Jason’s Spanish Culinary Adventure
Introduction
The world is full of many culinary adventures, if you enjoy eating, drinking and trying new flavors. Working in hospitality travel and leisure industries, gives some of us lucky people the chance to go on culinary working travels. Although there are also the many holiday goers who are avid culinary connoisseurs, who like to go off on various cultural holidays and explore what culinary delights a vacation spot has to offer. One holiday industry that allows both the holiday goers and the staff to experience different culinary adventures, is the cruise line industry. With all the many different ports the ships stop at, this gives passengers and crew chance to get off and experience the food and drink cultures and flavors. Working on a cruise ship as a Wine Sommelier I was able to get off when I could and go off and try out different styles of food and drink. Especially the wines. I have always had a passion for food, drink and wine, and have turned that passion into a successful career, that has taken me all over the world and allowed me the chance to try different styles of culinary cuisines and drinks. It has just been working on cruise ships that have allowed me to gain this wonderful culinary experience. Simply visiting different countries on holidays, and trying the local cuisines, gave me an even greater depth of experience. This gave me more chance to fully explore a countries culinary regions and local cuisines. Admittedly being on a cruise ship, you only get a limited insight into the countries culinary culture. So, for this journal I have chosen Spain to write about. I could have done a European culinary journal, but I think that would be too much to process in one journal. So, I decided to do individual travel journals on each country. Maybe if this journal is a published success, I may write my culinary experiences and adventures about the other countries culinary cultures I have visited and experienced. Such as Portugal, Italy, France, and the Caribbean/Miami. But for now, for this specific journal we shall focus on Spain. Looking at my Spanish culinary adventure and experience when working on the cruise ship and sailing through all the different Spanish regions and cities. From Northern Spain to Southern Spain to the Islands of Spain. The journal will also focus on my more in depth 2-week holiday experiences of Spain, mainly within the region of Murcia and Alicante.
I don’t have to tell you all that Spain is full of culinary cultures and many adventorous food styles. Everyone who has been to Spain, knows all about the different exciting tasty cuisines that Spain has to offer, from Seafood, to cured meats, cheeses and exceptionally cooked stew meals. So it is no new news that Spain is one of the best culinary diverse countries, with regions full of different culinary dishes and stylea to choose from. I will share with you all the delicious delights I got the opportunity to eat. So lets start off with my adventure in Northern Spain and work our way down to the south and then the canary islands.
Northern Spain:
Vigo Northwest Spain:
On my first experience into Nortthern Spain, I visited the Galician town of Vigo. At first truth be told my expecations of the town was somewhat limited. I didn’t expect much, when the ship pulled into dock and my first impressions of the town was industrial and a bit run down with graffiti walls and old buildings. But my opinion was soon to change when I ventured out of the ship and into the town. Walking up a small cobbled street, I was pleasenty surprised, to see small alleyways with unique old pirate style taverns, which are now tapas bars. These little alleyways and tapas taverns gave the town a certain piratey charm. I could imagine Johny Depp Jack Sparrow running down these tavernish alleyways being pursued by the Spanish authorities. This area of the old town known as Casco Vello even had a pirate statue on one of the local hotel balcony, which helped give the town that quaint piratey theme and atmosphere to it.
