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June 2006

Global Cooking Club Keeps on Truckin'

Dscf0853 I don't really know where the brainstorm came from, but all I know is it was stone brilliant. My hardcore foodie pal Lisa and I had decided we wanted to start a global cooking club this summer and completely eat our way around the world right in our own backyards. Once we committed to our decision (commitment is a toughie for girls like us) it was as simple as alerting the posse. Within 24 hours, we had 15 or so equally excited family and friends ready to come on out to share food from our first pick-from-the-hat: the insanely meat-lovin' country of Argentina.

Starting the club was easy-as-pie, with very little rules. Every month we would draw a more "exotic" country, steering clear of popular food havens like Italy, France or Mexico. The host-of-the-month supplies the indigenous liquor of the country, as well as a main course, and every guest brings a native dish: appetizer, entree or dessert. You could also BYOB if you didn't like the liquor being supplied. Menu updates went out once per week all the way up 'til the final menu before the dinner (that way there weren't six empanadas showing face).

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Indian Gurb in Barcelona~{From The Raving Dish}

Dscf1162 It's not until I'm knee-deep in a foreign country that I comprehend just how much I love Indian food. Every time I travel (especially to Europe), it seems that just around the time I finally grow weary of lemony tendrils of purple octopus, I start to daydream about pawing up heaping handfuls of fluffy rosewater-scented basmati rice; and just when I think I would pass out if I ate another tendril of slippery pasta, I catch a whiff of nutmeg and coriander kissed-chicken on the bone and feel like I could possibly eat again.

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Finally Home from Spain~~

Dscf1132Yeah~I'm finally home!  Even though Barcelona was gorgeous, I simply could not wait to get home to my own stomping grounds and hit up the farmers markets.  I'm headed to the Green City Market today to load up on blueberries, strawberries, watermelon, tomatoes, and everything green that I can get my hands on!  The thing I will miss most, food-wise, about Spain are the little sandwiches that dot the counter tops of every single little cafe on the street.  The most delicious are the ones that are smeared with crushed tomato and have razor thin slices of jamon on them (the best in the world, mind you).  Paired with a piping hot cortado, it's a dollar meal made in heaven.
But, honest to god, to have a full fridge and cook a meal in my own kitchen---nothing in the world compares to that!


Sangria and Paella in Spain~From The Raving Dish

Dscf1125 I have spent the past month eating my way through sun-splashed Barcelona. When I first arrived, I had weekends off and was able to tackle menus full of spicy Indian food and vats of tasty fried rice at every "Chinos" restaurant I happened upon. Now every day come lunch time, when I can finally escape from the throes of the hectic production office, I make my way up and down the tree-lined avenues of the this foodie haven.

I skip back to the office with a bounty of delicious treats after each adventure: a smattering of flaky pastries and chocolate tarts from Paul, the best French bakery in the world (yep, in Spain), or the delicious mozzarella and zucchini focaccia from Buenas Migas, an ingenious focacceria on the north side. But my true daily craving is for huge panfuls of paella and icy-cold pitchers of sangria.

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Exploring the Streets of Barcelona

Dscf1166After all these weeks spent in Spain, I have developed some hardcore favorite haunts.  On the weekends, I love rummaging through the flea market, drinking minty Moroccan green tea and munching on honey drenched pastries; I love, love, love eating huge bowl after bowl of creamy seafood-filled paella and drinking refreshing pitchers of fruit-filled Sangria; I get wide-eyed with excitement every day when the lunch hour rolls around because that means it's time for a Paul bakery run--to grab mozzarella and tomato sandwiches on black olive bread, a variety of tarts and blue cheese and pesto pasta salad; I treat myself to a few cortados and a scrambled egg and cheese sandwich on french bread smeared with tomato every few days; and more than anything, I love exploring my favorite neighborhood El Ravel and sampling fantastic Indian food, Chinese food, Pakistani food and downright delicious pizza.  But, I will say--I can't wait to get back to the states and CHOW on Mexican food--haven't found much of that here and could use an icy margirita or three.