Sevilla, Day 1!
Sorry it’s been so long since I’ve updated, it has been a busy time over here. I am absolutely loving Spain, and will be staying for another semester because I just don’t want to leave. So get ready for a lot more food updates from me, hopefully from all around Europe!
My friends and I are visiting Sevilla, Spain for the weekend. People normally think of flamenco dancing when they think of this area. I also just learned this is where the opera “Carmen” is set. The city is beautiful, very different than Valencia. They seem to have a lot more “sights” to see, like museums, cathedrals and plazas. While I like it here, I kind of feel like Valencia is my home.
So the best part, the food! Today we went on a free walking tour with people from out hostel, Sevilla Inn (which is amazing!) I have never been in a hostel before and couldn’t ask for a better experience. So the walking tour was great, we saw so much of the city, but afterward are guide took us to a restaurant and it turned out wonderful! For €7 you get 2 main dishes and a drink. I ordered a Salmorejo, which is a thicker gazpacho and then Carrillada de Iberico, which was pork with potatoes.
This soup was amazing. It’s a nice 80°F here, if not hotter, so having a nice cold gazpacho was perfect. There was a swirl of a garlic sauce on top of it main tomato base, and it tasted like there were onions and calamari in it to. I want to go back to the restaurant for more! My other dish was very good too, but my gazpacho was just amazing. The Carrillada consisted of potatoes and braised pork in a mushroom cream sauce, almost like a stroganoff sauce. But the finished touch were these little purple flower, bean sprout things they put on top. I have no idea what they were, but the fragrance and texture they added to the dish made it memorable in a very good way.
My drink of choice was sangria. Now, sangria is supposed to be the drink of Spain, but I haven’t had a good one, until today. It was sweet and fruity with lots of apples! The apples are always my favorite part.
Overall, it was a perfect lunch. I honestly want to make that Salmorejo for myself…right now. It was just that good. Now I can’t wait for dinner! Flamenco and great food, what more could I ask for?
The Adventure Begins!
I made it to Spain! After a lot of trouble like running to connecting flights and barely making it, to still not having one of my suitcases because it is lost somewhere, I have arrived in Valencia, España!
I’m going to get right into it….paella. The beautiful, wonderful, amazing food that Valencia is known for. It is a bight yellow rice that sticks together wonderfully in an amazing sauce. I have no idea what’s in the sauce but ill try to describe it. You take a bite and your mouth is filled with a slightly sour, citrus taste, but it mellows out with the rice. It slowly turns into a olive oil flavor, almost buttery. There are also butter beans and green beans to give it some more texture and variety. And then the meat they put in it is fantastic. I know some of you might not like to hear this but….it is rabbit. I have never had rabbit before today(I think) and I honestly can’t wait to have it again! Overall it tastes a lot like chicken but the first taste you get it a little different. It’s hard to describe, but I promise it’s amazing.
Everything that I have had in Spain so far has amazed me and its only my second day! I will keep everyone updated on the taste adventure. Maybe it will look so good you will come to Spain and visit…
Jaleo – a preview of Spain!
I’m a big traveler. My mom kind of ruined me when I was little by taking me everywhere she could. (She kind of has a thing for cruises.) So its been a weird dream of mine to travel to every country in the world and try their breakfast. I’m not even that big of a breakfast person, but I’m really curious, so it will have to happen.
This fall, I will be going to SPAIN for 3 months for school and I couldn’t be more excited! I will be staying in Valencia, the third most populous city in Spain. They are the originators of paella (YES!) and they are on the located on the coast so lots of seafood. I don’t think I had ever had traditional Spanish food, but there was one place in DC that I knew would be the best place to try it. – Jaleo. Chef José Andrés is someone I admire for his amazing cooking skills and the way he truly cares about others which you can see with his involvement with the DC Central Kitchen. He is an amazing chef, and I am so happy that I live close to his restaurants.
I have been wanting to go to Jaleo forever now! After work one day, I finally got the chance. I am an intern so I don’t have much money, but they have a great Happy Hour menu! I ordered the Jaleo Classic Sangria, with extra apples. It was fruity and light, with no overpowering alcohol flavor. I’m not a big drinker anyways, so I hate when that happens. For the tapas, I ordered the Patatas Bravas, the Calamares a la Romana, and the Datiles con tocino.
- If Spain tastes like this, I can’t wait!
Now I can’t decide which one was my favorite, because I absolutely LOVED every one. The calamares were really good, but I am a big fan of the tentacle part and I wish I could have ordered only tentacles. They always taste better to me.
The patatas bravas was a wonderful mixture of tomato and garlicky mayonnaise. It reminded me of a tomato-cream sauce, just separated. The only downside was I wanted more!
The datiles….oh the datiles. I am a big bacon fan and for Superbowl this year, I made something I think were sort of like this dish, bacon wrapped apricots. I loved those, so I thought I would have to love these. Salty and sweet, there is no better flavor mixture. But wait…I am wrong. Salty and sweet….then fried. Yup, right there. They were amazing, and I will be going back again…I’m going to aim for today.
