Next stop, San Sabastian; and what a culinary adventure it is! But before we get to the food I have to share how special this luxury sea-side resort is. Traveling to San Sabastian in May is a total treat. The weather was perfect, sunny the entire time with sun-worshipers on the beach and people leisurely strolling through town day and night. It is just before the busy summer season so there weren't throngs of tourists everywhere. Needless to say, getting reservations at the better restaurants and standing at the pintxos bars was an exceptional care-free experiences.

San Sabastian , or Donostia-San Sebastián (using the Basque translation) lies in the north of the Basque Country on the southern coast of the Bay of Biscay. We were staying in the glorious Concha's Bay area.

It's walkway is gorgeous and the beach is stunning, especially at sunrise and sunset. The architecture is quite beautiful;  below is an photo of the entrance to the famous Maria Christina Hotel.  Originally opened in 1912, this hotel showcases grand Edwardian style. We didn't stay here but opted to see the hotel and enjoy a late brunch which was served buffet style.

AND NOW SAN SABASTIAN & THE FOOD: They say San Sabastian has nearly 100 restaurants with Michelin stars, and there are a good number of restaurants that boast two and three stars. Needless to day, Donostia-San Sebastian is VERY famous for its gastronomy.

You can spend a fortune sampling beautiful, innovative meals created by world renown chefs, and trust me they will be very memorable meals. Or, for much less money, you can enjoy the stellar selection of small-bites available at the local Pintxos bars.  (See the next post for a list of pintxos bars in the old city)

Here is a list of restaurants --all of which are excellent choices to enjoy a Seductive Culinary Experience. Be sure to check their schedules and which days they are closed.

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I heard a lot of great things about Comerç 24 which is located in the El Born section, and couldn't wait to have lunch here.   The service was excellent, the staff extremely attentive and friendly. The food was innovative, delicious, creatively presented with very good size portions. While a bit pricey, I thought it was worth every penny. This is avant-garde Catalan cooking at its best by Chef Carles Abellan, and this was one of the best meals I had in Barcelona.

Carles Abellan was trained by world renown Chef Ferran Adrià of El Bulli, so you know you are in for something seductively special. As soon as you settle in, the waiter comes by your table with a display of the day's home-made bread. The sliced bread is delivered to your table with a tray of four different olive oils, with an explanation of each variety.

Everything on the menu seemed so good, it was hard to decide that to have, but I will say, we hit a home run with our choices. While there were many dishes we wanted to try, there are two that I will be sure to order on my next visit: The 'Kinder egg' (lined with truffle) and the tuna sashimi and seaweed on a wafer-thin pizza crust. Here is our lovely seafood lunch at Comerç 24. As you can see, we were so full, there was no room for dessert! 

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Spain is filled with food markets that serve as meeting places for people to shop, share some food, sip a glass of wine or a cafe con leche. Its a great way to start your day or unwind from a long one. These markets are filled with fresh seafood, fruits, vegetables, spices, candy, olives, olive oil, cheese, bakeries, meat, and of course a wide  array of Spanish ham.

The largest market in Barcelona can be found just off La Rambla, it is called the Sant Josep Market or simply known as La Boquería. Filled with locals, tourists, foodies and purveyors, it is a bustling community gathering place that is part of everyday life.

And be sure to stop by the tapas bar El Quim which is right inside the market.  It is often listed as one of the BEST restaurants in Barcelona. I can't say I would add this to my best list although it was good. Go for the braised ox tail, mixed wild mushrooms, the patatas bravas, the croquettes were quite good, and of course their signature dish: eggs and baby squid.

Here is a slide show of the Market at around 10am: You can click on the image to see the next one. All photos by Terry Dagrosa/ Seduction Meals.

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In honor of my recent trip to Spain, I prepared this wonderful mixed seafood paella, garlic alioli and a pitcher of Red Sangria to share with my close friends--It was a huge hit! Here is a recipe for a White Sangria if you prefer this. While paella is a wonderful romantic recipe for two; something perfect for a Seduction Meal, this recipe is good for 4-6 people depending on serving sizes. But no worries, if you find you have leftovers you will look forward to sharing the meal again the next day....it's that good!

Paella is best when cooked in a paella pan, which is a large, shallow, flat pan that allows the rice to be evenly distributed at the bottom of the pan.  As such it absorbs the wonderful flavors imparted by the broth, saffron and sofrito.  Also the best part about using a paella pan...scraping the crispy bits on the bottom. Note: there is a point in the recipe when you no longer stir the ingredients so be sure to cook until slightly crispy. When serving this dish,  the rice should be dry, not creamy like risotto. The first half of cooking paella is to perfectly flavor the rice, after that you then add the meat, seafood or vegetables within the rice to cook. The whole process is about an hour. Not bad for such a delicious meal!    

