Foods From Afar - Spain - Madrid

Bienvenido espana. A trip that has been nearly a decade in planning and anticipation is finally on. Charlie, a friend of mine since elementary school, met me at the departure gate in JFK for the six hour, non stop flight. We arrived in the morning, dropped our bags at our hostel and hit the city.

Madrid has a vibe all its own, separate from other European cities. The aromas, the warmth, the feeling of energy and intent, followed by relaxation and repose, much like a flamenco dance. The Spanish love their pig. Everywhere there is cured hams, sausages, charcuterie. I'm not sure if the translation is right, but there are stores called The Museum of Ham. Walking into a market, I was stunned at the selection of meats and cheeses. Charlie speaks enough Spanish to help me navigate a tasting. Most of the Spanish cheeses are firm or semi firm(curado).  In the spectrum of cheeses, they fall mostly on the milder end, but no less complex for it. The cheeses with age (viejo) had nutty and buttery flavors while the younger versions were lighter, creamier, and sometimes had floral notes. After trying a few, we made a selection and asked for a four euro slice. What we received would easily have cost $15 at Whole Foods.

Next to the cheese counter was the jamon. There are many variations and intricacies to these cured meats, mostly differentiated by what the pigs ate, length of preservation, fat content, and place of origin. Almost all the cuts are sliced to order, and those that aren't are in vacuum sealed bags. Again, after tasting a few versions, we purchased some Serrano ham and again, four euros worth produced easily triple the amount we would have received in the US. The meats themselves are salty and soft. Shaved paper thin, they melt in your mouth with porky goodness.

Our first night, we went to a local restaurant at the suggestion of Charlie's father, who has been to Spain many times. This small establishment is known for their steak, namely ox steak. My half kilo cut had a bulb of fat at one end and sizzled on the plate. The meat was medium rare, and the red center had a purple tint. The flavors were darker than beef with complex earthy notes. Paired with dinner was a pitcher of sangria. This recipe was sweeter with hints of plum.

Night two was a tapas night with a flamenco dance show. The tapas featured croquettes, fried crispy on the outside and whipped, creamy potatoes on the inside. There was smoked and grilled sausage, much like chorizo, with chunks of fat throughout. Small green peppers also made an appearance, tossed in olive oil and corse salt before being fire roasted, the mild heat and vegetable flavor brought to life from the fire.

On our way to the train station leaving for Barcelona, we stopped at San Gines, a shop famous for its chocolate and churros. Unlike hot chocolate in the US, the cups are small and extremely thick. Think whole milk saturated with powdered dark chocolate (note I am not saying a mix, this is the real deal). The churros were unadorned, much better to dip into the dense drink.

A three hour train ride brought us to Barcelona, but that is for the next post...

Food Truck Festival

This post comes a little late as I was preparing for my trip to Spain.

Last weekend, Hartford played host to a food truck festival behind the Wadsworth anthenium. About twenty trucks lined the street serving everything from hot dogs and burgers to arepas and tajine.

My friends and I perused the selection, debating the best way to sample the most variety. We settled on stopping at the gypsy food truck. After much deliberation over what kind of game meat, I choose the elk burger. The bun was crusty and the condiments fresh, but the star was the juicy, slightly gamy, decadent meat patty. Even better with the roasted pepper sauce, which could be, and was, eaten with a spoon. My friend ordered the tajine, a rich concoction of chicken, tomatoes, chick peas, potatoes, all in a curry like sauce flavored with Moroccan spices. Upon seeing our enjoyment of our food, and lamentation at what we did not select, the chef insisted we try the gypsy stew, on the house (or truck as it were). Chorizo, sweet Italian sausage and roast pork swam in a dark onion garlic sauce. The pork melting in your mouth as a bite was taken with a fork full of rice pilaf.

Fuller than expected, we went over the the chomper truck. These delectable fried balls came in two varieties. The first was like a bacon cheeseburger, molded into a sphere and deep fried to a golden crisp. The other was a chicken, mozzarella, and basil ball, held together by the melted cheese. Both were surprisingly less greasy than expected, but just as filling.

The weather was warm, the music was good, the food delicious and the friends plentiful. Couldn't ask for a better Saturday afternoon.

(picture to come when I am back in the states)

From Spain to Brazil in a Day

My weekend was packed. Saturday morning I ran the Color Me Rad 5k. The popular race has runners wearing white as they are pummeled with brightly colored chalk-ish powder. After a long shower, and one of the few times I followed the “wash, rinse, repeat” instructions on the shampoo bottle, I spent my afternoon learning Balboa, a type of swing dance characterized by close embrace and small movements. This worked up my appetite for the tapas and paella party I attended after.

With almost 20 people attending, there was a variety of dishes. I started with the braised chorizo. The sauce was smoky and dark, the sausage only mildy spicy and softer from the wet cooking method. Of course, there was a cheese plate with manchego, iberico ham, and another softer cheese that had the texture of mozzarella but with the slight sour notes of goat. Continuing my circuit around the table(first of many), I sampled a ceviche the featured avocado, onion, garlic, and conch. The lime, paired perfectly with the slight saltiness and herbaceousness of the cilantro and my cup was soon empty. The last tapa was a simmered shark. The cubes of fish held together with a firmness that like tuna, but softer and yielding. The shark was paired with a cucumber and mango salsa, which brought out the freshness and brightness of the fish.

