I have finally overcome my difficulties with this blog, as well as the irony of being the member of the group who has to make a post about our second tapas excursion. So here it is, the best of the second tapas trip in A Foodie's Guide to Spain.

The favorite tapa of both Katherine and Sarah was the huevos fritos con farinato (far right in the picture below). I have heard that one should not ask or research what exactly is in farinato, much like one should not ask what is in American hot dogs. But, regardless of what may be nauseating ingredients, both taste delicious. Our group of six annihilated two orders after having already eaten at two other bars. Carla's choice of tapa, morcilla or blood sausage, is also pictured. It is the bottom dish on the top plate. Carla was generous enough to share her helping, and everyone agreed that it was quite tasty, despite the ominous name.

Linda's favorite tapa was the pimientos rellenos, or stuffed peppers (which I believe, but cannot tell for sure, are the center dish in the picture below). My second favorite dish, los tigres or mussels, are pictured as well, the two dishes on the right.

My favorite tapa is the dish on the center in the photo below, champinones or mushrooms. My home town is what some people call the mushroom capital of the world, so I have been craving mushrooms for this whole trip. And I finally got to have them, and they were delicious, cooked with a bit of bacon and onions.

Finally, the unanimous choice for the best tapas bar on the trip was Cafe Devinos, our last stop. It should be noted that if we picked this place after pigging out in two others beforehand, that the food must have been good enough to entice us to pack more into our already full stomachs.

Cooking for my Señora :-D

I don't cook. I honestly have never put in the time to learn how to. I am so busy with school everyday that I don't have time to spend an hour cooking and I never really enjoyed sitting around the kitchen with my mom. So, I was very nervous to cook for my señora. When Andy told us that we had to cook for our señoras, I went home and explained to my señora my problem: that I needed to cook for her but I had no idea what I was going to cook. She told me "Don't worry, be happy!", her favorite English saying. She said she could teach me how to cook something Spanish. She told me she would instruct me and help a little, while I did most of the cooking! I thought this would be a great way for me to learn about Spanish food and learn a little bit about cooking too!

With my señora's help, I was able to cook a Spanish meal! And I learned a lot! We cooked a tortilla española and una ensalada con arroz y verduras. The first thing I did was cook the rice. Next, I cut the onions and let them cook in olive oil. I peeled the potatoes, washed them, cut them and added them to the saucepan. I drained the rice and cut up vegetables for our salad. I added the vegetables and some olive oil and white wine vinegar to the cooled rice. Next, I added some tuna to the salad and mixed it all up. The salad was ready and the potatoes and onions were cooking :-) After the potatoes and onions were cooked, I added them to beaten eggs. We drained most of the oil from the pan and added the egg, onion and potato mixture. My señora had to help me flip the tortilla to bake the other side. After cooking the tortilla on both sides, we were ready to eat. I am so glad my señora helped me learn how to make some Spanish food. I enjoyed learning from her because she showed me how to do everything but then she trusted me to cook on my own, so I now feel confident that I can make a Spanish tortilla. We had a great time and we had a very delicious meal. I cannot wait to make the same meal for my friends back home!

Mi Señora!

As a pescatarian, after about a week in Salamanca, I'd already tried a lot of different types of fish. Now, after 5 weeks here, I've had a wide range of fish along with many different traditional Spanish dishes. About 2 weeks in, I finally sat down with my señora to talk to her about her shopping habits, eating habits, and Spanish food in general. Since then, my señora, Dayaneet, Zach (the other two foreign students), and I have talked about food during almost every meal. Dayaneet and I especially like learning about Charro's cooking habits. During our first conversation, Charro (not sure if I'm spelling her name correctly) told us that she goes grocery shopping almost every day of the week, and that in the past few years, the price of food has increased a lot. She says she tries to save money by going to markets with better prices, but she mostly goes to the ones closest to her apartment. Along with Carrefour, she said she enjoys going to fruit, fish, and meat markets. She says the markets are the best place to get the freshest food, although it's fine to buy things like bread, muffins, and cereals at Carrefour--she'll buy these items days or weeks in advance, while she says she always buys the meat, fish, and fruit the day that she's going to use them or a day before.

Charro really likes to eat healthy foods--usually our meals consist of some type of fish, cooked vegetables or a salad, and fruit for dessert. She's diabetic, which limits her options for sweets obviously, but we did have ice cream one night. I can honestly say I've enjoyed every meal she's cooked for me except for one, which was octopus (pulpo). I tried about 5 solid bites of it before I gave up. I think the meaty texture just did not sit well with me, but I do know that I've talked to other people here who have tried it and enjoyed it. When asked what foods she likes and dislikes, Charro immediately said that she likes everything. After more conversations with her over the weeks, I've found out that not only does she enjoy eating healthy, but her favorite meat is lamb. The one thing pertaining to food that she doesn't like is when different parts of her meal mixes together, like the vegetables and the meat. As for her cooking, Charro lightly fries the fish most of the time. The merluza she made was delicious, and my favorite meal of hers was tortilla espanola with eggplant instead of the potatoes. Overall, Charro is a great cook and I thoroughly enjoyed trying everything she made for me. It is very nice of her to go out of her way to make me fish instead of other meat, and I made sure to tell her how much I appreciate it. My favorite part about trying food in Spain was the fact that it's so much fresher than the food in the U.S. I genuinely feel better after eating healthy, fresh fish, vegetables, and fruit every day.

Team Tapas Tasting

On the night of Tuesday, July 27^th, after a grueling day of cursos exams, Andy’s food practicum met up on the east side of town to go out for one last tapa hopping experience. After we had all arrived, Andy pulled out a deck of cards and had us each take one—we weren’t simply trying tapas bars as a group, like usual; instead, we were teaming up and making a game out of it. My group included Brandon, Sheri, Ashley, and Sydney, and we wasted no time deciding where to go first (this is a lie: we actually took about 5 whole minutes before deciding to wander down Avenida de los Comuneros, off the beaten path). We started at Los 3 Carabeles, a bar that I pass every day on the way home from class. Andy came with us, and due to the rules of the game, Brandon was our first waiter. Let me just say that Brandon was excellent: he could make a career out of waiting. I ordered an empanada that had tuna, tomato, and green olives inside of it, and it was delicious. On a scale of 1-10, I’d give it a 9.5. And that’s only because I don’t like green olives. Sheri and Brandon each had croquetas that I’m pretty sure had ham in them, which they gave a 6 and a 5, respectively. Sydney and Ashley had patatas con alioli and gave them a 6.5 and a 7, respectively. I tried the patatas and really enjoyed them—the only problem with the patatas here is that sometimes they drown them in the sauce; otherwise, they’re almost always delicious (if you like fried potatoes). Andy let us in on a secret: he said it’s always best to go to crowded tapas bars, since more people usually means better food. Let’s just say Los 3 Carabeles wasn’t exactly bumping. But it was also 8:45pm, which is very early to go out in Salamanca. Either way, I have to say that empanada was my favorite tapa of the night.

Next, we wandered back to the park we’d started in (Parque de Pablo Picasso) and went to Devinos, a tapa bar that Andy highly recommended. I ordered one of the only pescatarian (spelling?) items on the menu, the bacalao con salsa y pan (fish with salsa and bread). The bacalao was very good, but it was raw, which I had trouble with. I ate a few bites and ended up eating the bread and salsa alone (yes, I’m embarrassed), which was delicious. I’d give this tapa a 6, only because of the struggle I had with the raw fish. Sydney tried it and really liked it, so definitely don’t shy away from bacalao if you have the chance to try it. Sheri, Sydney, and Brandon had pollo con queso (chicken with cheese) and gave it an 8, an 8.5, and a 7.5, respectively. Even as a vegetarian, the chicken with cheese looked really good. Ashley had panceta con queso, which is a type of pig fat (I think that’s correct) with cheese. She really enjoyed it and gave it a 9.

