Archive for 'Recipes in Spain'

Given that so many of us have found ourselves with a little more time on our hands at the moment and nowhere to go, many are picking up new hobbies, going back to baking, turning to exercise, and other activities that are all about taking care of ourselves, being kind to ourselves, and treating ourselves better. One activity that has garnered a lot more attention than it already normally does, and is being turned into an art form in even your average home, is coffee-making. Normal coffee drinkers are embracing the ritual of drip coffee, trying new blends they might never have considered before, and attempting more exotic and moreish coffee recipes at home that would usually only be reserved for holidays.

One such coffee recipe comes from Spain, and more specifically the Canary Islands, the barraquito, which is a coffee cocktail unique to the area....so, not strictly a coffee, more like an Irish Coffee but it can be made either without the alcohol, for a sweet afternoon pick-me-up, or with alcohol, as a dessert after a particularly good meal. Delicious and utterly decadent, it is a must for those who like their coffee sweet and filling!     Read More

One of the most important things to do upon landing in an area is to explore the culinary landscape as much as the geographic landscape. Outlining both famous and unique and unheard of local dishes and specialities to try out is key to any vacation. If you have found a
vacation rental in Barcelona, for example, you will find no shortage of delicious things to eat and drink. However, if you are planning on spending time in the Gothic Quarter of the city, then you should head to the Carrer de la Mercè, a street that runs through this lovely, historic, and scenic part of the city, and find yourself a Panther’s Milk.

Panther’s Milk, or Leche de Pantera in Spanish, is a popular cocktail made of condensed milk, gin, and water or ice, and was said to have been invented by the elite military unit, the

Spanish Foreign Legion, in the 1920s. There are several origin tales, one that says that the unit’s head and founder, General José Millán-Astray asked a local bartender to create a simple and cheap cocktail recipe that his men could make readily no matter where they were stationed, and another that claims injured soldiers birthed the drink by mixing medical-grade alcohol with condensed milk while confined to infirmaries, swapping the medical-grade alcohol out for gin or whatever alcohol they had on hand upon being released.     Read More

If you have found a vacation rental in Andalusia and are spending time in the region this summer, you may find yourself battling with the heat. Staying in during the hottest part of the day, keeping to shade where possible, wearing hats and airy clothing and staying hydrated all help, of course, but eating cool, light foods also combats the heat. Don't just wait for dessert and ice-cream, why not enjoy a cool Gazpacho as a snack?!

Gazpacho as a dish has rather ancient roots and there are quite a number of theories of its origin, though most seem to trace it back to the arrival of the Roman. Once in Spain, it became a part of Andalusian cuisine, particularly connected to Córdoba and Seville. Early recipes combined stale bread, garlic, olive oil, salt, and vinegar, similar to ajoblanco, and, during the 19th century, the red gazpacho we know was born with the addition of tomatoes. It is this version that most of us are familiar with, though there are endless modern variations of gazpacho today.     Read More