Hayride at the Elegant Farmer

Last month I spent time at the Elegant Farmer with my Son, Daughter-in-law and Grandson.  The Elegant Farmer is an exaggerated traditional farmer’s market located near our home.  It is actually a local treasure; the food they sell is very good.  Their most famous offering is the apple pie baked in a paper bag.  This unique pie has been written about in the national media and I saw an episode of Chef Bobby Flay’s “throw down” series where he challenged the Elegant Farmer to an apple pie baking contest.  Bobby lost.

The morning we went, was unseasonably cold.  We drank hot cider which helped, but none of us were dressed appropriately.  We took a hayride to an apple orchard, where you can pick apples to take home.  Due to an early season warm spell, followed by a frost after the trees flowered, and then months of drought, the apple crop was small.  Elegant Farmer brought apples in from other locations to sell. 

My Grandson found the pumpkins for sale to be intriguing and climbed over them, looking for the perfect squash.  Eventually the cold caused us to end the autumn adventure early.  Next year my Grandson will have a new Brother, so maybe we can try again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spanish Ham

While on a recent trip to Spain with my wife, we learned about the famous hams of Spain and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Jamón (in Spanish) is typically served thinly sliced, similar to prosciutto in Italy. I always thought of prosciutto as the benchmark standard for ham, but I now know better. Hams in Spain are dry cured and not smoked like so many hams in the U.S. The drying process often takes up to 48 months and everyone believes their process is the best. At the restaurants specializing in ham, there can be 30 or more different types and preparation choices. Typically Jamón Serrano and Jamón Iberico are the favored choices. Serrano means hill and is made from the Landrace white pig in the mountains, while Iberico is made from the Black Iberian pig found in southwest Spain and Portugal. Iberico is more expensive.

The public markets and specialty stores found on the narrow streets have beautiful hams on display. The merchants carve their ham per order, carefully weighing it as if it were gold or saffron. The stores feature small take away orders, including cones full of diced meat or beautiful baguettes filled with ham. At the restaurants, a charcuterie is the best way to sample age dried ham, sausages and cured meats. Drink a nice glass of Cava with your meat. My wife and I were walking towards a specific seafood restaurant that was recommended, when we stopped in front of a restaurant with many hams hanging in the window. The restaurant was packed with people and we were pleased to find out they could seat us at a small table in their cellar. We had immediately lost all thoughts about the seafood restaurant.

I grew up eating sweet Honey Baked hams or smoked hams covered in brown sugar. They taste good on a nice hard roll with mustard and Swiss cheese. However they cannot be judged in the same room as the hams of Spain. I need to go back soon!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mallorca

We visited Mallorca for several days while recently in Spain.  Mallorca is a small island (name means large island) in the Mediterranean Sea.  It was originally a Roman encampment 2100 years ago, where olives, almonds and wine grapes were cultivated.  The island is home to the rich and famous of Europe, including Rafael Nadal, Catherine Zeta Jones and her famous husband, and many others.   Many of the famous Spanish artists spent time on the island gaining inspiration.  Musicians also sought inspiration; Chopin’s greatest work was created while living there.

We stayed in Palma, which is a typical old Roman city and is beautiful.  Ancient walls and old churches are everywhere, as are the narrow streets common to old European cities.  The yacht harbor is one of the best on the Mediterranean-Monaco’s port is better, but not by much.  We hiked to the top of a mountain on our last day to see a round castle.  The castle was visible from our hotel window and once we were on top of the mountain, the views of the port and city below were wonderful.

The island has been occupied by many cultures over time, including Romans, African Moors, Byzantines, the crown of Aragon, Catalans and more.  The food reflects the cultural diversity. An ancient olive tree in the city center symbolizes the importance of olives to local cuisine and trade.

While walking through the old city one day, we came across a group of roaming musicians parading down the streets and squares.  We followed them for a while, and watched as they entered stores to entertain the tourist.  Mallorca is a popular spot for Germans, and many of the locals speak the language.  Germany jokingly calls Mallorca their 17^th state.

The food and wine were fantastic and I’m glad we took the time to visit for several days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barcelona

I recently met my wife in Barcelona for a weeklong vacation.  I had never been to this wonderful city before, though my wife had been there twice before.  We stayed at a somewhat basic hotel in the old city center, which was located within the original Roman walls almost 2000 years ago.  The location could not have been any better.

There is a great deal of things to do in Barcelona, but our focus was food, and the art and architecture of the local artisans.   Barcelona features great ham and paella.  The hams of this region of Spain are famous, and it is common to have a selection of 20 different types to choose from.  More on ham in the future.  Paella is also famous and varied, with numerous types available at many restaurants.  I had a dark brown dish made with the ink of the local cuttlefish (similar to squid).  On another occasion, we ate the best seafood Paella possible.  I suppose everything could be improved, but at that moment, I would not be able to be convinced of that.

Though tapas are not from Barcelona, the city has embraced them, with many tapas bars throughout the city.  My wife was proud that she found a favorite tapas place of hers, featuring good Serrano ham, bombas and seafood specialties.  The restaurant sign was located down a small street, though very unique.

Barcelona was home to many famous artists and architects.  Most grew up in the area, while others moved to the region from other parts of Spain.  The names in include Picasso, Dali, Miro, Velázquez and Gaudi.  We went to several art museums, including a great one dedicated to Picasso.  Picasso hung out in the early 20^th century at a bar called Quatres Gats in Catalan or Cuatro Gatos in Spanish.  We had to go see what it was about, and drank expensive beer with other tourists.

The city is built on the Mediterranean and at the base of the Pyrenees Mountains, providing great scenery.  I have always thought the combination of water and mountains make the best views.  The hilly terrain of the outskirts of Barcelona caused us to climb significant stairways, and we also discovered a number of outdoor escalators.  I wonder why this isn’t more common.

Our hotel offered us a glass of Cava every day.  Cava is a sparkling wine crafted in this region of Spain.  Cava means cave in Catalan, where the wine is stored for aging.  Restaurants would also offer Cava as a welcome drink.  Interestingly, I have a Christmas tradition at my house where everyone is offered a glass of Cava when they arrive for dinner.  Now the Cava tradition seems more special.

This was not the city of Vicky Cristina Barcelona, where Vicky was trying to find her Catalan identity.  But the Barcelona of artists and wine drinking is real.  The Barceloneta area of the city seems like where the movie may have been filmed, though I need to go back and watch it again.

We had a great time and I was highly impressed with the city.  It is clean, the people are possibly the friendliest in Europe, and the food and wine were fantastic.  In addition to art, the city has the requisite old churches and Roman ruins, which is always a draw for me.  I hope to return some day.