than most. Every fall, local men of all ages are stricken with what Herve Etchemendy, who comes from the village of Lecumberry, calls "the blue fever," taking off work to disperse throughout the peaks of the Pyrenees to hunt. "When October arrives," he says, "work isn't too productive. We're constantly looking to the sky. We've all had the fever since we were little."
"[In the Basque Country], whitewashed split-timber hamlets dot the velvety mountainsides, and close, intergenerational family networks are doing better than most. Every fall, local men of all ages are stricken with what Herve Etchemendy, who comes from the village of Lecumberry, calls "the blue fever," taking off work to disperse throughout the peaks of the Pyrenees to hunt. "When October arrives," he says, "work isn't too productive. We're constantly looking to the sky. We've all had the fever since we were little."
Last week, it was widely reported that a 62 year old woman in Spain had a baby. While this is bizarre to me, it validates a belief of mine that Paella (and the Mediterranean diet in general) is really good for you. For example:
1) The olive oil is loaded in monounsaturated fat which can lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol while increasing HDL cholesterol (the good kind). It's also a great source of antioxidants including vitamin E.
2) Fish, especially oily fish, is high in omega 3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat which also lowers cholesterol. In 2002, the American Heart Association made a recommendation to the general public to include at least 2 servings of fish per week.
3) Vegetables are high in beneficial fiber and antioxidants, which help prevent both heart disease and cancer. Indeed, a recent study published in January of 2006 by London researchers showed that 5 servings of vegetables a day reduce the risk of stroke by 25%.
4) Other bombshell health benefits of the Mediterranean diet include (i) reduced risk of cancer, (ii) 30% reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, (iii) 83% reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and (iv) alleviation of pain for sufferers of arthritis.
When I lived in Barcelona, not a day went by without some Spaniard (or Catalan, to be more precise) preaching to me the celestial benefits of the Mediterranean diet. It looks like the research back these zealous Spaniards up. So go ahead and fire up the coals . . . Eat Lots of Paella. Viva! (Photo by Hernan Pinera)
1) The olive oil is loaded in monounsaturated fat which can lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol while increasing HDL cholesterol (the good kind). It's also a great source of antioxidants including vitamin E.
2) Fish, especially oily fish, is high in omega 3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat which also lowers cholesterol. In 2002, the American Heart Association made a recommendation to the general public to include at least 2 servings of fish per week.
3) Vegetables are high in beneficial fiber and antioxidants, which help prevent both heart disease and cancer. Indeed, a recent study published in January of 2006 by London researchers showed that 5 servings of vegetables a day reduce the risk of stroke by 25%.
4) Other bombshell health benefits of the Mediterranean diet include (i) reduced risk of cancer, (ii) 30% reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, (iii) 83% reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and (iv) alleviation of pain for sufferers of arthritis.
When I lived in Barcelona, not a day went by without some Spaniard (or Catalan, to be more precise) preaching to me the celestial benefits of the Mediterranean diet. It looks like the research back these zealous Spaniards up. So go ahead and fire up the coals . . . Eat Lots of Paella. Viva! (Photo by Hernan Pinera)
PaellaPorn.com is doing science now by compiling data across the web related to recipes by legitimate Paella chefs in Valencia. The findings? Fascinating. Specifically, (i) virtually no chefs use sausage of any kind in Paella Valenciana, (ii) 42% of chefs use duck leg (I've never had duck in paella), and (iii) both garlic and onion hover below the 50% use mark.
The best kind of autumn afternoon . . . a paella festival in Torrent, Spain. By my count, that's a dozen paellas lined up and ready to be eaten (photo by Premsa Ajuntament de Torrent).
Even the word looks good . . .
Another beautiful example of why you don't stir the paella . . . (photo by Elizabeth Joseph somewhere in Barcelona).
The NYTimes did a solid job with its 36 Hours in San Sebastian, Spain yesterday. This is perhaps one of the most unique cities in Spain, and its loaded with culinary hotspots. I've only been once, but it's worth a trip. And if nothing else, remember that this is where the masterpiece novel "The Sun Also Rises" ends in beautiful melancholy after all of the partying in Pamplona. Worth re-reading if you haven't.
Outside La Iglesia de Valladolid . . .
