Los empresarios chinos aprovechan la crisis para adquirir bares españoles

Esta noticia publicada hoy en Cinco Días, es de esas situaciones paradójicas por las cuales la mayoría de las areperas de mi país (sitios especializados uno de los platos típicos venezolanos) son propiedad de los portugueses. Hoy se  habla de que los bares de toda la vida de Valencia y Alicante están pasando a manos de la comunidad china residente en esa zona, y hay que reirse un poco, recordando la película Tapas. Y hay que enseriarse pensando en dos temas: resilencia y modelos migratorios.

Sin ánimo de ahondar en la crisis económica que tan duro le ha pegado a la hostelería española (para eso hay otros blogs) hago un par de lecturas de esta noticia desde la psicología: la primera la claridad de la meta del individuo que inicia un proyecto migratorio. Este punto es quizás uno de los factores que “vacunan” al inmigrante contra depresiones y otros síndromes de última moda. Lo que llamamos en psicología resilencia y que nos hace buscar a muchos dónde está ese punto diferencial, que hace que personas que han pasado por situaciones de extrema dificultad terminen diciendo con satisfación

 ”Antes, como se suele decir, trabajábamos como chinos. Ahora queremos vivir bien, como todo el mundo”

 Leo Ping, Secretario de la Asociación de Empresarios Chinos de Valencia

El otro punto que me pareció interesante, es el del modelo chino de inmigración, descrito con mucha claridad por  en su artículo “Los paisajes familiares de la inmigración” (Camarero y García, 2004) que tan claramente nos explicaba Marta Jiménez Jaén en la UNED recientemente.

 He estado revisando ese material, especialmente en lo que se refiere al modelo dominicano (por su similitud con el colombiano), y en vista de que hoy los chinos son noticia (raro en una comunidad que es descrita por muchos como invisible) les dejo el artículo, que vale la pena porque nos ayuda en el proceso de mirar con claridad la heterogeneidad que las estadísticas no son capaces de explicar.

Pues bien, por Madrid y supongo que por todos los rincones de España es muy típico el salir de tapas. A lo largo de los años que llevo viviendo por Madrid siempre he echado de menos un post o una página donde hablaran de los verdaderos lugares o rincones con unas tapas para ser recordadas. En este post y en posteriores, daré unas recomendaciones sobre los lugares que para mí son imprescindibles para ir De Tapas por Madrid.

Bueno, vamos al lio, hoy para empezar hablaremos del conocido bar ‘Los Amigos’ que aunque haya miles de post publicados a cerca de él, aquí va otro punto de vista.

Nombre: Los Amigos
Dirección: Ezequiel Solana, 114, Madrid, 28017.  Distrito Ciudad Lineal, Metro Ascao
Especialidad: Gran cantidad de tapas, normalmente fritos, en platos ovalados metálicos.

Este es el típico bar que te sorprende cuando vas por primera vez. Siempre que alguien me pregunta como se lo puedo definir les digo: Es un bar donde, desde que entras, hasta que dices ya no puedo más, te están dando tapas. No es necesario que pidas otra ronda, si los camaremos se fijan en que tus platos están vacios o semivacios, te dan más platos repletos de más comida. Con dos consumiciones te han puesto suficientes tapas para que digas, por favor no me ponga más porque se van a quedar sobre la mesa.

El ambiente en el bar es muy bueno. Es como un bar de pueblo, donde aunque la gente no se haya visto nunca, el trato es como con el vecino de toda la vida. Es un bar que normalmente siempre esta lleno: esto ocurre por varios motivos. Uno de ellos es que el bar no es muy grande, es un bar sin mesas, donde el bar es todo lo que da de si la barra. La gente siempre está de pie y a veces es como el metro en hora punta, pero como se suele decir, siempre hay sitio al fondo. Por otro lado, es un bar seguidor del Real Madrid y por lo tanto, siempre que hay partido, el bar esta aún más lleno si cabe. Otra característica del bar es que no tienen las tipicas servilletas con publicidad que tienen los bares, ellos usan rollos de papel higienico, que según mi parecer son mucho más suaves.

Respecto a los precios, éstos están un poco por encima de la media al tomar una caña en cualquier bar, pero muy baratos si consideras la cantidad de tapas que te sirven. Aún así por 5 euros te has tomado dos consumiciones y has comido o cenado. Tened en cuenta que NO abren los Lunes, por lo que tomaros ese día de descanso.

En resumen, si quereis impresionar a alguien con un bar de ambiente no glamuroso, si no más bien con un bar de barrio, y además lo quereis hacer con poco dinero y salir cenados o comidos, llevarlos a Los Amigos.

Ah, por último, como os he dicho antes, el bar Los Amigos como normal general está lleno, pero que eso no os haga pensar que los bares de alrededor, con nombres similares, se parecen a éste. El bar Los Amigos es único.

