A little while ago, a friend returning from Morocco presented me with a big bag of saffron. Or at least he thought he did. What he really gave … [Read more...]
The truth about…Olive Oil
Most people move to Spain for the sun and the wine, but me, I'm here for the olive oil. I know olive oil comes up in just about all my … [Read more...]
Caper Berries Andaluz
"The best capers I've ever eaten," says my friend Elina. "You've got to try them" And so it is that she fixes me up to meet Antonio, from a … [Read more...]
Goats Cheese Greek Style – Mezithra
It’s been many years since I was last in Greece. Greece was my first bit of independent travel – sleeping on beaches and the roofs of half … [Read more...]
Notes from a Greek Island
Greece is all over the news these days - drowning in debt, on the verge of collapse, on the brink of total disaster - and no doubt all that is … [Read more...]
Mushroom Picking – Lactarius Deliciosas
Finding wild mushrooms is always a bit hit or miss. Has it rained enough? Has it rained too much? Is it cold enough? Will other people … [Read more...]
A Monsoon Summer
I'm assuming everyone has been way too busy enjoying summer to have noticed that I haven't updated my blog for weeks. Let's face it, when … [Read more...]
Red Wine Revival
It's hard to live in a part of the world like this without more than occasionally fantasizing about what it would be like to buy an old finca … [Read more...]
Goats cheese
For me, there's nothing more evocative of the interior of the Mediterranean than the sound and smell of goats. It evokes olive trees and wild thyme, … [Read more...]
Hunting, gathering, wild and free
I'm quite convinced that some people are natural hunters and gatherers. I know for sure that I am one of them - well, a gatherer at least. . … [Read more...]
Vendimia – the Sherry harvest
I am told that once upon a time there were around 300 bodegas here in town. This little corner of Spain, El Puerto de Santa Maria, Sanlucar de … [Read more...]
Salt
Those of you just emerging from the grips of an endless winter will no doubt assume that this is a mountain of snow. But it's not. Its a … [Read more...]
Jamon (demystified)
The vegetarians out there may not like this post but I can't blog about Spanish food without a post about jamon. Jamon is Spain.These rather strange … [Read more...]
Orange and Quince
My friend and kitchen soulmate Ingrid told me she was having a love affair with quince. Quince? The word brought images to my mind of old English … [Read more...]
Olive Oil
I wrote in my last post that less and less of what is consumed today in Spain is produced traditionally but I am discovering that there … [Read more...]
Pimenton de la Vera
I've just come back from a fantastic few days in the north of Extremedura - the province of Spain that lies between Madrid and Portugal. I … [Read more...]