My time in San Fran continues, so last night I strolled over to Bocadillos. I love this place. They don't serve paella, but their tapas are top-notch, and even more importantly, their 'bocadillos' (or sandwiches) are amazing. They're served on small warm baguettes with such items as Catalan sausage, lamb, or salmon. I'm a sucker for these little bocadillos because, in Spain, there are little commercial sandwich shops everywhere (like Bocatta and Pans y Company) that similarly sell sandwiches on warm & crispy baguettes. So if you're in San Francisco, I'd highly recommend Bocadillos. It's worth your time.
My San Francisco days continue . . . so last evening I walked over to Bask in the financial district. I didn't have the paella because it was early in the evening and the owner seemed surprised to see me (in fact, I had to ask "can I eat?"). So I just had a few tapas, which were fine. This joint is really close to Bocadillos (which I love) & Piperade (maybe I'll go there tonight?), which makes the financial district of San Francisco perhaps the most Basque-centric neighborhood in the US?
I'm still in San Francisco, so last night I went to Bellota (which means 'acorn' in Spanish). This is a new restaurant (about 6 months old). First of all, take an Uber there because the walk is a bit sketchy. But once inside Bellota, you'll be blown away. The epicenter of the restaurant is the robust kitchen where everything is grilled and cooked over an open flame of almond tree wood (or so I was told). I had the "Pollo Paella" which actually had cider braised apple in it (new to me . . .). The paella was really good (although not authentic by any means). We also had the Pan, Tortilla, and some miscellaneous tapas. Pretty amazing locale.
Last night I nailed the Arros Negre (or squid ink paella) at B44 in San Francisco. It's known as a Catalan Bistro, and it was my second time there, and I remain a big fan. The squid ink paella is a shallow paella with squid, sepia, clams, peas, peppers, and of course the rice in squid ink. It's soooo rich that you can't eat too much of it. So get a few little tapas beforehand, and you'll be fine. This little restaurant is located down some back alley where the seating pours out onto the sidewalk. If you've got the chance, give it a try. (Photo by me . . . in the dark).
Like I've said before, one of the great reasons to become a paella aficionado is the character of the chefs themselves. This dude looks as if he has strong paella opinions. Don't talk to him while he's making his paella! (Photo by Ajuntament de San Sadurni).
I am very pleased with this news . . . Disney is creating a Don Quixote film in the same vein as Pirates of the Caribbean. It's no secret that I've long been an advocate of Miguel De Cervantes' amazing novel "Don Quixote De La Mancha." I generally agree with hispanophiles that, aside from sacred writ (i.e. the Bible, etc.), Don Quixote is the most important book in the world.
Several years ago, TNT did a pretty good representation of the novel with John Lithgow as Don Quixote. I'm excited to see what Disney can do with it. Really excited.
Several years ago, TNT did a pretty good representation of the novel with John Lithgow as Don Quixote. I'm excited to see what Disney can do with it. Really excited.
(Photo by Yasmapaz) . . .
If you're house hunting in Spain, this beauty is on the market for $2.9 million according to the NY Times. Located on the Costa Del Sol, this 6,437 square foot "Paella Palace" is flanked with cork trees throughout the 2.2 acre lot. Yes, cork trees (as seen in this photo). Can you imagine the afternoon paellas by the pool while the Andalusian breeze rattles the leaves of the cork trees? One can dream . . .
The good ol squid ink paella . . . it's often just called "arroz negro" or "black rice." Long story short, if you add some squid ink to your paella, it will turn it black. I don't eat arroz negro very often, but that doesn't mean it isn't a legitimate alternative to traditional paella. (Photo by Matt Brown).
One of the things that rivals my love for Paella & Spain is Bicycles (road + mountain). This video from Specialized Bicycles show the amazing Ainsa Spain and its natural surroundings. Sometimes Spain's geography is overshadowed by its towns and culture, but its geography can be pretty stellar too.
Eggs . . . I'm seeing a trend of online photos with eggs on top of paellas. In all of my time in Spain, I have never been served a paella with eggs. In fact, I didn't even want to post a picture of paella with eggs as a "Don't-Do-This" lesson lest anyone misconstrue the photo as my acceptance of this culinary blasphemy. And to be fair, I'm not a strict traditionalist when it comes to paella (i.e. I like chorizo and other sausage in paella), but eggs? I can't get on board with that. (Photo of eggs not on top of a paella by David Goehring).
So I plead with you all, please, please, don't ever put eggs on top of your paella. Thank you.
So I plead with you all, please, please, don't ever put eggs on top of your paella. Thank you.