Jack, and if you can believe this, Jill, met via online dating. For Jack, he grew tired of going out to clubs with his friends just to stand and watch others dancing and meeting at night clubs. For Jill, she had heard from a few girlfriends that for all the hoards of frogs that there are out there, a few princes do exist. Two of her girlfriends found compatible mates and married and so for Jill, she felt that there was hope for her.
As far as curves and scales go, both Jack and Jill were moderately attractive. Jack started working out a few years back when his father had quadruple bi-pass surgery. In the recovery room, Jack’s father had tubes sticking out of his chest and a breathing device strapped to his face. The idea that he one day could end up like his father in a hospital, drove Jack to begin to begin physical exercise around the age of thirty. Jack was thirty five on the first date with Jill. Aside from being fit, Jack wore horned rim glasses and wore his hair on weekends to look like rats ran about on top of his head. Hair went every which way and stayed that way with the help of mousse. Jack looked at the models in his Men’s Health Magazine and decided that if he was going to land the woman of his dreams, he had better get more hip with the look. Jack showed up in a collared shirt untucked with a black vest, worn looking jeans that were frayed at the bottom and a pair of black shoes. The Men’s Health Magazine told him to wear cologne with Pheromones so that subliminally his date would be more prone to want him sexually. Something about neurotransmitters something something. Men don’t remember the details as much as they remember that the pheromones can trigger sexual excitement.
Jill had posted a really attractive picture of herself with her ex-boyfriend who was really her fiancé but since there was never really a true date picked, he was more of an uncommitted boyfriend. The picture was from New Year’s Eve 2001. Jill had a great smile in the picture; she was trim and showed maximum cleavage in her silvery sparkling dress. All that remained in the picture that would lead anyone to think that she was with someone was the hand that rested on her shoulder without a body on the other side of it. Yes the picture was of Jill and yes it was from nine years earlier, but she really did not think she had aged that much or gained that much weight and her smile created the best picture of herself that she could ever remember taking. Jill dressed in a summer dress that went a few inches above her knee and showed off her toned legs and arms. Jill had been running along the banks of Lake Michigan and had a healthy look to her. Jill was confident albeit nervous to be meeting yet another man at a restaurant in downtown Chicago in hopes of finding someone that would be compatible enough to lock in with or at least want to see again. On paper and in the brief conversations, Jack seemed like a regular guy and so she agreed to meet Jack for dinner.
Jill sat at the bar of the Spanish Restaurant and ordered Sangria while she pretended to look at a message on her cell phone, fully aware that Jack had exited a cab out in front of the restaurant and was walking towards her.
“Jill?”
“Oh hi! You must be Jack…”
They both wondered what they should do next. Would it be too cold and distant to extend a hand or should we hug? Jack was going to extend his hand when Jill reached out and hugged him. Jack nervously hugged and patted Jill on the back the way Gorbachev hugged Reagan at one of their summit meetings, with slaps on the back.
“I’m so sorry I’m late. I decided to take a cab and the cabbie took the scenic route here and well anyway… That is shall we say, my bad…” said Jack.
“Um… That’s fine, that’s fine. Things happen, you know… Should we tell them we’re here?”
A perky young woman led the way past tables and tables of other couples who were dining out on a warm summer evening. Jack couldn’t help but look at the ass of the hostess. It was very tight looking and symmetrical and it appeared as though she was wearing no underwear. To Jack and many other men, there is the allure of no underwear. The hostess walked away. Out of sight, out of mind.
Jill smiled nervously to show a cute dimple on one cheek. Jack had not noticed that Jill had a clef chin in her photos. It was a little too Kirk Douglas for him. It was a demerit to be certain but not a deal killer yet. Jack did notice her ass too and her plump looking chest that showed just enough cleavage but not too much so that other woman nearby would comment to their dates.
“I love Spanish food. Tapas is totally my favorite right now. I was sort of on a sushi kick for a while and then Dr. Oz killed it by showing everyone the microbes that live on tuna and so I’m like done with sushi right now. I so want to go to Spain someday. I bet the Tapas there is unreal,” said Jill, while holding the sides of her chair, bouncing her left leg and hunching her shoulders.
“Oh yeah… I love good Tapas. I was in Spain a few years back and it was, shall we say, quite awesome,” said Jack, while looking around the room rather than at Jill.
Jill took notice of the lack of eye contact and the furrowed brow. Jack had a permanent look of worry on his face due to his furrowed brow. It made him look rather unapproachable to most women. So far Jill thought Jack was acting like a pompous asshole but she wasn’t ready to trade him in yet. Just then Jack was getting a phone call. He held his index finger up and answered his client. Jack was an attorney and his client was the father of an eighteen year old who had been busted for open alcohol and marijuana in his car.
“Yes Mr. Anderson, I got your message and had every intention of calling you back. I’m currently at dinner with a friend and am not at liberty to discuss the case with you. You have, shall we say, my word that I will call you first thing in the morning. We’ll pow wow before court and I’m sure I can get him supervision. At some point though, throwing money at problems is not going to save him, shall we say… Okay, okay then… I’ll call you tomorrow morning… Right, right… Okay then… Yes, yes… Will do… Buh bye…” said Jack.
Jill dialled her sister Jenny and hung up. Jenny was instructed to take Jill’s call in the event of an encounter with a total freak. Jenny called back immediately. Jill did it to show Jack just how inconsiderate in was to take a call. Jack didn’t get the message. Instead he took the chance to check messages on his Blackberry. Jill saw this and hung up right away, telling her sister that she had pocket dialled her by mistake.
“Once again, I’m so sorry about the interruption. It’s a good friend of a friend whose son got himself into trouble with the law and is facing jail time for not complying with the judges orders,” said Jack.
“Right, right… You said you were an attorney,” said Jill.
“And you work for a realtor?” Asked Jack.
“Yes… I’m the personal assistant of this woman who is like one of the top sellers in Chicago. She gets most of her leads through the women’s club of the North Shore,” said Jill, still bouncing her leg and hunching her shoulders.
“Well that’s cool…” said Jack, even though he really did not think it was cool.
Jack told Jill about running a 5K in New England and about his Alaskan vacation and co-ed volleyball on Tuesday nights. Jack mentioned that he really loves to listen to Jazz and was a fan of Frank Lloyd Wright homes. Jill mentioned that she did spin classes and swam three days a week and that she really liked Maroon Five and Sugar Ray and that she had tickets to see Sugar Ray later that summer. Jack had never heard of Maroon Five or Sugar Ray. He said he had heard of Sugar Ray Robinson and Sugar Ray Leonard. It was an attempt at a joke. Jill wasn’t familiar with the boxers and so the joke died.
Jill had been to Las Vegas and really wanted to go to Arizona but had never really been too many places. Jill was a Cubs fan and Jack said he really did not like baseball. Jack said he kind of liked football but really didn’t. Jack just did not want to come off like an irregular guy.
Jack and Jill finished a pitcher of sangria which was about three glasses each. Jill was quite buzzed and Jack felt mellow. The bill came and Jack had figured out that he had dropped is wallet. Suddenly the buzz and glow was gone. The realization that all his credit cards were gone just about ruined his night. Jill paid for the dinner even though she knew she was overdrawn on her debit card and would be getting a call from the bank Monday morning. Luckily it went through. Jill was scared that she may have reached the $1,000.00 overdraft limit. She had $22.00 before she reached $1000.00.
Jack and Jill went back to Jack’s apartment in a cab. The whole way to Jack’s house, Jack was too distracted to talk at all. Jack kept thinking about his accounts being cleaned out. Jill sat in the cab looking out the window on the right side with her arms folded. Jack ordered the cab to wait as he galloped up the steps to his townhouse. He emerged with a look of relief on his face as he held up his chunky looking wallet with over a dozen cards and wads of cash.
“God! What a relief! I though I left it in the cab I came over in and then I thought it may have fallen out of my back pocket… Here, I’ll take care of the cab…” said Jack.
Jill refused to take the $120.00 for the meal and drinks but Jack would not have it. They went back and forth for a while until Jill finally accepted. Jack then asked Jill if she would like a glass of red wine and to sit up on his roof deck. Jill said yes.
Up on the roof was a beautiful view of downtown Chicago and the near south side. Jill saw the hot tub and asked how often Jack used it. Jack offered the tub and Jill accepted. A gentle breeze blew across them as they sat in the hot tub, holding up their red wine in their glasses, listening to jazz on Jack’s Bose audio system and looking at the skyline. The more Jill drank, the more she liked Jack. Jack loosened up and became wittier and less pompous. Between them, they finished off a bottle of red wine and wound up kissing and embracing in the hot tub. Before long they were in Jack’s bed in the throes of passion. Jill closed her eyes while Jack orally stimulated her. Jack was spelling out the alphabet in cursive on her clitoris while Jill moaned a bit and pulled on his hair. Jack got as far as the letter L before Jill pulled him and guided him towards their consummate moment. Jack learned about the alphabet spelling on the clitoris from the Men’s Health Magazine too. They claimed he would not have to get to the letter Z and they were right.
Jill woke up feeling dehydrated and had a strong headache at the base of her skull by her neck. Jack was outside on the deck talking to another client in his underwear. The digital clock said nearly two in the morning. Jill suddenly felt silly lying in the bed of a man she did not really know or know if she would ever see again. What would they say to one another once Jack got done talking on his cell phone? Would he feel boxed in and really want Jill out of his house? Jill didn’t want that to be the case. Jill decided to make a pre-emptive move. Jill slipped on all her clothes and walked out of the front door. Jill caught a cab on South State Street and went home. As Jill lay in her bed next to her Calico Cat, she thought about the entire evening. She began to drift off when she received a text message from Jack.
“Wow! I must really have missed the mark tonight. I’m sorry you felt you had to leave.”
Jill wasn’t sure how to respond. She really wished she had not left after all after receiving his response. While she was thinking about what to say, another text from Jack came through.
“Okay… I’ll go out on a limb. I find you really attractive, smart and pretty. I did not lure you back to my cave in hopes of sinking you. I really did think I lost my wallet and since we were at my place, I thought we could just stay. I thought you had a good time and maybe you did. Maybe this is just what you do. A million first dates. Well hope you had a good time. Jack.”
Jill laid in bed smiling. In the battle of the sexes, she had won. Jill went from feeling like she had conceded too early to feeling like the winner in the driver’s seat. Jill began to type while gently biting her bottom lip.
“You passed the test. It all hinged on your response. You’re a prince and not a frog… How do you feel about a jog by the lake tomorrow and then some brunch?”
Jack responded quickly.
“I would like that more than I could tell you. Sleep tight. Until the morning. Jack.”

