In the winter, the Spanish island of Menorca has lush pastures for cows to graze on, and so not surprisingly the island is famous for its cheese. My friend Jacky gave me a tour of his cheese facility which was right next to his old farmhouse. I saw how the curds were separated from the whey, and I saw the fresh molded cheese soaking in brine. He then showed me the room where the cheeses aged, and what a sight that was for a culinarian like myself! He then gave me a taste of fresh cheese, semi-soft and creamy in the mouth, and then he gave me a taste of the aged cheese that had all the flavor explosion of aged Parmesan. I had enjoyed Jacky's cheese in the past, when he brought some to me in California, but tasting it at the source was special. Menorcan cheese, both the fresh and the aged, is one of my favorite cheeses.
Location: Finca Es Tudons, Cami Vell, Km 4.5, Ciutadella, Menorca, Spain. Date: December 13, 2018.
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This fantastic pizza on the island of Menorca had a magnificent crunchy thin crust, and the meat sauce, which included some tomato, was savory, meaty, and a touch sweet. There was just enough cheese which was more moist than gooey. The pizza was garnished with pickled jalapeňo slices for heat and tang. The spacious and modern restaurant was located in a former Renault dealership, and it had opened only ten days before. The chef was still experimenting with his recipes when he brought out the Bolognese for us to try. I'm sure he was pleased at my reaction. If you're ever in Ciutadella, you must try this pizza.
Location: Es Pati, Calle Sabaters No 1, Cuitadella, Menorca, Spain. Date: December 12, 2018. This pizza had a crispy thin crust, and I think it was flavored with thyme. It came with melted cheese, but the cheese wasn't thick and gooey. The pizza sported date halves and squares of bacon for a sweet and savory profile, though I found it more savory than sweet. This was more of a flatbread than American pizza, but it was really good.
Location: Ágora on the plaza in Viladrau, Catalunya, Spain. Date: December 4, 2018. Inside the crunchy shell of these fried croquettes was a molten buttery mix of mashed potato and squid ink that oozed out like lava. There was so much squid ink that I could taste the sea in the black ooze. These are the most delicious and exotic croquettes I've ever had, and they make a great accompaniment to beer.
Locatiion: Àgora on the plaza in Viladrau, Catalunya, Spain. Date: December 2, 2018. After I ordered, the friend who took me to this excellent restaurant in a small town in Catalunya, blurted out, “You're going to eat Bambi!” This seasonal deer dish was served with three different kinds of mushrooms, Port wine demi-glace flambe, and a cream sauce for contrast. After the meal I got to meet Chef Silvino Gonzalez who told me that I was the only patron who had ordered that dish today. It was hard to believe as the dish was sweet, salty, savory, and had the wow factor. I've eaten raw deer in Japan, but this was the best cooked deer I've ever had.
Location: Ca la Manyana, Av. Verge de Montserrat 38, Sant Julia de Vilatorta, Spain. Date: December 1, 2018. I went to the Friday fish market in the mountain village of Viladrau and could not resist purchasing some red jumbo prawns that the Spanish call carabineros. As I spoke with the owner I found out that this was the last day of the fish market in Viladrau; they were closing down.
At home, on the other side of the plaza, I sauteed some garlic in olive oil until it began to brown, then I added the whole prawns, sea salt, and some white wine. Most prawns turn red when you cook them, but these start out red and remain red, so I had to use my instincts not to overcook them. I removed them from the pan after about three minutes and turned the heat up high to reduce the pan sauce. After about two minutes I poured the sauce over the prawns and served them immediately with a slice of whole grain bread. The best way to eat these jumbo prawns is to pull off the head and suck out the wonderful flavor, then peel them, sucking more flavor from the shell, before eating the lobster-like meat. For me, the best part is sopping up the sauce with the bread. These large red prawns bled red color into the sauce; it looked like I'd used paprika even though I hadn't. Carabineros are expensive but worth it. Location: Private Home, Viladrau, Catalunya, Spain. Date: November 30, 2018. The complete hamburger in Spain must not only have lettuce and tomato but also a runny sunny side up egg. You put the top bun on the egg, squeeze, and the broken yolk provides a sauce. I purposely let some drip on the fries as potato and egg yolk are a perfect match. My complete hamburger also came with a slice of cheese which in the United States would make it a complete cheeseburger. Location: El Cau on the plaza in Viladrau, Catalunya, Spain. Date: November 28, 2018. The Anduriňa is a rustic tapas bar on a narrow cobblestone street not far from Barcelona's Plaza Catalunya. It has tiled walls, rustic wood tables, and, of course, an expensive espresso machine. I ordered white anchovies served with baguette slices rubbed with the insides of a tomato. The four fillets, served with the four slices of bread on the side, were garnished with parsley and garlic. White anchovies are pickled in vinegar, which is what changes their color from brown to white, and they're more sour than salty (not unlike a more delicate version of pickled herring). Next I ordered the brown anchovies in olive oil. These were saltier but nowhere near as salty as canned anchovies. They were served with baguette slices smeared with mayo. Both the white and the brown were the best anchovies I've ever eaten! They were thick and succulent fillets with no bones or “hairs” whatsoever. I've always liked anchovies, but these redefine the genre.
Location: Anduriňa, corner of Carrer de N'Amargos and Carrer Comtal, Barcelona, Spain. Date: November 24, 2018. |
AuthorChef Roland has been a legal resident of seven countries and has travelled in over thirty, documenting food along the way. He currently resides in the desert in Southern California. Categories
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