Foods to Eat in China - Mid-Autumn Festival

- 月饼 (Moon Cakes) -

For most people, the 15th day of the 8th lunar month as according to the Chinese calendar doesn't really ring any bells but for some, it's a day much to be celebrated, as it's the famous Mid-Autumn Festival and this year, it happens to fall on the 15th of September, or in other words, today!

People in China will typically try to spend the day together with families and loved ones as reunion is important on this day and the full moon being both the roundest and brightest signifies this. In addition, families will eat 月饼 (moon cakes) while gazing at the full moon. Ironically, the weather forecast (in Shanghai at least) for this week is cloudy skies so people are unlikely to see the full moon. But, as this blog is dedicated to everything food, onward to moon cakes.

Foods to Eat in Italy - Venice

- Mołéche -

Mołéche are Venetian soft-shell crabs and are popular as a Cicchetti, starter or as part of a larger dish. These are made using small green crabs that call the Venetian lagoon their home and are a seasonal dish as they are only available in the Spring. 

This is because they shed their shells only in Spring and speed is of the essence as within a few hours, the carapace hardens again after contact with the water. So the skill lies in identifying ones that are about to molt and indeed, this is not a easy job as there is an entire career (specialized fishermen known as Mołécanti) revolving around the identification and catching of these crabs.

Foods to Eat in Italy - Venice

- Risi e Bisi -

Risi e Bisi is a rice based Primo Piatto, or starter, which is commonly found in Venetian Trattorias (as well as the surrounding areas of Vicenza and Verona). While often translated as pea risotto, it's texture is in fact a happy medium between that of a risotto and soup, and so is more watery than one might expect if thinking of risotto, instead, think more along the lines of a thick soup (or porridge/congee). 

This is traditionally eaten in the spring as that is when the first crop of peas was harvested, and was a dish reserved for royalty as it was traditionally offered to the Venetian head of state during the the San Marco festival in April.

Foods to Eat in Italy - Venice

- Baccalà Mantecato -

Baccalà Mantecato, otherwise known as creamed codfish, is a traditional and popular Venetian dish eaten as an antipasto, cicchetti or even as a sandwich filling. Baccalà, meaning dried cod, was introduced to the Venetian people by Querini in the 15th Century. A captain that sailed the world but alas, disaster struck and he was shipwrecked in Norway, however, every cloud has a silver lining. In this case, he discovered the Nordic way of preserving fish and brought it back to Venice whereby it quickly became a household favourite. Nowadays, there are more than 40 Baccalà recipes, with Baccalà Mantecato being the most well-known one.

Baccalà Mantecato is prepared by first soaking the codfish in water for at least 2 days, then poached and the bone and skin removed. Finally, it is blended (or traditionally, whipped) with olive oil, garlic, parsley and salt to reach a consistency akin to a fine mousse. It is then served with toasted bread, croutons or more traditionally, grilled polenta, which is another Venetian staple.

Foods to Eat in Italy - Venice

- Sarde in Saor - 

Sarde in Saor is a typical Venetian dish found in most osteria (small taverns) and bacari (a mix between a gastrobar and a wine bar), served as either an appetizer or a bar snack. It consists of fried sardines marinated in onions, raisins, vinegar and pine nuts, a good example of a typical Italian agrodolce dish. This refers to any dish that has a sauce that is both sweet and sour, and in this case, is produced by the raisins and vinegar respectively. You will find that agrodolce is very prevalent in Italian food but also found in cuisines the world over such as the gastrique used in French cooking or even 糖醋酱 (sweet and sour sauce) used in Chinese cooking.

Sarde in Saor came about because of the need for Venetian fishermen to keep fish fresh for extended periods of time whilst at sea and originally only consisted of sardines (or any fish) layered in oil, cooked onions and vinegar. It was not until the Renaissance period where raisins and pine nuts were also added which turned it from a simple way of preserving fish to a fully fledged dish.

Foods to Eat in Spain - Madrid & Castilla y León

- Huesos de Santo - 

Huesos de Santo, translated as 'bones of the saint' is probably not what you imagine from the name alone, instead, it is a delicious sweet dessert that is thought to have originated from Madrid in the early 17th century. Nowadays, it is still most popular in Madrid and the surrounding region of Castilla y León. It is most commonly eaten in November for All Saints Day. While you may wonder as to the cause for this, there is no intriguing reason or interesting anecdote, they were eaten simply because almonds were harvested around this time, so marzipan was both cheap and readily available.

Huesos de Santo is made of 2 layers, the outer layer is made of white marzipan paste pressed into a hollow cylindrical shape which is then filled with a syrup made from egg yolk, sugar and lemon juice (as well as yellow food colouring). This together gives it some resemblance to bones, hence, the name.

