I took this picture of Jesu Church in Milwaukee in the summer, on one of my many feeble attempts to tour the inside of this beautiful church. Jesu Church, is a historical church which sits among the many stately buildings of Marquette University.
On this particular day, my daughter's boyfriend told me that the Church would be open for service so we could get a quick look inside of the French Gothic structure. It was open, but only the basement was open, and the basement looked like any other church basement! So I told the security guard my plight and asked if I could go upstairs and look at the church. He said he couldn't let me. I told him I had been trying to visit the upstairs numerous times to no avail and asked "When is it open?" For which he replied "Sunday"---YES, I felt like an idiot!!!
But we finally made it to the inside, on Christmas Eve for the Candlelight Mass! We were told to arrive an hour early to insure a seat and avoid standing room only. The inside was impressive, but even more impressive was the priest who before service came to each pew to welcome us and to wish us a Merry Christmas.
I am always looking for new desserts to add to our annual holiday party. This year brownie shooters made their debut with much success!
For the base: Use your favorite brownie recipe
For the mousse: (I found this recipe in the Chicago Cooks Cookbook) and I love it's simplicity and ease.)
1 1/2 heavy whipping cream 12 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips 5 egg yolks 3 Tablespoons amaretto
In a small sauce pan, heat the cream just to a boil. Meanwhile, combine the chocolate chips, egg yolks and liquor in a food processor or blender. With the motor running, slowly add the hot cream to the chocolate minuter. Blend for one to 2 minutes.
For whip cream topping:
1 cup heavy whipping cream 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract In a chilled small mixing bowl and with chilled beaters, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; beat until soft peaks form. Store in the refrigerator.
Garnish with fresh raspberries.
MY TIP: Use the leftover egg whites to make a low calorie white egg omelet.
MY OTHER TIP: Brandy or rum or your favorite liquor can be substituted.
You all know that phyllo dough and I have this thing--it hates me and I am not happy with it. However, those cute little phyllo cups and I get along fine. I put everything in them and they never disappoint and make a great presentation. This year I stumbled upon this recipe and knew I was going to make it for our annual holiday party. They were super simple and isn't that what you need this time of year??
Ingredients
1/2 cup pistachios
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup almonds
1 lemon, zested
1/4 cup, plus 3Tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 boxes mini filo shells, 15 shells each
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup honey
(12-cup) mini cupcake pans
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Arrange the pistachios,walnuts, and almonds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until golden and fragrant, about 8 minutes. Let nuts cool slightly and add to a food processor along with the lemon zest, 3 tablespoons of sugar, butter, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla and pulse to combine.
Place mini phyllo shells in wells of 2 mini cupcake pans. Add 1 teaspoon of the nut mixture into each shell. Bake until filling is hot, about 8 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat add the water, 1/4 cup sugar and honey and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until reduced and slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Pour 1 teaspoon syrup into each cup and allow it to soak in, then repeat with another teaspoon. Refrigerate at least 5 hours, or overnight.
MY TIP: I made these a month before our holiday party and they froze nicely!
Aren't these gorgeous??? When I first laid eyes on this dessert on the internet, I knew that it had to adorn my holiday party table. But first, I had to order the $26 specialty pan that was required to make these. Oh, 7 to 10 business days to ship seemed endless and than finally UPS delivered!!! I could not wait to duplicate this recipe..how could it go wrong...it was a no bake recipe...what could be simpler?? or so I thought.
I followed the recipe exactly and then waited in anticipation as it sat in the refrigerator to set up. Then, six hours later... I became totally frustrated that it did not appear as beautiful, as simple and as elegant as the internet picture, in fact they looked horrible!!
Despite it's looks it tasted great! I was determined not to throw it out. I decided to roll it into balls, thinking that I would then dip it in chocolate (hey, everything is better in chocolate right?), but they were too soft to roll. So then I decided to put it into small bite size glasses, but it looked sad, ok not sad... BAD!!! So, I garnished it with graham cracker crumbs...and then it looked sad and bad!!! Then, I decided to make chocolate garnishes (like a crowned jewel--okay, maybe, that is being a little dramatic, but you get the point!!) Turned out they looked good (certainly not anywhere near the gorgeous internet picture!) and the recipe tasted great, very light and fluffy!! Better than that everyone loved them at our holiday party!
