Spanish food at home?

[VNwalking]

For any lucky Forum members living in (or visiting) the Washington DC area, there's a stellar and affordable Spanish restaurant in Bethesda. Buen provecho!~

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/spanish-diner-restaurant-review/2021/07/08/ae02996a-da9c-11eb-8fb8-aea56b785b00_story.html

Can you get good Spanish food where you live (I can't...)? If so, please share your local secrets!

 

[rappahannock_rev]

And for any lucky Forum members living in (or visiting) the historic town of Fredericksburg VA, located some 40 miles or so south of Washington DC, there's a stellar Spanish restaurant with a lovely terrace overlooking the Rappahannock River, where wistful Camino veterans have been known to gather on Friday afternoons this past year to tell tall tales, gobble chorizo al vino, and drink good wine! https://www.tapario.com/

 

[Former member 49149]

There is a rather upmarket shop in Dublin 2, Fallon and Byrne, where Padron Peppers sit gleaming among the other vegetables. Sporadically I head over and purchase a bagful! They also have various top quality chorizo and jamon offerings. I rarely eat out so no information beyond the fact that there are Spanish restaurants.

 

[VNwalking]

. I rarely eat out so no information beyond the fact that there are Spanish restaurants.

Well, there's a Spanish restaurant in your kitchen, from the sound of it...

 

[Anhalter]

And for those not having the luxury of a nearby spanish restaurant:
I highly recommend the cookbook from Simone and Ines Ortega, called either "1080 recipes" or "Spain: The Cookbook" (seems like they changed title for the new release). Doesn't feature any fancy pictures like the more modern cookbooks, but is a great work in itself and very easy to work with.

 

[mspath]

Near our farmhouse/pilgrim place facing the Marne river in the midst of Champagne there is no Spanish resto. Most of the pilgrims/tourists who stop here are coming from/going to Reims cathedral where the kings of France were crowned.

In Reims L'Espelette is a very good Basque restaurant. Named after the famous Basque town and red pepper the resto is located north of Reims cathedral near the public market.

 

[Former member 49149]

And for those not having the luxury of a nearby spanish restaurant:
I highly recommend the cookbook from Simone and Ines Ortega, called either "1080 recipes" or "Spain: The Cookbook" (seems like they changed title for the new release). Doesn't feature any fancy pictures like the more modern cookbooks, but is a great work in itself and very easy to work with.

I have it, bought it in the shop I named above, and agree with you. My Spanish friend assures me no mother would let a child leave the family to set up home without that book...

 

[VNwalking]

My Spanish friend assures me no mother would let a child leave the family to set up home without that book...

Is it in English translation?

 

[sugargypsy]

Move to Stuttgart, Germany . There are 8 spanish restaurants. My two favorite ones are the Andalucia - Casa Muu and Cortijo. Casa Muu serves different Tapas, the best patata bravas with aioli and all sorts of seafood and grilled fish. At the Cortijo they serve a delicious Paella and one can enjoy dancing Flamenco or simply watch.

At the Markthalle (marketplace) and Prendes they offer a great variety of spanish food, so it's really no problem to cook spanish food at home.

 

[Former member 49149]

Is it in English translation?

Yes. Heavy. Yours when you call in...

 

[chinacat]

It’s huge!!!

2.6kg …

(if you don’t get as far as Dublin, there’s one here!)

 

[chinacat]

There’s Ultracomida in Aberystwyth.

A Spanish deli and restaurant (large tables, everyone sitting together ).
And another branch in Narberth.

Wonderful food and the best naranja fresco

There’s another in Cardiff but I haven’t tried it yet …

 

[VNwalking]

Just out of curiosity, I looked up Simone and Ines Ortega's 1080 Recipes to see if there was a digital version. Nope. Nada.

 

[chinacat]

Just out of curiosity, I looked up Simone and Ines Ortega's 1080 Recipes to see if there was a digital version. Nope. Nada.

It’s available in Spanish:

1080 recetas de cocina (Libros Singulares (LS)) (Spanish Edition) eBook : Ortega, Simone: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

1080 recetas de cocina (Libros Singulares (LS)) (Spanish Edition) eBook : Ortega, Simone: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

www.amazon.co.uk

 

[Moorwalker]

And for those not having the luxury of a nearby spanish restaurant:
I highly recommend the cookbook from Simone and Ines Ortega, called either "1080 recipes" or "Spain: The Cookbook" (seems like they changed title for the new release). Doesn't feature any fancy pictures like the more modern cookbooks, but is a great work in itself and very easy to work with.

Sadly the English language edition is only available second hand here (England) at ridiculous prices and my Spanish is not good enough to read it in Spanish.

