"The belly rules the mind" -Spanish Proverb

I've been promising my Mom all summer that I would make a "typical Spanish dinner" and last weekend I finally found time to make it happen. It was somewhat difficult to decide what to prepare, but in the end I went with foods that meant something to me based on my personal experiences and memories. I drove across town looking for the perfect kind of cheese, chorizo, and olives with varying degrees of success (was so excited to find manchego cheese), gathered all my supplies, recruited a loyal assistant, and set out to thoroughly dirty the kitchen and hope for the best. The results are as follows (recipes at the end of the post): 

Part 1: Oh, The tortilla Española! Much could be said about this quintessential delicacy of spanish cuisine that consists of egg, potato, and onion. I've had it at parties, in restaurants, as a meal, as a snack, as filling in a sandwich, and dolled up with meat and veggies. Although I've had the tortilla in many different situations and locations, the most delectable tortilla in my opinion is the homemade tortilla prepared by the Spanish woman (in my case, Danis mom). That's why, when I think of tortilla, I think of family: sitting down to a casual family dinner at the kitchen table [at 11pm, which I'm STILL not used to] and waiting for the homemade fresh omelette-like food to be served. As always, it's been cooked to perfection in taste and size. What strikes me the most is that while this might be considered a delicacy to me, to a Spaniard its just the opposite- a food to be enjoyed in the most everyday circumstances surrounded by casual talk of politics, work, and -if I'm around- the ever present inquires about American culture. 

Sadly, my homemade tortilla wasn't nearly as delicious.

As you can see, it is frumpy, slightly burned and the inside wasn't moist like it should be (the key is in the frying temperature...?). But at least it too was enjoyed in the company of family- for the first time, my American family instead of my Spanish family.

Crowder family dinner, Spanish style

Part 2: Whether its snails, spicy potatoes, fried octopus, fish, cheese (manchego, brie, roquefort...) there are countless foods that I could discuss in relation to some of my favorite tapas bars. However, the food itself is not the only thing that is unique about the Spanish tapas bar- it's all about the atmosphere. It may seem weird to see dried pig legs hanging from the roof, some may be perturbed when there is no open seating and they are expected to eat standing up, and not everyone will like receiving such small portions...However, all of these characteristics help make the tapas bar and eating out experience what they are. 

At Las Cumbres, one of our favorite places in Cadiz (note the
ham hanging in the background)

Despite all the tasty food I mentioned, I have special memories of eating meatballs on the last night I went out in Cadiz, and they are one of the simplest favorites. When I found a good-looking recipe online, that sealed the deal: so I decided to prepare albondigas en salsa de almendra (meatballs in almond sauce). A meatball might not sound all that special, but it wasn't until i tried meatballs at a popular gaditano tapas bar did i truly appreciate their culinary possibilities. Luckily, I would say that the recipe I found did them justice. These were not your typical spaghetti-and-meatball type of meatballs:

They turned out delicious, with the almonds giving them a nutty sweet sauce and the white bread giving the meat a nice moist texture- I would even go as far to say that they were almost as good as their inspiration:

Eating at the bar, Las Cumbres

Overall, I would say that the dinner turned out pretty well! It was fun to share a bit of the Spanish culture with my family, and even more entertaining is the challenge of explaining what a "tapa" even is. "How does this tapa thing work.... ? ...Is it an appetizer...? ..Whats the difference between a tapa and an appetizer...?" ........ You get the picture.

 Here are more photos of my dinner:

Pimientos rellenos con arroz y salsa de tomate
(red peppers filled with rice and tomato sauce) 

Salchichon, queso manchego, aceitunas, "picos"

Of course, tinto de verano: red wine mixed with fanta. Yum!

I wish I could say that I used were secret recipes from an authentic Spanish restaurant but... the internet is a wonderful substitute sometimes. So here are the recipes that I used:


Spanish Tortilla

Meatballs in Almond Sauce

Stuffed Bell Peppers