18 Wednesday Jan 2012
Posted in food & drink, restaurants, sevilla, spain, tapas, wine
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AMAZING langoustine burger with poached quail egg and huancaina sauce.
But I can’t stop calling it wacka-wacka sauce.
Maybe because it was after a lovely wine tasting event this evening at Al Aljibe?
*hic*
24 Saturday Dec 2011
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This has been one of the most relaxed and pleasant Christmas Eves I can remember. Got up a bit later than usual and had some coffee and breakfast. Luckily I got all the supermarket shopping out of the way yesterday, so today just had to pop over to the market for the fish and veg. I couldn’t believe my flatmate Peter! He was Feliz Navidad-ing everyone and being all chatty. I think maybe my delight of Christmas has rubbed off a little…
After getting back from the market I wrote a few Christmas cards and we went out again, this time to just stop by a few places – well okay, tapas bars – and say Merry Christmas to everyone. Of course we stopped for tapas at some of them, and I also got to pick up some amazing blue goat’s cheese (cabrales) and a strong cured sheep’s cheese at our second stop, to go with my Victoria Nº2. And then we took a walk through the Christmas Market. My friend Pablo showed up at our last stop and we went next door with him for yet another drink while he had a tapita. And then the owner Carlos invited us to a glass of cava…
So just got home about an hour ago. Have been getting things ready little by little. Going to roast some small potatoes in garlic and olive oil to go with the salmon steaks with jamón and cava sauce. Some simple steamed broccoli to go with that. As a starter I’m going to deep-fry some gorgeous langoustine tails we got at the market today and serve them with alioli. For afters Peter has his chocolate cake and I’m sure he’ll also partake of the three cheeses (the two bought today and also the famous and fabulous cranberry wensleydale). And then we’ll get cosy with the cats and watch a Christmas movie or two…
I hope you are all enjoying your Christmas Eve too!
22 Thursday Dec 2011
Posted in christmas, fiestas, food & drink, wine
So there I was working away on the laptop this morning when the doorbell rang…
Then a messenger came upstairs with this! A surprise bottle of Victoria Nº2. I don’t usually like sweet wines all that much but the first time I tried this wine I just went “WOW”. Because it’s not only sweet but also very complex. Lots going on there. And it’s naturally sweet, not fortified like sherrys are, so it isn’t cloying. Made from Muscat Alexandria grapes, the oldest grape variety in Spain, they are picked late in the season and air-dried in the shade. It’s such a beautifully balanced wine.
So, that takes care of Christmas dessert. Now I just have to decide on what wine to have with dinner. I think perhaps that surprise Chardonnay I’ve been saving.
What are you having for Christmas dinner?
12 Monday Dec 2011
Still not sure what to do about the Christmas tree situation here at the new casa az.
There doesn’t seem to be a safe place to set up my pretty wicker tree where the cats won’t be able to get at it and rip it to bits.
So for now I am enjoying other trees around town and one of my favourites is this one at the Vineria San Telmo.
Love the wine corks and little Tio Pepe baubles.
Might have to do what I did one year, which was to unplug and move the wicker tree into my closet every night. It was a bit of a pain, but I don’t see any other option, especially with Luna the turbo-kitten around.
What does your tree look like this year?
06 Tuesday Dec 2011
Posted in cats, food & drink, friends, holidays, home
It’s a rare treat that someone cooks for me and lasts night it was a double treat when both Anna and Jorge made dinner for me and Peter. The perfect antidote to yesterday’s Monday niggles – a lovely meal and great company. And cats! What more could one want? Though I probably shouldn’t have had that second (or was it third?) glass of aguardiente…
Today is a bank holiday so I’m taking things easy. But it’s such a nice shiny day out there that I think I’ll go out soon to warm up. Feeling decidedly Christmassy.
casa azahar 