some travel, some fun, all me
I REALLY want to make these!! Giving these cookies to the families that I teach would be the perfect gift for Christmas! Too bad we can’t make them for a class project but I think that might be a bit too much…. and messy.
I will let you know how they go but for a great site to make them perfect go here. She makes it look so nice. Wish me luck!
What I hope my finished product will look like. Hopefully they will not end up in the Pinterest Fail box. (Unlike hers.)
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Do you love Italian food? I DO! Felix and I just went to restaurant RIBELLO in the iconic area of la Longa of Palma. I have been wanting to go here for months and am now kicking myself for not going sooner. It. Was. Fantastic.
The menu wasn’t too extensive but I would believe that every single item would be excellent. Our starters were a spinach dip and prosciutto wrapped around a thick lobster cream. And for the main course I had a spicy tomato based sauce with penne that came with a hunk of buratta (a fresh Italian cheese, made from mozzarella and cream) on top. And my lovely boyfriend had the lemon pasta with scampi. I think I have to stop writing now because I am so hungry and can only think about the amazing pasta dishes. (Growl) (That was my stomach)
Also on the menu was pizza, beef tenderloin, and a hamburger that I saw come out of the kitchen several times. There is mostly pasta on the menu, it IS an Italian restaurant but there was a decent variety. Plus the prices are super! I was surprised at how reasonably priced the food was for such a popular place.
Ribello is only open for dinner Monday – Saturday. They don’t have a website so here is the info.
Now call for a reservation and GO.
Ribello, C/ Apuntadores 11, 971 729 130
NOLA – New Orleans, Louisiana. Ah-May-Zing! So much fun. And I feel silly for saying this, but it was my first time there. I really don’t know what took me so long. I guess it was just the distance from my older stomping grounds. In Oklahoma we would head towards Lake Texoma, Padre or once for a college spring break we drove from Stillwater to Fort Lauderdale. When I lived in Dallas, well, I went to, um, Dallas! And when I was in the New York/CT area I went to well, Manhattan, of course. But also to Mt. Snow, Vermont and a few other random Pepsi sponsored ski areas.
But I am getting off track. Jeannette (the lovely) and I went to the Big Easy for our 40th celebration. We met up at the Maison Dupuy hotel. A very nice hotel with possibly a dead, bald guy in the hot tub. He NEVER left y’all! The rooms were clean, the shower had nice water pressure (something that is very important to me), the front staff were nice and friendly, there was a pool and free Wi-Fi. All in all, a great hotel for a decent price.
As I just said, I had never been to NOLA, even though Jeannette was a seasoned pro. We headed down Bourbon St. to see the crazies and get a drink. I was bound and determined to have a Hurricane but then thought, do I really want to throw up on my first day here? I settled for a beer and Jeannie introduced me to my new favorite beer – ABITA Purple Haze.
Abita beer whether it was Purple Haze or Amber was a constant for the remainder of our trip. Well, that and Bloody Marys, mmmmmmmmmmmmm, don’t EVEN get me started on the bloodies from Molly’s at the Market. We watched them being made: a little Guinness, half a squeezed lemon and lime, some Cajun seasoning, worchestire, horseradish, tabasco, juice from the pickled green beans (i wish i could have brought back 12,000 jars of those) and their already mixed bloody mix. The first time there we had THREE. I would have had more to stare at that mellow cat that hangs out on the tables with the customers but my stomach was rumbling and we needed to get ready for dinner.
Speaking of dinner/food we ate SO GOOD. Here were our stops and each were amazing. And in all actuality, it was mainly about the food. Don’t miss any of these.
1. Dante’s Kitchen – Ok, this place…they have the best vegetables in any New Orleans restaurant, an outdoor patio, and an amazing wine list. They have incredible meat and fish dishes too. This is a great restaurant to get away from downtown, and one of the most inspired menus I’ve seen anywhere. The food and produce is fresh, fresh, fresh, and they accentuate the freshness with the preparation and presentation. The only thing I will say is that the portions are HUGE!!! Bring some friends and plan on having one of the best meals of your life.
2. NOLA – This is one of Emeril’s restaurants in New Orleans. Featuring an eclectic menu of New Orleans Creole and Acadian cuisine with an occasional ethnic twist, the rustic style of cooking showcases Southern Cajun, Vietnamese and Southwestern influences using Louisiana products. Private dining rooms, a bread and pastry bakery and wine cellar are located on NOLA’s third floor.