Now Vigo is also a bit of a coastal nautical town, sitauted in the southern part of Vigo Bay. So a coastal town like Vigo, you would expect to find some pretty decent seafood around, and you wouldn’t be wrong. Situted in the street area called Rua Pescaderia, you will find a variety of seafood restaurants. In these restaurants they specialise in a certain type of seafood. Fresh shucked Oysers, or Ostras, as they are called in Spanish. Now I wasn’t an Oyster fan before visiting Vigo, and I do admit on my first visit I didn’t try the Oysters, as I was still skeptical about them. To me I have always had that impression that they are horrible slimy sea salty yuckiness. The look, and the idea of having to swallow them just didn’t apeal to me. But seeing these fresh Oysters being shucked in this courtyard of restaurants, and also being told these were among the best Oysters you can get, I was intrigued to want to try some. So I thought, on my second visit to Vigo, I will pluck up the courage and go for it, give them a try. What’s the worse that could happen? I don’t like them. Anyway I had a plan, I would order wine with them so I could wash them down easily. Off course I have heard beverages like Champagne go better with Oysters, but I thought I would opt for a local white Albarino made there in Vigo, so Oysters and Albarino it was. So what was my verdict? Well I must say I kind of really enjoyed them, they were a nice starting accompainment to go with the other tapas dishes I had ordered. How to describe the taste of Oysters? I guess seafoody with a slght firm but soft texture, if that makes sense? Truth be told it is hard to describe them, you either love them or hate them. I can say the fruity accidty in the white wine connected very well with the textured sea saltiness of the Oysters. That’s what I enoyed about them. On other future occasions when I had Oysters again, I had beer with them which I really enjoyed. Yes I will say this, the red wine also went well with them. I know its not a proper conventional food matching red wine and Oysters, but hey I enjoyed them. I guess I was just in a happy relaxed mood and was enjoying the atmosphere and the surroundings. Saying that I probably would stick to accidity based white wines and sparkings and beers when eating Oysters again. Now I am from Scotland and I am very interested to try Scottish Oysters, maybe with some local Scottish Ale, or even Guinness. As I hear Guinness is good with Oysters. So I am sure when I get a chance to try local Scottish Oysters that will be another story to tell. In the meantime back to Spain and Vigo, so there it is, there was my Vigo experience. I got to try Oysters for the first time, and got to see some of the sights of Northern Spain. Apart from the Oysters and tapas, I also tried some Vigo’s fish dishes, Swordfish which was tasty. Simple made flavoured fish with soft waxy potatoes and peppers, which went very well with a garnish flavoured oil. Then dessert, I had an Almond cake with Port poured ontop. That was a treat that was hard to beat. The port soaked into an almond frosted sponge cake, was definitly a tasty end to the lunch.
Sailing away from Vigo, you can see how coastal and picturesque the area is, with rugged small islands dotted around the coastline to coastal beaches. A place you could see yourself sailing around in a yacht, or even in a small fishing boat. This was an enjoyable sail away to watch, seeing the rugged coastline and seagulls flying alongside the ship. If I was a passenger, I could imagine myself sitting up top deck, or even out in my cabin balcony, with a glass of Spanish Albarino watching the majestic scenery that is Vigo coastline. Instead out in the crew bar back deck, with phone in hand taking scenic pictures. Smart phones are great devices these days, lets you capture the majestic moment anytime anywhere.
A Coruna:
Another part of Northern Spain that I visited was the city of A Coruna, also situated in Northwest Spain, which is also famous for its coastal seafood. As the city has a large beach area and a port, it’s no surprise that it has amazing seafood. Situated just literally 2 minutes from the cruise port terminal, is an area full of many restaurants and bars. So many amazing restaurants its so hard to choose which one to eat in. You can find yourself walking the streets, down little side streets and alleyways trying to decide where to eat. It doesn’t matter what restaurant you choose; you will not be disappointed. From an array of fresh seafood restaurants, offering shared seafood platters, to steak restaurants offering fresh succulent tasty meat dishes. My first visit I chose a seafood restaurant and had a starter of tasty what I can only describe as smoked salmon on a toasted bread cracker, with a wasabi mayo. Sorry Cant think of a word that explains what it was. It was very tasty and that was the main thing. I sure this menu will explain it better.
For my next course I went for Langoustines, and yes, they were good too. What more can I say about them, big tasty Shrimp type prawns, together with a glass of Albarino. I was really loving the Albarino up in Northern Spain. It goes well with most lunch dishes and goes well drinking on its own.