The last bar we went to was called Café Bar Crespo—we were lucky and found a table outside. I ordered tortilla, which is my favorite tapa in general (although the empanada definitely won out on this night), and I’d give it a 7 because although it was delicious, it was cold. Brandon got salpicon marisco, a mixed seafood salad sort of dish, which he gave a 7. Ashley had patatas bravas (potatoes in a red, sort of spicy sauce) which she gave a 7.5. After eating her tapa, Ashley had to leave to go on a date with a Spanish guy—really exciting! Hopefully she had room to eat after all those tapas! Sheri had a bocadillo con lomo y queso (sandwich with pork and cheese), which she gave a 5, and Sydney had fried pig cheek, which we asked the name of multiple times but never fully understood. Sydney rated the pig cheek at a 7, leading us to the conclusion that it’s always good to try new foods, especially in Spain (a conclusion I’m pretty sure we’ve all come to over the past 5 weeks). Since we had money left over, we ordered leche helada, a dessert that Sheri’s host parents highly recommended. It was delicious! It was a milky icecream with pieces of cone in the glass along with lots of cinnamon on top. We chatted and ate on the patio of the café for a while before splitting up for the night. Other than my slightly negative experience with raw fish, we agreed that Devinos was probably the best tapa bar we went to that night. Overall, we had a great tapa hopping experience!

-Emily

A Great Tapas Team

It truly is amazing how much 5 girls can eat and drink here with 50 euro. We really made the most of our money and filled our stomachs with delicious food last night. We managed to eat at 4 different bars and get ice cream! Our favorite place was De Vinos. We all had some kind of meat sandwich with cheese and everyone was satisfied. Also, we all agreed that De Vinos had the best drinks- both their sangria and white wine was fabulous. Most of us had chicken, which was a pleasant change after so much ham. The fact that we had chicken instead of ham could have been one reasons why we enjoyed this bar so much. Additionally, the bar had a hip and clean atmosphere that we all appreciated!

A tie for the best tapa was a meat and cheese dish that we tried at Café Solo. When I asked what it was, she said it was la saña, with a pause between the la and the saña, so I didn't realize she was talking about the very familiar dish that we call lasagna. Later, when I asked my señora about saña, she told me she had never heard of that and she was pretty sure I meant lasaña, which I did. This makes total sense now, especially because the first thing out of Emily's mouth was "This is great. It's like lasagna!". So, our favorite dishes turned out to be chicken and lasagna, which, are not very Spanish but they still tasted amazing!

The lasagna at Café Solo was great, but we were not fans of the calamari there. The calamari was hard and cold and pretty bland, so we would definitely recommend trying calamari elsewhere. As for the worst drink, we did not like the tinto de verano at Café Bar Sprint- it was bland and tasteless, so before you get a tinto there, try walking over to De Vinos first!

Mi señora y la comida

It was harder than I thought to pin down my señora for a quick chat about food, but justifiably so: our apartment is a constantly revolving door of international students staying for two weeks (Italians), three weeks (Americans), or six weeks (myself), and cooking and cleaning everyday for six students is not quite the recipe for a señora with free time. However, when she could spare a few minutes for my little interview, the results were insightful and well worth the wait.

Given the amount of students my señora must host at any given time, it’s common for her to have to make shopping trips at least twice a week, depending on what she plans to cook for the week and her stock of staples (such as galletas for breakfast, coffee, milk and juice). She does a large portion of her food shopping at Carrefour, where she can usually find good deals on staples when she buys things in bulk, as well as lots of microwaveable food. Most importantly, Carrefour sometimes stocks a small range of Mickey Mouse-themed products, and with a two-year-old with an unhealthy Mickey Mouse obsession, it helps to have those products nearby during her shopping trips. Fortunately for my señora (and for us students, as well), her family often stops by to drop off extra fruits and vegetables (and if we’re lucky, her mother’s famous croquetas!). This is particularly helpful, as the cost of fruits, vegetables and other healthy foods has risen exponentially. This is something I’ve really started to notice over the past few weeks, because fried foods and meat always seem to take up more space on my plate than healthier foods. I’m not one to complain, however – three home cooked meals a day is something I am truly grateful for!

My señora learned how to cook from her mother from a very early age. I asked her if she ever wrote any recipes down but she told me that was unnecessary – everything is in a big recipe box in her head from which she can pull out hundreds of different meals without a problem, thanks to several years of repeating her favorite recipes and cooking for international students. She usually plans what she is going to cook for the household a few days ahead so that she can plan her schedule around cooking and cleaning the kitchen when she isn’t taking care of her two-year-old, Daniel. One of her favorite summer foods to cook is her version of pisto, a ratatouille-esque dish usually served warm with bread. My señora’s version is made with eggs, tomatoes, onions, peppers and olive oil. For some reason she doesn’t cook it often, but when she does, it’s absolutely fantastic!

I have two parents back in the States who work around the clock and who don’t often have time to cook anything special for family dinner. When we do sit down for family dinners about three or four times a week, the food is always super healthy and usually much of the same thing: grilled chicken, salad, and a piece of fruit. I have grown to truly appreciate what my señora does for me and my roommates on a daily basis – cooking for six students, a husband, and a two-year-old son, with something different to eat for every night of the week, is a miracle in my mind. I have so much respect for mothers around the world who work to keep their households happy with food and a comfortable atmosphere. Even though I can’t wait to get back home and eat some of my own mother’s mustard-pretzel chicken and bok choy salad, I’m really enjoying the varied menu of pisto, tortilla and croquetas in my Salamanca home. Muchas gracias, Irene!

The Tops of Tapas

For the less adventurous Tapa-Tasters (a.k.a. those who do not like seafood) I would recommend all of the pinchos I have tried thus far. Before coming to Spain, I knew that I adored tortilla de espanola, and after failing to make it myself at home, I knew had to come back here to get some real tortilla. Like much of the food here, the tortilla is a strange combination of food you might never think of putting together: egg, potato, and onion. So simple, yet so delicious.

Next is the famous croqueta. I've heard it described as a gooey mozarella stick and that seems to be pretty accurate; there are different fillings but most involve cheese, ham, or potato.

I also tried the costillos (ribs) at the place where it was supposed to be the specialty. Although extremely flavorful, my piece was very disappointing as there wasn't much meat at all on the bone, so I definitely felt cheated.

After sampling these two, I kind of thought Spanish pinchos resembled bar food far too much for me to enjoy on a daily basis. However, I discovered the elegance in other pinchos that seemed like delicacies to me. For instance, the champinones rellenos (refilled mushrooms) were delicious. I really had no idea what to expect here, but I think they were stuffed with some kind of meat and I'm not sure what else, but they were delectable! Definitely a good idea for a classy party snack.

Having never tried sangria before coming to Spain (something about wanting to wait for the real thing) I had made it a point to sample it at each new establishment. To my amazement there has actually been quite a spectrum of quality. Clubs around here serve terrible juice-like sangria, but in tapas bars (especially those on the Plaza Mayor), the sangria is wonderful and refreshing. Tasting so much sangria has also steered me in to trying more red wine here. At home, I am not a red wine drinker at all, but I've wanted to become one. I think that once I go home, I will want to start trying more, now that I've had everything under the sun mixed with red wine: limon, coke, casera, and various other beverages.