I had such a wonderful time eating wonderful food, and drinking the fantastic sangria. Our bartender was great too, very funny and would always ask if we wanted another. My next José Andrés restaurant on the list is Zatinya. I love small plates because I love to try everything, so it’s a perfect place to go.
A+ DC:(I went to this one) 480 7th Street NW, Washington DC 202.628.7949 Bethesda: 7271 Woodmont Ave, Bethesda MD 301.913.0003
Crystal City: 2250A Crystal Drive Arlington, VA 703.413.8181
My First Food Truck!
I am interning in DC and absolutely loving it! I’ve always been fascinated by the city and want to live here when I get older so its nice to start learning about it now. Food trucks have become a very popular and there are so many in the city. My summer goal is to try each one.
So it was a really hot day. I mean excruciatingly hot. Standing outside really didn’t sound fun, but getting something that screams “summer” did. I went to the Red Hook Lobster Pound Food Truck today using my trusty Food Truck Fiesta app and it was fantastic!
The menu is small but the simplicity is what makes it so good. They have the Connecticut Style Lobster roll which is butter drizzled and the one I got, the Maine style which has mayonnaise. Yum…I seriously have an obsession with mayonnaise….but that’s for another post! So I ordered it, took 2 minutes to get it and look at the most beautiful lobster concoction that I was so lucky to receive…
- ohhhhhmyyyyyygoshhhhhh =)
The chunks of lobster were so big and so fresh! I feel like I ate an entire lobster. It tasted like they had just cracked open the lobsters this morning. The meet was tender and sweet, and the mayo was light enough to taste it but not take away from the great lobster flavor.
And Ive read a couple posts about this yummy roll, and no one ever mentions the pickle!!! The pickle was almost as good at the roll! I have loved picked ever since I was little and I cant even eat the regular dills that come are in the store that look like they are from a toxic power plant because they are such a neon green color. But the pickle, oh that pickle, was so good. I don’t think it was a normal dill, or maybe it was just a better version. So if you do ever get this, do not forget to think of the great pickle!
So it is kind of expensive… $15 a pop. There is no way I would ever buy this everyday, but if you want a nice, summer treat, go for it! Its like eating a whole lobster without having to put all the work into opening it yourself!
So another day this summer while I am interning, I will be sure to stop and have another one because they are Oh So Good!
A+ Red Hook Lobster Food Truck http://www.redhooklobsterdc.com/index.phpSeafood Madness at the Wharf!
I am a big seafood fan. I could pick out crabs for hours a day and not be bored. You could call it a hobby…pastime….maybe even a little but of an obsession! It is one of the best things to me to sit with a bunch of your friend or family, drop a whole bushel of crabs in front of everyone, and have at it. No better feeling in the world.
So if you are from the DC area (and have a seafood love like I do) I hope you have heard of the Wharf Fish Market off of Maine Street. It is the most amazing experience you will ever have if you do. Here is just a tiny example of why…
- This is only part of one seafood stall…. Yay!
Oh yes my friends. That is is the amazing bouquet of oceanic treats that you can have. And this is only of the the stalls! There are 6 of them!!! So many places for all kinds of food. They have every fish you can imagine, more crabs than you can eat, beautiful, big lobster, shrimp (fried or steamed) and even a place for friend chicken, mashed potatoes, macaroni & cheese, and boiled corn on the cob. For me, this is what part of my heaven would look like
My favorite seafood would have to be steamed crabs. The sweet and succulent meat has no comparison. A lot of work goes into a small bit of meat, but it is more than worth it. When they are steamed, putting some old bay with them gives them a sour spiciness that only enhances the flavor.
Now I want to show you what I was lucky enough to have this day.
- My Seafood Feast
It was all wonderful and tasty in its own way. The crabs of course, were my favorite. The meat came out in big chunks, the kind that made you silently squeal because you got to have a big bite. The oysters were salty and a sour with the lemon. The cocktail sauce complemented them perfectly. The fried shrimp were breaded goodness, crispy! The corn…well the corn was sub par. It was a bit early for corn anyways.
If you can, going to the Wharf Seafood Market is a fun and unique trip. There is so much to look at and some many different things to try. Everyone should go, and try something new.
Max’s Sun-Dried Two-Tomato Pesto Linguine
Om nom nom...
Hey Everyone!!! A good friend of mine, Max, has made something speical and has decided to share it with us! He is the one who made the Domo heading for the page, so he has always been helping. Enjoy! I know I am!
Strange…this is my first culinary contribution to CNN! but it feels like I’ve been involved for a while now. Probably because Avy likes to bring the leftovers of her little experiments to the library and I usually find a way to snag a taste. Regardless, it’s an honor and a privilege to finally get to share one of my dishes with CNN!.