For the “main course,” there was a selection of four paellas. Two versions of the classic had chicken, shrimp, and chorizo as proteins, complimented with saffron infused rice, onion, and tomato. My favorite was the paella made with duck and rabbit. The minor gamy flavor of the darker meats  lended a welcome complexity to the entire dish.

Sunday, after volunteering at the Walk Against Hunger, my roommate and I ended our weekend at iD Brazil, a Churrascaria in West Haven. I found a Groupon for a tasting dinner for two, including a full buffet, two drinks, and a dessert. Unlike a regular churrascaria, the rounds of meats were not unlimited (because of the Groupon), but we did get to sample everything, along with a repeat meat. One of my favorite meats was actually on the buffet line, a roast pork that easily pulled apart. The skin was crunchy and the meat was tender. Of course the grilled meats were fresh and flavorful, if not a little salty. The buffet line was also complete with fried plantains, yucca, fish, guacamole, chimichurri, and anything else you could imagine complimenting an onslaught of meats.

Despite living together, my roommate and I are both so busy, this was actually the first time we went out to dinner together. It was great to catch up, and get to know each other better over some delicious meats. 

(Off) Street Tacos

Having help moving is near the top of the list of fringe benefits of having younger male friends. A dear friend of mine purchased a sofa and chair set, but was unable to move it on her own, so she enlisted the help of my roommate and I to load and unload the rented U-Haul. In most circumstances, compensation for helping someone move is pizza and beer, along with the promise of reciprocation. However, my friend and I are both foodies, and instead of a large meatlovers, we went to Bartaco in West Hartford center.

The interior of Bartaco is not unlike Chipotle (which happens to be across the street). Wood and metal, along with a slight industrial look is the vibe. On Saturday night, after about 7pm, the crowd starting picking up. Bartaco is easily identified as a locale to “meet people,” as the social lubrication was flowing, and the entire restaurant standing room only. Luckily, we had already gotten a table.

My cocktail was an interesting combination of resposado tequila, lime, muddled herbs, and a chorizo bitters. The cocktail was refreshing and light, yet had a smoky and meaty nose. Even the bartender cautioned that not everyone enjoyed it, but I found it pleasantly differentiated.

We ordered the chef’s tray. I should note that everything comes in small metal trays (jelly roll pans) with a layer of brown paper. Guacamole and tortillas (not chips) came first. The avocado was creamy and perfectly ripe, with just a hint of lime, salt, and cilantro. The three tableside hot sauces tasted equally fresh. The red having a warm chili flavor, the green a tart and slightly lime flavor, the orange bringing the heat and slight bitterness of habaneros.

We sampled a variety of tacos. Each about the size of the palm of your hand, so even light appetites could sample a few. The duck was crispy just slightly gamey (as duck should be). The dark meat was offset by the onion and cilantro, but only slightly, the duck spoke for itself. The baja fish was fried in a light batter, leaving the interior pliant and moist. The fish was laid on a cabbage slaw in the soft tortilla. Last, we tried the wild boar. Dark flavors of mole came through, creating more of a sauce than the duck had. Thick, smokey flavored oozed through each bite, both my friend and I agreeing that it was our favorite.

I have to give accolades to the servers. As a tapas-style restaurant, our courses came as they were ready, and any server passing by was eager to help. Despite the growing crowd, I never felt pressured to move on, order more, or get out. A great night to catch up with a great friend. I can’t wait to help her move again.

Glass Blowing and Bison Burgers

Research shows that spending money on experiences is more psychologically satisfying in the long term than spending money on material things. There are a few reasons for this. One is that possessions become part of your new normal, and their novelty fades because of its persistence. The other is that it is much harder to share. Can you really connect with someone based on the fact that you both have 60” TVs? I am a sucker for novel experiences and once again, Groupon came through. Sunday morning, we drove West to Lorenz studios for a two hour glass blowing lesson.

While this is a blog about food, I believe that the dining experience is more than what is on your plate. Location, mood, dining partners, and more all contribute to one’s perception of the “meal.” In this case, it was a slightly cool spring day, bright and sunny. A friend and I spent the entire morning in front of an 1800⁰ furnace, with molten glass on the end of a metal rod. We created a tear drop by letting liquid glass drip as it cooled. We created a paperweight by folding and twisting a lump of colored glass, then encasing it in another clear layer. Finally, we blew a hollow orb of colored glass and adorned it with a hook. It is an art form of patience, as the glass cools quickly and becomes both brittle and unworkable, needing to be re-heated multiple times. Blues music was the perfect background.

On the way home, we stopped at Whole Foods and acquired some cheeses and ground bison. Taking full advantage of the day, we loaded up the Weber with charcoal and created a cheese plate upon which to nosh, complete with apple, nuts, quince paste, honey comb, and the two cheeses, a truffled sheep’s cheese and a nutty gruyere. We sipped white sangria flavored with peach schnapps and honey whiskey as the briquettes ashed over.