La cocina de Pauli

Talking with my host mom about food was one of the most rewarding experiences I could have here in Salamanca. The excitement about being able to have full conversations in complete Spanish was exemplified by the fact that my host mom happens to be a fantastic cook. So, as a result, you can imagine the conversation was pretty great.
I start off every meal by asking her what it is I’m eating. The answers range from the simple “pan-seared pork” to a much more complicated “arroz cubano, lomo, alioli, y huevos.” However, regardless of what is on the plate, it always ends up tasting great.
The first question I asked was about where my host mom buys her food, and how often she goes there. She replied that she buys some things only once a month, at the compramayor; essentially the Spanish equivalent of a large superstore. At the compramayor she will buy cleaning supplies, salt, pepper, all the sorts of staples that won’t go bad. When she does a trip to the compramayor, she makes sure to have a list of the things she needs, so that she can go to the store with a plan of what to buy.
Next she goes to the mercado. At the mercado she buys the meat, vegetables, and fruit needed for the entire week. Although she has some idea what she wants, when she goes to the mercado she doesn’t have a specific list of items. She said it is important to look at what is fresh, cheap, and healthy, at the time. If she sees something she likes, and it looks like a good deal, she gets it, but generally she has no specific plan.
My host parents, though youthful for their age, are still quite a bit older than my parents in the states. They are each within their 70’s, and therefore remember a time that was quite different than today. My host father chimed into the conversation by saying that he remembers a time when not only the fruits and vegetables were much cheaper, but the water and electricity as well.
Finally I finished off the conversation by asking about their favorite foods. My host mom’s favorites are ensaladas, most specifically ensalada Rusia, or anything with fresh vegetables and fruits. Her cooking is incredibly healthy and I’m very lucky to have her cook for me everyday. She also mentioned that she really likes paella, but that you need to be very hungry to eat it. My father’s favorite is pescado. He actually goes and fishes almost every week in the summer and then brings home fish for Pauli to cook. Hopefully I get to try something he has caught during my time here. And at last I have to jump in saying that my favorite food is filletes de lomo enpanado a la pina, a specialty of la cocina de Pauli!

Tome siestas, come tapas... la vida.

What is my favorite tapa so far?? Gah I could never choose! They are all so different and wonderful. The first night here my señora served me a toritilla españa which I wolfed down. It is made of eggs, potatoes and onions – basically a Spanish frittata. But I also love el salpicón de mariscos. It is light and refreshing with delish seafood and a hint of vinegar. The least tasty tapa for me so far has been… nothing! I love them all. I have yet to be adventurous and try the tongue of an animal but that is definitely on my bucket list.

Without a doubt my favorite drink is sangria. I gulp it down as if it is fruit punch (I admit its not the smartest thing to do considering I get tipsy off a drop of it. I have loved all of the drink so far though. I cannot wait to go home and try making them myself. Mixing wine with coca cola is definitely on my to do list, as well as veranos tintos… muy refrescante.

The next time I go out I hope to muster up the courage to order una lengua. Wish me luck!

Hasta luego,

Katherine

Tapas for Everyone!

Tapas are a great piece of the culture of Spain. I had so much fun going out for tapas with the class earlier this week. Calle Van Dyck has many good tapa bars! My favorite tapa was the first one I had, which was Brocheta de Sepia (on the left). It was absolutely delicious and was quite filling. I love seafood, so I continued to get seafood tapas.

At the last bar we got tapas at I ordered a Brocheta Longorinos (to the right). I was completely caught off guard when I realized I had to take the shells off the lobster, which I didn’t know how to do. As good as it was I prefer to eat my food with as little work as possible.

I also had many kinds of drinks last night, of course including wine and sangria. My favorite though was the Rebujito, which is white wine with sprite. It was delicious. I had to do a shot of tequila at a bar in the plaza so I could use their bathroom, and it was the best tequila I’ve ever had (as hard as that is to believe). I’m a little disappointed I didn’t get an “acorn” shot at Bar Su Casa because everyone who had one said it was delicious. I suppose I’ll have to go back and get one another time. Tinto de Verano, while it does not have that much alcohol, is good and is less sweet than Sangria if you’re not feeling that much sugar. I have also gone and bought wine from the store because it is so cheap and it’s actually pretty good!

I definitely forsee many tapa hopping nights in my future. My Senora told me that her favorite kind of tapa is lomo. I didn’t have any last night, so I will need to go have one for her and see how delicious it is. I have not been disappointed by any of the meals she has made me, so her taste must be similar to mine.

Tapas 'Til I Drapas

How did we get so lucky to be able to take a class that lets you eat, eat, and eat some more delicious Spanish food? I am confident that tapas hopping with Andy’s class will always be a favorite memory from my trip to Salamanca.

It’s very difficult to choose my favorite tapa thus far, let alone my least favorite. However, if my life truly depended on it, I would have to say my favorite tapa has been the croqueta. I’m a sucker for anything cheesy and breaded, and this particular croqueta really fit the bill: a small fried food roll, the croqueta makes for a delicious delicacy as well as tasty and efficient fast food. Unfortunately, I don’t have a picture of the croqueta I sampled, but just imagine a five-star mozzarella stick filled with potatoes, cheese, and ham. Perfectly fried on the outside with a soft and flavorful center, I would recommend croquetas to anyone and everyone who is lucky enough to be able to tapas hop in Salamanca.

My favorite drink so far has been the rebujito. After a little research, I discovered that “rebujito” comes from the Spanish verb “arrebujar,” which means tangle, muddle or jumble – which makes perfect sense! The rebujito is a refreshing jumble of white wine (served over ice) with a generous top-up of lemonade or soda water to take the edge off the alcohol content. Yum!

As for what I liked the least, (as much as it pains me as a dedicated meat-eater), I would have to choose the mini ribs. Although tapas portions are almost always quite small, I was fairly disappointed with the lack of meatiness on these ribs. As you can tell from the picture, it seemed like the majority of the meat on the bone was fat - normally I wouldn’t complain about this, since fat is often the tastiest part, but it seemed to be the only thing I could taste on these little guys. But as with most things in life, we all deserve a second chance – I guarantee I’ll be trying more ribs here in Salamanca in the near future.

Ribs

Prawns

One other thing that I really can’t wait to try is prawns, or gambas. From what I’ve seen this week, bars and restaurants tend to put whole prawns into the dish, so eating requires tearing apart the tiny crustaceans to get to the good stuff inside. The mess makes it all the more fun to eat, ¿no?

- Allie

La cocina y la compra de Mamen

My senora, Mamen, happily agreed to sit down with me and answer questions regarding my curiosity as to the processes involved in preparing meals for us.

First she told me that she mainly shops in Dia, un supermercado barato. I noticed that most of the brands of the packaged food she serves us is indeed branded with the Dia logo. Mamen also frequents local fruterias y carnicerias to obtain fresher items. There is also the nearby Mercado San Juan. She goes shopping for food everyday to ensure the freshest items possible. She told me that the best day for fresh carne is on Tuesdays.

On the topic of the rising cost of food, she sighed and replied, "Muchisimo." She then proceeded to give numerous examples, stumbling over the conversion between pesetas and Euros, and in turn making it a little difficult to follow her. So I decided to ask her more about her feelings on Euros, sensing some discomfort and frustration, not only with high food prices but with the change in currency. She, like many other people of the older generation, really do not like the Euro. They have grown up with the peseta and so they still must do conversions in their head to know how much something actually costs (which, as tourists, we do as well). I fully empathized with her frustration, thinking about how if the US ever tried to change its currency I would vehemently oppose it. Mamen also discussed how switching to the Euro has produced inflation. For instance, la sandia, which used to cost around 15 centimos, is now running about 60 centimos (I don't know if that's per kilo, that's where I got lost). All fresh products, she says, have increased in price and decreased in quality. She says that "mas notara la subida en las cosas mas necesitadas" like bread, fruit, milk, patatas. She also discussed the differences in the cost of lomo do cerdo over the past few years; it used to be around 3,50 Euros, and is now around 4,50 Euros.

After exhausting this topic (I think we were both getting a little muddled in the numbers), she explained that she usually knows what she is going to cook each day, but if there is a special oferta, she will likely buy that item instead of her planned list. Mamen also told me she spends only about an hour and a half cooking each day, which surprised me I guess, but it makes sense. Breakfast is no time at all, and the most she spends cooking is for la comida in the middle of the day. Dinner is often simple and doesn't take much preparation. However, she made me tortilla espanola last night, for which I thanked her repeatedly, and she told me that it usually takes her 2 hours to make just that, which is why she doesn't do it often. I appreciated it even more.

