Our European Summer part II: Sifnos, Greece

The heated political tension that hit the streets of Barcelona these past few days (and now seems ubiquitous) was what finally encouraged me to spend a rare, sunny Friday morning at home alone coming back to myself through the space that is this blog on Sobremesa. And I knew I had to make an effort to recover the mood that Sifnos left me with after our week there this summer, the most relaxing and enjoyable, real vacation time I’ve spent in many years.

A Fresh Start + A Glimpse of Spring

When I started Desayuno con guisantes, my Spanish blog, many years ago, I wrote about the zen of shelling peas and the beauty of simple things. For favas you need twice the patience, as they need to be shelled first, and then blanched and peeled. Some people eat the outer skin to avoid that tedious second shelling, but I assure you it’s well worth the effort.

books, holidays, snack, tapas, vegetablesCamila LoewJanuary 4, 2019Sobremesaspring, seasonal, avocado, vegetables, vegetarian, appetizer, side dishesComment

On Giving Thanks + Hot Springs Egg

I thrive on ritual. I wake up at 5am every day so that I can have a good hour or two before my family wakes up, for my personal morning rituals : a brief meditation, a long sitting with countless steepings of tea, some yoga.

holidays, Spanish food, travelCamila LoewNovember 29, 2018Sobremesaeggs, japanese food, breakfast, gratitude, holidays, bowl food, restaurants, BarcelonaComment

The First Sobremesa in My New Home

No matter how long I do this, I am still in awe of the magical effects of sitting down to share a meal: deep bonds are almost immediately established. Mutual understanding and the sharing of a pleasant meal seem to go hand in hand.

Spanish food, travel, vegetables, holidays, bakingCamila LoewNovember 14, 2018SobremesaEVENTS, sobremesa, Mediterranean food, lunch, vegetarian, vegetables, cauliflower, roast, fallComment

Basque Sangría

Greetings from San Sebastian, one of my favorite cities in the world. Though I have been coming here regularly for many years, but every single time I am in awe of its beauty.

books, holidays, Spanish food, tapas, travelCamila LoewOctober 18, 2018Boutique Basquebasque cooking, basque country, drinks, beverages, sangria, wine, pintxos, tapas, travelComment

The Zen of Empty Space + Banana-Oat-Cacao Cookies (GF)

On a culinary front, this post could also be called: What you do when you’re sick of waiting for your container to arrive from the other side of the world, you’ve been living in an empty house for 8 weeks, you really want to bake something for your kids (and maybe yourself too) on the last lazy Saturday afternoon of the summer, but you have no kitchen utensils to work with.

baking, dessert, holidays, travelCamila LoewSeptember 6, 2018Sobremesabaking, cookies, moving, Barcelona, SpainComment

My First Trip Back to Spain: Two Culinary Highlights

Some highlights of my first visit back to Spain since moving to the Bay Area in late 2013!

holidays, Spanish food, travelCamila LoewJuly 24, 2015Sobremesatravel, spanish food, basque cooking, basque country, grillComment

Sobremesa on the farm

A few days ago it was my great pleasure to meet Jorge Saldana, owner of Cancun (Berkeley) and Tlaloc (San Francisco) restaurants. Marissa of Bay Area Green Tours, invited us to spend the afternoon on Jorge's farm, Sabor Mexicano, near Guerneville on Russian River.

holidays, sauces, travelCamila LoewJune 30, 2014summer, farms, Mexican food, sobremesa, travel, corn, salsa Comment

Marinated Mussels for St. Jordi

Today is St. Jordi, my favorite Catalan holiday. Today I miss Barcelona. Some say it's the equivalent of Valentine's Day. Maybe so, only it has a cultural addition, which makes it much more interesting. Roses and books, books and roses.