Jack, and if you can believe this, Jill, met via online dating. For Jack, he grew tired of going out to clubs with his friends just to stand and watch others dancing and meeting at night clubs. For Jill, she had heard from a few girlfriends that for all the hoards of frogs that there are out there, a few princes do exist. Two of her girlfriends found compatible mates and married and so for Jill, she felt that there was hope for her.
As far as curves and scales go, both Jack and Jill were moderately attractive. Jack started working out a few years back when his father had quadruple bi-pass surgery. In the recovery room, Jack’s father had tubes sticking out of his chest and a breathing device strapped to his face. The idea that he one day could end up like his father in a hospital, drove Jack to begin to begin physical exercise around the age of thirty. Jack was thirty five on the first date with Jill. Aside from being fit, Jack wore horned rim glasses and wore his hair on weekends to look like rats ran about on top of his head. Hair went every which way and stayed that way with the help of mousse. Jack looked at the models in his Men’s Health Magazine and decided that if he was going to land the woman of his dreams, he had better get more hip with the look. Jack showed up in a collared shirt untucked with a black vest, worn looking jeans that were frayed at the bottom and a pair of black shoes. The Men’s Health Magazine told him to wear cologne with Pheromones so that subliminally his date would be more prone to want him sexually. Something about neurotransmitters something something. Men don’t remember the details as much as they remember that the pheromones can trigger sexual excitement.
Jill had posted a really attractive picture of herself with her ex-boyfriend who was really her fiancé but since there was never really a true date picked, he was more of an uncommitted boyfriend. The picture was from New Year’s Eve 2001. Jill had a great smile in the picture; she was trim and showed maximum cleavage in her silvery sparkling dress. All that remained in the picture that would lead anyone to think that she was with someone was the hand that rested on her shoulder without a body on the other side of it. Yes the picture was of Jill and yes it was from nine years earlier, but she really did not think she had aged that much or gained that much weight and her smile created the best picture of herself that she could ever remember taking. Jill dressed in a summer dress that went a few inches above her knee and showed off her toned legs and arms. Jill had been running along the banks of Lake Michigan and had a healthy look to her. Jill was confident albeit nervous to be meeting yet another man at a restaurant in downtown Chicago in hopes of finding someone that would be compatible enough to lock in with or at least want to see again. On paper and in the brief conversations, Jack seemed like a regular guy and so she agreed to meet Jack for dinner.
Jill sat at the bar of the Spanish Restaurant and ordered Sangria while she pretended to look at a message on her cell phone, fully aware that Jack had exited a cab out in front of the restaurant and was walking towards her.
“Jill?”
“Oh hi! You must be Jack…”
They both wondered what they should do next. Would it be too cold and distant to extend a hand or should we hug? Jack was going to extend his hand when Jill reached out and hugged him. Jack nervously hugged and patted Jill on the back the way Gorbachev hugged Reagan at one of their summit meetings, with slaps on the back.
“I’m so sorry I’m late. I decided to take a cab and the cabbie took the scenic route here and well anyway… That is shall we say, my bad…” said Jack.
“Um… That’s fine, that’s fine. Things happen, you know… Should we tell them we’re here?”
A perky young woman led the way past tables and tables of other couples who were dining out on a warm summer evening. Jack couldn’t help but look at the ass of the hostess. It was very tight looking and symmetrical and it appeared as though she was wearing no underwear. To Jack and many other men, there is the allure of no underwear. The hostess walked away. Out of sight, out of mind.
Jill smiled nervously to show a cute dimple on one cheek. Jack had not noticed that Jill had a clef chin in her photos. It was a little too Kirk Douglas for him. It was a demerit to be certain but not a deal killer yet. Jack did notice her ass too and her plump looking chest that showed just enough cleavage but not too much so that other woman nearby would comment to their dates.
“I love Spanish food. Tapas is totally my favorite right now. I was sort of on a sushi kick for a while and then Dr. Oz killed it by showing everyone the microbes that live on tuna and so I’m like done with sushi right now. I so want to go to Spain someday. I bet the Tapas there is unreal,” said Jill, while holding the sides of her chair, bouncing her left leg and hunching her shoulders.
“Oh yeah… I love good Tapas. I was in Spain a few years back and it was, shall we say, quite awesome,” said Jack, while looking around the room rather than at Jill.
Jill took notice of the lack of eye contact and the furrowed brow. Jack had a permanent look of worry on his face due to his furrowed brow. It made him look rather unapproachable to most women. So far Jill thought Jack was acting like a pompous asshole but she wasn’t ready to trade him in yet. Just then Jack was getting a phone call. He held his index finger up and answered his client. Jack was an attorney and his client was the father of an eighteen year old who had been busted for open alcohol and marijuana in his car.
“Yes Mr. Anderson, I got your message and had every intention of calling you back. I’m currently at dinner with a friend and am not at liberty to discuss the case with you. You have, shall we say, my word that I will call you first thing in the morning. We’ll pow wow before court and I’m sure I can get him supervision. At some point though, throwing money at problems is not going to save him, shall we say… Okay, okay then… I’ll call you tomorrow morning… Right, right… Okay then… Yes, yes… Will do… Buh bye…” said Jack.
Jill dialled her sister Jenny and hung up. Jenny was instructed to take Jill’s call in the event of an encounter with a total freak. Jenny called back immediately. Jill did it to show Jack just how inconsiderate in was to take a call. Jack didn’t get the message. Instead he took the chance to check messages on his Blackberry. Jill saw this and hung up right away, telling her sister that she had pocket dialled her by mistake.
“Once again, I’m so sorry about the interruption. It’s a good friend of a friend whose son got himself into trouble with the law and is facing jail time for not complying with the judges orders,” said Jack.
“Right, right… You said you were an attorney,” said Jill.
“And you work for a realtor?” Asked Jack.
“Yes… I’m the personal assistant of this woman who is like one of the top sellers in Chicago. She gets most of her leads through the women’s club of the North Shore,” said Jill, still bouncing her leg and hunching her shoulders.
“Well that’s cool…” said Jack, even though he really did not think it was cool.
Jack told Jill about running a 5K in New England and about his Alaskan vacation and co-ed volleyball on Tuesday nights. Jack mentioned that he really loves to listen to Jazz and was a fan of Frank Lloyd Wright homes. Jill mentioned that she did spin classes and swam three days a week and that she really liked Maroon Five and Sugar Ray and that she had tickets to see Sugar Ray later that summer. Jack had never heard of Maroon Five or Sugar Ray. He said he had heard of Sugar Ray Robinson and Sugar Ray Leonard. It was an attempt at a joke. Jill wasn’t familiar with the boxers and so the joke died.
Jill had been to Las Vegas and really wanted to go to Arizona but had never really been too many places. Jill was a Cubs fan and Jack said he really did not like baseball. Jack said he kind of liked football but really didn’t. Jack just did not want to come off like an irregular guy.
Jack and Jill finished a pitcher of sangria which was about three glasses each. Jill was quite buzzed and Jack felt mellow. The bill came and Jack had figured out that he had dropped is wallet. Suddenly the buzz and glow was gone. The realization that all his credit cards were gone just about ruined his night. Jill paid for the dinner even though she knew she was overdrawn on her debit card and would be getting a call from the bank Monday morning. Luckily it went through. Jill was scared that she may have reached the $1,000.00 overdraft limit. She had $22.00 before she reached $1000.00.
Jack and Jill went back to Jack’s apartment in a cab. The whole way to Jack’s house, Jack was too distracted to talk at all. Jack kept thinking about his accounts being cleaned out. Jill sat in the cab looking out the window on the right side with her arms folded. Jack ordered the cab to wait as he galloped up the steps to his townhouse. He emerged with a look of relief on his face as he held up his chunky looking wallet with over a dozen cards and wads of cash.
“God! What a relief! I though I left it in the cab I came over in and then I thought it may have fallen out of my back pocket… Here, I’ll take care of the cab…” said Jack.
Jill refused to take the $120.00 for the meal and drinks but Jack would not have it. They went back and forth for a while until Jill finally accepted. Jack then asked Jill if she would like a glass of red wine and to sit up on his roof deck. Jill said yes.
Up on the roof was a beautiful view of downtown Chicago and the near south side. Jill saw the hot tub and asked how often Jack used it. Jack offered the tub and Jill accepted. A gentle breeze blew across them as they sat in the hot tub, holding up their red wine in their glasses, listening to jazz on Jack’s Bose audio system and looking at the skyline. The more Jill drank, the more she liked Jack. Jack loosened up and became wittier and less pompous. Between them, they finished off a bottle of red wine and wound up kissing and embracing in the hot tub. Before long they were in Jack’s bed in the throes of passion. Jill closed her eyes while Jack orally stimulated her. Jack was spelling out the alphabet in cursive on her clitoris while Jill moaned a bit and pulled on his hair. Jack got as far as the letter L before Jill pulled him and guided him towards their consummate moment. Jack learned about the alphabet spelling on the clitoris from the Men’s Health Magazine too. They claimed he would not have to get to the letter Z and they were right.
Jill woke up feeling dehydrated and had a strong headache at the base of her skull by her neck. Jack was outside on the deck talking to another client in his underwear. The digital clock said nearly two in the morning. Jill suddenly felt silly lying in the bed of a man she did not really know or know if she would ever see again. What would they say to one another once Jack got done talking on his cell phone? Would he feel boxed in and really want Jill out of his house? Jill didn’t want that to be the case. Jill decided to make a pre-emptive move. Jill slipped on all her clothes and walked out of the front door. Jill caught a cab on South State Street and went home. As Jill lay in her bed next to her Calico Cat, she thought about the entire evening. She began to drift off when she received a text message from Jack.
“Wow! I must really have missed the mark tonight. I’m sorry you felt you had to leave.”
Jill wasn’t sure how to respond. She really wished she had not left after all after receiving his response. While she was thinking about what to say, another text from Jack came through.
“Okay… I’ll go out on a limb. I find you really attractive, smart and pretty. I did not lure you back to my cave in hopes of sinking you. I really did think I lost my wallet and since we were at my place, I thought we could just stay. I thought you had a good time and maybe you did. Maybe this is just what you do. A million first dates. Well hope you had a good time. Jack.”
Jill laid in bed smiling. In the battle of the sexes, she had won. Jill went from feeling like she had conceded too early to feeling like the winner in the driver’s seat. Jill began to type while gently biting her bottom lip.
“You passed the test. It all hinged on your response. You’re a prince and not a frog… How do you feel about a jog by the lake tomorrow and then some brunch?”
Jack responded quickly.
“I would like that more than I could tell you. Sleep tight. Until the morning. Jack.”