Mamen and I have been going crazy over patatas fritas this week (potato chips, not fries) and she admitted to me that they are her favorite food. She has been giving us packaged chips which have been delicious, but says she also makes her own and I cannot wait to try them. She also wanted me to add, on a more serious note, that she loves el cocido madrileno (which I just realized now means "stew" rather than "cooking" and thus makes my request that she specify moot).

I'd always appreciated the work Mamen does for me on a daily basis in preparing my meals, but knowing now that there is quite a science to pricing and waiting in lines and going to the best and cheapest stores, I really am thankful for her daily efforts.

¡Mi Señora, Mi Señora!

My host mom and I get along great so when asked to interview her about food and post a blog about it, I knew there wouldn’t be a problem. When I first approached her about the interview, she was more than happy to do it. In fact, I think she kind of felt like a star. I mean, who doesn´t like to be interviewed? Only people with a purpose gather this kind of attention. :)

I kindly reminded her of the interview while watching one of her favourite shows. I assumed we would do it later in the evening but she wanted to do it right then and there, so I dropped everything and became a high school journalist again. The interview went as follows:

¿Dónde hace Ud. la compra? ¿Cuántas veces a la semana hace Ud. la compra? (Where do you buy your food and how often in a week do you shop for food?)

El supermercado mas cercano de mi casa. (Supermarket closest to her house).
Todos los días por ejemplo, para las frutas, carne, leche… (Everyday, for example for fruits, meats, milk, etc.)


¿Ha notado una subida en el costo de la comida en los años recientes? ¿Por que? ¿Puede dar un ejemplo de sí o no ha subido el costo? (Have you noticed an increase in the costo of food in recent years and can you give an example whether the cost has increased or not?)

Si, mucho. Por el cambio de la moneda al euro. (Yes, a lot. The increase is due to the higher value of the euro.)
Si, la luz subido mucho, gasolina, productos alimentisios… (Yes, lights (electricity) has increased a lot, gasoline, food items…)


Cuando va a la compra, ¿ya tiene una idea de lo que va a comprar / hacer para la comida? (When you go Shopping, do you already have a general idea of what you are going to buy or make?)

Si, tengo una idea para prepara la comida. (Yes, I have an idea of what I am to prepare for meals.)


En un día normal, ¿cuánto tiempo le lleva hacer la comida? (In a normal day, how long does it take you to make a meal?)

Una hora, aproximadamente. Depende. (Approximately an hour. It depends (on the meal)).


¿Cuál(es) es/son su(s) plato(s) favorito(s)? (Which is (are) your favorite meal(s)?)

(Excited sigh haha) ¡Patatas a la importancia, paella, sopa de pescado, etc.!

Learning from the Best: An Introduction to Spanish Grocery Shopping with My Señora

Earlier this week, my classmates and I hit up a local meat/seafood market with our professor, an experience only strengthening my love for this class. Collectively, this market is like nothing I've ever seen in the United States, and here's just a couple of shots I took that portray what takes place on daily basis here in Salamanca:

Above: some of the "mariscos" (seafood)

Above: some of the "carne" (meat)

Above: some of the more interesting delicacies available (i.e cow snout, cow tongue, pigs feet, tripe, etc.)

Anyway, now to the point. Being that we have now experienced one of many local markets, we were instructed to interview our host-moms about their habitual shopping routines, and my host mom, Carmen, had some pretty interesting things to say. Although it can change depending on the number of students she's housing, my host mom usually goes shopping around two times a week almost habitually. She usually has a pretty solid idea of what she's going to buy and usually abides by those expectations. I told her that I usually try to plan out what I want to buy, but if I go shopping when I'm hungry, I buy too much. She couldn't comprehend how that could happen though: you only get what you need, when you need it. I say that's quite wise because I often tend to be wasteful with food at home.

When I asked my host mom where she likes to shop for groceries, she had quite a lot to say. She said she divides her shopping into two different parts: meat/seafood shopping and fruits/vegetable shopping. When shopping for meat, my host mom told me that she's been shopping at the same place for years; to her, it's become a special experience to have a confident relationship with one of the local "carnicerías". For produce like fruits and vegetables however, she can usually find a place closer to home and isn't connected to any one market.

Over the years, my host mom has noted an increase in the cost of fruits, vegetables, milk and on occasion fish, but she said that the price of meat has typically remained pretty constant. Again, however, she hasn't really let prices affect her buying habits: she understands very well how much to buy and when to buy it.

When it comes to preparing food for the day, she explained to me that she usually gets up and starts cooking the food for the day between 8:30 and 9:00 and continues cook until 11:00 onwards. That's depending on the type of food she's going to cook though. We just had a meal yesterday that took a total of 24 hours of preparation, so I get the impression that food plays a significant role in her life. Although we haven't had it yet, she said her favorite food is paella and she'll eat any kind. I'm always appreciative of the food she cooks for me and say "gracías" so much I worry it's going to lose it's meaning. I show my appreciation, however, by sitting down with her after meals for anywhere between an hour to three hours and talk with my host mom about life here in Spain as well as life at home. I'm living a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I'm taking advantage of every second.

My First "Tapas Crawl"

Last night was my first, of what I hope to be many "tapas" nights, or, as I like to call it, my first "tapas crawl". Although I unfortunately don't remember the names of the places we ventured to, I most certainly remember what I at. Moving from place to place as a class, not only was I able to try the "tapas" I ordered, but I also tasted some of the dishes my new eating buddies had chosen. My favorite food of the night was "cochinillo asado", or roasted suckling pig. It was absolutely delicious, and the compliment of my "rebujito", a drink of white wine and Sprite, made for an incredible combination:

Above: Cochinillo Asado and Rebujito

I was able to try many delicious local foods while I was out, trying patatas alioli, patatas bravas, castillas (ribs), pulpo (octopus), etc. The most adventurous food I tasted though was thanks to Sheri, who ordered cow tongue. Believe it or not, it was surprisingly delicious. I’ve always said that while in Spain, I’ll try anything once, and cow tongue is something that I would most certainly eat again if given the chance:

Above: Patatas Alioli

Above: Castillas (Ribs) and Sangría

Above: Tostada con pulpo y gamba (Octopus and Shrimp) and Sidra (local hard cider)

But last night was only a small taste of what Spain has to offer. I’ve enjoyed a lot of pork dishes, but I’m a huge seafood guy and would love to venture into this part of Spanish cuisine. In class this week, we learned about “chipirones en su tinta”, translated to be “squid in its own ink”, and I want more than anything to try this. If I’m remembering correctly, it’s a little bit on the expensive side, but if given the opportunity, I’ll most certainly try it. I also really want to try various types of paella, and since it’s my host-mom’s favorite food, I’m sure I’ll be given the opportunity. Spain has not yet failed to both impress and excite me when it comes to food. With the weeks that lie ahead, I wait patiently with a smile on my face and an adventurous mindset to continue on this journey with Spanish food.

Una entrevista con mi señora, Rosa

I found it a very interesting and rewarding experience to speak with Rosa about grocery shopping and food preparation. I liked talking to her about how things are different or similar in America. When I asked Rosa where she does her shopping, she told me that she goes to the mercado for fruit and fish and gets her carne at la carnecería. Sometimes at home, I go grocery shopping at several places, but usually I make one quick stop at Meijer. I guess when you have so many fresh choices here, you have to make several stops to find the best!

Rosa said she usually goes shopping about once a week, and always has an idea of what she is going to get beforehand. Sometimes she will make a list. I like to do this too, so I don't forget anything on my trips. Rosa said that she has noted a rise in the prices, mostly in the fruit and the fish.

Usually Rosa doesn't really know what she's going to make very far in advance. She said she'll usually think about it the day before or the day of, but she likes to make something different each day. Most of the time, it takes about un medio hora to prepare a meal, and that she doesn't find this excessive, but she said it depends on what she is making, so sometimes it may take a bit longer or shorter. When I asked Rosa what her favorite dishes were, she had a hard time deciding because she enjoys mostly everything, but her top choices included paella and ensaladía.