 

[tpalmercurl]

For any lucky Forum members living in (or visiting) the Washington DC area, there's a stellar and affordable Spanish restaurant in Bethesda. Buen provecho!~

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/spanish-diner-restaurant-review/2021/07/08/ae02996a-da9c-11eb-8fb8-aea56b785b00_story.html

Can you get good Spanish food where you live (I can't...)? If so, please share your local secrets!

I recommend La Tienda and Despaña (as well as Donostia and Yummy Bazaar) for online Spanish ingredientes to cook at home. For restaurants, Boqueria in DC and NYC, or check out their online cooking classes!

 

[CaptBuddy]

I was blessed, to have a father who was a very good cook. He owned (and was chef at) 3 Italian restaurants, before I was born. He was raised here in Florida by his second generation Spanish parents. And, oh yes, he, and my aunt, taught me to cook from an early age. What I lacked from his training I quickly picked up from my Cantabrian cousins in recent decades.
I recommend https://www.whiskandspatula.com/ to everyone interested in Spanish and Camino cooking. Yosmar is great and will communicate with you on Spanish recipes.
Also, while expensive, La Tienda online is a great source for foods and recipes.
Buen Camino

 

[VNwalking]

I recommend https://www.whiskandspatula.com/ to everyone interested in Spanish and Camino cooking. Yosmar is great and will communicate with you on Spanish recipes.

And she has an award-winning cookbook: Tastes of the Camino!

Interesting how many of her starter recipes (on the website) are vegetarian. They look really delicious.

 

[Moorwalker]

And she has an award-winning cookbook: Tastes of the Camino!

Interesting how many of her starter recipes (on the website) are vegetarian. They look really delicious.

There is no Kindle or other e-reader format available though which makes buying it frm outside of the US expensive.

 

[VNwalking]

There is no Kindle or other e-reader format available though which makes buying it frm outside of the US expensive.

Too bad. It looks really good.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Can you get good Spanish food where you live (I can't...)? If so, please share your local secrets!

Plenty of places in Boston. Easy to find of course. Google "xxx restaurants near Boston" and replace xxx with Tapas, Spanish or Portuguese. You will though get Latin American places showing up in the results too. We haven't gone to a Spanish restaurant per se but we like the tapas ones. If you don't like something the rest easily gets transferred to someone else's plate and if something isn't any good you can move on to the rest of the order. And in all the places we have been you order. No going up to a counter and pointing. Another difference is the price. For an anniversary out we left enough behind in one place to send one of us to Spain (at least at the price we paid last time we went).

 

[Theatregal]

Padron Peppers sit gleaming among the other vegetables. Sporadically I head over and purchase a bagful!

Well, there's a Spanish restaurant in your kitchen, from the sound of it...

I can attest to that! The best Spanish food with the best company in Dublin

 

[CaptBuddy]

There is no Kindle or other e-reader format available though which makes buying it frm outside of the US expensive.

That is true. But the book is beautifully done, and is a joy for cooks and pilgrims. One of my favorites. It is beautifully illustrated, and she has included a story about each recipe. I enjoy Kindle for the ease of use, but "Tastes of the Camino" would not translate well to Kindle. IMO

 

[CaptBuddy]

This should bring tears to some.

https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/113015345

 

[BROWNCOUNTYBOB]

I order Spanish food and tapas several times a year from "La Tienda" on line. Delicious peppers, queso, chorizo, rice, spices, bread, sweets, olive oil. Bob

 

[Anhalter]

Sadly the English language edition is only available second hand here (England) at ridiculous prices and my Spanish is not good enough to read it in Spanish.

33 Pound for a used one on Amazon.co.uk seems OK to me for a ~1000 page cookbook.

 

[David Tallan]

Is it in English translation?

It is, indeed. I have a hardcover copy which I probably picked up on sale. It's published by Phaidon.
ISBN 978 07148 7247 6.

 

[Dougie1982valley]

Brindisa in the Soho area of London. Stunning food with an authentic Spanish feel (although the dishes come with London prices unfortunately) Well worth a visit if you’re in London. BC

 

[David Tallan]

There are a reasonable number of Spanish restaurants in Toronto. My first favourite, Segovia, where I proposed to my wife, unfortunately closed a while ago.

Some of the better known ones still around (at least, before Covid) include: LaVinia Restaurant, La Paella, Tapas at Embrujo, Patria, Barsa Taberna, Bar Isabel, Bar Raval, Madrina, and Labora.

 

[SabsP]

Not really local local but relatively close by. Seeing the only friterie aka chipshop left our small village we have to drive to the main town for restaurants.
So for decent Spanish food we drive to Genk where there is a big community of Spaniards ( people who came over mostly from Andalucia to work in our now closed coalmines ).