… and had the best dinner ever. But let’s start with breakfast, which started last night:

With some of this:

And some of this:

Smooshed onto Santa’s face to make my first breakfast cookie!!!

I woke up with a headache .. sad, for my not-even-a-glass-and-a-half of wine, but I just really don’t drink. After some coffee and nana:

I ran a 5k at the gym (too windy for the trail) in 28:59 and spent 15 minutes with the Stair Master.

Treadmill:

• 5 minutes @ 6.0 mi/hr, 2.5 incline
• 5 minutes @ 6.5 mi/hr, 2.5 incline
• 2 minutes @ 7.0 mi/hr, 2.5 incline
• 5 minutes @ 6.5 mi/hr, 2.5 incline
• 5 minutes @ 6.0 mi/hr, 2.5 incline
• 5 minutes @ 6.5 mi/hr, 2.5 incline
• 2 minutes @ 7.0 mi/hr, 2.5 incline
• 1:59 minutes @ 6.5 mi/hr, 2.5 incline

Stair Master:

• 3 minutes, level 3
• 2 minutes, level 4
• 3 minutes, level 3
• 2 minutes, level 4
• 3 minutes, level 3
• 1 minute, level 5
• 1 minute, level 4
• 1 minute, level 3

Then I came home, had this:

and thanked God for Gina.

Seriously delish. I might add some Truvia or honey next time for a little more sweetness, but it really was like a giant oatmeal raisin cookie!

After a brief trip out with mama, I came home on the verge of being hangry! I was craving falafel and sweet potato fries. So I made both. While my “fries” were baking, I made this Hugh Jass salad:

  

It was a beast containing:

• The remainder of the spinach container (3 cups?)
• The last 3 Veggie Patch falafel balls
• Brocc
• Green beans
• Peas
• Hummus
• Tzatziki
• Frank’s

It was delicious and devoured. Then these were done:

Half of the potato in here, half in the fridge to take back with me.

We had plans to go to a Cuban restaurant in New Haven, but they couldn’t seat us for a while, so my uncle suggested Barcelona, a tapas and wine bar. I’ve been DYING to go here since the summer. There is one closer to us, in Fairfield, but we were meeting my stepbrother and he lives closer to New Haven.

Fail: no pictures. I REALLY wanted to take them, but my I’m still to shy in public .

I started off with a white wine, a 2007 Albarino from Pedro de Soutomaior in Rias Baixas, Spain. It was really great – refreshing, crisp, fruity – but not sweet. My mom and stepdad had the red sangria but I didn’t try it. It was really really hard to choose what to get to eat. For tapas, aka “small plates”, you can get a few tapas for your meal, or a tapas as an appetizer and an entree – there’s probably thousands of combinations you could make.

I ended up choosing 3 tapas for my meal:

• Warmed Cana de Cabra (goat cheese) with Port Figs and Green Apple
• Spinach-Chickpea Casserole with Cumin & Garlic Confit
• Pulpo a la Plancha – Octopus with Fingerling Potatoes, Smoked Paprika, and Celery

Yes. It’s okay to be jealous.

My stepdad got the Boquerónes (fresh marinated anchovies) and something else I can’t remember. He and my mom also split the the Roasted Chickpea Puree with House-Made Pita Chips, the Homemade Cumin-Scented Chicken Empanadas with Avocado Puree, and some roasted brussel sprouts with garlic and bacon (not on the online menu so not sure of the exact name/ingredients). My mom also ordered the Albondigas (meatballs). My uncle was at the other end of the table, so I’m not sure what he ordered, but my stepbrother and brother both ordered the Pepper-Rubbed Filet Mignon with Mashed Potatoes, Brandy Reduction, and Crispy Onions.