I asked Rosa if she eats chicken often, like we do in the United States and she said that it is common, but ternera and cerdo are probably more common. I also asked her if she knew what pancakes or bagels were and she said no. I tried to explain them (it was kind of difficult), but she told me that almost every American student she has had asked about pancakes! Maybe I will make some for her at some point. I also tried to explain to her what hummus is, since it's one of my favorite foods. I told her it was a product of garbanzo beans and she was familiar with that.

Overall, I have enjoyed learning a lot about Spanish food and having the chance to try some good homemade dishes made by Rosa. She always wants to make sure that I am enjoying what I'm eating and that I have plenty. It's definitely apparent the work that she puts into making a good meal and I am very appreciative for it all.

Tapas, tapas, tapas!

Not to sound corny, but going out for tapas the other night was definitely an experience I will never forget. As a class we went to four different tapas restaurants, and then continued on to other bars throughout the night. Each tapa place was distinct; however every one of them was incredibly good.
The best tapa I had all night is definitely la lengua. Although it did taste quite good, it gets the title of best tapa because it was definitely the most adventurous tapa I had all night. The tongue was is a sort of stew of fantastic juices and vegetables. It tasted quite a lot like beef tenderloin, with a soft texture. It wasn’t chewy, but more like something you would put in a soup. Mostly importantly it was different than anything I had tried in the US, which made it very fun. To add to the experience, today we went to a Mercado where I was able to see an uncut fresh tongue. It was definitely a little scarier when you see it raw, so I’m glad I tried it before going to the market.
It is next to impossible to call any of the tapas bad, however if I had to pick my least favorite it would be the pork sandwich I had at the second tapa restaurant. The sandwich was still amazingly good, though not anything very distinct from food in the US. That tapa restaurant was famous for its ribs, so it would have probably been better to have ordered the ribs in the first place.
The best drink I had all night is a very close competition between the sangria and the white wine/ soda mixed drink. In the end though, I have to say the sangria was the best drink I had. It was absolutely incredible, and I don’t even normally like wine. The one other notable drink I have to mention is the acorn shot from the last bar we went to. As far as shots go, it was par none. It didn’t taste like alcohol at all, and could have been put on pancakes as syrup. If I had the opportunity to go back and try anything again, it would be that acorn shot. Andy mentioned that it was likely homemade, rather than store bought, and the taste definitely reflected that.
Finally the one thing that I would like to try next time are the croquettas. I almost ordered croquettas last night but instead I chose la lengua. Next time I go out however, I think croquettas will be the first thing on my list of foods to try. They look amazing and I can only imagine how good they taste. They are also a very common food here in Spain, and I think it is important to try as many different types of local food as possible.

Una Conversación con mi Señora

Marina was more than happy to help me with this assignment and answer my food questions. Marina's situation is a little different from most of the other señoras because she actually works as a cook for a family with children. I think I got pretty lucky in that respect because I feel like Marina really knows her way around Spanish cuisine!

Marina does her shopping at a supermercado, generally once a week on Saturdays (not counting any shopping she does for the family she works for). Although she will go more often for things such as bread and fruit, which taste better fresh. She has noticed a definite increase in prices over the recent years; according to her, "everything is very expensive." When she does do her shopping she already has in mind the things she's going to buy, but she does admit that oftentimes she'll see something in the store and then remembers that she needs that too.

For Marina, a light meal takes about 15-20 minutes to prepare. However, she stressed that the amount of time spent cooking depends greatly on what type of food she is preparing and how many people she's cooking for. Marina, like me, will eat everything so she couldn't really choose her favorite dish. Some of her favorites, however, are paella, tortilla de patata, and lomo with her special sauce that she made up herself.

Marina says that on Saturday we're going to make paella and I couldn't be more excited!!!
¡Hasta luego!

Una entrevista con my Señora Choni

I am so glad that Andy gave us this assignment to talk with our Señoras about their kitchen and grocery shopping. It was a really fun interview and Choni (short for Ascención) loved talking about food! She works at a Tapas restaurant not far from our apartment and apparently has worked in restaurants all over Spain, even Barcelona! Here are my notes from our conversation:

Where do you shop?: En el supermercado

How many times a week do you shop?: 2 veces cada semana

Have you noticed an increase in the cost of food in recent years?: Sí, la fruta mucha.

When do you shop?: En la mañana

Do you already have an idea of what you are going to buy or make for the meals?: Sí, tengo una lista.

On a normal day, how much time does it take to make la comida?: Dos horas o una hora y media.

Finally, when I asked her what her favorite dish was, she began reeling off these delicious descriptions, here are just a few!:

-La tortilla de patata

-La paella

-Le gusta legumbres y verduras

Hasta luego!

-Katherine

Tapas Tapas Tapas!

Tapa hopping last night was definitely a great time - delicious food, drinks, and good company – what more could you ask for! La calle Van Dyck had so many cute restaurants and man was the food good. At the first bar I ordered the hamburguesa. Not exactly your typical American hamburger. Perhaps the only similarity was the bun on which the meat was served. It lacked vegetables and ketchup and patty was ham, not beef, but it still was delicious. I also got to try some cochinillo de asada, which was probably my favorite tapa of the evening. I also had a glass of sangria, a Spanish staple and extremely refreshing!

I split the tapa con queso and the costillas at the next bar. The cheese was delicious but a little stronger than what I am used to eating back home. The ribs were very very tasty and super tender. It was interesting that they were served on a piece of bread because you had to take the meat off the bread in order to get it off the bone. I ate my tapas with a glass of tinto de verano, a drink similar to sangria but even tastier in my opinion.

At the last place we went to I was hesitant to order anything because I was already pretty full from the first two places. It’s amazing how much tapas can fill you up. But I figured I might as well try it while I’m here so I ordered the tortilla con jamón. The tortilla was a mixture of potatoes, onions, and eggs and then there was a filling of some sort with ham inside as well. Even though my stomach was full it was hard to put this dish down. I will definitely go back to this street to tapa hop again. Perhaps a little later in the evening so I can experience the crowds and converse a little with the locals! Oh and I’ll be returning to the Bar Su Casa. I’m not exactly sure the name of the street it’s on but hopefully I’ll be able to find it because that acorn liquor was muy delicioso!

Comida Española

The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of Spanish food is Tapas. The only time I really had Spanish food back in the states was at a tapas restaurant so I guess that’s really the only thing that came to my mind. Both times I went out to eat in Madrid I had tapas so I guess my idea of Spanish food wasn’t too far off. I love how many different types of tapas there are and that they are small so you can have a variety of food when you go out.

However now that I’ve spent almost a week in Spain, I’ve realized that tapas are extremely popular here but definitely not the only thing to eat. It may be the popular thing to get while going out on the town but my señora has given me a taste of real Spanish food. I’ve noticed that they do like their potatoes, eggs, and ham. I am amazed at the amount of pig that is consumed here – as well as how much of the entire pig is consumed. I have always been more of a fan of chicken and turkey but jamón has grown on me a lot this trip. They was they process their meat here is much different than in the states, but they sure know how to make it delicious!

I am also surprised by the amount of fresh fruit they have here. Almost all of my meals are polished off with fresh fruit and in the mornings I have homemade orange juice. Fruit is probably my favorite part of the meal and I love how all of the little markets have an amazing selection of fresh fruit. Another thing I have noticed is that they don’t eat as many vegetables here as I am used to – well at least not my host family. We do have some tomatoes and lettuce but usually the meals are very meat and carb based.

Mi amor de jamón y tapas

What do I think of when I think of Spanish food? Jamón, jamón y jamón. Andy has told us that we are in the epicenter for cured ham. For lack of a better word… WOW. Definitely am going to take advantage of this opportunity. Apparently the process of curing the ham takes years! It amazes me that Zingermanns will charge you $200 dollars for one pound of cured meat. I wish I could take some back with me. Here, a jamón y queso sandwich is definitely a staple.