Foods to Eat in Spain - Madrid

- Rosquillas Tontas y Listas -

Rosquillas Tontas y Listas are two of the most famous traditional pastries of Madrid and are normally eaten to celebrate the Fiestas de San Isidro in May thus, they are also known as Las Rosquillas de San Isidro.

The festival of Saint Isidro for some reason is associated with donuts as two further types known as the donuts of Las Francesas and Santa Clara are also commonly sold and eaten during this time. An interesting historical tradition is that when you choose what Rosquillas you want from the vendor, he/she will string your donuts up before giving it to you rather than giving it to you in a bag.

Foods to Eat in Spain - Madrid

- Patatas Bravas -

Almost every European country has it's own pride and joy potato dish, whether it's chips from England, Pommes Dauphine from France or Reibekuchen from Germany (to name but a few). Here in Spain, or more specifically Madrid, the potato dish of choice is perhaps one of the most well known Spanish dishes, Patatas Bravas.

Patatas Bravas is a tapas dish consisting of potatoes which are cut into chunks and fried until golden. However, it wouldn't be Patatas Bravas without the typical Bravas Sauce, which is a tomato sauce with added Pimentón peppers for that spicy kick. Having said this, with Patatas Bravas being such a versatile dish, it has been adapted by the different regions of Spain, each with their own variation of the favourite. In Valencia, the potatoes are served with a sauce based on olive oil, vinegar and peppers and in other areas of Spain, it is served with an aioli or even a combination of garlic aioli and Bravas sauce. Sometimes, even mayonnaise is added to temper down the spice and give the dish an overall creamy taste.

Foods to Eat in Spain - Madrid

- Gallinejas -

Gallinejas are similar to the previously mentioned Zarajos in that they are both made from sheep chitterlings and are found mainly in Madrid. However, Gallinejas varies from the latter in that it isn't just the sheep's small intestine that is eaten as the spleen and pancreas are also used (and perhaps looks even less appetising to the uninitiated). 

Its origins date back to the 1950's, to the bustling Matadero de Legazpi (the slaughterhouse and cattle market of Madrid) whereby instead of wasting the off-cuts and offal at the end of the day, it was given to the surrounding restaurants and tapas bars which used them and turned them into many of the traditional Madrilenian tapas dishes we know and love today like Zarajos, Gallinejas and Riñones al Jerez.

Foods to Eat in Spain - Madrid

- Oreja de Cerdo -

Oreja de Cerdo, also known as Oreja a la Plancha (Plancha meaning grilled on a hot metal surface, not over charcoals) is a common tapas dish in Madrid (and is popular in the neighbouring regions of La Mancha and Andalucía also). This tapas consists of pig's ear (which can either be marinated or grilled as is), cut into slices or cubes and grilled. 

While the general cooking procedure is much the same all over Spain, the accompaniment of Oreja de Cerdo and the way it is served varies widely across the country. Some common, popular sauces include a spicy tomato sauce (Brava sauce, the same sauce used in the popular Patatas Bravas dish) or a garlic and parsley sauce (where it is known as al Ajillo). In certain tapas bars of Madrid, it is popularly served with chopped bacon and mushroom, as well as a wedge of lemon. Another variation native to the Basque region, is a la Vizcaína, whereby it is served with a sauce made from red peppers, onions, stock and a thickening agent such as flour.

Foods to Eat in Spain - Madrid

- Pastas de Consejo -

Pastas de Consejo are known as a typical sweet of Madrid, though in reality, they more resemble and taste like biscuits. These 'sweets' have a crumbly shortbread-like texture (though are a bit more dense) and a lovely lemon aroma. However, somewhat surprisingly, when actually tasting it, the lemon flavour is quite muted with the a buttery flavour being more dominant.

Initially called Pastas del Senado, they were later changed to Pastas de Consejo during the reign of Alfonso XII as he liked to consume them during

Foods to Eat in Spain - Madrid

- Carne al Desarreglo -

Carne al Desarreglo is a dish comprised of beef, stewed in tomatoes and white wine and is typical of Madrid or more specifically, Colmenar de Oreja. Colmenar is a municipality of the autonomous region of Madrid and is about a 45 minute drive from central Madrid. 

Carne al Desarreglo is traditionally served in the summer (as that is when tomatoes are in season) and in Colmenar, it is also frequently served with Patatas Chulas which is potato slices which are fried and is served with a dressing of garlic, parsley and sometimes vinegar.