After we ordered, fresh loaves of bread were brought to the table and olive oil was poured. As it was white bread, I didn’t have any, but everyone said it was delicious and very warm and fresh. The tapas were brought out as they were ready. I got my goat cheese, fig, and apple platter first, on a long white platter, each ingredient perfectly separated from the other.

OH. EM. GEE.

Warm, creamy, amazing goat cheese. Port-soaked juicy, chewy, sweet figs. Crisp, tart, refreshing slices of Granny Smith. Really there are no words except Gina’s – FOODGASM. And the perfect dish. The best thing I’ve ever eaten (in America).

The spinach and chickpea “casserole” came out next, in a small, shallow round dish. Whole chickpeas were covered in the most thinly sliced spinach I’ve ever seen. To be honest, I couldn’t taste any cumin, and only got the taste of garlic a few times throughout the dish. It was good, but if those two flavors had been more pronounced, it would have been great.

Then the warm octopus salad came out. It was in a small, shallow, rectangular dish with octopus (flesh and tentacles), whole fingerling potatoes, celery slices, and red onions. The octopus was perfectly cooked – chewy, but not rubbery at all, and very savory. The potatoes were great too, but overall, the dish was WAY too salty. I actually didn’t finish it. Shocking – I know. Also, there was bacon in the dish, which I tasted before I saw. This was not indicated on the menu, and if it had been, I probably wouldn’t have ordered it. I would also be concerned for pescatarians/flexitarians/quasitarians/whatevertarians here – octopus would might be okay for them to order, but the bacon wouldn’t be! Also, I’m not sure if octopus is known to be fatty (?) but one of my pieces was entirely fat. I actually spit it out into my napkin .. conspicuously, I promise.

I tried the brussel sprouts my parents ordered – amazing. I also had two of the home-made pita chips with the chickpea puree (okay, let’s just call it hummus, because that’s what it is). The chips were visibly oily (ick), but perfectly toasted and crunchy with a great not-too-salty taste. The hummus was RIDICULOUSLY good. It had such a unique taste – including lots of garlic, which I love! I finished it off with a fork. Yup, just me and forkfuls of hummus at dinner. So classy.

It was all plated beautifully, brought out quickly, and with great service. That is, until we ordered dessert. I just got a cup of decaf (plus I still had some wine), but my uncle and brother ordered the Churros y Chocolate with Dark Chocolate Dipping Sauce and my stepdad got the Warm Carrot Cake with Cinnamon Ice Cream – mostly because my mom and I wanted just a bite. After we got our coffee, our once-attentive serve virtually disappeared and we waited 20 minutes for our dessert. It was obvious we had been forgotten about because when it was finally brought over, the ice cream on my step-dad’s plate was melted. At least plate a new dish to make it look like it hasn’t been sitting out, waiting.

I had just a bite of the carrot cake – and I’ve had better. There was no frosting on it – I guess the ice cream is supposed to serve as the frosting, but I didn’t want any. It was good, but not great. Carrot cake is my favorite so I would have been disappointed, but I’m glad I just tried it. I didn’t try the churros, but I guess they were just okay too.

Overall, it was a really great experience! My family and I had never had tapas before, so it was fun to try together. Definitely my new favorite restaurant. So so good. The atmosphere is great – very laid back, dimmed lights, nice ambiance. Modern, but welcoming. There’s so much more I want to try – and from what I can tell, things change seasonally and they use some local ingredients – woo! Go!

Back to school tomorrow for two weeks of class and a week of finals I have so much to do it’s not even funny. Normally I would feel bad about neglecting so much work over break, but I needed just that – a break. It was AMAZING to just lay in my bed all day, run when I want to (not just when I have time), spend time with my family, and have a lot more eating freedom .. especially discovering tapas. Hopefully I’ll finish my laundry tonight – nothing like waiting til the last minute! Then tomorrow I’ll get up early, run/gym, pack, and peace. With a special trip to cheer myself up on the way back to Storrs …

What’s your favorite thing to get at Whole Foods? I always love trying new foods! As much as my blog does not reflect that …

On Wednesday, December 2nd, starting at 7:00 p.m., O’Dell Brewing Company will be hosting a tasting event at the Sandstone Cafe.  The cost is $25.00 per person, which gets you ALL of the following:

1st Course – Italian Sloppy Guiseppe – Fresh Italian Sausage with a Balsamic Reduction & Provolone
Paired With: 5 Barrel Pale Ale

2nd Course – Honey Hot Wings served with a Gorgonzola Wedge
Paired With: Easy Street Wheat

3rd Course – Szechuan Pork over Coconut Saffron Rice
Paired With: O’Dell India Pale Ale

4th Course: Dooley’s Toffe Liquor over Otis Spunkmeyer Double Fudge Brownie, served with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream & Crushed Heath Bar
Paired With: 90 Schilling Ale

It’s sure to be a great time, so make your reservations today! Call 480-961-2913.

Ahora mismo nos hemos tomado un pequeño descanso en la preparación de un menú de tapas variadas para más de veinte personas (sin hambre) y hemos aprovechado para hacer esta entrada sobre el mini volován que pudimos hacer mientras se enfriaban los molletes del anterior post.

Antes de nada queremos daros las gracias a todos los que pasáis por este blog y habéis dejado algún comentario o perdido un par de minutillos en leer lo que hacemos. Gracias a todos, no esperábamos una acogida tan buena, algo que nos ha animado a seguir adelante.

Sin más, os dejamos con una recetilla express de cómo hacer un volován en menos de veinte minutos.

IDEA

Los volovanes siempre nos han recordado a los ojos. Por lo menos a nosotras. Además siempre es curioso verlos en sus diferentes versiones, cuando tiene la caperuza o cuando va al descubierto. Lo que siempre nos ha gustado de este elemento es el factor sorpresa. No saber qué es lo que puede haber dentro de este delicioso hojaldre. Por eso, nos recuerda al ojo (más allá de la forma), el volován y el ojo esconden imágenes o ingredientes. De ahí que cuando tuvimos que pensar en la presentación intentásemos imitar su forma. Y para nosotras los ojos pictóricos, abstractos que más nos recordaban a lo que podría ser un volován-ojo, eran los de Joan Miró. Así que quisimos homenajearle a nuestra forma.

PROCESO

Volován de bechamel, apenzeler y sobrasada,

4 Volovanes grandes
400 ml de leche
15 gr de mantequilla
50 gr de harina
Nuez moscada, sal y pimienta negra al gusto. 
50 gr de Apenzeler cortados en taquitos 
2 cortadas de sobrasada para decorar

Sobre el fuego, derretir la mantequilla en una sartén. Una vez líquida, añadir la harina hasta que se dore y se vuelva una masa en bolitas más o menos grandes. Una vez tostada (sin que se queme) añadir poco a poco la leche (mejor caliente para que no se formen grumos). Sazonamos y añadimos la nuez moscada  al gusto. El consejo de aquí es remover con varillas de batir que agilizan el proceso y que hacen que la salsa quede más homogénea.

En este punto ponemos a precalentar el horno a 200º (nosotras ya lo teníamos funcionando por los molletes). Cortamos el Apenzeler en daditos, una vez tenemos la bechamel lista (no hay que dejar de removerla porque si no saldrían los terribles grumos). Rellenamos cada volován con la bechamel; primero hasta alcanzar la mitad de su capacidad, luego introducimos varios daditos de queso; volvemos a echar más bechamel y ponemos más queso. Para terminar ponemos la mitad de una cortadita de sobrasada coronando el volován. 