Although before coming here I knew about the abundance of jamón, it was only yesterday that I first discovered Tapas. It is my true belief that if the entire world indulged in Tapas there would be world peace. Wars would no longer exist. There is nothing a decadent tapa and glass of sangria can’t cure. Combine this with a daily siesta?? Heaven.

Tonight the Foodie Practicum is going to “Tapas hop” a bit more. I cannot wait to continue explore the Spanish cuisine!

Katherine C.

Tapas!

Last night our class went out for tapas together on Calle Van Dyck, and we had a great time! The first tapa bar we went to was called Don Cochinillo. Most people got suckling pig there, which I heard was great, but since I'm a vegetarian, I ordered salpicon marisco, a fish tapa. It consisted of crab, onion, peppers, squid, and shrimp in a vinegar dressing, and it was very good. I'm not crazy about squid, but I enjoyed everything else in it a lot. I had this drink that was a mix of wine and sprite, but I can't remember the name of it at the moment.

At the second bar, I had queso y pan (cheese and break) and a glass of red wine. The queso was strong, but very good. Other people got blood sausage and ribs, which looked great. I really might have to try some of the meat here because it all looks incredible. When we went to the market today, we got to see people de-boning fish and preparing different types of meat. Everything looked so fresh, and I actually did want to try some of it, so we'll see if I can get myself to go back to meat for a while.

At the last place we went to, I just had a drink because I was so full from the first two dishes. It sounds ridiculous, but a few tapas really do fill you up quickly. After the third bar, we went to one more small local bar that Andy said is his favorite--I think it's called Su Casa. It was a tiny little place with a husband and wife who run it. I had another glass of red wine and a few people took chupitos (shots) of this acorn-tasting stuff that they loved. After that, we walked to the Plaza Mayor, Andy went home, and we all went to another place he recommended, a local hangout spot I guess, called Paniagua. I loved Paniagua--it had pictures of their patrons hanging all over the place, and the bartender took a picture of us for the wall. It was tiny, so we basically filled it up, and as the night went on, more and more locals and other foreign students showed up. Over all, I think the salpicon marisco was my favorite tapa, and I'd like to try some meat here in the near future. I'm in Spain, so I should step out of my comfort zone. I have to say that over all it was a great night complete with delicious tapas!

When I think Spanish food...

So, since I don't have internet at my house, this is the first time I've been able to post on here. Spanish food...I guess a few days ago I would've said that I think rice and beans when I think Spanish food, but after eating a few meals here, I've realized I was wrong. First of all, everything I've had to eat here has been delicious! I can't think of a meal I haven't enjoyed. I did have to take apart my shrimp to eat it yesterday for lunch, but luckily since Andy warned us about that, I wasn't too surprised. I snapped off the head and tail and peeled each shrimp--of course, I had to have my senora show me how to do it first.

I've had a lot of tortilla espanola, especially out at the tapas bars, and I have to say that's my favorite food here so far. I realized that they like to use a lot of potatoes and eggs here. I'm a vegetarian (but I do eat fish), and luckily my senora knew this ahead of time from one of my forms, so she's been cooking me delicious fish all week. Each meal she makes usually includes fish (meat for her), salad or some type of vegetable, bread, and fruit or ice cream for dessert. I've also tried a bit of cured ham at a bar two nights ago, and I have to say I did enjoy it, even though I haven't eaten meat in about 3 years. I'm debating about trying to ease my way into eating meat again, but so far I've only had that tiny bit of ham. I did try crab last night, which I've never had before, in one of my tapas, and it was great. Basically, my expectations for food here were far exceeded: I was expecting good food, but everything I've eaten has been incredible!

¡Tapas!

Last night I had my first "tapas hopping" experience and it was amazing!! The first place's specialty was cochinillo asado, so of course I had to try that. And it was delicious! The pork was so tender and the skin was flavorful and crunchy. In the spirit of España, I had sangria to go with it. At the first place I also had the opportunity to try patatas con alioli sauce. The alioli sauce was creamy and the perfect combo of olive oil and garlic. I hope I have the opportunity to try a homemade alioli sauce while I'm here!

At the second place, I decided to try sheep cheese. I thought it would be similar to goat cheese, but it was harder. I loved that too!! This time I had a tinto de verano to drink. This combination of red wine and sparkling lemonade is so refreshing and it's obvious why it's a summer drink. Tinto de verano was my favorite drink of the night.

At the third place I finally go to try jamón ibérico! Since Spain is famous for jamón ibérico, as soon as I saw it on the menu I knew I had to try it. It is similar to prosciutto, only thicker and with a stronger ham flavor (at least that's what I thought).

The jamón ibérico and the patatas con alioli sauce tied for my favorite tapas of the night!! I don't think it's possible to name a least favorite. I would definitely order all of these dishes again (and probably will!). The next time I go out for tapas I definitely want to try more seafood. I love seafood and I'm excited to taste the different varieties that Spain has to offer!

A conversation with Señora

After we got home from our market excursion today, I thought it'd be a fitting time to ask my señora about her shopping habits and generally how it's done in Spain. She told me that she goes shopping about 2-3 times a week, but that it changes depending on the season. For example, in the summer, fruit won't keep as long, so she has to buy it more often.

She always buys fruit from a frutería, fish from a pescadería, and meat from a carnecería, preferring to only go to the supermercado for cleaning supplies and such. When I asked her if she'd noticed food prices going up, she responded with, "¡Muchísimo!" and told me that it wasn't just food (in particular oil and meat) but also many other types of goods as well. I wish I knew more about food costs in the US so that I could have made a comparison, but I guess that's something I'll have to ask my grandma or mom about when I get home (yes, I realize that I sound like a spoiled child.)

When she goes shopping, she always has a general idea of what she wants to make, but the time she spends each day cooking really depends on the dish. Sometimes she says she can whip something together in five minutes, but more complicated dishes obviously take more time. When I asked what her favorite dish was, she said that she liked everything (which is great, because other than spicy foods, I'll eat anything as well) but that she particularly likes rice dishes and fish, which I could have guessed from what we've been eating for lunch these past few days.

I'm glad I had to chance to sit down with my señora, practice my Spanish, and learn more about Spanish culture, and I'm excited for more opportunities like this.

Tapas Hopping

Going out for tapas with everyone last night was definitely an experience I'll share with my friends back in the States. I had an amazing time!

I think my favorite dish of the night was the patatas alioli. The sauce was incredibly flavorful, and I know Andy said that it was store bought at the particular place we went to, so I can't even imagine how good the homemade variety must be. The cochinillo asado was also delicious. When we went to the market today, a part of me felt a little guilty looking at the suckling pigs in the display cases, but the memory of the crispy skin and tender meat I tried yesterday was still pretty strong.

I can honestly say that I didn't try a single tapa yesterday that I didn't enjoy eating, but if I have to pick a least favorite, I would say it was the cortillos at the second place we went to, and only because they got messy (I have a weird thing about eating meat with my hands, so I generally feel this way about all ribs, even though I love them.)

I've tried a variety of drinks since I've been in Spain, but I think my favorite so far has been the tinto del verano at Bambú. I've also had this drink at other places, but the ratio of wine to soda at Bambú is perfectly suited to my taste. However, I look forward to trying many other types of drinks (both with and without alcohol) in the coming weeks.

And speaking of trying new things, I definitely want to try lengua the next time I go out for tapas. I didn't get to taste any last night because I was already pretty full, but everyone who tried it seemed to like it, and I can't leave Spain without trying something adventurous!

¡Me encantan tapas!