Crust 1 1/2 cup crushed graham cracker 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar 7 tablespoon unsalted butter(melted)
1. Combine graham cracker crumbs with sugar. 2. Add melted butter and blend until combined. 3. Press into pan. Set aside.
Cheesecake
2 ¼ cups heavy cream
1 pound cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoon vanilla powder
¾ cups Oreo Cookies, crushed
Instructions:
1. Beat heavy cream until medium peaks form. Set aside.
2. Add cream cheese, sugar, salt, vanilla powder, lemon juice to a bowl and beat with a paddle attachment until smooth (approximately 3-5 mins). If you do not have a stand mixer or a paddle attachment a hand beater will work as well, but will take twice as long to achieve a smooth consistency.
3. Add cream cheese mixture to heavy cream and beat until incorporated.
4. Gently fold in Oreo cookies.
5. Fill chosen pan with a slight mound at the center, as the cheesecake will become slightly sunken at the center.
6. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours to set or overnight for best results.
7. Layer crust in the bottom of small glasses and pack down, scoop cheesecake mixture next and garnish with chocolate. Makes 16 mini desserts.
When I first saw these monogram ornaments on the Creativity Exchange blog, I fell in love. I love monograms!!!! I knew I would make them for our Christmas tree! I was amazed at how simple, emphasizevery simple, these were to make.
I went to the scrapbook section of Hobby Lobby and bought the single large rhinestone sticker letter ($1.99) and the rhinestone alphabet sticker letters ($5.98) along with 4 large ornaments (on sale for $4.50). Then I simply attached the letters to the ornaments. The stickers are forgiving so if you do not line them up perfectly the first time you can adjust them so they are perfectly aligned. To make these literally takes a few minutes but looks like you painstakingly applied each rhinestone. Plus the effect is gorgeous!
I bought extra ornaments so when our family expands I can add more monograms to our "family tree".
This is my favorite "packed" sandwich for traveling. You can make it the night before you travel and eat it the first day or even better the second day! You can play around with your favorite Italian meats and never go wrong!
I don't like fast food, in fact I hate it! But, I probably get stuck having it once a month because we travel so much. I prefer to pack a cooler with "good food". The night before our trip to Colorado, I made terriaki chicken breasts and baked Italian drumsticks for our first night on the road. I also packed cheese and fresh veggies to go along with the chicken. I figured the leftovers would be lunch since we had breakfast at the hotel. On our second night we enjoyed this Italian pressed sandwich along with a Greek salad. (I packed the tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, onions, olives and feta cheese in a Tupperware in our cooler, then later cut up the vegetables in our hotel room to make this salad.) I had previously made the vinaigrette and put it in a tiny Tupperware. Who says that eating on the road has to be fast food and calorie laden???
1 loaf of Italian Bread sliced horizontally 8 slices of prosciutto 8 slices of cured Italian dried salami 8 slices of provolone Balsamic vinegar Olive Oil
Drizzle oil and vinegar on bread, layer meat and cheese on top. Wrap the sandwich in wax paper and foil. Press something heavy (milk jugs works great!) on sandwich to flatten. Refrigerate overnight for best results.
Fall is our busiest and most favorite time of the time of the year...filled with traditions...pumpkin picking, hayrides, harvest parties, pumpkin carvings, tailgating, along with drives through the country, enjoying the breathtaking explosion of colors! But we have been gone the last five weekends and I am glad to be home to enjoy some relaxing time with friends. This is a great simple fall appetizer.
3/4 cup Gorgonzola cheese 1 cup Italian sausage (not cooked) 8 ounces of whole mushrooms (stems removed).
Remove stems for another use and stuff. Bake 13 minutes at 350 degree.
MY TIP: Make sure you bake until sausage turns pink.
Aren't these adorable? These are my fall hostess gifts! Originally, I was going to make baskets of caramel and candy apples, but since I need 4 hostess gifts over then next 3 weeks I decided I needed something simpler.
I can't take credit for the labels as they were free printables from Centsational Girls' blog. You may remember I used her labels on beer bottles last year for Halloween for a get-together with our neighbors.
I am not one to use a crock pot for cooking. In fact, my husband was surprised that I used one and my daughter actually complimented my husband on the meal since he uses one!!!! Grrrrr......