Metemos los volovanes unos 10 minutos en el horno y ¡están listos para comer!

INTENTO-ERROR

Hay que tener mucho cuidado con la bechamel y al añadir la leche, tenemos que intentar que siempre esté caliente o por lo menos tibia porque si no saldrán los grumos. Si te despistas y ya es muy tarde… puedes probar varios remedios. El primero es una vez cocinada la salsa, prueba a pasar con la batidora sobre la misma sartén para intentar acabar con los grumillos. Si aún así no lo consigues, cuando termines, pasa la salsa por un colador y conseguirás que tu salsa quede homogénea, con los cúmulos de harina en el colador…y nadie se habrá dado cuenta.

Nota: No pongas mucha sobrasada porque es muy fuerte su sabor (y también el del Apenzeler), además al calentarse suelta mucha grasa y te aparecerá una capa pringosa.

IMPRESIONES

Este plato tiene un sabor muy potente, así que es mejor degustarlo en pequeñas cantidades. Lo bueno de esta rápida receta es que conseguimos un toque diferente al combinar la suavidad de la bechamel con la potencia de sabores del Apenzeler y la sobrasada. Fue un acierto combinar estos tres ingredientes y texturas tan diferentes porque conseguimos equilibrar y compensar sabores tan distintos. Así mismo, el hecho de dejar la bechamel un poco más sosa de lo habitual ayudaba a que no se convirtiera en un plato excesivamente sabroso al acompañarlo del queso y la sobrasada.

Compartimos este plato porque creemos que es una solución rápida y muy interesante para un día que no queramos dedicar mucho tiempo a la cocina y sin embargo conseguir un acierto asegurado.

* Mientras cocinábamos estos molletes pudimos escuchar  dos recopilatorios caseros de Billie Holiday y Ellie Greenwich, el disco homónimo de Kitty, Daisy and Lewis y el Epic Handshakes and a Bear Hug de Wild Honey.

Cal pel tapas bar

You have to have Tapas when you are in Barcelona, and I found this cute little place called Cal Pep in the Born district of Barcelona. This small cosy tapas restaurant seats about 20 people at a bar and I am told that most days the lines go out the door. I was lucky to have come early. They open at  1 pm on Tuesdays to Fridays and I just managed to grab the last three seats available. I asked the waiter behind the bar to prepare their specialities. First came a dish of little fried fish mixed with eggs which was absolutely delicious. Followed by some mussels and some fried green peppers. One in twenty of these fried green peppers can be extremely hot so be cautious when you bite into them. The speciality of Cal pep is a tapas of baby octopus mixed with chick peas. Baby octopuses are not allowed to be sold in the market. A special arrangement with a fisherman has to be made to acquire these baby octopuses. The dish I found most appetizing was the omelette of potato and onions with garlic cream on top. Vert tasty. The lunch usually ends with the omelette but I was still hungry so the waiter brought out another plate of mixed fried fish, squid and tiny shrimp. They usually don’t bring out this dish for tourist because the Americans are always shocked that the fish come fried with their heads intact. I found the crunchy little fish and their heads really delicious. To end my lovely lunch, a tiny little cup of spanish creme brulee with a cortado (a mini cafe con leche) definitely put a smile on my face.

Little fried fish with eggs

Fried green peppers

LOVE : The potato and onion omelette

HATE : The feeling that you have to rush lunch because there are people waiting in line exactly behind your seat for you to finish.

La Tasca is an inviting and warm Tapas bar on Deansgate in the centre of Manchester. It was founded 12 years ago and is a wonderful mix of everything that is good about Spain. Many of the staff are from Spain, which adds to the authentic feel. The décor only goes to further the feeling that you are sat on a busy boulevard in Spain.

The menu features all the Spanish favourites you would expect including paella, 30 different types of tapas and plenty of Spanish Riojas. The main dining area is a long high ceilinged room reminiscent of a Spanish bodega with Spanish artefacts covering the walls. Outside you can dine al fresco as long as our unpredictable British weather holds up.

As well as food and drink, La Tasca puts on salsa nights every Friday and Saturday till 2am in the large downstairs function room which also caters for parties and special events (with a special party menu). Visit the La Tasca website to find out more about other La Tasca restaurants. Hasta la vista!

76 Deansgate

Manchester

M3 2FW

Tel: 0161 834 8234

Fax: 0161 834 8233

Tell them you saw them on “Modern Eatery”

It was Wednesday night, and what better way is there to get over the mid-week hump than by trying a new restaurant?

After aiming to go to a newer place in town and not being able to get in so last minute, we decided on trying out Tapastree, which I’ve heard from many friends before is a must-try. They’ve been around for about 12 years now. Unfortunately they’ve exceeded their web traffic limit for the month at the moment, but hopefully you’ll be able to check out their website in early December.

Anyway, there were 6 of us that decided to venture out last night and do some catching up and celebrate a couple of recent engagements.  I had no idea we were in for such a treat, and we had a really great time – so great in fact that we’re thinking of going somewhere new every Wednesday moving forward.

Since there were so many of us, and this is a tapas restaurant, we were lucky to be able to try a substantial amount of items and shared everything that we ordered. Let’s get started, shall we?

Tomato, Bocconcini & Avocado with Fresh Basil – This was fairly tasty, but wasn’t anything special compared to similar salads I’ve had at other places.

Sauteed Wild Mushrooms on toast with goat cheese – The mushrooms were delicious, and there was just the right amount of goat cheese in this dish so it wasn’t overwhelming.

Bruschetta, tomatoes, olives, basil & garlic - The bruschetta was delicious – I could’ve eaten every piece.  The garlic wasn’t overpowering, but complemented the rest of the dish perfectly.

Beet salad with brie cheese (someone grabbed a bite before I managed to get in there with my camera). I love beets – this one included red and yellow beets in it, and the cheese on top was great!

Ahi Tuna seared with ponzu & hot Chinese mustard – my other favourite of the night.  The tuna was so fresh and soft and again, melt in your mouth deliciousness. I loved the way it tasted dipped in the mustard – very complementary flavours.

Chicken Livers, pan-fried with lemon, tomatoes, brandy & black pepper – I  think I scared off most of the people at the table with this one, but I wanted to try it as soon as I saw it on the menu.  The texture of chicken liver is great – so soft and flavourful.  This would’ve been great if there was some extra bread to dip in the sauce, but we were getting a bit too full by then to add anymore carbs to the meal.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken with spicy aioli - This chicken tasted great.  It was like eating small pieces of popcorn like chicken that you could dip into the aioli sauce and eat by hand. I wasn’t a huge fan of the sauce though – it wasn’t really all that spicy or flavourful to me (but then again, everything else was sooo flavourful that my palette may have been a bit underwhelmed).

Flat Iron Steak with Peppercorn Sauce – the meat was nice and tender and wasn’t overcooked. I also enjoyed the sauce, but not sure this would be one of my top picks when I go back. 

Sablefish marinated with a miso vinaigrette - tasted like butter. I love the way that sablefish just melts in your mouth, but my favourite way that it’s served is when it’s marinated in miso. There’s just something about that combination that couldn’t get any better. This was my favourite dish of the night – I had to order another one to fully satisfy myself.

