snapshot from Toledo, Spain

Holy Cathedral of Toledo

This last week, our dear friends Patrick and Emma earned the dubious distinction of being our first visitors from home. I say "earned" and "dubious" because the trip may have been much more enjoyable for Steve and me than it was for them; let's just say that we're still working out the kinks of being tour guides. (Sorry again about that 2.5 hour commute from Alcalá scenic tour of Madrid's outskirts.)

It was wonderful to see Patrick and Emma and spend quality time with them; since they live on the East Coast, we typically see them only once or twice a year. Selfishly, it was also a great opportunity for us to reflect on what we love most about Madrid and to share those things with our friends. Some of those things--leisurely meals eaten al fresco, wandering the picturesque cobblestone streets, chocolate and churros at Chocolateria San Ginés--translated pretty well. However, I think my favorite memories from this past week will be the stranger adventures we shared: buying almond cookies from cloistered nuns and meeting a nice couple from good ol' Bellevue, WA in the convent; exploring the medieval hilltop town of Toledo; and eating approximately 23940283 lbs of grilled meat at the one of the largest medieval faire(e) slash Miguel de Cervantes celebrations (Semana Cervantina) in Europe.

Thanks for visiting, Patrick and Emma!

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10/13/2014 0

Spanish breakfast at La Recova and a Michelin conundrum

One of the many characteristics Ernest Hemingway and I share is our love of Spanish food.* The hallmark of Spanish food (she said with authority, having lived in Madrid for all of 3 weeks) is high quality ingredients prepared simply, letting natural flavors shine. Take the basic Spanish breakfast as an example. The Spanish eat a small breakfast, typically comprised of cafe con leche, some carb-laden delight (toasted baguettes or sweet rolls), with your spread of choice (tomatoes/olive oil/marmalade/butter). It's just enough food to stave off the hangries slash soak up the previous night's excesses.

We wandered into La Recova on our second day in Málaga, with that very mission in mind. (It's important to fuel up before a taxing day at the beach.) We picked La Recova based on its proximity to our flat, but it's actually a very cool little store that sells locally made, artisanal goods. It also serves, hands down, the best breakfast we've had in Spain. All of the traditional elements were there--the cafe, fresh local tomatoes, toasted baguette, sweet Muscat grapes, and olive oil. What set this breakfast apart was the enormously delicious array of spreads. 

Starting from the top and going clockwise, there were stewed apples, sweet orange paste (which, upon further reflection, may have been papaya), chorizo, what can only be described as "drippings" (savory meat bits in grease), and pork confit in a pimento (??) sauce. I know--remind me never to pursue a career as a food writer. These are the worst descriptions ever and the blurry iPhone photo isn't helping. You'll just have to trust me when I tell you that it was all SUPER DELICIOUS and we kept discussing its deliciousness throughout the day. Check it out, if you ever find yourself in Málaga.

Earthenware jugs of Moscatel (a sweet wine native to Málaga) and the front of La Recova

In semi-related news, did you know that there are 9 Michelin-starred restaurants in Madrid? (Do you know how many Michelin stars there are in Seattle? ZERO.) I desperately want to try all of them. However, for the price of a meal at Diverxo, I could have a three day trip to Prague. It's okay if you don't feel bad for me and my first world problems, but I would love to hear your thoughts on this conundrum.

xo,
Jess

*Sorry, I lied. Well, it's true that I love Spanish food and by all accounts, Hemingway did too. Aside from that, I don't think we have too much more in common. Actually, I have a lot of objections to his particular brand of hyper-masculinity. You know, let me just retract that whole statement.

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9/16/2014 0

snapshot from Málaga, Spain

We took a whirlwind trip to Málaga, on Spain's famed Costa del Sol this weekend with some friends and it was excellent. More later.

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9/14/2014 3