La Peña

La Peña | Spaanse tapas paella wijn Genk | Vennestraat, Genk, Belgium

La Peña brengt je overheerlijke tapas to share met een lekkere cocktail ... dat ademt gewoon zomer!! Bij ons kan je kiezen uit wel 30 verschillende tapas en cocktails, Uiteraard serveren wij de authentieke Spaanse Paella en een selectie Spaanse top wijnen. Vennestraat, Genk

www.lapenagenk.com

And in Tongeren we have the more upmarket tapasplace Caliu. She is from Catalunya and he is a local guy.

Eten & Drinken

www.caliu.be

The most authentic place is just across the border in Maastricht in the Netherlands. I know not that local but still closer by for me to drive across the border than driving into our capital Brussels.
Very authentic tapas with their sugnature dish Berenjenas al Miel. Fried aubergines in honey.

Tapasbar / Restaurant - La Bodega | Tapas Maastricht

Tapas Maastricht? La Bodega, hét tapas restaurant in Maastricht! Alles is Spaans in onze tapasbar; het interieur, de muziek en het gehele tapas assortiment. Bij ons kunt u terecht voor een borrel, klein hapje of een uitgebreide maaltijd.

labodega-maastricht.nl

https://labodega-maastricht.nl/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/La-Bodega-Menukaart.pdf

Delicious patatas bravas too. Always a good sign when they serve that well!

 

[Moorwalker]

33 Pound for a used one on Amazon.co.uk seems OK to me for a ~1000 page cookbook.

That's interesting, it didn't show up earlier when I was looking. Back to Amazon!

Edited - the cheapest that is now coming up is £88 I could probably budget for £33 but £88 is 'way out of my reach.

 

[MariaSP]

I have it, bought it in the shop I named above, and agree with you. My Spanish friend assures me no mother would let a child leave the family to set up home without that book...

So maybe my mother is not a very good mother, because I had to buy my own copy of that book...

Sadly the English language edition is only available second hand here (England) at ridiculous prices and my Spanish is not good enough to read it in Spanish.

Maybe you could try this one:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1787137201/?tag=casaivar-21
or this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0091951259/?tag=casaivar-21

I don't have any of his books so I can't tell you if they're any good or not, but I've seen some of the chef's videos on YouTube and he seems fine to me. And the books have a more reasonable price than Simone Ortega's.

 

[Former member 49149]

So maybe my mother is not a very good mother, because I had to buy my own copy of that book...

Maybe you could try this one:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spanish-Made-Simple-Foolproof-Recipes/dp/1787137201/ref=sr_1_1?crid=28VIN9T6FTBUG&dchild=1&keywords=omar+allibhoy&qid=1626112028&sprefix=omar+a,aps,227&sr=8-1
or this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tapas-Revolution-Omar-Allibhoy/dp/0091951259/ref=sr_1_2?crid=28VIN9T6FTBUG&dchild=1&keywords=omar+allibhoy&qid=1626112518&sprefix=omar+a,aps,227&sr=8-2

I don't have any of his books so I can't tell you if they're any good or not, but I've seen some of the chef's videos on YouTube and he seems fine to me. And the books have a more reasonable price than Simone Ortega's.

Don't mind me! I think I would have needed to buy my own as well! My memory of the copy in my friend's home is of a much simpler and smaller production. The one I have is indeed, as CaptBuddy said, a beautiful edition, a pleasure to handle.

 

[gloria lowe]

Too bad. It looks really good.

I have that book and love it.

 

[flickchic98]

I've made this tortilla espanola and it's really easy -- except when it's time to flip it. I've destroyed several trying that. But once you get the hang of it, it's a delicious main dish or side dish and will be very popular at potlucks. Try it! Bring a little bit of Spain into your home.
Here's the link for instructions https://www.saveur.com/tortilla-espanola-recipe/

 

[Walking Lover]

For any lucky Forum members living in (or visiting) the Washington DC area, there's a stellar and affordable Spanish restaurant in Bethesda. Buen provecho!~

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/spanish-diner-restaurant-review/2021/07/08/ae02996a-da9c-11eb-8fb8-aea56b785b00_story.html

Can you get good Spanish food where you live (I can't...)? If so, please share your local secrets!

I am hosting a group of Rotarians on Saturday for a pilgrim's meal. The menu will include appetizers: octopus, Spanish cheese, potato tortilla, scallops; salad with everything except the kitchen sink including tuna; lentil soup with Chorizo; chicken dish; Santiago tart; and Rioja wines.

 

[David Tallan]

I've made this tortilla espanola and it's really easy -- except when it's time to flip it. I've destroyed several trying that. But once you get the hang of it, it's a delicious main dish or side dish and will be very popular at potlucks. Try it! Bring a little bit of Spain into your home.
Here's the link for instructions https://www.saveur.com/tortilla-espanola-recipe/

I cheat. My wife got me a pair of pans from Spain that hinge together or come apart. When the time comes to flip the tortilla, I just put the second pan on top (face down) and hinge them together. Then flip, remove the new top pan (former bottom pan), and we are all set.

