On Spanish Adventures Part V: The Best Day

In which we at long last cover what ended up being the best day ever.

Our schedule only mentioned that we would be attending Paella cooking demonstration. So we assumed that we would be in a resturant in the city or at perhaps a demonstration kitchen in classroom at the culinary school. When we hopped on a subway I wasn't that surprised, most of our activities up to that point had taken part in the central part of the city so I figured this would be more on the outskirts. We travelled along and until we left the underground and immerged back into the light. That was when I realized we were headed somewhere a little different, we were leaving the city completely.
Shortly there after we arrived at our stop, we left the train and walked through a quiet little town a few minutes north of Valencia. It was strange, after being in the city for even such a short time coming to this small town felt so isolated and peaceful. I had assumed that we would be going to a small family resturant in town. I was right, and wrong.

We passed straight through town and upon reaching the edge we crossed a small street and stepped down onto a sidewalk. Well, maybe sidewalk is a little too generous. Really it was a path that was paved over an irrigation ditch between two feilds. There was a 2.5 foot drop off to the left and it inexplicably got narrower at the half way point. At the end of the path our guide, Manuel, turned up a gravel drive. We weren't going to a resturant, we were headed to a farm. Toni's farm to be exact.

Toni is a farmer and chef who believes that food should take as few steps as possible to get from the farm to the table. He also believes that dining should be a slow moving, family based experience. So he opened up his home to those that want to enjoy a traditional Spanish paella experience, and according to Manuel many in Valencia consider it to be the finest paella in the region¹.

Upon our arrival we were all taken aback by where we were. No one expected this. We looked around the courtyard and talked to one another about how amazing this all was. Some of the students couldn't get over the fact that there were chickens just freely roaming about². An older gentleman came over to Manuel and greeted him, Manuel introduced us to Toni and told us that Toni would be showing us around the farm and demonstrating how to make his paella.

The first thing we saw was the firehouse³ where they cooked the paella. Toni cooked all his paella over open flame in huge pans, on busier days he will cook up to three pans at once. Our students watched as his sous chef browned the rabbit and chicken that would go into the dish. Toni then called our students over to a table with a large pile of green beans and asked our students to help split them into thirds. They gladly gathered around and began to help out. The phrase 'many hands make light work' definitely came into play in that moment, they were done very quickly. After the beans were handled we went into a nearby barn that housed, among other things, antique farming equipment. Once there all of our students received straw hats, it was time to head out into the fields to get our salad for lunch.

We headed out away from the main house past some animal pens. Ducks, goats, donkeys, basically what you'd expect on the farm. Having spent some time as a part time chicken wrangler and farmers market employee it is easy to forget how fun it can be to unexpectedly come across farm animals. However, my students were very quick to remind me. It was so great to watch them laugh, take pictures with, and generally just be amazed by these beautiful animals. Getting to watch my students experience all these new opportunities has definitely been one of the greatest joys of this trip, it's something I look forward to every day we are here. Once we finally got them past the animals Toni took us out to into his fields where he harvested the greens and beets we would be having for lunch. Once he cut free a head of lettuce he would toss it to our students. At which point they noticed the bugs on the vegetables and freaked out a little. And thus did our students have their first experience with truly organic farming.

Side note: Toni is a big believer in organic farming. He doesn't want to have to use any GMO corn so he grows his own and keeps his own seeds. In fact Toni's whole operation really ran close to my heart. When I was back in Bloomington cooking for community dinner I would often think about what type of situation I could find myself in to be happy as a cook. I decided that for me to be happy I would have to have home based experience. Where I would have a set meal for a day and people would come in and sit at diningroom tables and enjoy whatever I made that day. It would include fresh purchased items to ensure freshness and would be very communal in its feel. This is similar to what Toni has going on. He welcomes people into his home for lunch but lunch happens at the scheduled time whether you are there or not. But you are welcome to stay and relax and eat as slow as you wish. Manuel told me that some people will stay from 1 until 6 (we were there until 5 or so).

Anyway, when we got back to the restaurant part of the farm the vegetables, water, and seasoning was already cooking. As we waited for the seasoning to be just right, so that we could try the broth, we were treated to a little refreshment. Toni brought out peanuts, butter beans⁴, beer, and coke for the students to enjoy. I loved walking among the students and just listening to them chat about the day while they sat in the shade of the tree. While the students were snacking my co-worker and I sat down with Manuel, our representative from the organization we were working with. It was a really neat experience to sit and talk with him for about an hour. We discussed working with college students and the struggles and joys of doing so. It was a really cool moment.

