snail season 2023

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snail season 23

We’re about mid-way through snail season. Yes, there are bars that serve them year round but those are grown in greenhouses. These are yer proper free-range wild snails! And as you can see there are two types. The tiny caracoles and the larger plumper cabrillas. They are also prepared differently. Cabrillas are cooked in a fairly standard tomato-based cuminy sauce, but with caracoles it’s all about the broth. Every bar has their own broth recipe and they really are quite distinct. Some are garlicky, others feature various herbs, some are quite peppery, and they are often served in a small glass so that once you manage to spoon and slurp out all the caracoles you can finish by drinking the broth. As you can imagine, a bit messy to eat (especially the cabrillas) because, although you are given a toothpick to dig the little buggers out of their shells, you still have to pick them up. BUT the best way to eat them, especially the smaller caracoles, is just to pick one up, and slurp it out broth and all.

snails

aaaarrgh 2023

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arrrgh 23

First cockroach sighting since May 2022, which is a bit of a record. During my 30 years in Sevilla I’ve usually found one or two of these vile creatures in my house during the summer months. They are often first discovered by the cats, who can sniff them out, and then proceed to kill them to smithereens. But sometimes they just pop out of nowhere like GAAAAAAAAAAAH. Like today. Luckily Peter was on hand with his trusty shoe to kill the fucker and then dispose of it down the toilet. I just can’t with these things. I mean, I know they are just a bug and, even though they are actually enormous cockroaches, they are still small compared to me. But I just can’t. Anyhow, going by past summers there should only be one more this year? Please? Or none? Even better.

don’t test don’t tell

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dont test dont tell

It’s getting so that parody Twitter accounts like The Onion and The Vertlartnic don’t seem that far removed from reality any more. We’ve really all been thrown under the bus, every human for themself, etc. Without guidance or information. The so-called vulnerable being blamed by the presumed healthy for holding them back from enjoying their normal lives again. But what these “healthy” people don’t realise is… WE ARE ALL VULNERABLE. We’re being lied to left, right and centre so don’t hear about all the previously healthy people who have died or are suffering from Long Covid. I could go on but this just makes me so sad and tired. It’s all been said before but nobody is listening.

amy & bill

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amy bill

Today I did two of my favourite things… met up in person (first time) with someone I’ve known on social media for years and went out on a Tasting Triana Tour. Amy has been a Facebook pal forever and so when she and her husband Bill made a return trip to Sevilla they decided to look me up. And omg what a fun and delicious time we had. In fact we were having so much fun that we went into overtime with a post-tour penúltima (or two) so that I ended up rolling home around 7 pm (we’d started at noon). Being younger than me (who isn’t??) they carried on. What can I say? Sometimes you just click with someone and – the most important thing of all – sense of humour in sync.

Anyhow, Amy and Bill, thank you for being amazing and for brightening my day. It was so great getting to know you both. Hope you’ll be back! xx