It was a glorious summer night so I put the paella pan on my BBQ grill for consistent heat under the entire pan. I was thrilled to prepare this dish with my new 15" paella pan.  I have made paella before, but working with the right equipment does make a difference. The rice had much better flavor, but then again the ingredients I used were pretty great too.  I hope you enjoy this as much as we did!  (Full Disclosure: I was given the pan by LaTienda.com).


Mixed Seafood Paella - Paella de Mariscos
Makes 4-6 servings
Recipe Courtesy of LaTienda.com

Ingredients:

• 6 cups clam or seafood broth
• 1 tsp thread saffron
• 1 1/2 pounds firm-fleshed fish, cut in bite-sized pieces
• 1 dozen mussels
• 1 dozen small clams
• 12 large shrimp in shells
• Sea salt
• 2 tbsp parsley, minced
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme
• 2 tsp sweet smoked paprika
• 8 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 6 scallions, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 2 cups Bomba or Calasparra paella rice
• Lemon wedges
• Serve with Alioli (garlic mayonnaise)/ See Recipe BeloW

Preparation:

1. Heat the broth in a large pot. Stir in saffron.
2. Pat fish and shrimp dry between paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and let sit 10 minutes.
3. With a mortar and pestle mash parsley, garlic, thyme and 1/8 tsp salt into a paste. Stir in paprika; add water if necessary to form a paste.
4. Heat 6 tbsp of oil in 15" paella pan over medium high heat and quickly brown the fish 1-2 minutes. Do not fully cook. Remove to warm platter.
5. Add remaining 2 tbsp of oil, onion, scallions and bell pepper to paella pan and cook until the vegetables are slightly softened. 
6. Raise heat, add tomato and cook until it becomes sauce-like, 2 to 5 minutes.
7. Pour in the hot broth and bring to a boil. Sprinkle the rice evenly across the pan. Boil for 3 minutes, stirring rice and rotating pan occasionally. 
8. Stir in parsley pastime Taste for salt
9. Add all reserved fish (but not shrimp). NOTE: Do not stir after this point.
10. Lower the heat, continue to simmer until rice is no longer soupy but enough liquid remains to continue cooking the rice (about 10 min.) / (I closed my BBQ lid)
11. Add extra liquid if necessary. (I added about 1/4 cup of white white)
12. Arrange shrimp, clams and mussels over rice, placing edges of mussel and clam shells so they open facing up. Push them down in the rice a bit.
13. Cook, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes until rice is almost done (I closed my BBQ lid)
14. Remove pan from the heat and cover with foil. Let sit 10 minutes.
15. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve with fresh alioli.

Alioli Garlic Mayonnaise - Alioli
Recipe Courtesy of LaTienda.com

Ingredients:

• 1 egg, very fresh
• 2 tbsp chopped garlic
• 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt

Preparation:

1. Place the egg and chopped garlic in a blender or food processor. Whirl until garlic is smooth.
2. With the motor running, add the oil in a slow stream, until the sauce is thick and emulsified. Add salt to taste.
3. The sauce should be creamy and will have a nice garlic bite. If the alioli is runny, this may mean that the egg was old. To fix this problem, either try again with a fresher egg, or add store-bought mayonnaise to the sauce.

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Taller de Tapas was highly recommended as an inexpensive yet very good place for Tapas. With five locations in Barcelona, we settled down at the location in Eixample where we dined al fresco at shady tables on a tree-lined boulevard.  After a long day of exploring everything Guadi, we happily started our meal with a pitcher of Sangria and enjoyed some people watching as we sipped our refreshing libation. First I have to share our amazement that no one at this lovely outdoor cafe was using cell phones nor were they smoking. An unusual happening and unlike any other part of Europe I've ever visited. Was it a lucky coincidence or is the lifestyle of Barcelona?


As we made it half-way through our pitcher, the waiter starting bringing our selected dishes, all of which were absolutely delicious.


We started with an order of Catalan bread, which is country bread, slightly toasted rubbed with a bit of garlic and a ripe tomato. Next we had:

Pulpo a la Gallega
Galician Styled Braised Octopus with Parika and Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Ham Croquettes


Brocheta de Langostinos con Alioli
Grilled Langostine Skewer with Garlic Mayonnaise

Virutas de Alcachofas Naturales Cujientes
Crispy Fried Artichoke Shavings


Cordero del Pirineo al horno con romero y tomillo
Slow roasted Pyrenees Lamb with Rosemary and Thyme

Based on our experience, I would recommend Taller de Tapas as a good place to have lunch or a pre-dinner snack.

