PAELLA SATURDAY

I was invited by friends of my flat-mate to a Saturday paella birthday cook off. It was the same people who kindly invited me to their Calçotada (see previous post).
The format was triumphantly the same; Rustic old farmhouse with no electricity ( and I;m sure no planning permission).Killer views. A great crowd of bubbly people. Some twigs for a fire. A long table. that;s it.
It was fantastic. we didn;t have the sunny weather of the calçotada, but we still had a great time. Such a simple way to have a great birthday celebration.

BETTER THAN BRISTOL-TO-WESTON ON A WET, GREY SUNDAY.

Took the train to Barcelona last weekend and thought I'd film some of the journey to give you all a flavour of how pleasant a trip it is. Apart from the inescapable grafiti-stewn railway sidnings, and the poor quality from my hand held phone camera and a dusty train window I hope you'll get some appreciation of how lovely a trip it is. It's not all perfect. Some of the towns bear witness to random urban planning and there are a couple of campsites along the way which people say are very nice, but which tend to spoil the 'dessert island vibe'. However the coastline is thankfully devoid big scale tourism. Sitges is possibley the most touristy town but it has managed to retain much or its charm and style. Generally the journey reveales cove after cove of rugged rock, pine trees and scrub, cradling turquoise waters and clean, sparsely populated beaches. Please forgive the video quality, it's pretty bad but hey-ho!

Winter Sun

Back in Tarragona after Xmas break in Bristol to be with family. It's definitely cold here, and all the surrounding hills are dusted with snow.....and we've had a fair bit of grey and rainy days, but today was beautiful......reminded me of the Alps......very cold, but crystal clear blue skies and sun. Makes you feel alive!! Who needs summer if winter is like this! (only kidding.....really looking forward to the summer, but have forgoten how hot it will get and how unpleasant it can be arriving at work and feeling like you need to change your shirt before you start).
Anyway here's a taste a perfect winters day. Click on the start arrow on the video window below.

TRADITIONAL BARCELONA TAPAS

went to BCN on a pilgrimage to Commerc 24, the hot, contemporary tapas restaurant run by ex-Adria chef Carles Abelan. It's perfectly located in the less salubrious, but up-and-coming area of El Born. I think there is an unwritten law that seems to state that the best places are never in the 'best' areas. There's something about the integrity of a place that can't afford the best location. The food has to be good, to get people to come there. Anyway we couldn't get in. So had to shelve it for another day. In the mean time I managed to go to this place which was more old-school and very charming for it. Counter displays of raw ingredients which got passed back to the kitchen through a hatch for cooking and then delivered to you. The place was slick,busy and looked the part. Staff were nicely kitted out in white jackets and attitude; clearly from the school of 'bark and don't smile' which i'm actually begining to get used to. I've stopped taking it personally as it seems to be an 'across-the-board' policy. I orderd a pile of oyster mushrooms and some croquetas. Mushrooms were greasy and underseasoned with burnt flecks of something...maybe garlic....and lacked that vital acidity. No lemon/wine/sharp herb to lift them. I've come to the conclusion that the best way to cook mushrooms is to effectively steam them in an emulsion which reduces to become a dressing lifted by a squeeze or squirt of chosen acid. Season. Add herb. Done. I keep trying the croquetas in the vain hope that one day I'll find one that dosen't taste like wallpaper paste. I guess i'll have to keep trying....Spain has some nice food...but there's a lot of average stuff too.

THE GRAND FINALE...DEVILS, GIANT BULLS, FIRE-BREATHING MONSTERS

The finale of the festival...a health and safety nightmare. Couldn't believe it. the potential for injury is huge. The basic premise is to watch a parade of devils, monsters and giant bulls parade through town spraying fireworks everywhere. furthermore the idea is that you must try and dance under the shower of fireworks to fight off the evil forces. You may wear a straw hat for protection....yes straw....no...not very fireproof , i know.....just don't ask...!!! And that fire spray burns...I got caught in clip 1 below. When the footage goes dark, it's coz i was brushing burning embers off my hair and shoulders....I didn't have a straw hat!

The parade combined a wierd, slightly subversive...pagan....tribal anarchy with what I assume it might be like in a middle eastern war zone. The noise...smell of burning phosporous....drumbeats...costumes....and hypnotic rhythm to the whole parade would not have been out of place in a Haiitian voodoo ceremony. It was staggering...and it went on...and on....and on.......and on........