But I decided to try this recipe when I stumbled upon "Our Best Bites" blog which had this to say about the following recipe---"This is the single most-requested, best-loved, raved-about recipe on my personal blog." Rarely do I see recipes with such glowing reviews, so I thought I would try it. This comment made me reflect on my "single most-requested, best-loved, raved about recipe on my personal blog. I am not sure what it would be,??????.... so I will let you decide!!!! I think I have many!!!. But this recipe was good and better than that, it was easy to make! And lately, when it seems like I have less and less time to spend in the kitchen, a good and easy recipe is a winner!
1 2.5-3 lb. beef roast 2 Tbsp. olive oil salt and pepper 2 1-ounce packages dry onion soup mix 2 c. water 2 cans beef broth 6 large buns Swiss, provolone, or mozzarella cheese, shredded or sliced.
Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and rub roast with salt and pepper.
This the view from our summer home and one of my favorite pictures. I can't take credit for this picture, my father-in-law actually snapped it and it even won first place in a photo contest!
A teacher find of mind says she still asks this question!!! So...
Tennis, Trivia, Tasting and Travel!
Yep, that sums up my summer!
I hadn't played tennis in years, when my daughter INSISTED (very persistently, I may add) that I play with her and her boyfriend. I played my first game on the lakefront in Milwaukee. To my surprise, I was not horrible, and it has become one of my favorite activities (it doesn't feel like exercise, it just feels fun!). So my husband and I played my daughter and her boyfriend two or three times a week.
We also discovered Trivia. Again, at the INSISTENCE of my daughter, that we go to Wrigleyville to play trivia which has turned into us playing at two local restaurants/bars twice a week. We actually are not bad! It is amazing the useless information that hangs somewhere in our brains!
And then there is wine tasting, which has always been a favorite (and requires no skills on our behalf), but is even nicer that our daughter is old enough to join us! Nothing is more relaxing than sipping a glass a wine while overlooking the rolling hills of the vineyards.
And my favorite activity of all is travel We have ventured to some new spots this summer and revisited some favorites!
And I guess I have to add "TRYING" new things to this list as I jet skied for the first time!!! 40 MPH, yeah, now that's fun!!!!!!!!!!!
Jeff Samardzija (former Notre Dame football player)
A perfect day....club seats, 70 degree weather and a Cubs win against the Brewers!
The dugout
The day before the game, we took a tour of Wrigley Field, the oldest ballpark in the National League, which is filled with rich history. My favorite views were from the dugout and the press box.
This was a refreshing dessert for our recent end of summer get together with friends!
I bought an ice cream maker on an impulse buy, rarely do I impulse buy, but this was calling me to take it home. Perhaps it was all those 95 degree days we had this summer! My intention is not to make ice cream ( just like the popover pans that I bought to make fancy mini chocolate cakes!), but to make healthy sorbets and frozen yogurt!
This recipe is a taste of summer!
2 quarts fresh strawberries 1 cup sugar (scant) 2 tablespoons lemon (fresh squeezed) 2 cups water
You can't miss it! A 26 foot sculpture of Marilyn Monroe right on Michigan Avenue in Chicago! It's funny watching tourist standing under Marilyn trying to get a subway-grate view of her skirt in the same pose that she appeared in the movie "The seven year itch".
This is from the same artist, Seward Johnson who created the American Gothic farmer and daughter of Grant Wood's "American Gothic" fame. Visit soon as this will only be here until next spring!
When I want my pica to be a little more sophisticated and impressive, I add a cup of bay shrimp to the basic mixture. I love this recipe because it always tastes so fresh and is a great way to use up the tomatoes from the garden (ok...container garden...we live in a subdivision with lots of rules including no garden!)
3 large vine ripe tomatoes, chopped
1/2 large white onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, pressed
1 jalapeno pepper, very finely chopped
1 cup bay shrimp
salt to taste
Serve with tortilla chips.
Combine all ingredients and refrigerate for 1 hour or longer. Serve with tortilla chips.
Our favorite spot to watch the Blue Angels during the Air and Water Show used to be at Oak Street Beach in Chicago until our daughter moved to Milwaukee. It is now on her rooftop deck of her condo on the lakefront that offers spectacular and thrilling views!