Today, we will be making Sun-Dried Two-Tomato Pesto Linguine. Sounds kinda fancy for CNN!, don’t it? Well, allow me to explain the inspiration behind this dish. It is one that my college dining hall attempted to make but never really nailed. It tasted like, well, cafeteria food. Bless their souls, though. They had the best of intentions.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1/3 box linguine
- 1 medium-sized tomato
- 2 tbsp. pesto
- 3-4 sun-dried tomato halves
- Olive oil (amounts differ, just keep the bottle close at all times!)
- 2 tsp. garlic salt
- 2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Stove and granite countertops not included.
Got all that? HERE WE GO!!!
Boil water in a medium saucepan on high. PASTA RULE NUMERO UNO: salt and oil your water. Adding a pinch of salt to your water before it boils enhances the taste of the pasta and promotes an "al dente" texture. Adding a tablespoon or two of olive oil at the same time keeps the pasta from sticking and also makes it taste better. Don't question it, just do it.
Boil until desired texture is achieved. While you wait, why not prepare some of the other ingredients?
Remember that 'mater? Grab it and chunk it like so.
Time to cut up the sun-dried tomatoes. Before...
...and after!
Don't forget about your noods! Drain, don't rinse, keep 'em hot until you need 'em.
Return the pan to the stove, turn the heat down to low-medium. Pour in enough olive oil to just coat the bottom of the pan.
Stir in your pesto...should start to sizzle.
Pour in your tomatoes. All of them.
Next comes the garlic salt.
Stir. Simmer. Sizzle.
Grab your pasta and toss it in the pan. Some people don't like to add the pasta to the sauce while it's cooking. I would only ever not do this if I were cooking for someone who didn't want sauce. Today, however, we want sauce.
Toss the pasta and sauce and let it sit for a few minutes in the pan. The pasta will begin to soak up the flavors of the sauce and will also get hotter.
And finally, to add in the one thing that makes any pasta dish that much better...the cheese. Throw it right in the pan and use however much you want. Don't forget to toss it up a little bit so that the cheese isn't in one gooey mass.
Bam. Eat 'dat up, foo!
That’s all there is to it. Really simple, but tastes like it took an Italian chef all day to make. Not really, but as far as quick meals are concerned, it’s a good’n! Enjoy, and I will see you next time Avy lets me play on CNN!.
One last thing before I go. If I could offer one tip to any pasta freak such as myself, it would be to use more pesto and sun-dried tomatoes. Together. In the same bed. When the strong and nutty pesto impregnates the rich and sweet sun-dried tomato, a beautiful culinary child is born. Proof, you say? Have you tasted what you just made yet?
Baltimore Birthday Brunch!
I have some wonderful friends who came up to Baltimore to celebrate with me. We went out to a great bar Saturday night, Max’s Taphouse. They have many different types of beer. Problem is, I’m not really a beer girl. BUT they have the most amazing beer that I have ever tasted, a raspberry beer called Lindemans Framboise. It is a bright red color, almost like cranberry juice. It was absolutely amazing, sour and sweet at the same time. It was almost like a fruity champagne. If I can have that beer, then I will always be a beer girl.
Now onto the really good stuff. After a Lindemans Framboise filled night, we all needed some good food. We went a place called Todd Conner’s, also in Fells Point. Our waiter was fantastic, he got our drinks (which consisted of mimosa’s and bloody marys) out very quickly. A note on the Bloody Mary’s, if you know the Baltimore area, you know they love their. So it tasted like there was Old Bay, and even some oyster juice in them. I also need to note that they were spicy ans tasty, and I will be going back for another one soon!
The food was the best part. I got a wonderful Chesapeake Eggs, which is crab eggs Benedict. Oh my, was it yummy! I’m a stickler for Eggs Benedict because I love them so much. I made sure to ask our waiter if it was good, and he promised me it was; he did not lie! The hollandaise sauce was thinner than normal, but they give you a very good helping of it. The crab was sweet and generous, and at the end I had more crab left then anything else. They also give you potatoes, and they taste amazing with the sauce. And my biggest pet peeve with this dish, is normally the eggs are always overcooked, but they were perfectly runny. Yum!
Chesapeake Eggs
My friend got my second choice, the Chef’s Recipe Sausage Gravy and Biscuits. They have the most unique, and best sausage gravy I’ve ever had. It had a kick to it, and they didn’t use normal biscuits, but I think they were corn bread biscuits. The mixture of salt and sweet was absolutely intoxicating. So good!
Chef's Recipe Sausage Gravy and Biscuits
My other friend got a brunch classic, French Toast, but Vanilla and Brown Sugar French Toast. In the mornings, I’m not a big sweet person, but she loved it! I took a bite, and it was a very tasty french toast, but just not my favorite thing.
Vanilla and Brown Sugar French Toast
Now a lot of the food blogs I love rate the restaurants they go to, and I like the idea of it, and easy way to see how I would grade it. So I give Todd Conner’s an A+ for brunch! We had a great server, great drinks, and great food. I cannot wait to go back there, and try their dinner menu. I hope you all get a chance to try it out.
Todd Conner’s A+ 700 South Broadway Baltimore, MD 21231 (703) 537-5005 http://www.toddconners.com/