Finally the time was upon us and we headed into the resturant proper for dinner. And what a dinner! This was a multicourse affair. I didn't get pictures of EVERY course, but I got most of them.

Round 1: Bread

Of course we started with bread, what else would you expect. Spaniards freaking LOVE bread. So we had bread, with a tomato-olive oil spread. It tasted great, but it's a total trap. Don't fill up on bread people.


Round 2: Fried potatoes

No picture of this one. But I can describe it for you. Imagine fried potato cubes about two or three times the size of home fries from Denny's. Now season them with something that tastes similar to seasoning salt. Lastly put a huge blob of garlic mayonnaise on the top⁵. There you have it.

Round 3: Salad

There may have been an additional course in here but for the life of me I can't think of it at the moment. However, this salad with forever be in my brain. As will just about anytime in Spain that I was able to enjoy fresh vegetables. We went to town on these salads, it was made all the better by the fact that we helped to pick the lettuce and beets used.

Round 4: Paella

Traditional Valencian Paella includes: rabbit, chicken, green beans, butter beans, rice, and deliciousness. It was amazing. I was already feeling full but it didn't matter, I still ate every bite.

Round 5: Dessert

No pictures, sorry. It was a choice of orange slices or a wedge of roasted pumpkin. I went with the orange slices because I can roast a pumpkin myself in the states, I can't eat a fresh from the farm Valencian orange. I regret nothing.

Round 6: Port wine

We ended dinner with some port wine. It was very sweet, and very strong. Our students didn't really enjoy it all that much. I thought it was great.

So that was our day at Toni's. It's sad that it took me so long to write this. I literally had most of it done a week and a half ago. I'm going to try to keep updating with various stories from the trip over the next couple of weeks. Thanks for reading!
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1) Based on my, admittedly, limited experience I would have to agree.
2) Some of them desperately wanted to pick up the chicks that were there.
3) I don't know what it's really called, but its a little three sided structure where they had fires for cooking paella, so we'll go with firehouse.
4) A traditional component of paella, these delicious little beans were so tasty a number of students brought some back to the states with them.
5) Because if there's one thing people in spain love as much as bread it's mayonaise. It was inescapable. I once got mayonnaise with my paella (a rice dish), because Spain.

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On Food Coloring and Pokering

In which we hit a couple of different topics.

A couple of weeks ago Tim’s parents came to visit.  They had recently joined a C.S.A.¹ with a local orchard so when they came up they brought a good deal of fruits and vegetables with them.  While they were here we used some of their tomatoes for BLTs.  I will tell you what, it is nice having people come up from a few hours south because those tomatoes were perfectly ripe.

After they had left we had a few tomatoes left over so Carrie and I decided that we should make Caprese sandwiches with them².  So we grabbed some basil from the garden and some bread and mozzarella from the store.  They tasted really good and were super easy to make too.

• Step one – slice the bread, tomatoes and cheese.
• Step two – put tomatoes, basil and cheese into the bread.
• Step three – add salt, pepper, oil and balsamic vinegar to taste.
• Step four – Cram it down your food hole.

Here is a picture pre-cramming.  It was very Italian of us.  So if you are into cheap, easy to make, delicious meals give this a try.  It will have you saying gustoso in no time.

Eating colorful food has not been the only way that I have passed the time this summer.  I have also been playing a lot of poker with my friends.  Listen, here's the thing. If you can't spot the sucker in the first half hour at the table, then you ARE the sucker.

Now none of us are exactly super rich³ so we like to keep things at a low limit.  We have been buying in at between two and four dollars.  Additionally we set limits of 30 cent raises.

Now you may be asking, ‘How is that fun?’  Well in order to keep things interesting we play dealers choice.  This means that when you deal you pick the game.  This summer we have played: Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Seven Card Stud, Five Card Draw, Have a Heart, Follow the Lady⁴, GUTs, eBay, Cash Register Control⁵, Indian Poker, Follow the William, Indian Seven Card Stud, Screw Your Neighbor, I even created a game called Wheel of Fortune.  Here is a picture of a winning hand, but if you want to know how to play you will have to join a game.