I know! I know!! I know!!! You are NOT suppose to boil ribs!!!! But I was intrigued that this online recipe got a 4.9 out of 5 rating. So... I boiled!!! This is the simplest (yet, time consuming!) rib recipe ever! They were fall off the bone tender! It is a 1,2,3 recipe.
1 hour of boiling the rack of baby back ribs (cut in thirds to fit into pan) 2 hours of refrigerating the ribs, covered in foil 3 hours of slow roasting at 250 degrees after you have coated the ribs in bar-b-q-sauce. (I used KC Masterpiece)
MY TIP: You can boil the ribs the night before and refrigerate over night to save time.
Saint Michael's Church--one of 7 churches to survive the Great Fire of 1871.
One of many pockets of gardens and statues in the neighborhood.
The sculptor of these horses is the same person who created the tin man scupture in OZ Park (located in the Lincoln Park neighborhood). These horse are sculpted out of bumpers from cars!
The Greeter's program offered through the Chicago Office of Tourism is one of Chicago's best kept secrets. You can tour over 22 different neighborhoods or pick a variety of areas of interest from farmer's markets in the city to architecture to legal! They are offered free to those visiting the city, but you may only use the greeter program ONCE per year. The docents are knowledgeable ambassadors and excited to share "their" city with you! To take advantage of the greeter program you must sign up 2 weeks in advance of your stay. (I have taken numerous "paid" tours of Chicago and still think that the Greeter's program offers one of the best tours!)
Since I learned of the Greeter program 4 years ago, I have been on 4 tours-Pilsen, the exact location of the Chicago Fire and it's history, Argyle Street and just recently Old Town.
Although I was familiar with Old Town and it's beauty, I was curious about it's history. Old Town is probably most well know for Second City, the comedy impro place that launch many careers such as Gilda Radner, Dan Ackroyd and John Belushi from Saturday Night Live. Old Town is a beautiful neighborhood filled with old Victorian homes and pockets of gardens and sculptures. It is also home to Saint Michael 's Church, one of the few churches not harmed during the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Venture inside to see this beautiful church!
For Father's Day, my husband's two requests were to spend time with "the girls" and to go to the Polish Festival in Milwaukee. At the festival, we feasted on pierogies, potato pancakes, schnitzel on a pretzel roll, sauerkraut (yuck!), polish sausage (of course), and cheese curds (this is Milwaukee mind you!).
We took the one hour polka dance lesson that they offered and convinced ourselves that we could dance! (Hey, no one knows us here!)
This is my fool-proof way for preparing perfectly tender lamb chops. I put them in the oven and wrap them individually in tin foil. According to a chef from Notre Dame, he told me I am actually "steaming" these not "baking" them. But the recipe is quite simple:
Lamb chops Ground pepper both sides Garlic salt both sides Fresh or dried basil both sides
Wrap individually in tin foil, put on a cookie sheet and bake/steam at 350 degrees for 17-20 minutes for medium cooked chops. Let rest in foil for 5 minutes before serving.
MY TIP: You must wrap these in tin foil to insure they will be tender.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Cajun Connection
If you eat with your eyes, then close your eyes now, because you will probably pass by this place!!!
But don't!!!!
Put me to shame!!! Yes, that's right! I thought I knew how to cook Cajun food. Well, I was wrong, yes, WRONG!! This is how you cook Cajun!!! Cajun Connection is located in Peru, Illinois about an hour away from Naperville (which many travel from to enjoy this fare) and 10 minutes from Starved Rock. We would not have stopped here if I hadn't read the rave reviews online about this place. They have the best gumbo and fried oysters I have ever had! Chief Ron cooks authentic Cajun food from "gator" to turtle.
When Chef Ron learned that we had not ordered "gator", he sat down at the table with us and gave us a "talkin". Although unsuccessful at getting us to order this delicacy, he decided to bring us a plate to try anyways.
And if that wasn't enough, he took my daughter into the kitchen to show what the "gator" looks like before it's fried!
Because of the extremely rainy spring we had, we rescheduled our trip to Starved Rock State Park in Illinois several times, to the point where we were running out of days that we could take this trip. In fact, the morning we left, it was pouring rain! Since it rained daily this spring, (with the exception of 2 days and not consecutive ones either!), we agreed that we would pack books and enjoy the pool and the hot tub and take our chances that their would be some clearing in the weather to get at least a little hiking into our mini vacation. So off we headed.... and not nearly an hour away to our surprise we found sun AND blue skies!