After a rather enjoyable seafood lunch, I met up with some fellow crew members who were also out enjoying lunch. If I had known earlier that they were going out for lunch, I would have joined them in eating a large seafood platter, that they had. An assortment of razor clams, prawns, calamari, mussels, you name it, it was all there, a seafood platter of different types of seafood. It was a large bowl filled with all sorts of seafood delights, that I unfortunately missed out on. But as I said the lunch, I had was very enjoyable. Maybe next time I visit A Coruna, I can get some of that seafood platter action. Although you need at least 2 or more people to help you eat it. Anyway, on meeting my fellow sailors, we went for a walk through the town area, where we walked into what was like a town square, known as The Maria Pita Square, where there was more bars and restaurants situated around. The main attraction was the large town hall. This seemed to be a focal point for people to gather take pics, have a coffee or some lunch, and enjoy the sight.
After stopping to take some pictures of the town hall and the spacious town square, we headed to a coffee/ice cream place, that served a selection of different flavored ice creams. Sorry I didn’t get a pic of the ice creams. I did however get a picture of one of the customers Dog, who was there. The dog seemed to be giving me a strange look, as if to say, “hey why you take photos of me?” But I like animals and any chance I get to take pictures of interesting animals I go for it.
My second visit into A coruna wasn’t a seafood experience, but instead I opted for a meatier lunch, and thought I try a Spanish steak grill called Parrillada Alcume. Making a change from the seafood diet I had been on while on my Northern Spain adventure. So, what did I eat, I hear you ask and want to see? Well here it is. Buffalo Mozzarella on sliced tomatoes, Fried Jalapenos peppers to start, then some cut fillets of Sirloin steak with chips, and off course a glass of red wine. Oh, and the beer to start. I always have a beer while I am browsing the menu.
So, there it is my experience in A Coruna, and what an amazing city it is. Don’t think I can or need say anymore. All that is left is to share with you is more amazing photos of my time in A Coruna, and if you love seafood, be sure to go there and give it a try, experience the joys of A Coruna for yourself.
Bilboa/Getxo:
My final Northern Spanish adventure was in Bilbao situated in the province of Biscay in what is known as the Basque country. I didn’t have much time in Bilbao due to having work duties on a port day. I didn’t even get a chance to go into the actual town of Bilbao, as the ship stopped in the shipping port town, known as Getxo. My final Northern Spanish wasn’t in Bilbao but in Getxo instead. With only 2 hours free time, I headed to what I saw looked like a selection of restaurants and bars, only maximum 10 minutes’ walk from the wharf side, where the ship was situated. So, without hesitation I thought best to head straight there, at least that gave me plenty of time to have some lunch and experience the local culinary delights of the Basque region.
So, what did I eat while in Getxo/Bilbao Basque region? I had Baked Octopus? I had never tried Octopus in such a way and thought why not. As again I had heard Northern Spain Basque region was well known for their Octopus. This was a nice meaty textured tasty Octopus with a picante spice to it, oh and the roasted potatoes and picante vegetables was very tasty. Well not much else to say about Getxo and Bilbao, as it was a short visit. So, here are the culinary pictures to tell the rest of the story.
Barcelona Brunch:
Barcelona a Catalonian city of architecture at its finest, with the famous Antonio Gaudi La Sagrada Familia Basilica. A building worth seeing in its towering gothic splendour. After a lengthy tour and walk around this mamoth architectural wonder, why not check out some shops. Barcelona’s cosmopolitan shopping scene will excite any avid shopper. It’s not just shopping and the wonderous hostorically gothic achitecture that Barcelona has to offer and excite any eager tourist. The city hosts amazing Catalonian culinary delights that will tantalise and arouse your taste buds. So if you are looking for a tasty brunch before an architectual tour or before a day of cosmopoitan shopping. The waterfront area of Port Vell Marina next to the Maremagnum Shopping Centre is a scenic place to eat.