Lamb Chops in a gorgonzola demi-glace – these were cooked just right, and the sauce was tasty too.

Macaroni & Cheese – I’m not a huge fan of this dish at the best of times, but I do have to admit that this version was really tasty. It had a great cheesy flavour and was nice and creamy.  This was on one of their daily specials, so note that it won’t be on their regular menu.

Chocolate Fondant – I’m not a huge fan of chocolate in desserts after dinner because they’re usually so rich and I’m pretty full at that point. I enjoy it more just as a separate snack during any other part of the day.  The fondant, however, was so creamy and delicious, especially when eaten with the whipping cream and a slice of strawberry.

Creme Brulee - The creme brulee was diviiine. Everyone loved this one – you could taste the vanilla and it was such a perfect end to the meal.  We all kept fighting over  the last spoonfuls and I’m almost surprised that no one actually picked it up and licked the bowl.

Beyond the food, the service was also great.  The servers were very friendly, were there whenever you needed anything, and were very attentive, but not intrusive. 

Overall, Tapastree is a great casual dining restaurant, with a terrific atmosphere for a date or a smaller group of friends to dine and have share plates.

Tapastree Restaurant

1829 Robson Street

Vancouver, BC V6G 1E4, Canada

(604) 606-4680

View Larger Map

a nega é minha…
07/11/09

Ninguém La Tasca…

Fomos conhecer o restaurante La Tasca, cocina al carbón.

A idéia prum sábado à tarde, só eu e a Dé, seria tapear à vontade.

Chegamos lá e nos surpreendemos com um ambiente extremamente tabernoso …

… com cartazes de touradas…

… leques, enfim, tudo com cara daqueles bares de tapas em plenas Ramblas. Sabe aquela teoria do Riq, o Ricardo Freire do excelente ViajenaViagem, de que cada ida a um restaurante é uma pequena viagem ? Pois bem, estávamos na Espanha!!

Os chefs e sócios Miréia Vila Garcia e Mário Augusto Ott são bastantes atenciosos e conseguiram o intento deles que seria transformar o La Tasca num lugar descontraído e bastante espanhol  .

Começamos tudo com um couvertzinho básico (ou seria bássssico!). Azeitonas, tomates, sardinhas e espinafre com grão de bico. 

Estava muito bom e nós com tanta fome que a foto só foi batida após comermos!

Uma sangria pra acompanhar e a resolução:

pediríamos 4 tapas.

Jamon Pata Negra …

… Queso Manchego …

… Tortilla de Patatas…

… e Chistorra a La Sidra (linguiça espanhola cozida na sidra). Todas foram merecidamente escritas com letras maiúsculas e em vermelho, tamanho o sabor.

Já estávamos satisfeitos, mas não sairíamos de lá sem provar a paella. Afinal de contas, não é em qualquer lugar que ela é feita no forno à lenha e em que neste processo é formado o tal socorrat ou seja, a caramelização do legítimo arroz bomba.

Pedimos à Marinera ( lula, camarões, mexilhões, peixe, lagostim e frango) e pra uma pessoa (dê uma chorada que eles fazem,).

Comemos bastante (e dá-lhe sangria!!) e continuamos esperando tudo acabar pra caminharmos até a Barceloneta, ôpa, a praia do Ibirapuera.

Já que lá  futuramente será um delivery, também fizemos o nosso. Pedimos pra embrulhar as tapas, a paella ( tudo o que sobrou, óbvio) e enquanto isso, experimentamos um excelente Helado de Turrón com amêndoas. Perfeito.

Pronto! Comemos muito bem, nos sentimos na Espanha e ainda estávamos levando comidinha pra casa.
Por falar nisso, fiz a seguinte receita no domingo a noite : peguei a paella que levei pra casa e dividi ao meio após adicionar um ovo. Esquentei uma frigideira com azeite e coloquei uma metade, uma camada de queijo ( pode ser o Manchego) e a outra metade. Esperei dourar de um lado, virei e dourei do outro. Ficou um arroz crocante, saboroso e revigorante. 
Se eu fosse a Miréia e o Mário, colocava este prato no cardápio do La Tasca.

Adiós.

Nada más y nada menos que 105 establecimientos de la provincia, concursando en un mismo evento. Está claro que cada año, ésta movida tiene más aceptación, por lo menos aquí se ve luz al final del túnel.

Moisés Andaluz, profesor de la escuela TOPI, ha colaborado en la elaboración de las bases y sistemas de valoración del concurso y además ejercerá de jurado en unos cuantos establecimientos.

Me alegro de que fomentar el arte del tapeo, de tapear, de callejear, de conversar, se esté convirtiendo en algo de una valorada aceptación tanto del público como de los establecimientos. Ésto es bueno para Zaragoza, para los zaragozanos y para Aragón en general. Con lo bruticos que somos algunos por ésta tierra, como nos empeñemos en ser tierra por excelencia de tapeo, a ver quién se mete……..

Espero que nos veamos tomando un vino, por lo menos, y de Aragón. Un saludo a tod@s.

Podéis ver la noticia en: http://www.fundacionpicarral.org/rdr.php?cat=98&id=251&id_alone=251

Bocadillos, originally uploaded by Jen Chan.

Columbia city rolls with cured chorizo and roasted garlic purée.

Was really full at this point, but hey, garlic purée!? I’m there. I thought this a rather tasty sammich. Small, so you couldn’t actually have this for lunch, but a decent-sized snack indeed.

// Txori 2207 2nd Avenue, Seattle | Details on our meal at Txori on foodpr0n.com

The meal that was the final push to start this blog, was savored last Friday at Pura Vida, in the Poncey Highlands, made famous recently by Chef Hector’s appearance on Top Chef.  A group of girls met out for my friend’s birthday and we started off at the dimly lit yet brightly decorated bar with a few cocktails.  The Capirinaha was a popular choice – a high-octane adult bevvie of cachaca (an alcohol made of fermented sugarcane), lime and sugar, respectively.

Once we were seated, we began with an order of malanga root (similar to a potato) chips, which were to die for!  They’re served with a cremini mushroom/truffle oil dip — what a beautiful presentation.  Since there was a large group of ladies, I was able to sample a lot of  items from the menu. I ordered the Chicken Empanadas and Steamed Coconut Buns.   The empanadas were excellent and I loved the habanero chili oil they were served with.  Now for the Coconut Buns — what a unique and delicious mix of flavors!  Coconut oil infused bread piled with mouth-watering smoked pork belly and cilantro, I was definitely craving more after the two that arrived with my serving.  Beware of the two innocent looking chili peppers laying alongside the buns…they will most likely cause your server to bring you a steaming mug of sugar-water, the apparent cure for fiery taste buds. We also ordered the special of the evening — chorizo quesadillas – yum!  The mussels were swimming in garlic butter and the crusty bread was an excellent accompaniment.  The birthday girl’s fave was the duck confit served with plantains. 

Malanga Chips

The evening was topped off with a delicious little ramekin of chocolate creme brulee with Kalua puddled at the bottom.  Everything was delicious, but I can’t wait to go back and get my hands on some more of those buns! ;0)

I have a love of brightly colored artwork, much to my beau's dismay

I had a couple of friends over on the weekend so I planned a mediterranean ‘tapas’ evening. Handy because you can prepare most of it in advance so you can enjoy the company rather than spending the whole evening in the kitchen! On the menu I had spanish tortilla, tzatziki, chorizo & garlic prawns, crusty bread, cheeses, olives, and dolmades. And I thought i’d put the recipe for the dolmades up, as they were my first attempt, and they proved to be a popular nibble! I didn’t have a chance to take any proper photos, but I took a few briskly in a badly lit kitchen.