We were lucky that the weather cleared for us to hike the scenic canyons filled with fascinating rock formations and lofty cliffs that lead to cascading waterfalls and majestic views during the days and pouring rain at night. We hiked 12 miles of the 18 miles of trails, but don't be fooled by the small amounts of trails as one that was considered "moderate" in difficulty had over 11 flights of stairs to go up! We were also lucky because the park is best to visit when there is a lot of rain because it insures numerous waterfalls. And since we went before the Memorial Day weekend we had no crowds and rarely ran into anyone so it was like having this breathtaking park to ourselves!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Chinatown of the North
I love exploring Chicago, learning about it's neighborhoods on my own or through tours. So when I heard that there was a neighborhood nick named "Chinatown of the North" located on Argyle Street and Broadway, I was intrigued! I have self toured Chinatown a few times (which is South of the city), but never heard of a Chinese population in the Northern parts! I also heard that this is one of the most diverse neighborhoods of Chicago. It is a blend of Chinese, Vietnamese and Thai people.
The "gateway" or "El Station" to the "Chinatown of the North" varies greatly from Chinatown (which is located South and a definite local and tourist destination). The first step at the North location re-gentrification came in the form of a $250,000 grant to upgrade the El station into a pagoda and to make the ticket booth resemble a Chinese tea house in the early 7o's.
This is an interesting neighborhood, and not just because of it's diversity but because of it's conflicts. There has been much interest in "gentrifying" this neighborhood, but the resistance has come from it's business owners who fear high rents will replace the reasonable ones and perhaps displace them. Instead they retain their "authenticity" at the risk of crime and deterioration.
While there, I was fascinated with the Chinese grocery and fish market! My oldest daughter and I both love to cook but did not recognize much of what we saw. And she enjoyed buying tea at a faction of it's cost (.50 to $2 for a box of green tea!)
While in the neighborhood we sampled many different kinds of food from appetizers to egg rolls to desserts such as traditional Chinese almond cookies. But our favorite place turned out to be Bale, a Vietnamese sandwich shop with a French influence! We loved the "Subway Eat Fresh" version of sandwiches served on a baguette even if we couldn't identify many of the ingredients! We also loved the fish sauce for the dumplings which was wonderful! Bale was bustling with customers and because of their fresh fare, I could see why it's was a favorite among the locals.
The weather is too cold this year to be outside, so the festivities are being brought inside! Last year, I made beer margaritas for Cinco di Mayo, which became a favorite summer time drink. I liked that I could make it in advance, leave it in the freezer, and when we had impromptu friends or neighbors stop over, it was already prepared and ready to serve. This year, along with beer margaritas and Corona, I will be making Mexican Mojitos.
Ingredients for Mexican Mojitos:
10 fresh mint leaves
1/2 lime, cut into 4 wedges
2 tablespoons white sugar, or to taste
1 cup ice cubes
1 1/2 fluid ounces white rum
1/2 cup club soda
Directions:
Place mint leaves and 1 lime wedge into a sturdy glass. Use a muddler to crush the mint and lime to release the mint oils and lime juice. Add 2 more lime wedges and the sugar, and muddle again to release the lime juice. Do not strain the mixture. Fill the glass almost to the top with ice. Pour the rum over the ice, and fill the glass with carbonated water. Stir, taste, and add more sugar if desired. Garnish with the remaining lime wedge.
So here is a different way to serve spinach dip! These are best served warm.
13.3 oz roll of refrigerated french bread loaf, (I used Simply Pillsbury --there are no preservatives in this! Plus, you all know, I fail miserably making recipes with yeast as an ingredient!) 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 cups baby spinach, coarsely chopped 1 clove fresh garlic, minced 3 oz softened cream cheese 1/2 cup sour cream 2 Tablespoons fresh shredded Parmesan cheese 1/8 teaspoon chile powder 1/8 teaspoon garlic salt 1/8 teaspoon table salt 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/3 Cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 10 muffin cups with non stick cooking spray. Unroll package of french bread loaf and slice into 10 equal size slices, about 1 inch thick. Press each slice into about a 3 inch round, I did this by pressing in between my hands. Press into the bottom and up sides of the muffin cup. Set aside.
Heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir spinach until wilted, about 3 minutes then add garlic, cook and stir for another minute then turn heat off.
Place cream cheese, sour cream, cooked spinach and garlic, Parmesan Cheese,chili powder, garlic salt, salt and pepper into a medium bowl. Mix until well combined. With a medium cookie scoop, scoop dip into each of the centers of bread bowls. Top evenly with shredded cheese and bake for 15-17 minutes until just turning brown on edges. Remove and let cool for 3-5 minutes before removing from oven.
MY TIP: This is a versatile recipe, serve the dip with french bread, or serve it on a crostini or serve it unbaked or baked with crackers.
Cook the pasta in a large pot to desired tenderness. Drain pasta and add sauce.
TIP: The sauce tastes even better the next day. If you have leftovers, it is good served on top of fish.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Louis Sullivan
Louis Sullivan Exhibit at the CCC
The Guaranty Building in Buffalo
I love that he put as much detail into to small things like door knobs and mail slots as the big things!!!
I am fascinated with architecture. For me, I could look it it for hours, in fact when we go to the Chicago Art Museum you can find me in the architectural gallery staring in awe... in fascination... and at times in disbelief! Adore! Adore! Adore!!!....Can't get enough of it...I will tour anything with architecture! So when I heard that there was an exhibit featuring Louis Sullivan--the "Father of the Skyscrapers", I knew I would be there! Despite the fact that I had to drag...yes, I mean that literally...drag... and pull.... AND use my charm, to get my husband to this exhibit! Needless to say he was not nearly enthralled with this exhibit (wondering to myself what is wrong with this generally perfect man?????) but I loved it!!! It is at the Chicago Cultural Center until May.
My oldest daughter and I love Oyster Shooters! She is the only one I know who will actually eat raw oysters and loves them as much as I do! Although these traditionally have vodka in them, when I introduce these to my daughter she was too young for vodka. Even to this day we prefer them with no alcohol. Anyways we eat so many of these I would hate to think what we would be like if they had alcohol in them!
Mix the following:
Shucked oysters horseradish to taste Borkholders cocktail sauce squirt of fresh lemon a little juice from the oysters
In Spain, there were times when I was not sure what I was eating. This was one of them...
I actually ate these (the tiny worm- like "things" called "gulas"). I not only ate these once, but twice at at two different tapa bars! I liked them. My husband (who will eat ANYTHING) pushed them aside and said "You can have these."--how generous huh?. So when I returned to our hotel in Madrid, I did a search on the computer for "gulas," to only find a picture of what I ate, but not a real definition. So I decided I would ask our concierge, who very politely told me, in his finestEnglish, that he knew what they were... he proclaimed proudly... (insert Spanish accent),"They are tiny fish!" I was hoping for a bit more description, but grateful they were not from the "worm family". When I continued to question him... "What kind of tiny fish?", he gracious got on his computer and found the same image that I found earlier!
It was not until we got back to the States, that my husband looked it up, and told me they were baby eels!
Here are some other "delicacies", some we sampled and some we did not; we were not that adventurous:
The markets and restaurants were filled with a variety of tapas to try!
I love shrimp, but have to admit that I had to get used to having the heads kept on the shrimp.
Fresh seafood was everywhere in the market! We purchase "some type" of whitefish that I pan fried in our apartment using flavorful Spanish olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, and a splash of white wine. This was so good and fresh that I made it two more times.
We also purchased mussels twice, which were only 1.5 Euros for a kilo! I steamed them in white wine, garlic, salt and pepper and we soaked up the juices with warm, freshly made bakery bread--so good!
We of course had to have gazpacho(which was hard to find, since it is a summer dish) and paella twice. My favorite food was jamon or cured ham (which proudly hung in most tapa bars), which is very similar to prosciutto, but not as salty. I ate this for breakfast most mornings with wonderful "unknown" cheeses we bought at the market and warm bread from the bakery.
If you look to the left of this photo you will see pigeons (yes---pigeons!) hanging and to the right you will notice chickens, both still have their feathers. In one of the cases, we actually saw rabbit with fur still on it. My daughter said that the Spaniards leave the feathers and fur on so that buyers will know it is fresh.