 

[Former member 49149]

I am hosting a group of Rotarians on Saturday for a pilgrim's meal. The menu will include appetizers: octopus, Spanish cheese, potato tortilla, scallops; salad with everything except the kitchen sink including tuna; lentil soup with Chorizo; chicken dish; Santiago tart; and Rioja wines.

And the address?

 

[Pelegrin]

Move to Stuttgart, Germany . There are 8 spanish restaurants. My two favorite ones are the Andalucia - Casa Muu and Cortijo. Casa Muu serves different Tapas, the best patata bravas with aioli and all sorts of seafood and grilled fish. At the Cortijo they serve a delicious Paella and one can enjoy dancing Flamenco or simply watch.

Patatas bravas were "invented" in Madrid in the 1950's. Patatas bravas with alioli is not normal in Madrid.

 

[palmah]

Thanks for the original post. We live in Northern Virginia and looking for a place to celebrate a birthday!

 

[VNwalking]

On an even lighter note, a momentous debate has been resolved (maybe):

Pro-onion faction triumphs in Spain’s great omelette debate

Nation settles one of its most vexed questions as survey finds large majority of Spaniards prefer tortilla de patatas with onion

www.theguardian.com

And heads up for those on the Ingles!:

In 2018, the town council of Betanzos – the Galician municipality whose tortillas de patatas are often seen as the finest in the country – stipulated that those entering that year’s high-profile competition should use only potatoes, oil, egg and salt.

 

[sugargypsy]

Patatas bravas were "invented" in Madrid in the 1950's. Patatas bravas with alioli is not normal in Madrid.

Thanks for your information. I will ask the cook next time when I'm going to eat there, whether he has adapted the recipe to german tastebuds or why he is not serving the original spicy sauce with it .

 

[David Tallan]

Thanks for your information. I will ask the cook next time when I'm going to eat there, whether he has adapted the recipe to german tastebuds or why he is not serving the original spicy sauce with it .

When I was living in Madrid in '89/'90 patatas bravas did not have alioli. But I certainly came across that variation in other parts of Spain. Perhaps the cook learned the recipe elsewhere in Spain.

 

[Pelegrin]

When I was living in Madrid in '89/'90 patatas bravas did not have alcohol. But I certainly came across that variation in other parts of Spain. Perhaps the cook learned the recipe elsewhere in Spain.

Yes, normal in Madrid has been patatas bravas "alone" ', but I found on internet that there are now some places where they also serve patatas bravas with alioli.

 

[David Tallan]

When I was living in Madrid in '89/'90 patatas bravas did not have alcohol. But I certainly came across that variation in other parts of Spain. Perhaps the cook learned the recipe elsewhere in Spain.

Thanks @Pelegrin for quoting my comment and allowing me to see what autocorrect had done to it!

I've gone back and corrected it.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

There’s Ultracomida in Aberystwyth.

A Spanish deli and restaurant (large tables, everyone sitting together ).
And another branch in Narberth.

Wonderful food and the best naranja fresco

There’s another in Cardiff but I haven’t tried it yet …

Are they still going? Wonderful news. My elder daughter had a flat in North Parade when she was at Aber Uni and I used to drive over for the weekend and we'd do a tapas night on Saturday. I think that's where she got her chocolate caliente addiction!

 

[VNwalking]

Thanks @Pelegrin for quoting my comment and allowing me to see what autocorrect had done to it!

Haha...I did wonder about that...

 

[Canche]

For any lucky Forum members living in (or visiting) the Washington DC area, there's a stellar and affordable Spanish restaurant in Bethesda. Buen provecho!~

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/spanish-diner-restaurant-review/2021/07/08/ae02996a-da9c-11eb-8fb8-aea56b785b00_story.html

Can you get good Spanish food where you live (I can't...)? If so, please share your local secrets!

Nope but they run a fantastic 5 star hospital.

 

[chinacat]

Are they still going? Wonderful news. My elder daughter had a flat in North Parade when she was at Aber Uni and I used to drive over for the weekend and we'd do a tapas night on Saturday. I think that's where she got her chocolate caliente addiction!

Their café in Cardigan market was where I got mine

It all started with a small deli in Narberth, decades ago.
Lovely people who seem to attract lovely staff members too.
And yes! great tapas

 

[tpalmercurl]

And she has an award-winning cookbook: Tastes of the Camino!

Interesting how many of her starter recipes (on the website) are vegetarian. They look really delicious.

Thank you for this recommendation! My book (and apron) arrives today. Great website, too, and I'm going to look into the classes she offers.