This area hosts an array of scenic restaurants and bars, offering tasty brunches and lunches, as well as dinner functions. So if you are looking for a tasty light brunch may I suggest Tapa Tapa. The Oysters with Tabasco are orgasmic. The crunch munch of the calamari, with a light fresh crisp local white wine, is very nice and delicious.
Cadiz Fish Market
Cadiz is situated in the South West of Spain in the Andulucian region. So what does Cadiz have to offer in the vast culinary conundrum of Spain? Well Cadiz is an ancient coastal port, so if you are looking for tasty seafood and fish dishes, Cadiz is the place. The Mercado Fish Market is the place to go for tasty fresh fish and seafood dishes. The fish market has many food stalls, offering an array of different style fish and seafood dishes to try. You are definitly spoilt for choice, about where and what to eat. Good suggestion is to try as many food stalls as you can, order small tapas bites, so you can try all the different food stalls. The smell of the fresh fish from the fish mongers, entices you into the market place. You can try all sorts of fish and seafood, from Calamari, Mussels to fresh Oysters. Yes this is a fish market, but it also hosts food stalls offering a selection of tasty spanish chorizo sausages and cheeses, as well as beers and wines. Outside of the fish market the town itself has many bars and restaurants to eat in. Where you can have sit down meals out in the local courtyard areas of the city. You can enjoy fresh grilled Sardines to tasty Swordfish. The best way to find places to eat in Cadiz is to just get out walk around and explore. Spend the day, no rush no hurry, just walk relax, take in the photos of the local architecture, the courtyards, and scenic coastal views. You will be sure to find a bar or restaurant that delights your culinary fantasies. While you are having a walk about the town, you can be sure to come across a shopping extravaganza hidden within small alley way streets. You can easily get lost in the many side streets and alley ways, but don’t worry, with each alley way or side street you loose yourself in, you will be sure to find interesting and enticing shops, as well as yes many authentically wonderful bars and restaurants. There is also many small cafés with a selection of fresh quality coffees and pastries to enjoy, while sittiing out and watching people go by. This is the type of towm you are happy to get lost in, because getting lost in this town, is the only way to find the delights and pleasures you been looking for in both food, wine, coffee and shopping.
Culinary Canary Cuisines & Ibiza Inspiration
Canary islands situated south of Spain near North African coast line. So what culinary cuisines can youexpect to find in the Canary Islands? Most of this journal has been heavily geared towards seafood, so only natural I shall contnue with the fish and seafood theme. So lets see what fish and seafood the canary islands has to offer. Lets start off with Lanzarote, a black volcanic island that looks like you could be on another planet. So is the food out of this world? I should say, yes. King Prawn Estrella cooked in Brandy and cream sauce, with a local Lanzarote dry white wine. This was definitly a dish that was amazingly out of this world, taste sensation. It had the WOW factor. Probably the best meal I had in the Canary Islands. Best of all was the the scenic view of the boats, sitting out in the hot sun, enjoying a lavishly lush tasty lunch, is what makes that holiday experience all the more worthwhile. A meal that makes you love life, love food, love wine, and love travelling. Now this journal does not state the name of the restaurants I dined at. Truth be told, I was too busy enjoying the amazing food I forgot to take note of the restaurants name. But not to worry as this journal isnt a journal about the restaurants I visited, well it kind of is and isnt. What I am saying is, this journal is more of a culinary guide of the regions, towns and cities I visited. It’s a guide to entice you to go to these places and walk, seek and find your own culinary restaurants and bars in these Spanish towns and cities. May you get lucky and come across the very restaurants I dined in, where you will be pleasently happy with the different tastes and flavours you experience.
As well as Lanzarote I also tasted 2 other tasty fish dishes in Gran Canaria and Tenerife. Gran Canaria I had a rather morishly tasty fish of the day, with mussels and prawns in a tasty garlicy pesto sauce. Then onto Tenerife for a seared grilled Tuna steak on a bed of tomato cous cous. All washed down with local fresh white wine.