"Tapa-hopping" last night was absolutely fantastic! Before leaving I thought I was only going to be having a few little snacks, but among the four places we stopped in, I finished the evening quite full! At the first place we went to, I tried D. cochinillo asado with a glass of sangria. This was supposedly what this place was known for and I believe it lived up to its expectations. The pork was really tender, and the skin was crunchy and flavorful. Served with a slice of bread, this was the perfect start. I also tried part of a hamburguesa, which is pretty different than your basic hamburger in America. For starters, the patty was probably not composed of any beef, but mostly pork. It was more of a red color and tasted somewhat like salami. It was also topped with a tomato slice and alioli sauce. (That sauce is fantastic!) I also had the chance to try alioli sauce on patatas. Really good!

At the next tapa location, I tried costillas which I really enjoyed. However, I must say that my dad's ribs do rival these! I also tried queso de oveja. I was expecting more of a creamy cheese, like goat cheese, but these were solid, triangular slices of cheese on bread. Nevertheless, I did enjoy these, even though I haven't really been a huge cheese fan in the past (other than goat cheese, which I love for some reason). If I had to pick a "least favorite tapa" I would probably say these since they weren't too exciting, but I still liked them. I don't think there is much here that is not good!

The third tapa location we visited may have had the most varied choices. I choose tortilla con calabatin (zucchini). I think this was probably my favorite tapa of the night, although I did enjoy the meat options as well. This tapa was composed of a tortilla, which was a combination of eggs and potato and had melted cheese and zucchini sandwiched between two pieces. It was creamy and flavorful and a nice contrast to the other meat tapas I had just tried. I'd say that my favorite drink so far is sangria, though I have not tried many other drinks. I love the sweet fruitiness of the sangria. It's quite refreshing and the perfect compliment to pretty much any tapa.

I really enjoyed the last location we stopped in, Bar Su Casa. It reminded me of a "mom & pops" bar and I'm sure this place had been around for a while. The decorations provided a really authentic and classic atmosphere. I didn't try any food here, but I did try some kind of acorn liquor (I forgot what it is called). This was extremely sweet and tasted like some kind of combination of caramel and maple syrup.

Next time I go for tapas, I would like to try something that contains seafood, such as calamar, which I have always loved. I'm excited and curious to taste the difference in freshness of seafood between here and the US. I'd also be open to trying some obscure body part such as tongue, or maybe a kidney! We'll see... Only in Spain!

The Standouts of Spanish Food Thus Far

As a preface to talking about food and drinks and such, I should mention that I think the system built around tapas is genius. The fact that you can just go into a bar and get a drink and what in America would be a big snack or a tiny meal for only a few euros is great. In America, if you are out and want a quick bite to eat, you have to go to a fast food place or a convenience store where you get horrible processed food. But here in Spain, you can stop in any bar for five minutes and get a drink and delicious, real food.

My favorite tapa thus far is either the tongue or the stuffed pepper. Once one gets past the intial reluctance to eat an animal's tongue, it is a delicious piece of meat. The stuffed pepper was great too, although I do wish it had been a hot pepper. Even still, the pepper itself was delicious as was the stuffing. As far as drinks are concerned, I cannot say much. I do not drink alcohol, so I have not tried the variety of Spanish drinks. At my home here however, one of my hosts makes gazpacho, which is very good. It is a mix of tomato, onion, pepper, cucumber, water, and oil very finely blended into a drink. My host said that I was the first guest of theirs to ever like it, and I can certainly see how many people might find not find it appealing, but I enjoy it and have it at lunch every day. The one thing in particular that I still want to try is the spider crab. I am curious because it is a delicacy here and in America no one would ever eat it.

My Señoras Take on Food and Cooking

My Senora, Senora Augustina or Tina, was as always quite forthcoming about life in Spain. Like most of the people I have met here, she is always happy to answer the host of questions that arise when an ignorant American comes to a very different country. As a side note, it was very nice to find that the people here tend to be quite pleasant and helpful, especially compared to the people in many American cities.

Anyway, Tina does her food shopping in a supermercado three or four times a week. She goes shopping whenever there is something she needs, and she goes with only that specific thing in mind. For example, when I mentioned I liked fruit, she went to the supermercado to buy some to have at the apartment for me and the rest of the household. She has noticed significant increases in the cost of food, mentioning that every week the prices of everything get higher. One specific example she gave was oil whose cost has apparently doubled in recent months. As far as cooking is concerned, she spends anywhere from an hour to two hours preparing for lunch and dinner. Breakfast does not involve any cooking. So, she spends anywhere from two to four hours cooking every day. Her favorite foods are paella, tortilla, and embutido.

My Favorite Thing about Spanish Food- TAPAS

The Spanish have definitely figured out how to eat- and drink too. And I love it! I cannot even begin to tell you how much I have enjoyed the tapas here. They are increíble. My favorite tapa that I tried yesterday was the cochinillo de asada at Don Cochinillo. I have never in my life had pork that amazing! They definitely know how to treat and cook their meat here! ¡Que rico!

Honestly, I don't think there is a tapa that I have tried and haven't liked here. Next time I go out for tapas, I want to get a little more adventurous. I want to try cow tongue again, because the bite I had was delicious. I love that they use every part of the animal here! In addition to la lengua, I want to try el pulpo, because I am not sure if I have ever tried octopus before. Also, Nicole got some shrimp with the head attached and she had to rip off the head and peel off the skin to get to the delicious meat, and I think I want to try that too! There is so much to try here and the quality of the food is incredible! The bite of chorizo that I had yesterday was also amazing and I will be ordering that too. Even though we went "tapa hopping" last night and I tried so much great food, I still feel like there is so much more food here that I haven't tasted I am so glad we are here 6 weeks.

Mia

Learning About Food from the Source- An Interview with My Señora

I absolutely loved talking to my Señora about la comida de España. This assignment allowed the two of us to really converse in Spanish, so it was a great opportunity for me, and I think my Señora really enjoyed it too!

I learned a lot about how much time and energy it takes to prepare Spanish food for a family or students. My señora goes to the el mercado to buy meat. She goes once a week- every Saturday. She always buys her meat from the Carnicería hermanos camba, where she has been going for the past 22 years. Additionally, she will go shopping for fruit or other basics as needed. When we are running out of fruit, she said she will go to una frutería on Avenida Portugal to buy more fruit. She told me she always knows what she is going to buy before she goes out to shop. I also learned that everyone has noticed an increase in prices of food in recent years. She said all the basics, como pollo, azúcar, y frutas, cost more now than they did a couple of years ago, due to the economic crisis.

Everyday, around the time for a siesta, my señora thinks about what we are going to eat for the next day. She will then prepare that food in the evening, so she just has to heat it up the following day. She does this because she works everyday until two, and she told me that she doesn't want her guests going hungry or waiting hours for her to cook. She said that on the average day, she usually will spend 1 to 1.5 hours cooking. I told her that I would love it if she could show me a little bit about cooking, and she said that on a weekend, when she doesn't have to work, we can cook together.

We had a great conversation and I learned so much from my señora. Additionally, this conversation really made me feel more comfortable talking with my señora and the locals. She told me that I can ask her anything I want to at anytime and she would be happy to answer. She is very nice and easy to talk to. And her food is delicious too!

Mia

First Impressions of Spanish Food

When I think of Spanish food, the first thing that comes to mind is tapas because I've heard so much about it from my friends who have travelled to Spain. I couldn't wait to try the tapas here- which, thanks to Andy- I was able to try my first tapa today. It was pan con queso, tomates, y cebollas y era deliciosa. ¡Gracias, Andy! I has a delicious glass of cold sangria to wash down the tapa, which was perfect considering it was HOT today!

The other thing that comes to mind when I think of Spanish food, is Spanish wine. I love wine and I was so excited to hear that you can buy a good bottle of wine here for 5 euro or less! I will definitely be taking advantage of that.

Other than tapas and wine, I didn't really know what to expect to be quite honest, but I was and still am excited to try all the food Spain has to offer me! So far, I have been pleasantly surprised. I had a Spanish tortilla las night for dinner with my host mom, and it was a delicious blend of eggs and potatoes.