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While on a culinary journey in Barcelona how could Seduction Meals not select to dine at a restaurant that boasts rave reviews, has been awarded 1 Michelin star, and hints at pure indulgence and temptation with the name Cinc Sentits (Five Senses).

Cinc Sentits truly lives up to its name, seducing all senses with deliciously prepared foods, creative visual presentations, aromas that taunt and entice, and an ambiance made for romance.

The restaurant offers a tasting menu of contemporary Catalan cuisine with matched wine pairings. The web site features the two different tasting menu's that change with the seasons and reflect what's currently freshest in the market:

While both menus contain the same amount of food, I found it odd that they would describe the second one as being "less creative" than the first. We decided to splurge and opted for "Sensacions" but honestly, I cannot imagine "Essencia" being anything less than amazing as well. They really should redefine that offer to keep it as enticing as it truly is.




Cinc Sentits prides itself on using the highest quality ingredients, and partnering with small purveyors from around Catalunya and the rest of Spain who share their passion for quality. Some of the items you will find on their tasting menus include:
    •    Fish--always wild--from small fishing villages on the coast
    •    Deep water prawns from Palamós
    •    Lamb from the Pyrenees
    •    Veal from Galícia
    •    Foie Gras from the Baix Empordà
    •    Fresh churned butter from the Catalan Pyrenees
    •    Iberian suckling pigs from Extremadura
    •    Farmhouse cheeses from La Torre de l'Espanyol (Tarragona)

Condé Nast Traveler, quoted Cinc Sentits as "One of the 80 hottest new restaurants in the world", while Travel and Leisure Magazine quotes "Locals, tourists, and even those grouchy Madrid restaurant critics adore the place; and Gourmet Magazine raves "The market-driven menu shines (look for dishes like red mullet on braised endive with toasted pine nuts, brown butter, and parsley oil)"

When in Barcelona be sure to treat yourself to a memorable romantic meal for two at Cinc Sentits. If you appreciate fine dining, I promise you will fondly remember this as one of the best culinary experiences you shared together.

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Having just spent two weeks in Spain, I am happy to share the next series of blog posts on this extraordinary culinary mecca. Typically, when we think of Spanish food we think tapas, pintos, ham,  Manchego cheese, Rioja wine and traditional favorites like paella, tortilla, churros and hot chocolate, and gazpacho. Spain's traditional fare is quite varied depending on the region you are visiting (see the list of local favorites below). For the more adventurous foodie, there is an incredible culinary movement that has garnered many Michelin stars on behalf of an extraordinary array of celebrated chefs creating dishes and menus that range from Nouvelle Cuisine Basque to Molectular Gastronomy to Deconstructivist techniques (check out the legendary Chef Ferran Adria, leader of this later movement).

After my third meal in Spain I came to realize (and cherish) the fact that Spanish food is not spicy; it is quite delicate and complex, but never overshadowed by hot peppers, spices or drowned in flavored sauces. Don't get me wrong, I love my spices and am fond of hot peppers and seductive sauces, but it was nice to experience the true flavor of each ingredient.

In Spain, home cooks and chefs alike lovingly prepare meals using seasonal, high-quality, local, fresh ingredients. This of course is the reason why most American travelers visiting Europe (and other countries that embrace this simple yet wise philosophy), often wonder why the meals served abroad are so flavorful and special even when simply prepared. Local, in-season and high-quality ingredients are the key to exceptional cooking and eating well; something we should all embrace. Not to mention it's also the most nutritious and healthy approach.

With that said, while in Spain seek out the best tapas bars and local favorites and try to experience at least one of the top restaurants run by highly acclaimed chefs such as Paco Torreblanca, Juan Mari Arzak, Martin Berasategui, Juan Roca, Jordi Atal, lberto Chicote, Quique Dacosta, Carme Ruscalleda, Daniel Garcaa, Santi Santamaría, and Paco Roncero to name a few.  Allow yourself to indulge and experience the full range of all Spain has to offer.


Eating and drinking in Spain could be an exceptional, memorable experience if you do a bit of homework before you arrive. First, be aware that dining routines may greatly differ from your own. For example, breakfast is often simple--coffee or tea served with a croissant or pastry, or bread and cheese. The midday meal, la comida, (our lunch), is the largest meal of the day and is served from 2:00 - 4:30. Spaniards typically eat dinner very late--9PM or 10PM.  There are few places that will serve dinner at 6:00, but you need to research in advance or speak to your hotel for suggestions.


