Now I simply have to write about some of the things I really like from the Spanish kitchen just to take my mind off the testicles mentioned in the previous post.
It is obvious to start with the Tortilla. As opposed to the rest of the world a tortilla is an omelet in Spain. It has nothing to do with a corn pancake! My favorite is absolutely the tortilla de patatas or the Spanish omelette - go figure since potatoes is my favorite ingredient. Of course I don't eat it like I'm supposed to ... but add a little extra oil, rosemary and salt as it is served. It is funny how I often have had to ask for salt and pepper in restaurants in Spain. It is rarely on the table unless they are used to turists. Anyways I recommend the tortillas in all flavours. Potatoes, spinach, asparagus, whatever.
The Fuet is also a favorite. A thin, cured, dry sausage made of pork with a slightly smoked flavor. In my opinion this is the best of the Spanish sausages, and far better than the wellknown chorizo. It is the perfect snack alone or with some cheese and bread. Personally I prefer the strip the pork gut before eating - mostly due to how I store it. If the pork gut won't sever from sausage try rinsing with a bit of water and it comes right off.
Pan con tomate - bread with tomatoes. An instant classic. Toast any kind of whitish bread to a rustic crisp and grind down half a clove of garlic directly onto the bread. The just squeeeezegrind a halfcut tomato onto the bread. Add a bit of oliveoil and salt. It's a feast on its own.
Tallarinas or Coquinas are my favorite mussels. Absolutely preferred in oil with garlic and lemon. These are the tiniest mussels and an easy entry point if mussels are not on top of your list.
Pinchos Morunos or Pinchitos are small grilled pork or chicken skewers originating from North Africa. Absolutely delicious and yummi. The slightly bigger variant is called Brocheta and is quite delicious as well. In the North of Spain the Pinchos commonly refers the small pieces of bread with different types of toppings. These also provide for a good snack but that all depends on the toppings. Be aware of the origin of the kitchen when you order :)
Angulas are small white elver eels with a look and feel like spagetti. Fried in olive oil with garlic and chili these small eels are a snack out of the ordinary as long as you don't eat them too often.
Finally I want to bring attention to Alioli. Originally just garlic and oil patiently grinded and stirred into a mayonaise style sauce. More commonly eggs are added to make the preparation easier. Alioli is absolutely perfect with any kind of meat or crispy potatoes.
Now I want to eat!
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