Pintxos and Txakoli: San Sebastián's Perfect Pairing

                                   

San Sebastian's food scene is a lively display of artful, gastronomic hedonism. The main characters in this scene are pintxos; small bites of delicious food prepared in mouthwatering variations.

When I walked into my first pintxos bar, I was a bit intimidated. On the bar, there were dozens of plates filled with amazing finger foods and the choice was hard. The bartender handed me a plate and I chose mussels with a pico de gallo on top with a glass of Rioja. I watched as people made their choices and sipped on beer or wine and then left. When I was finished, I went up to pay and was shocked that my bill was only €3! 

The next place was very similar but their specialty was anchovies. I chose an anchovy skewer with pickles and a green olive. The briny taste of the pickles mellowed the saltiness of the anchovy and the green olive was the perfect finish, like an olive in a really good martini. I ordered white wine with this bite and knew I had fell in lust with a new way of eating.

Then, I found the pintxos bar that would become the favorite of my trip. Zeruko is a small unassuming place with mind blowing food. Part of their charm is that they incorporate molecular gastronomy for those who really want to geek out on their food. What kept me returning were the sea urchins topped with roe and olive oil and their gold dipped artichokes stuffed with scallops. I could.not.get.enough!! I also learned about a local wine called Txakoli which is poured with a dramatic raise of the arm into the glass below; this is to let the small bubbles settle. The wine is a light, refreshing white with the perfect amout of acidity to pair with some of the more heavy seafood bites. The staff was kind and knowledgeable and never tired of my many questions. 

The charm of San Sebastián was solidified by the pintxos experience. It is such a lively and social way to spend an evening. Perfect strangers or friends meet around a bar filled with food, choose their bites and sip their drinks while chatting. Each night, I met lovely people and learned about the various parts of the world they had travelled from. Travel never ceases to amaze me when it comes to the people I meet, especially when I am alone. Everyone's story is fascinating in their own right and the pintxos experience was like a large moving dinner table.

Every time I travel, I try to find a place or dish that commemorates the taste and feel of the region I am visiting. The Basque proved to be geniuses when it comes to capturing the feel of their region. Everything I ate tasted fresh from the sea and the wine paired perfectly with the abundant flavors. From my time in San Sebastián, I will always refer to pintxos and Txakoli as the most unforgettable tastes.

In Catania: At Least the Food was Good

                                 

                                 

I travelled to Sicily with 2 dear friends before a work conference. We stayed in Catania and planned on walking around, sipping cappuccinos and eating delicious seafood. We were able to do all of these things, but not in the way we expected...

At the arrival gate, we searched for our names on the signs being held up by drivers. I had spent some time communicating with the hotel about our arrival and they assured me that a driver would be there to pick us up. I didn't see our names or the hotel's name on any of the several signs. We looped 3 times with no luck. However, the hotel did send me detailed directions for taking the bus just in case I needed them. So, we hopped on the bus and arrived a bit later only to be told by the front desk, that our driver was looking for us at the airport. We laughed an exhausted laugh and checked into our room to figure out dinner for the evening.

Catania is located on the Southeastern portion of Sicily and is a port town where seafood is abundant. We were told to go to a certain restaurant near the center of town for "amazing seafood". I think all of us were too tired to try to translate the Italian menu, so we had the waiter pick for us and soon we had Prosecco, oysters and bread in front of us. The more I ate the heavier my eyelids became and it was apparent we were not going to last much longer. But we wanted to toast our first night in Sicily together and found a wine bar and ordered Campari spritzers to commemorate our journey. Soon after the clinks of the glasses and a short cab ride, we were all asleep.

The next morning, the clouds had found a comfortable spot right above Catania and we decided to venture into the city for some shopping and lunch. Shopping was limited but we did find an amazing place to eat lunch. The sun started peaking through and we found patio seating and ordered arancinis. Arancini is a large fried ball of various flavors of risotto. They are delicious. We ordered 3 different flavors--eggplant, pistachio and spinach. All wonderful and savory. 

After lunch, we walked around the city and found that it is full of graffiti and litter. I was planning on taking pictures of history and found my camera roll full of graffiti instead. There were a few times when we felt like we needed to get out of an area quickly only to find ourselves in a likewise situation. It was adventurous and we were happy to hop on a bus back to the hotel.

That night, we decided to eat dinner near the ocean away from the city and hopefully redeem the day, especially since we were headed to work the next day. There was a lovely section near the ocean with a few restaurants and we found a table inside overlooking the water. Pizzas and wine were ordered as we watched the lights twinkle on the water. Our food was delicious and the wine paired perfectly. We laughed about our adventurous day and offered appreciation to each other for our ability to travel well together.