3. Coop’s – Hands down this was my favorite place. The fried chicken was out of this world and the prices were excellent. This French Quarter bar, with its placement across the street from Margaritaville and down the street from Café du Monde, is kind of in tourist central, meh; but these guys have the real deal in red beans and rice, gumbo, fried chicken, and super authentic local favorites. Also check out the side salad, with the BEST homemade Green Goddess dressing in town. The servers are sweet and super tattooed, the kitchen is basically in the outdoor courtyard, and next door is the fantastically alt-goth bar…
4. Felix’s Oyster Bar – Besides being the name of my favorite boyfriend, it was also a fantastic place to grab a seat, an Abita and a dozen oysters. They also have Po-boys, seafood platters and some darn good fried pickles. Man, I could really go for another dozen oysters with lots of horseradish and lemon.
5. Central Grocery – Central Grocery is home of the muffuletta, one of New Orleans’ great sandwiches. A circular loaf of soft Italian bread is sliced horizontally and piled with salami, ham, and provolone, which are in turn topped with a wickedly spicy melange of chopped green and black olives fragrant with anchovies and garlic. You miss this, and you might cry.
6. Café Du Monde – World famous for its cafe‘ au lait, beignets, and the opportunity to people watch. Another New Orleans favorite, stop by for a chicory coffee and beignets to cure your morning hangover. The service was a bit slow while seated so maybe check out the TO GO line on the side if you are in a hurry. But it is a don’t miss.
7. Satsuma Cafe – Their Kale Salad, made of all local ingredients, fresh, and organic, features Lacinato kale, Parmesan dressing, and (this is New Orleans after all) a piece of bacon on the side. This is the BEST SALAD in the city, hands down. A few blocks away from Desire Street, (which kind of says it all), and in the stunning Baywater, this is the hippyish place to go for great coffee and espresso, fresh ginger muffins, super great Nutella banana pancakes, fresh BLT’s with real tomatoes, hummus, bagels and lox with all the sides, and fresh juices made to order. It’s also all organic. Sit at the Squirrel Table and read the New York Times, or a local paper with the locals (and believe me, they’re there). It has a totally great vibe and fresh, fresh, fresh organic food. These guys make an effort and it shows.
I think I will take a break here. Now I am craving an oyster po-boy, an Abita Purple Haze and some excellent fried chicken. Stay tuned for some more New Orleans news and lots of cool pics. Ciao!
Fibonacci, the place for pan y café (bread and coffee), but so much more.
I finally checked out this café (and this time I mean café, not coffee). It was all I had been expecting! Well, minus the fact that I was craving the roast beef sandwich I read about. (They were out of the beef à la roasted) So I ordered a tuna fish sandwich and a café (this time coffee – so confusing!) con leche. You got to choose your choice of bread which was a tough decision, they all looked so yummy.
I wish I would have saved room for dessert. The carrot cake was so tempting, so was the chocolate cake, ohhh don’t forget about the cheesecake and what about the apple pie!? Gosh oh golly, I gotta go back. Next time I might try a scone with a macchiato. Or a chicken salad with mozzarella and mango. And don’t forget to grab a fresh loaf of bread to take home with you. Or their selections of olive oil, vinegar, wine, pesto, more more more para llevar (for takeaway).
I went to the Fibonacci in the Portixol area. But they have two other locations around Palma.
Fibonacci! I will return! Please oh PLEASE have some roast beef left for me! Fibonacci, more than bread and coffee.
Dos Palillos is a restaurant in Barcelona where the concept is asian tapas. And it is DA BOMB, you must go! It was such a fun experience.
There is a long menu (for 70 € per person) or the short menu (55€ pp) to choose from. Naturally, my parents and I went for the long menu. You sit at the “asian bar” which is opposite the open kitchen and your chef is also your waiter. The chef explains each dish that is served and answers any and all questions you may have – my Mom had a lot. 🙂
To start us off we had a bright pink Japanese mojito. Here are some of the mouth-watering foods we were served. And I apologize for the pictures, I must work on my taking food pics skills….
Fresh Crispy Chicken Roll
Sunomono, with fresh seaweed and molluscs
Yummmmmy, Pasolasmonjas 2007 (Navarra, Spain)
One of my favorites – Tuna belly temaki
Roe
If you thought those looked delish, then just think of how much more deliciouser (yes, Kim word) they would be/look/smell/feel if I could take decent food pics! A few more mentions as to what else was on our menu: home-made shitake tsukudani, sardines with kombu, hot – raw fresh prawns, thai style laser clams, chawanmushi, free range chicken sasami, sea anemone tempura, steamed fresh prawn dumplings (another fav), japo burger, shao lom pao and to end it right – panda leaf ice cream. Have I said it was amazing?!
Just go already. Oh – and if you have the money stay at the Casa Camper hotel right next door.