The ship also made a stop to Ibiza. Now Ibiza as most of you know, is well known for its 18 to 30’s party lifestyle. But there is more to Ibiza than just a party place. Yes you can find some really nice enjoyable Spanish dishes to delight your holiday, may it be a party holiday or a whatever. One dish I tried was a black seafood Paella. Now I would not have even mentioned Ibiza in my Spanish culinary journal, had it not been for the black Paella. I have never had a black Paella before, so this was a new Spanish culinary experience for me. How was it? Well it was very good, very rich, very morish and very very filling. The type of dish, where you kind of start to get full half way through, but you keep on eating, why? Because it is morishly flavourfull. It may look charcoaled burnt, but it is far from burnt, trust me. If you never had black paella before, you should definitely try it. Now having said that, you don’t have to go all the way to Ibiza to get it, you can get black paella mostly anywhere in Spain, and even in UK. I am also guessing in most Spanish paella restaurants worldwide? Not sure, why not go out look for yourself. So if you are in Ibiza or anywhere in Spain, or if you find it in a Spanish restaurant worldwide, why not give it a go.
Beach Chillin and Barbeque Fish in Malaga
Sitting on the beach in Malaga with the sun shining down, thirsty drinking a cold beer, with the sand on your feet, and the sea in view, is what most people go to Spain for. Malaga being a typically famous region for British tourists to flock to for sun, sea, sand and beer. So, what better to eat for a tasty lunch on the beach? A nice fresh barbequed fish and a light side salad. Beer and fish barbeque on a Spanish beach in the sun, can’t get any better than that. Or can it? Ok I am sure there are other amazing life experiences and pleasures, but this is a holiday pleasure to be had. That’s all I need to say about my experience in Malaga. Barbeque fish on the beach and cold beer, while listening and watching a Spanish guitar player, playing and singing Santana songs on the beach. I filmed him playing on my smart phone video. Unfortunately, I can’t post videos, on a written journal. I guess you will just have to go to Malaga in summer and see him or any beach musician play, while enjoying barbeque fish and beer on the beach.
Murcia & Alicante
So that was the end of my Spanish Culinary adventure on the cruise ship, and now to my more in depth 2-week holiday stay in Spain, during Christmas and New Year. Christmas and New year, the time of year to spend with friends and or family. Now some people have family all over the world, so, the idea of spending Christmas and New Year abroad is an exciting and adventurous time. My mum lives in Spain, so I had the chance of spending Christmas in Spain. Now I am used to British Christmas traditions, the cold weather, the snow if any, wrapped up in scarves and warm trench coats, shopping in the cold winter wonderland. After a day of shopping in the freezing cold, it’s always a stop off at the Christmas market for a warm Christmas ale or a hot mulled wine and mince pie, as well as a tasty German sausage or a hearty hog roast. That is the British Christmas way freezingly drinking a warm ale, mulled wine and a tasty Christmas market munch, and listening to Christmas carols. Then after a good effort battling the frozen cold outside at the Christmas market, you make a hasty retreat to a warm pub with a log fire, to continue the festive drinks. This is the weeks leading up to Christmas. So, there I was on the 20th December heading to Aberdeen airport to embark on my Christmas adventure and holiday in Spain. So, what culinary festive delights did I experience in Spain? Well Spain like to do things on a large culinary scale when it comes to Christmas. A 4-course meal is one of the highlights I experienced while in Spain at Christmas time. So, here is my Spanish 4 course meal I had on the 23rd December at a Spanish Golf Club Christmas function. I hope this will entice you to ditch the freezing cold weather for a Spanish Christmas Festive Feast. What was the 4-course meal I had? To start a kind of ham salad with a balsamic sweet glaze, then a mushroom risotto, fish and prawns in a cream white wine sauce, and for dessert, a kind of Apple pastry. Sorry I didn’t take note of the dish’s names and descriptions, it was Christmas time and I was too busy enjoying eating and drinking. What to say, during that festive relaxing time, my journalistic mind was not switched on.