Friends with Turkey

Friendsgiving

Coming from a large family is wonderful, but cumbersome during the holidays. I have sisters in different states and my brothers live in Northern California. Every year, I travel to one of their houses to spend the holidays, but I decided to stay put for Thanksgiving this year. My friends, Tim and Kandice, were so gracious to host Thanksgiving for those of us who have family far away. Since San Diego is full of transplants, we had a pretty good size group.

Friendsgiving, as I like to call it, was full of amazing food (2 turkeys), wine, laughter and good conversation. We went around the table and stated what we are thankful for and it was lovely to hear everyone give thanks. I am so grateful to have met a group of wonderful people where we can share gratitude and laughter.

Amalfi Adventure

Last month, I travelled to the Amalfi Coast with a friend before a work conference in Umbria. We spent a few days soaking up the sun, trying Aperol spritzers and eating copious amounts of delicious food. This was one of my favorite trips and I can't wait to return. We stayed in the quiet town, Maiori, where we could walk everywhere and stay across the street from the sea. The days were long and relaxing and the nights were filled with friendship and laughter.

Getting to the Amalfi is not the easiest route. We spent time on a plane, train and a bus. The road is narrow, windy and hugs the mountain closely. The sea is a brilliant aqua and the hills are terraced with citrus. Limoncello flows freely and the seafood is remarkable. 

We took a day trip to Capri with the intention of laying in the sun until it rained. However, the rain was one of the highlights of the trip. At first, I was upset but we ended up laughing until the sun broke through the clouds giving us ample warmth after the showers. 

I can't wait to return to Maiori and spend even more time on the shores relaxing. Life gets crazy and when I look back on this trip, I can feel a sense of calm because for the first time in a while, I felt completely at peace. 

Ode

This lovely little building in Porto houses one of my favorite memories of Portugal. Ode Porto Wine House is a gem among the many memorable places Porto offers their visitors. The proprietor, Cristovao welcomes guests by saying "I want you to treat this place as if it was your home" and he isn't kidding. In fact, if I were to own a home, I would have exposed beams, rustic charm and the same glorious wine storage. So, it wasn't hard for me to sit back and relax in this wonderful "home".

The stone, the wood, the orange...I fell in decor love!

The kitchen was open so you could see the fresh ingredients and interact with the chef. Guests are encouraged to send back food if it is not exactly what you want. However, I find this hard to imagine since every dish looks amazing and prepared with care. I ordered tiger prawns on top of smashed peas and to this day, I can't stop dreaming about those peas.

My dream wine storage!

Cristovao, Ode's gracious host

I wish I had more time so I could have visited one more time before leaving. Until next time, Cheers to Ode!!!

Beautiful Portugal

Portugal is absolutely beautiful. I was not expecting so much charm, warmth, delicious food and jaw dropping beauty. Everywhere I turned, there was something magnificent to see. I never had enough space on my memory card, no matter how many times I emptied it, to capture everything that left me filled with joy. There is an ancient simplicity that layers the country with history that captivated me.

 The City of Porto is vibrant with colors popping up everywhere. What struck me most, was the ceramic tiles on all the buildings. Some were monochromatic, others were intricately painted with amazing designs.

The Douro River flows through to the sea. Across the river is Vila Nova de Gaia, where you can find many Port tasting rooms. There are boats with barrels on them, just like the used before trucks to transport Port wine to the sea.

I can't wait to return!

Texas BBQ and Winery Time

 I was able to visit one winery when I was in Texas, Driftwood Winery. The wine maker invited trade show participants out to his property for wine tasting and Texas BBQ. I'd have to say, after having Texas BBQ, I don't think anything compares. They really go all out. For instance, the spread included ribs, beef brisket, pork loin and sausages...then all the side dishes. The Salt Lick catered the event. Yummy! There is no way you could be a vegetarian at this event.

Now on to the winery...

scariest sign I've ever seen at a winery!!!

The winery is set in the 'hills' near Austin. They are the 'only winery with a view'. There were 3 tour buses that picked us up at the convention center and drove us out to the winery. While on our trip, they served Texas wine. Texas is fairly new in the wine industry so, the wine was lacking a bit. I am excited to see how their industry grows and perfects their wine making practices.

We did have delightful wine upon arrival. They served their Chardonnay and Syrah. I thought the Syrah went perfect with the meal. Then one of their State Representatives spoke about winery funding in the state. Lots of applause and whistling.

They say everything is bigger in Texas. I'd say the sunset proved that. This picture does not even described the light and span of color. It was absolutely breathtaking.