How was your Thanksgiving? I hope it was delicious and spent with loved ones. Here in Spain, Felix and I went out to find a duck to make for the day. No way were we ever going to find a turkey, unless it was deli meat. But we couldn’t even find a duck! I was told they will be out for Christmas time.Whew! But we did find a nice piece of steak from Argentina that we made.
But I got to thinking all the other foods I miss by not being in the states.
Chicken in a Biskit crackers. Who doesn’t love these? Even typing this my mouth is watering for a delicious C in a B cracker. I love anything with a layer of flavoring that you can’t really see but you can taste that chickeny goodness. Let’s check out those ingredients. Enriched flour, awesome. MSG, flavor enhancers, of course! Dehydrated cooked chicken? JUST GIVE ME MORE!!! It also has vitamin B1 and B2, so there. Whatever they do for you. If only my favorite salad dressing of all time – Seven Seas Creamy Italian (PLEASE BRING IT BACK!) – was still around I would just pour out the bright yellow liquid and dip those marvelous cx biskit crackers into it. I would have it for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
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My mom loves to tell the story about my brother and I finishing a bottle and a half at a restaurant. We were around the ages of 7 and 9 and the bottle was almost full. We finished that bottle, the waitress brought us another one (apologizing for giving us an empty one, no comment) and we practically finished that one. Still, to this day, if there is steak or a hamburger at my family’s dinner table, the A1 sauce is not too far behind. It is only my brother and me who like it, Dad says we a ruining a great piece of meat. I say we are bettering it. A1 rules.
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O.M.G. The Reuben is the BEST sandwich ever. Corned beef with melted swiss cheese on Rye bread. Add some sauerkraut, a little mustard and mayo and you got yourself a damn good sandwich. Ask the Spanish (or any European for that matter) for almost any of those items listed above and you will get a blank stare. Corned beef? How do you even describe that? Swiss cheese, maybe if I go to Switzerland? And rye bread? Fuggetaboutit.
Now I am seriously hungry for all of the above. Too bad all I have out of them is A1. Going to drink some of that now. TTYL.
My latest obsession. ALLIOLI.
It is pronounced a – ee – olee and it is DEEEEELISH. Also seen here in Spain as aioli. It is a garlic mayonnaise dip frequently used here in the restaurants and a friend invited me to dinner the other night where this lovely dip was sitting on her table. And she bought it at the store! I immediately went to buy it the next day. It is perfect for potatoes, bread, grilled meat, rice – really anything. Maybe I throw a dollop on top of my cereal today.
Where have you been all my life!? Hello, I love you! I am talking about my new friend, the watermelon. Why have you all been hiding this from me? Okay, perhaps it could be me. I have NEVER liked watermelon, unless it was filled with vodka and we were at Lake Carl Blackwell.
But then I read it wasn’t a fruit, it was a vegetable. I am confused (doesn’t take much). The Oklahoma State Senate passed a bill on 17 April 2007 declaring watermelon as the official state vegetable, with some controversy surrounding whether a watermelon is a fruit. Oh my lovely state of OK, what in tarnation!? Thinking it’s a vegetable, and the official state one at that! You guys have been hanging out at Lake Carl Blackwell a leeeetle tooooo long.
So, like I said, it was never one of my favorites. But the other day I was at the supermarket in Campos and they had sliced watermelon for sale. It looked mouth-watering delicious so I bought one. As soon I got home I cut off a slice and took it out to the pool. I nearly slapped myself for keeping this adorable fruit vegetable out of my life for so long. It even looks great next to the pool, it’s like the chic summer fruit, er ….veggie.
I’ve been trying to add more fruits and vegetables to my meals. Actually, veggies I am pretty good about adding with dinner. But I have always had a problem with adding more fruit to my diet. And the watermelon is a great addition. It is really good for you!
Watermelon is very cleansing, alkalinizing, diuretic and mineralizing. It’s a very clean food–excellent for flushing out the kidney and bladder, taking out waste materials. And because the juice is easily digestible your body easily absorbs for all its minerals and nutrients.
Watermelon is loaded with antioxidants–namely Vitamin C and A–which fight off free radicals, prevents cell damage, and inhibits cancer or abnormal cell growth.
Watermelon is also incredibly high in the two phytochemicals beta-carotene and lycopene (even more than tomatoes!). This combination prevents heart disease, prevents asthma, helps arthritis, prevents arteriosclerosis, and lowers the risk of many forms of cancer (including prostate, lung, colon, and bladder).
The rind of the watermelon is even better with tons of minerals and chlorophyll.What the heck does chlorophyll do for you, doesn’t sound like it would be good. But! No matter WHAT it is, fruit or veggie – just stock up on it and pronto!
GOING NINETY MILES 