There is an interesting tale behind the name of Carne al Desarreglo. As it is a stewed dish, preparation of this dish would take the majority of the day (especially in the past) and the men who worked in the fields

Foods to Eat in Spain - Castilla-La Mancha & Madrid

- Zarajos -

Zarajos is a traditional tapas dish of Cuenca, in the region of Castilla-La Mancha and is now also popular in the neighbouring city of Madrid. Different offal dishes are popular both across the world and within Spain as it is inexpensive and due to the 'not wasting any part of the animal' ethos, especially in the past.

Zarajos are lamb intestines (which may be a turn off for some, but I assure you, when its properly cleaned and fried, you can't tell you're eating offal) which are marinated in garlic, onions, white wine and parsley. They are then wrapped around a skewer and deep-fried (although they can also be baked in an oven or grilled). It is then normally served as is or sometimes, with a wedge of lemon to cut through some of the grease from the frying process. Alternatively, they can also be cooked in the broth made from Caracoles a la Madrileña (which I wrote about previously here).

Foods to Eat in Spain - Madrid

- Besugo a la Madrileña -

Besugo a la Madrileña is a dish well associated with Madrid, which is a bit perplexing as Madrid, being far away from the coast (practically in the middle of Spain), should not really have any seafood dishes of note historically. The reason for this is because in 1739, Manuel de Herrera managed to secure a permit for the transportation of fresh fish from coastal ports (such as Santander, Vasco de Bermeo etc.) to Madrid. Even today, his legacy remains in the form of the organisation Mercamadrid, that ensures for a reliable and efficient transport network to and from Madrid.

Foods to Eat in Spain - Andalusia (Seville and Córdoba)

- Gazpacho -

Gazpacho is a soup traditionally made using the primary ingredients of tomatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper, stale bread, garlic, olive oil and wine vinegar. Most importantly, it is consumed cold and can be served with bread or garnished with a variety of foods such as green peppers, mint, oranges, almonds or even ham and eggs (which is in fact the Córdoba variation of Gazpacho).

Foods to Eat in Spain - Madrid

- Bartolillo -

One thing that will become quickly obvious when you walk around Madrid is that the city is home many bakeries and each one has numerous pastries and cakes displayed in the windows. This is because of the popularity of pastries and sweets (not necessarily just confectionery) in Madrid and bakeries take great pride in their offered items.

Bartolillo is one example of a typical Madrilenian pastry, triangular in shape and normally eaten in Easter. The exact origins of this pastry is unknown with popular theories being that either they were brought to the Spain by the Roman's or it was originally an Al-Ándalus recipe (which refers to the the culture and traditions of Muslims living in the Iberian peninsular during the middle ages) which then spread to the rest of Spain. Nonetheless, the first mention of Bartolillo in Madrid still dates back to the 19th Century.

Foods to Eat in Spain - Castille y León (Segovia) & Madrid

- El Cochinillo Asado -

El Cochinillo Asado, or roast suckling pig, is dish originally from Segovia, in Castille but is now popular in the neighbouring regions of Aragon and Madrid also. This dish was introduced to Spanish cuisine when the Roman's invaded and conquered vast swathes of Spain, however, it only really became popular in the 17th Century as it was no longer a dish reserved for the rich and royal.

El Cochinillo Asado is prepared by placing the suckling pig in an earthenware dish and is often decorated (with a apple placed in its mouth for example) before roasting it whole in a wood (often oak) burning oven. When I first saw this dish, it somewhat humorously reminded me of the feasts drawn in Asterix and Obelix (though that is set in modern day France, and not Spain).

Sweets in Spain - Madrid

- Caramelo de Violeta -

Caramelo de Violeta are small, flower shaped sweets flavoured with violet essence and is often associated with Madrid. The exact reasons as to why that is has been lost in time but what is interesting is that when one thinks of old Madrid, the image of a morning walk in the Parque de El Retiro with a bag of violeta's in hand comes to mind. However (perhaps sadly), nowadays, these are not nearly eaten as commonly or known nearly as well due to the emergence of imported/mass produced sweets.

Within Madrid, Caramelo de Violeta are further associated with the small confectioners and bakery located on the Plaza de Canalejas. They are (not surprisingly) best known for their namesake, violet sweets and were so well known that it is said that King Alfonso XIII purchased these violet sweets for both his wife and his lover.

Foods to Eat in Spain - Madrid

- Bocadillo de Calamares -

Sometimes the best things in life, are the simple things and there are few things more simple than Bocadillo de Calamares, succulent breaded squid rings sandwiched by a warm toasty baguette which goes especially well with a cold beer (or two). What is there not to like?