We will also throw in variations such as wilds and low spade in the hole wins half the pot.  This helps to keep things both interesting as well as keeps people in games longer.  In fact, the hand of our game the other night ended up being very crazy because of this.  We were playing guts, which involves each player receiving three cards.  If you think your hand can beat the other players (no runs or flushes involved) you stay in, if not you drop out.  People that stay in have to match what was in the pot, the winner takes what had been in the pot.  We added the twist of having the lowest card in your hand always being wild, which means you always have at least a pair.

In this game we saw the chip leader lost most of his stack, we saw pot sizes of over ten dollars (easily the biggest of the night), and I went from ending the night losing over $5 to walking away up $3.  It always amazes me hour you can spend $4 and be entertained for an entire night.  And remember: you can’t lose what you don’t put in the middle, but you can’t win much either⁶.

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¹ Community Supported Agriculture.

² She’s still a little obsessed with her trip to Italy.

³ Or even ‘regular rich.’

⁴ Also known by the more crass name Follow the B****.

⁵ Carrie and I are currently working on variations Cash Register Reach-Around and Cash Register Carnage respectively.

⁶ Thank you Rounders for your bookending quotes.

On What’s Been Cooking

In which cooking is discussed and recipes are given.

I enjoy cooking.  Whether I am grilling out, baking, chopping and seasoning, roasting or even throwing some stuff in a crock pot and walking away it is always an enjoyable experience.  My familiarity with a recipe doesn’t matter either, I’m just as happy stumbling through a new recipe as I am making something that I know so well that I can cook with my eyes closed¹.

There is something rewarding about the act of cooking.  It probably has to do with my limited proficiency when it comes to the arts.  I can’t draw or paint so when I want to create something is usually though cooking (or writing).   Here is the thing though, I’m not as good at is as I would like.  Now don’t get me wrong.  I can make some food that will rock your face off John Travolta and Nicolas Cage style².  But the fact remains when it comes to knowing what flavors will best compliment each other or cutting down the heat of a spicy dish I am a novice.  If you would like some proof just come watch me as I attempt to chop onions, always an embarrassing affair.  So certainly there is still a lot I have to learn, which is why when a recipe turns out it is pretty exciting and I look forward to making again to try and add my own spin, or to streamline the process, or even to devise a better “all around” meal.

Recently I had the opportunity to make a couple of things for the first time and I wanted to share them with you.  We’ll start with dessert³.

Last weekend my friend Mary Beth, and her friend Kate (I think), had a wine and dessert party.  I thought it would be fun to get a little creative with my dessert.  However, I was also craving cupcakes.  Cupcakes though are not normally creative, though they can be.  So I went in search of a new take on cupcakes that wouldn’t be too big of a headache.  That is when I discovered something mind blowing.  Chocolate-chip cookie-dough cupcakes.  What exactly is a CCCDC?  Exactly what it sounds like, a cupcake with cookie dough in the center.  It is gluttonous, and tasty.


Here’s how you make them.  First you need to whip up some cookie dough⁴.  Once that’s done form them into little tablespoon sized balls and freeze them for two hours.  Once your two hours are up grab a box of yellow cake mix (it’s okay this time) and follow the directions on the box.  Fill your cupcake tins 2/3’s of the way and place a doughball in each cup.  Throw them in the oven for 17-20 minutes, when they are done get your frost on⁵.  You can find the original recipe here.  Next time I make these I am going to try making everything from scratch (maybe not the frosting) and I’m going to go with chocolate cake with white icing to see if I can get my teeth to fall out of my head at the same time I slip into a diabetic coma.

So recipe part two starts with a completely different cooking experience.  A week or so ago Carrie and I made some spicy sweet-potato soup that called for pureed chipotles.  Unfortunately we only needed 2 tablespoons so we had a bunch left.  Jump to this week, Tim, Carrie and I had been talking about making pork chops for a while now and I decided enough is enough, Tuesday they were getting grilled no matter what.  I also knew we needed to use some of the chipotle puree, at first I thought a marinade would work the best but after a while I landed on a glaze.  A cranberry chipotle glaze to be exact.  Here is the recipe:


In a small sauce pan heat, over low stirring frequently:

• One cup cranberry sauce, from can
• 3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons pureed chipotles

Light grill, allow charcoal to heat until white.  Brush pork chops (x4) with olive oil and sprinkle with crushed black pepper patted on.  Grill on each side for three minutes.  Brush on glaze and grill for an additional three minutes on each side.  Remove from heat and let rest for 10 minutes⁶.