Its official! The Spanish are just DANGEROUS!!!!!!

The main event of the festival. Human towers, pillars and castles. Runs for most of the days. Taken VERY seriously. Draws huge crowds. Teams from surrounding villages train together all year to compete at such festivals. And huge pride is at stake. Video clip is self explanatory. The tension during, and cheering afterwards was a surprise to me. Towers are judged by number of tiers and people in each tier. It is only recently that the young child who climbs to the top has started wearing protective headgear. And some do collapse. Hence the Red Cross tent and ambulances on standby!!!! In the clip the tower deconstructs itself to reveal a hidden pillar of people in the middle. This was a massive achievement.
WARNING: DON'T TRY THIS AFTER CHRISTMAS LUNCH IN THE BACK GARDEN!!!



I stumbled across this group of 'castelers' who were celebrating a historic achievement in the competition which hadn't been done for 11 years by any team. Only prob is I couldn't understand what the achievement was! Oh well! The were going bonkers ....throwing beer and generally hugging everyone in sight....so i just joined in. If You don't understand what all the fuss is about don't mock...just remember....we have cricket...and that takes 5 days!

How to cook a Paella for 500 people!!

Foodwise, the festival promised a giant street-cooked Paella for 500, public breakfast celebration of tuna and snail stew, two different sausage festivals, a Vermouth tasting, a Vermouth and mussel tasting, a 150 meter long cake, omelette tasting, another sausage tasting, another Tuna and Snail Stew, a cheese and wine tasting, a Tapas tasting, and yet another Tuna and Snail Stew-off!! Damn! they love their Tuna and Snails!
So how to cook Paella for 500.
Step 1:
Light a gert big fire under a gert big pan. Tip in 25kg of shellfish and get someone to start stiring with and oar.

Step 2:
Get a man in a white jumpsuit to chuck in chopped onions, tomatoes and about 50 kg rice.

Step 3:
Lubricate Rice with buckets and buckets of hot stock.

Step 4:
Lubricated workers so they don't dry out!!!

Step 5:
Serve up to the waiting crowd

THE CRAZY SANTA TECLA FESTIVAL!

Historic festival kicks off properly the day after I move in to the flat. Takes place all over the city for 7 days. Promises to include, human towers, pillars and castles, fireworks, The Hundred Year Old Spoken Dance of the Devils of Catalonia , Dancing Giants, Dragon of Sant Roc, Turks and Little Horses, Saint Michael and The Devils, and various acts that look like transvestite Iberian Morris Dancers. (Imagine hairy men in judo suits with ‘Priscilla Queen of the Dessert’ head-dresses and Swiss cowbells jumping around and knocking sticks and whacking people with inflated pigs bladders)


We also had the various pole and ribbon concept dances.....


And then what I can only describe as the dance for people who can't actually dance. It seemed to involve ordinary people forming a circle in the street, holding hands.....and then sort of jogging on the spot for 15 minutes whilst a band played for no apparent reason. I assume it was the precurser to the modern day aerobic class. All very cordial and pleasant and no doubt good for the circulation so who am I to ctiticize....

CENTRAL MARKET

Just love the buzz. It’s how food shopping should be. It’s so real…..no artifice. First the noise…..chaotic, uptempo, makes your heart beat quicker as soon as you walk in, then the smell…..fresh sea smells, cheese, jamones,…. Then the violence. The beheading, de-scaling, gutting, boning. The urgency to sell…to bargain…to get the best. My eyes are everywhere. I suddenly realize I’m smiling for no reason. Is that weird? Who cares! I walk around anonymous, watching, taking in everything, the prices….what could I sell a portion of squid for…the cuts…..is that ribeye? looks different….that must be tripe…’callos’…seen that on menus…now I know…. Chickens with head still on like in France…..que buscas carino? (what are you after, love?)....nada….solo mirar gracias!!! (nothing, only looking thx). I stand next to people straining my ears to try to understand. This is full speed, no-holds-barred real language...some Catalan, some Castellano. The best language lesson you can have and it's free!
Outside it’s like I’ve been to a rock concert, my ears are ringing. I head to basque tapas bar. Small beer in strange flat tumbler. Chistora sausage still warm, mushroom croqueta, tuna with padron pepper, fried cheese, pincho moruno. Would this work in UK? Keep thinking!