Chocolate Easter decoration.
We were lucky enough to be in Spain over Easter, visiting my daughter who is living there for a few months. So this week’s post will lack recipes and my weekly spend as it was a holiday and I don’t want to think about how much we spent! We did shop a few times while were there as we were self-catering and I was surprised at how cheap food was, particularly as we went to a town centre supermarket in a tourist resort. Being Spain and near to Alicante there was an “English Shop” which we couldn’t resist having a nose round and were shocked to discover that even their products were cheaper than here. Mind you I’m not sure that I having access to Aunt Bessie’s Yorkshire puddings in Spain was quite what I wanted!#
Mixed tapas starter
We did eat out a few times and we headed for one restaurant that had a set menu for 15€ for three courses plus half a carafe of wine. We ordered 3 menus between the five of us. My daughter particularly wanted us to try arros negre (black squid ink paella) which was slightly scary looking but delicious.
Arros negre
On our final night we tried out an Andalucian restaurant. The Spanish family with whom we were holidaying chose a selection of dishes for us to try. They were all very unusual, most of which I had not had before, such as dried tuna (a bit like air-dried ham) and deep fried aubergine slices with molasses. There were also fried, whole fish. I don’t know what they were, but the fact that they still had teeth deterred me from tasting them, but my youngest gamely bit into one.
Dried fish salad
Fried fish (with teeth)
Our Spanish hosts insisted that we should have paella for lunch one day, and I have to say that it was delicious and not like the gloop I have been served before. We had a sea food one and vegetarian one. They were both equally yummy and were served with garlic aioli. The aioli was to die for and I will have to try to make it. We also had salad, fried octopus in garlic oil and beautiful prawns.
Perfect prawns
We really did have some amazing food while we were away and were lucky enough to stay with a Spanish family who cooked beautiful dishes for us and were keen that we should see and try as many things as possible. I really feel that I have had a taste of Spain, and I can confirm that it is salty, garlicky and oily with some of the best fruit that I have eaten too.
takeonefamily 