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.
Read MoreConnecting people, connecting with people and creating solid, enduring memories and relationships is without a doubt the most important possible outcome of the effort of putting food on a table, and people around it.
Read MoreNo 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.
Read MoreI am about to leave for Barcelona, to teach the second yearly round of the Mediterranean Food & Culture program for University of California EAP.
The upcoming weeks will be quite busy; the followers of Desayuno con guisantes, the company I ran when I lived in Spain, want to hear from me as well -and learn about some of my California cuisine tricks. I have been invited, while in Barcelona, to teach a series of hands-on cooking classes and nutrition talks for Obbio and Still Cooking. It's a good thing I absolutely love what I do!
Read MoreThe word tapas comes from the verb tapar, to cover, and the noun tapa, cover or lid. There are many legends that attempt to explain the roots of tapas, although their true origin is unknown. One of these legends claims that tapas were conceived out of a need to cover one's glass to keep the flies out. But were there really more flies in Spain than in other countries? Others state that tapas "cover" one's stomach, i.e. line it with some food, to protect it from the alcohol. (One of the most valuable pieces of advice an old tavernero gave me when I first arrived in Spain in 1998 was "always eat more than you drink and you'll never get drunk".) Yet another legend says that tapas were meant to "cover" the appetites of field workers; they would nibble on something in order to regain their strength to keep working.
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