Next, take some time to research the restaurants in the regions you will visit. Be open to trying new things but wise about basing choices on your culinary preferences and budget. Spanish cuisine ranges from highly innovative avant-garde creations to simply prepared traditional fare. There is something for most dining preferences and as such, you will find restaurants ranging from affordable to quite expensive. I've heard a few stories of complete shock when calculating the final bill. While most places welcome walk-ins be sure to make reservations for Spain's in-demand culinary meccas.

The country has many distinct regions that provide a variety of cooking styles and famous dishes. Here is a breakdown found on Wikipedia that showcases some of Spain's regional fare and special dishes. While a generalization, I have read a guideline to follow is that in the north they tend to stew, in the center of the country they bake and in the south they fry. However, when you experience the new modernist cuisine and/or molecular gastronomic movements in Barcelona and San Sabastian, all such rules are broken.

Catalonia: Alongside Valencia, Catalonia has a long tradition of rice-dishes and seafood. In addition, cooked and cured sausages from Vic are famous. Catalan cuisine is rich. Favorites include Catalan Bread (pa amb tomàquet) and botifarra (spanish sausage), and Catalan Cream which is similar to crème brûlée.

La Rioja: Known above all its international Rioja wines, as well as its vegetable soups and its pepper and potato dishes.

Extremadura: Local fare includes Cocido extremeño (a rich stew of bacon, fowl, ham, meats, and vegetables), embutidos of Iberian pork, cheeses (including the indispensable torta del casar, a close relative of the Portuguese queijo da serra), pitarra wine.

Andalusia: (Andalucia) Local fare includes fried fish, salmorejo and gazpacho. Seafood, especially shrimp, squid, mackerel and flatfish. Jabugo ham and Sherry wine.

Aragón: Known for Somontano, Borja and other wines. Jamón serrano (cured ham) in Teruel. Migas, very typical in small villages. Nuestra Señora del Pilar sweets in Zaragoza. "Ternasco con patatas a lo pobre", one of the most popular dishes in Aragón. "Borrajas", vegetable typical of this zone. Peaches with red wine (from Calanda, in Teruel). And "chiretas", very popular in "Ribagorza" and "Somontano de Barbastro".

Murcia: Known for products of its rich gardens, such as zarangollo; fish and lamb stews; and the wines of Jumilla, Yecla or Bullas. They are also fantastic murcia midges, a dish using leftover bread or tortas)

Valencia: The Valencian region is famous for its Paella that is made with seafood, meat and vegetables. Many other variants of rice-based dishes can be found in Valencia, with shellfish, meatballs or just covered in egg ("Arròs amb crosta").

Balearic Islands: A typical island-based diet of seafood and simple vegetable-based dishes as well as Sobrasada (sausage). Samfaina (Ratatouille) and Cocas (pastry) are typical of Catalan cuisine generally. Majorca's biggest export is the Ensaimada, a pastry.

Basque country: Skillfully cooked dishes such as "txangurro relleno" (spider crab) "marmitako" and hake and clams. Idiazabal cheese and a distinctive wine called "txakoli". Piquillo peppers, filled with cod or tuna.

Navarre: Best known for its vegetable stews, Tudela's lettuce hearts with anchovies, salmon, or a simple vinaigrette (oil, salt and vinegar); piquillo peppers, which are often stuffed with meat; trout à la Navarra (cooked stuffed with bacon and cheese), Roncal and Idiazabal cheeses, curd from Ultzama, claret wine, and patxaran liquor.

Galicia: Local fare includes Caldo gallego; an array of seafoods, especially octopus, cod and goose barnacles; Tarta de Santiago, a tart made of almonds and lemon; empanadas; Albariño wine from the Rias Baixas.

Castilla y León: Best know for its Morcilla (black pudding made with blood and different spices) from León, Burgos or Valladolid; Sopa de Ajo (Garlic soup), Cochinillo asado (little roast pig), Lechazo (Roast Lamb), Botillo del Bierzo, Hornazo (meat pie) from Salamanca, and Jamón de Guijuelo (Spanish cured ham from Guijuelo (Salamanca). Also known for a great variety of sausages like Salchichas de Zaratán and cheeses like Cheese of Serrada or Burgos's Fresh Cheese and various of the best wines in Spain *Ribera del Duero wines.

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