The bison was flavored simply with garlic, salt, pepper, liquid smoke, and Worcestershire sauce. We laid the patties over the hottest part of the charcoal while, back in the kitchen, we cut thick slices of fresh hot house tomatoes and sprinkled them with a little kosher salt. We shredded cabbage and carrot, adding lemon pepper, rice wine vinegar, salt, lemon, sriracha, and a little soy sauce to create an Asian inspired slaw. Keeping to that flavor profile, we sautéed some onions in a little bacon fat and soy sauce to top the burgers.

For the first time this year, we sat outside on the tiny patch of grass behind my apartment, lounging in the sun, the remainder of the charcoal smoke occasionally wafting over us. The meal was not fancy or complicated. There were no foodgasms or explosions of flavor, but that wasn’t the point. The point was to have a shared day of relaxation and leisure, and in that we succeeded in spades.

I was expecting so much more

Not a phrase you want to hear, especially about food. However, that was the theme of this month’s Fabulous Foodies meetup. For a long time, I was at a loss of what to do. Were people expecting more quantity, like fine French dining? More quality, like am I supposed to make some kraft macaroni and cheese? I decided to riff off of both of these ideas. My offering was a slice of pepperjack cheese, a slice of apple, and a slice of onion which I had been marinating in beet juice. These were skewered together and platted. Then, I took the beet juice, soy lecithin, salt, and a couple egg whites and frothed with a stick blender. The idea was to create a stable foam so that I could add bright purple clouds over the skewers. Diners would curiously pick out a skewer to find a simple, yet tasty bite, hopefully, expecting so much more.   

  

Others took different detours on their paths to lowered expectations. Simplicity was the name of the game for many. One person made guacamole on site, which is a specialty of hers. Heavy on the cilantro and the shallot, she keeps the pit in as she mixes for additional agitation. Another member brought the fixings for lox sandwiches, just romaine, cream cheese, cured salmon, and tomatoes. To add to the mix, she also brought maple candied bacon for BLTs. A large skirt steak was seasoned with salt and pepper and seared in a cast iron pan over high heat, resulting in a charred outside, yet a medium rare center. Simple and delicious.

On the other hand, size was another factor to play with for the theme. There were two kinds of sliders made, one was ground turkey with lettuce, tomato, and a spicy aioli. The other was a sweet potato, with a maple/apple chutney spread in the bun. Even some of the desserts were sized individually and kept to the theme of simplicity. Chocolate dipped oreos and cream stout beer root beer floats capped off the evening.

Despite the theme, I ended the night with a full stomach. After raucous debate, we voted on next month’s theme, “Tongue Twisters.” To all those in attendance next month, good luck.

Quality All-You-Can-Eat Sushi

One of those words is not like the other. AYCE sushi brings to mind those skeezy Chinese/Japanese/American buffets that offer only California rolls with trace amounts of questionable “fish.” I assure you, Sushi House in Rocky Hill is not like that.

For $20 per person, we sat at the sushi bar, observing the three chefs pump our plate after plate to keep up with demand. The restaurant has a pretty typical Japanese vibe, with manekineko (lucky cat) waving at the cash register and Asahi beer behind the bar. We are given a pair of menus and a pen. The menus are sectioned into appetizers, soups, salads, fried, sashimi, rolls, etc. Each offering has a blank next to it, and we as diners are to write a number next to each denoting how much we want. At the top of each paper we are reminded to not waste food, which isn’t a problem considering that each piece you order is small. While I am a sushi veteran, my dining partner was trying a lot of things for the first time. As one might expect, soups and salad (seaweed and kani) came out quickly, while the plate of sushi took a bit longer. Word to the wise, don’t go to sushi house if you are in a hurry. They artistically plate every piece, and more than one round of sushi can take a while. This is especially true when the entire restaurant was full with a line out the door (yeah, they are that popular).

I checked numerous offerings to create a customized sampling and handed off the menu. Miso soup, mushroom soup, and seaweed salad came quickly. The soups were earthy and had an umami flavor, and the salad was a bright contrast. Chicken skewers and tempura vegetables came next, each tasted like they were made to order. My favorite was the miso eggplant. Order a few, because each is about one bite. The eggplant is soft and is dotted with sesame seeds and a sweet sauce, a tasty combination of sweet, nutty, and savory.

Then our first sushi plate came. I tried to stick to mostly sashimi as to not fill up on rice, but some fish are only offered as maki. We also got a few rolls that have some pretty interesting components including mango and kiwi. My dining partner, who I was guiding through the tasting, enjoyed the roll stuffed with lobster salad and topped with a mango sauce. I was partial to the warm unagi (eel) and liked to add tobiko (fish roe) to the Godzilla roll, already stuffed with maguro (tuna) and sake (salmon). The saba (mackerel) was salty and a little firm and brought an almost Norwegian flavor to the evening. Overall, I was continually and pleasantly surprised at the quality considering the price point.

We ended our evening with red bean and green tea ice cream (also included in the all you can eat price). Very full, we both walked away happy at my friend’s pushing the envelope of her gastronomic comfort zone.