Spain

You know when you have a really good dream, but you have a hard time remembering all of the details?  You wake up with a general good feeling, but your disoriented brain can't quite shake the discomfort left by the fuzzy time-warped events?  That was my trip to Spain.

A little too dramatic?  Maybe.  The truth is, my other half was sidelined by a wicked viral nemesis for almost the entire time, but he was a trooper and we certainly made the most of the situation.  I'm not sure if it was the smartest idea to occasionally prioritize delicious food over a timely and healthy recovery, but we made enough great memories to dream for our return.  

So beautiful.

This is as good as it looks.

Temple of Augustus, Gothic Quarter, Barcelona -  I know the Romans are not universally loved,
but they sure do know how to set up great long-lasting structures, cities, and cultures.
They, of course, were also very good at destroying everything and burning it to the ground.

I may know a bit about everything pastry (desserts, cheese, fruits, etc.), but I don't know much about cured meats.  This local dried sausage called Fuet was MIND-BLOWINGLY delicious.  It looked like a salami, but the flavor was less salty and spicy, and tasted more balanced and rich.  Also, the particular one we ate had a soft texture that I don't normally find with cured meats.  Heaven.

One of the first things you learn about jamón is how to identify the good stuff.  Key words include: "Iberico" (refers to the breed), "bellota" (refers to a prized diet of acorns), and "pata negra" or black foot (indication of breed, on the left).  The one on the right is jamón serrano.

I could live here.
(Sean read this and thought I meant Barcelona, and then quickly
he realized I meant in the sausage shop.)

Beautiful beaches of Barcelona constructed for the 1992 Olympics

Our food tour guide led us to this wonderful pastry shop, Bubó, with some beautiful and delicious works of art.  There is clearly quite a bit of French influence on the food in northern Spain, 
especially in the area of pastry.  

This gianduja (hazelnut/chocolate), pistachio, green tea dessert wasn't too shabby either.

Graffiti near Parc Guell, Barcelona:
"The best translation between two languages is a kiss".
I'm pretty sure there's a double entendre in there as well.  Bonus points.

We ate a lot of olives while in Spain but these were by far the most delicious at Somorrostro in Barceloneta.  Apparently there are many ways to cure an olive, and the Spanish are known for a relatively quick procedure using lye and unripe, green olives (compared to the long fermentations of ripe olives, like the Greeks).  It makes for a nuttier and crisper olive.

Sean has tried to pique my interest in soccer in the past, but it's never gone very far.  Our tour of Camp Nou (where FC Barcelona plays) was spectacular.  It's the largest stadium in Europe, holding just under 100,000 people, and for someone who doesn't watch soccer, even I felt like I was walking on sacred ground. 

Concha Bay, San Sebastian -
It was too cold for a swim this time around.

Alcachofas de Tudela - Looking at these artichokes made me miss California

Sean was a complete pro during our cooking class

Cristina our Chef! We took a cooking class that was taught in one of San Sebastian's Gastronomy Societies. Traditionally these local clubs are kitchens with eating areas, where members can cook, host friends and hang out.  In the past, only men could be members since they needed a place to convene outside the home, where women usually ruled. Sean and I were fascinated by the idea of a place like this and peppered our guide and chef with questions until they couldn't take it anymore (and we couldn't eat anymore).

Patxineta: A cream-filled layered pastry covered in almonds and sugar.
I ate quite a few pastries and cookies during the week, and I've concluded
that if you are allergic to almonds, there is no way you'd survive Spain.

The delicious main dish from our cooking class: 
Hake (a local whitefish), clams, white asparagus, peas, and egg in salsa verde.  One concept that I 
loved learning about was the seasonality of seafood.  It's easy to think of fruits and vegetables
changing as the seasons do, but I never really thought about fish.  It was fascinating to listen to the locals reminisce about different seafoods associated with different holidays, or how one type of fish wouldn't show up until another one left.  

Zurriola Beach, San Sebastian -
If we see one more absolutely cute and joyous puppy on the beach, Sean is going to dog-nap it.

La Madame, San Sebastian - 
Yes, I ate raw tomatoes, and survived.

Pintxo Time!
I could have eaten these blistered and salted Padron peppers all night long. 

La Mallorquina, Madrid - Rosquilla (similar to a cake donut)
and a Florentine (not Spanish, but it looked so good). 

Puerta del Sol, Madrid - I love spring!

Yes, I did.  And, yes I'd do it again.

Maybe ending with Jamón Ruffles is in poor taste...

Cremeria Toscana in Barcelona -
Hands down, the best gelato I've ever had, although I'll always keep looking.
Great texture, intense flavors.  Fortunately neither of which was jamón. 

Lastly, a big Thank You to Ruthie, Liz and Yvonne for all the recommendations.  I hope I can repay the favor!