I have heard that the seafood is amazing here too- which I definitely want to explore- especially because I don't know a whole lot about seafood. After attending class today, I learned, that in addition to seafood, the Spanish love pork and curing their meat- which sound great to me! I am excited to try the cured meats, especially the pork, and learn even more about Spanish food and culture!

Mia

Tapas, Tapas, and... Tapas?

I must admit that up until yesterday I was unsure of what tapas were. I knew I should have had a better idea than what I originally had. Whenever I would ask somebody anything about food in Spain or about the culture, tapas was NEVER left out of the conversation. Not just because they are popular here but because they are a way of life.

So from my understanding tapas are like little bar/restaurant places where you order a "tapa" which is like a small plate of a type of food (like a appetizer except there is only one serving) and a drink comes with it. Beer, wine, soda, and water are some of the more popular drinks but there are many options to these as well. For example, there are many mixed drinks that are available like a sangria which is a drink mixed with dark wine, a type of soda, and served with a slice of fruit. I received a lemon in mine.

Yesterday our class went "tapa hopping" as a chance to fully understand what tapas are and to learn more about the local cuisine. We met up at 8:30p and did not finish until 12:30a! I defintiely feel I have the best class yet ;) We ate and drank all through the night and kept it going through the party scene. We were fortunate enough to try out 4 different tapas which was definitely a treat. By the end of the night we were rolling down the street.

The tapa I really enjoyed was Meson Los Faroles because it has a great atmosphere and plenty of seating room and bar space that not a lot of tapas offer. Also, there were over 20 different tapas to choose from! That was a little overwhelming because we couldn't choose! Not too far behind my first choice would be Don Cochinillo, simply because their patatas and drinks were amazing and their staff was polite as well. I haven't been to many tapas but my least favorite was the one a group of us and I went to our first day in Salamanca. Of course we didn't have anyone to show us the ropes to finding a good tapa. The floors were dirty and the food was out despite the extreme heat that brought out flies. I don´t recall the name but when I pass it again, I will be sure to take note.

There were many many drinks to choose from and it is very difficult to pick one favorite. But the best drinks I've tried have been the rebujito and the La Shandy de Mixta Mahou (labor limon). The rebujita is mixed with white wine and pop something similar to Sprite, which is the most common. The shandy is a flavored bottled beer that is similar to a Seagrams or a Mike's but is well... better.

There are a few items that I would like to try when I go out to another tapa. I would love to try the chorizo iberico asado (a type of sandwich) which was at a tapa called, Churraco and croquetas (a fried dish) that I believe most tapas have. I would also love to try a drink called calimocho, which was suggested to me by my professor and includes red wine mixed with coke!

To us Americans, tapas are undoubtedly a treat but for the locals, it is just another part of the culture. Tapas are a place to enjoy great food, with fresh ingredients, and a nice refresco. I figure since I will be living in Spain as a local student and would like to immerse myself into the culture fully, it would be best if I enjoy tapas just as the locals would... say, almost everyday.

:)

When I think of Spanish food...

When I think of Spanish food I think of tapas!

Growing up in the semi-rural midwest, we really didn't have too many authentic spanish restaurants around town. In fact, we probably didn't have any authentic spanish restaurants in all of Champain-Urbana, Illinois. The closest thing we have is a restaurant called Radio Maria which served tapas. As a result, before coming to Salamanca or even Michigan, I thought spanish food was pretty much just many different kinds of tapas.

Turns out, I was half right. There are tapas here in Salamanca, as we found out yesterday at Bambu. However by no means is that the only thing Spain has to offer. My first night my host mother cooked an incredible meal of spanish tortillas (potatoes, eggs, and other fantastic ingredients), salad (a healthy salad with olive oil as the dressing and no cheese; quite different than america), and the best fruit I've ever had. The next day I had some sort of potato, chicken, fried dumpling thing. Although don't be fooled, it was significantly better than any chicken nuggests from the states. Finally I had an amazing soup that she made for lunch yesterday that was a cream based potato concoction. Everything here has been completely incredible, and obviously much more diverse than just "tapas".

Potentially the most shocking thing is how incredible the fruit is here. I did not associate spain with fruit before coming, in my mind the main food offered here was meat. However already in my 48 hours of being here, I have had countless numbers of melocotons, paraguitos, and other such amazing fruits. They are all incredibly fresh and amazingly sweet compared to what I'm used to back in the states. This was a huge relief to me, because meat is not my favorite thing in the world, and fruit definitely is high on my list of favorite foods.

On previous impressions of Spanish food...

Before arriving in Salamanca, I had some idea of the Spanish food I'd love to try again: tortilla espanola, churros con chocolate, bocadillos, paella (sin mariscos!), croquetas. In other words, nothing very adventurous.

In previous visits to Spain, I've had some bad experiences with food that I'd like to remedy by attempting to try those foods this time around. For instance, I detest seafood of any kind because of its offensively pungent smell. Unfortunately, the Spanish love their seafood because it is so fresh and so plentiful here. My senora says she does not often cook it for the students that stay with her, so I may be able to avoid it en casa at least. However, I am up for trying nearly anything once, even if it is only a small bite at first. Luckily, seafood is really the only thing that bothers me, so I am eager to try anything and everything else I encounter during these six weeks.

Spanish Food

After only a few days in Spain, it is apparent there is so much more to Salamanca than what I could have ever imagined. One of the things I was most excited about for this trip was the food. I had heard from many people that the Spanish enjoyed a lot of meat and seafood; I love both. My family at home consumes at least one of these types of food each day. Many people who had also been to Spain had mentioned tapas, but more in the cultural context than the actual food.

After only a couple of days in Spain, it is clear there is much more to the cuisine than this. After talking in class about the different methods of cooking the same kind of meat, along with the discussion of rare delicacies, I am excited to eat everything I possibly can. I think it will be a bit interesting since the meat I like the least is ham, and the most common meat in Spain is ham. I am open to trying new things, so hopefully the way they cook it here is better than the US.

I think that the tapas and drinks invention is a great thing. Going to the tapas bar today was something so new and exciting. The tapa I had was delicious along with the tasty sangria. The food I have had at my host family’s house is also very good. So far, it’s been mainly common American food paired in interesting assortments. Eggs, pasta, and bread are all things I probably eat on a weekly basis in the US, but not in one meal.

I think that the Spanish cuisine is different and so exciting from the US. I want to try as much new food as possible while I am here.

Preconceptions of Spanish Food

Before coming to Spain, I was under the impression that Spanish food was basically huge amounts of meat, especially red meat, and cheese. I always imagined huge racks hanging with a variety of sections of beef and pork. I thought that fish and other seafood were less common especially in the more interior parts of the country. Chicken I imagined to be common, but not nearly as ubiquitous as beef and pork. I had heard that Spain consisted of land that was excellent for maintaining livestock, but not quite so well suited for raising crops. From my brief glimpse of the country from the train between Madrid and Salamanca, it looked like that could indeed be the case, at least in those areas, but I really do not know whether that is true for the whole country.

So, I was very surprised to learn that seafood was common and quite popular. I was especially shocked by the fact that spider crab is a delicacy here. I have been crabbing on the east coast a number of times, and we always threw back the spider crabs without a second thought, and were unhappy when we caught them because they ate all the bait. Until today, I did not even think they were edible. From an American perspective, they are about the least appetizing looking animal I have ever seen. I am happy to know that other sorts of seafood are common though; fish and shellfish are some of my favorite foods.

Anyway, one other thing I was surprised to learn was that Spanish food is not particularly spicy. I thought that since Latin American food is so spicy, Spanish food must be as well. I guess while Spain exported their language and many other things to its colonies, it did not export its cooking. I love spicy food, so I do wish Spain made more use of hot peppers and the like, but I suppose it will be good to refine my palate with more subtle flavors. In general, I look forward to trying all the food that Spain has to offer.