This sandwich is very popular in Madrid as it is cheap and easy to eat on the go and you will often smell its aroma when there a shops selling it, especially dotted around the Plaza Major, however, a word of warning is that to be careful of some of the restaurants directly on (facing) the concourse. While you certainly won't be unhappy with the taste of the food, the value for money isn't as good as the price is often much higher than normal (in some cases, double the amount) due to the abundance of tourists in the area coupled with higher rent. Therefore I would recommend you to instead go to Bar la Campana, which is just behind Plaza Major, tucked in one of the many side streets where one Bocadillo de Calamares only costs 2.70 euros (and is indeed the cost for any Bocadillo with your choice of meat filling).

Drinks in Spain - General

- Leche Merengada -

Leche Merengada is a very popular drink found all over Spain and is served in Heladerías (ice cream shops) and Horchaterías (the closest English equivalent would be a café where Horchata, another popular Spanish drink made from tiger nuts is sold). It is especially popular in the summer but is drunk throughout the year, however, certain shops only sell this in summer (as we found out the hard way....but more on that later).

Leche Merengada is a drink made using egg whites, milk and sugar with cinnamon often added to give extra flavour. It is served cold and the texture is somewhere between a milkshake and a granita (or akin to shaved ice drinks common to many Asian countries). While the above is the traditional recipe, nowadays, it is often adapted by adding additional flavours such as citrus or coffee, It is so popular that it is frequently sold as a flavour of ice cream in Spain.

Places to Eat at in Spain - Madrid

- Mercado de San Miguel- 

Mercado de San Miguel has been mentioned more than a few times in my posts and for good reason. It is located next to the Plaza Major and is one of the oldest markets in Madrid and is the only originally wrought-iron structured market that is still standing to the present day. Built in 1916 and then refurbished in 2009 resulting in its modern yet rustic architecture.

Whilst it is called a market, it is more so a gourmet food market than your traditional grocery/fresh produce market with over 30 stalls (31 to be exact) that serves as a centre of Spanish gastronomy, selling everything from Spanish staples such as Jamón (ham) and olives to more luxurious offerings such as oysters and caviar. There are even 5 stalls dedicated to (mostly alcoholic) drinks, selling everything from cocktails to the ever refreshing sangria. As well as food, there are often tastings, fairs and events so if you're lucky, you might stumble upon a sherry tasting or even a regional food fair.

Foods to Eat in Spain - Madrid

- Caracoles a la Madrileña -

When one mentions snails, your mind might first think of the garden pest that terrorises your pavements with slime, even upon a little bit of rain (so practically everyday in England). When you add the word 'delicacy', the French may now come to mind, however, snails are eaten in numerous countries and places across the world, one of which is Madrid. Caracoles a la Madrileña are snails that are cooked in beef broth with a little bit of chilli. They are traditionally cooked in earthenware dishes (as indeed many Spanish tapas style dishes are) and pairs wonderfully with a glass of red wine.

Foods to Eat in Spain - Madrid

- Callos a la Madrileña -

Despite its fiery colour, it is not very spicy (if at all!)

Callos a la Madrileña is yet another popular dish in Madrid due to it's affordable and humble origins. This stews' main ingredient is beef tripe (which is inexpensive as it is parts of the cow that would normally be thrown away) and seasoned well with paprika, tomato's and garlic which gives it a inviting red colour.

This dish originated in the 15th century and was only in the past 100-200 years that it was no longer considered a 'poor-man's food' and is instead eaten by the rich and poor alike. This, along with Cocido madrileño are the two famous stew's of Madrid. However, Callos a la Madrileña perhaps has even humbler origins than Cocido madrileño.

Foods to Eat in Spain - Madrid

- Cocido Madrileño -

Cocido Madrileño is a hearty Madrilenian stew made using chickpeas, various vegetables (commonly potatoes), meats (traditionally pork) and garbanzo beans. The origins of this dish dates back to the 12th century and originally did not contain pork due to it's Jewish influence and were only added  in the 15th century. The dish grew in popularity in the 19th and 20th century as chickpeas were readily available, cheap and filling.

What is special about this stew is that instead of ladling it into bowls like you would with most stews, it is instead served as two 'courses'. The first of which is just the stew broth (sometimes with added noodles) served as a soup. The second course consists of the various meats and vegetables. This dish is a household staple, especially in winter and is a definite comfort food for most Madrileños.

Foods to Eat in Spain - Madrid

- Churros con Chocolate -

When one goes to Madrid, you must try Churros con Chocolate, which are deep-fried sticks of doughy goodness. These are thought to originate from China, with the Portuguese bringing them to Europe through their travels and trade with the Ming Dynasty.

Churros from Madrid vary from the (arguably) more well known Mexican variant, which is often dusted with cinnamon and sugar, instead, it is dipped in hot chocolate. However, this hot chocolate is probably not what you expect as it is so thick and decadent that it better resembles a chocolate fondue!