These were some of the best pork chops that I have ever had, there was a prefect balance of sweet and hot.  The only thing that didn’t turn out great was our side dish.  We made a quick stir-fry with some stuff we had around the house.  It was way too spicy and didn’t go well with the pork.  Next time I make this I will grill some asparagus and red potatoes along side the pork chops and have a little white rice on the side.  That would be outstanding.

So those are my recipes, I hope you enjoy them.  I guess the only thing to do now is to ask, what’s cooking with you?
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¹ Not that I would do that, it sounds dangerous.
² I want to take his face…off.
³ One of the joys of being an adult.
⁴ From scratch please, no tubes or break’n’bakes, those are for busters.
⁵ Let these dudes cool completely before you try and frost them, you will thank me later.
⁶ That tip comes to you courtesy of Alton Brown.

On Making Something From Nothing

In which a magic trick of sorts is performed and pictures are utilized after a brief hiatus.

Pop quiz, hotshot¹.  You've taken a vow of poverty and you only work a part-time job.  But you still want to eat a delicious, well-balanced meal that includes, among other things, fresh fruits and veggies.  What do you do?  What do you do?

No you don't shoot the hostage.  Silly Keanu, that's your answer to everything.  For a more peaceful solution I'd invite you to do what my friends at the Catholic Worker do.  They go around to grocery stores and get fruits and vegetables that the store is getting rid of².  My friend Carrie talked about it here.

Once you return from the store your kitchen table may look like this:

So you've got all this food that needs to be used rather quickly.  But even spread among four houses there are only so many apples that one man can eat.  Once solution is to bake a whole bunch of apple crisp (which was Carrie's solution) however, you still run the risk of it going bad.  Will suggested that we can a bunch of it so that it will keep on a more long term basis.  Genius.  So the next morning we got to work.

Our plan was to stew the tomatoes, make apple butter from the apples, and make a hot pepper jelly from the peppers.  Tim and I went to Will's house at about 9 in the morning to get started³.  Tim's job was to peel, core and slice the apples (I think we had like six pounds).  My job was to peel the tomatoes using the following process.  First I placed the tomatoes into a pot of boiling water.  Once the skin split I put them in ice water for a few minutes.  Then I simply peeled the skins right off.  Next I cored and quartered the tomatoes so that they could be put into cans.

After this the cans get lids and are boiled in water so that the lids seal and the tomatoes cook all the way through.

Tim's apples were cooked in pots with a little bit of water so that they softened up.  Then we through them in a food processor and back into the pot they went.  This time with cinnamon, nutmeg and a whole lot of sugar.  You bring the whole mess to a boil and just let it go until the apple butter thickens up.  Will said that it was on the stove from 10 until around 3:30 when he finally canned it, but it could have stayed on even longer.

As for the peppers, they were cored and quartered as well.  The green and red peppers had most of their seeds removed, the smaller ones kept their seeds.  After that it was a trip to the food process and then into a pot with some sugar.  After a few minutes you add some pectin so that the jelly will set.  Then boil it and can it.  If you have never had hot pepper jelly I highly recommend it.  It is great with cheese and crackers.

This was my first time canning vegetables and it was very fun, though it helped to be doing it with Will and Tim, and it was a great way to utilize the food we had gotten.  The total cost of the whole endeavor was around $13.  For that we came away with four quarts and a pint of tomatoes and something like 10 pints of apple butter⁴, unfortunately the pectin didn't set so the jelly didn't turn out right.  But hopefully we can still use it in stir fry.

So there you have it, something from nothing.  If you want to stop by for a little dab of D.A.B.⁵ come on by and I will throw a slice in the toaster for you⁶.

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¹ "I saw this movie about a bus that had to SPEED around a city, keeping its SPEED over fifty, and if its SPEED dropped, it would explode! I think it was called The Bus That Couldn't Slow Down."
² Aka they go dumpster diving, which creeped me out at first, until I realized that these stores get rid of perfectly good fruit.
³ Hooray for snow days!
⁴ A quick google search has apple butter priced at $5 a pint, so we made $50 worth of apple butter alone.
⁵ Dumpster Apple Butter.
⁵ We got a bunch of Bakehouse bread from the Saharamart if you want to double up on your free stuff.