New Year was an even more fulfilling feast of food and plenty of wine and cava to bring in the New Year celebrations. As well as a traditional Spanish tradition of eating 12 frozen grapes to bring good luck. 7 course New Years eve dinner. Starting with a small pate salad, then followed by seared scallops, Baked Artichoke in a cream sauce, Cod loin and prawn with a brandy creamed sauce, A fillet of beef in a gravy sauce. Finish with a chocolate pudding style dish. All very very tasty, but so filling, it was hard to get drunk. Although I did manage to do both, eat well, drink well, and get drunk er well. Again, sorry my journalistic mind was also not switched on during this New Year culinary event. So, I didn’t get note of the dish’s names and the full description of the dishes. I was again drunk and enjoying the New Year celebrations and culinary feast of the meals. But I hope it gives you an idea of the culinary traditions and treats you can expect to get when at a Spanish New Year function.
Apart from the Spanish festive feasts. I also visited local restaurants for quality meals. One place was Restaurant La Vista at Peraleja Golf Club in Murcia Spain. Unfortunately, the Golf course is not in operation due to 2008 recession making the project too expensive to complete. Although during that time the restaurant was already in operation, so they kept it going, and the restaurant has been in business since then, providing quality standards of food and beverage. Let’s just hope someone buys the golf course land, and the course and golf club get completed. If so, together with the operation of the golf course and the restaurant, I am sure will make a greater impact and gain more reputation as a well sought-after place to dine. So, the food, what can you expect from this place? Large lavish Gin and Tonic or Vodka and Tonic, whatever takes your fancy to start, to tantalize your taste buds for a food sensation, from a creative inspiration. Food why not try the fresh deconstructed prawn cocktail, and yes, the Vodka or Gin and tonic will go splendid with the prawn cocktail. Then for mains Roast Spanish Pork, with Yorkshire pudding and gravy. To finish Profiteroles with a mandarin segment. Oh, and all this food washed down with a Spanish Jumilla red wine.
During your Spanish Christmas holiday in Murcia and Alicante why not try exploring the region and try different places to eat. Saying that, it doesn’t have to be on a Christmas vacation. I just happened to be there during Christmas time. Alicante and Murcia are also a good place to be for the summer. No matter the time of year, you are sure to find a desirable culinary cuisine to enjoy. How about fresh clams in a white wine sauce and a bottle of white Rioja wine, then a whole baked seabass, by the sea. Or a local chicken and potato stew out in the Spanish rustic countryside. Alicante also offers many enjoyable bars and restaurants. Alicante is also a city where you can get lost in alleyways and side streets, and much like Cadiz every alley way and side street, you lose yourself in, you will always find an intriguing and enticing restaurant and bar. From fresh pizzas to paellas to tapas chorizo. You can enjoy visiting a side street tapas bar, like I did, and enjoy a small plate of Chicken Paella, with a bottle of Rioja. After the Paella try a cheese board to finish off the wine.
You can also stop off at a local wine bar for some wine and olives, or a cheese plate if you fancy. Overall Alicante has all the culinary and beverage delights you will enjoy while walking around the city. I would recommend the Shiraz Wine Bar for a relaxing few glasses of wine or a bottle if you are lucky to be accompanied by someone who also loves wine.
During my time travelling around Spain I have tasted and experienced dishes I never would have imagined eating, such as Oysters. The thought of Oysters put me off, but Vigo changed that. Now I love Oysters. Spain is a definite destination for anyone wanting to experience food and wine. Now my Spanish culinary adventure is over, I shall experience other countries culinary adventures, and be sure to write them in a travel journal for you all to read. Look out for Portugal, Italy, France and yes even the United Kingdom, especially Scotland. Oh, I forgot Miami and Caribbean. These are just some of the many places I have visited and experienced culinary cuisines at their best and at their authenticity.