D O L M A D E S

1 packet vine leaves in brine

extra virgin olive oil

1 cup long grain rice

2 red onions, chopped fine

2 cloves garlic, chopped fine

1 lemon sliced

the juice of 1 lemon

3 tbsp pine nuts, toasted lightly

2 tbsp sultanas

handful of dill, chopped

handful of flat leaf parsley, chopped

maldon salt & black pepper

To prepare the V I N E  L E A V E S remove them from the packaging, and blanch them in boiling water for about 3 minutes. Drain, and run under cold water to prevent them from cooking further. Try not to tear them when doing this, you want the leaves in tact as much a possible, so the dolmades hold their shape and don’t lose their stuffing!

To make the S T U F F I N G heat a few tbsp of olive oil in a 20cm diameter heavy based pan (about 7-8cm deep). Gently fry the onions for about 7 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and stir through over low heat for 1 minute. Then add the rice, and turn through well, coating in the oil. We only want to partially cook the  rice during this stage. The rice will finish cooking once wrapped inside the vine leaves. So now gradually add about 1 cup of warm water to the pan and stir it into the rice mixture, allowing it to be absorbed fully, this should take no more than 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and remove the pan from the heat, transfer to a large mixing bowl and allow to cool for 5 or so minutes. Then add the pine-nuts, sultanas, parsley, dill, a dash of olive oil, and a bit more seasoning if needed.

To make the D O L M A D E S firstly prepare the pan. Using the same heavy based pan (but cleaned!), pour about 1-2 tbsp olive oil in the base. Then line the base with about 5 vine leaves, overlapping them so the base is completely covered. I try and use the torn/poorly shaped leaves for this bit, and save the good leaves for the dolmades! Now on a clean surface, lay out several vine leaves with the veiny side facing up, stem side closest to you, leaf tip furthest away. You then put about 1-2 heaped tsp of the filling into the centre of each leaf. Now imagine the leaf is a compass. To roll them up, fold the East and West sides over the filling, bring the base (South) of the leaf up over the filling, and roll away from you, tapering the section of the leaf that you are rolling towards so that each dolmade has a neat, tapered seam (when i make these again, i’ll take some more photos!). It’s important not to roll them TOO tightly. The rice will expand a bit when it cooks completely, so you don’t want them to burst! Put them into the pan as you go, fitting them in snugly, seam side down, until you’ve filled the base of the pan with them.

To C O O K the dolmades, place about 7 lemon slices over them in the pan, and then pour the juice of 1 lemon (about 2 Tbsp lemon juice) over them. Then pour enough water over them until it reaches about 2/3 of the way up the dolmades. I find this usually requires about 1 cup of water. Pour a dash of olive oil over them. Finally, place a circle of greaseproof paper over the dolmades, and then sit a small plate upside down, on-top of the paper. This will keep them snugly in place! Put the lid on, and place on the hob on a low heat, for about 35 minutes. Turn off the heat, and leave them in the pan with the lid on for another 30 minutes, to continue soaking up all the juices.

You can S E R V E  them warm, straight out of the pan… or alternatively leave them to cool or chill them in the fridge until you need to serve them. I prefer them cold with a bit of tzatziki to dip them in!

]]> http://spatulaspoonandsaturday.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/melbourne-food-review-anada-gertrude-st-fitzroy/ Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:15:01 +0000 Kat http://spatulaspoonandsaturday.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/melbourne-food-review-anada-gertrude-st-fitzroy/

Nicole and I landed on Gertrude St. one night for a Book for Cooks event. Luke Nguyen was in town and he was promoting his new book (the Songs of Sapa) and Little Lantern Foundation. We originally thought we should probably hit a pho joint or something Vietnamese but Nicole didn’t want to be too far from the book shop and rush there last minute (so we went outlet shopping on Brunswick St. first, figures).

We went past Anada and I remember about this place being recommended highly by @redvespa so we decided we would go in. It was literally 5.55 and we were waiting for it to open at 6pm (we had to be at Books for Cooks before 7). They did, right on time and graciously let us in without a reservation. Despite it being Tuesday, the place filled up around 7. So make sure you get a reservation in.

As hungry as we were, we wanted to have a light meal and tapas seem perfect. We both ordered a few different dishes to try. I ordered a glass of sherry (you gotta have sherry, surely) and Nicole ended up with a glass of rose.

We were served some bread to start with some nice olive oil and funky black salt. It tasted like normal salt. Yes I did nibble at the salt crystals. I do that.

The bread was fabulously chewy and flavourful. I would love to be able to buy this sort of bread at home. The first serve was free and subsequent serves were a couple of dollars (I think) but as much as we enjoyed it, we didn’t order extras.

(Fried zucchini flower with Le Celestina cheese & Iberico jamon – $5.50 each)

The special of the day was zucchini flower stuffed with goat’s cheese and sprinkled with crunch jamon bits. Nicole and I had one each (as opposed to sharing one of each tapa) and they were definitely winner.  It was warm and crunchy and cheesy and generally very more-ish dish. Yum.

(Crumbed lambs brain with pork belly & red lentils – $4)

I had decided that today would be a good day to try a lamb’s brain. So I ordered it. The sauce was sort mushy bits of pork and lentils and it was good. The brain itself was crumbed and well-fried. I didn’t attempt to take a picture after it had been halved but it was kind of cool. It didn’t taste like what I expect it to taste (i.e. more offal-ish) it was sort of soft, creamy texture but didn’t taste much of anything. So now I can say I have had brains. Ta da.

(Rabbit empanadilla – $4.50)

Nicole ordered the rabbit empanadilla. It didn’t stand out as something worth remembering in either good or bad way so I regret to say that I just can’t remember what it tasted like.

(Salt cod & garlic shoot croqueta – $3.50)

I ordered the salt cod croqueta as I figured croqueta is just one of those tapa things that you have to have and I never tried it before. It was soft and creamy and flavourful – just like a croqueta should. I thought anyway – I have had other croqueta since and I can concur that this was a good one.

(Western Plains pork belly with fennelseed & smoky aubergine – $17.50)

Our star of the night was the pork belly. Like any diva, she appeared much later than every dish (each dish was served as it was ready) but she was definitely worth it. The pork was beautifully, meltingly tender with crispy skin (I love pork belly, I can eat it day and night). The smokey eggplant dip type thing that it was served with complimented it perfectly.

(churros with chocolate – $10.00)

By now it was 6.35. And Nicole demanded that we have desserts. I personally was getting nervous because I really didn’t want to keep Luke Nguyen waiting! Let’s face it, he’s such an awesomely nice guy. But we crossed our fingers and ordered the churros anyway. They turned up only 5 minutes later (thank you!) and we were treated to warm, crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside churros and rich chocolate sauce. I’m glad we ordered it. So well done, Nicole. We were both stoked with the food and service at Anada and are making plans to return. Eventually. We have wide bases to cover, you know!

We then headed off to Books for Cooks and met Luke Nguyen. He talked about his trips to Vietnam, his passion for cooking and of course his new book, the Songs of Sapa. It was an awesome night. He was lovely and down to earth and a great conversationlist. And he concurred that pho with dried rice sticks is just not that great (told you!) I loved him.

Rilsta of My Food Trail was also at the event – she covered the event in her blog post. Swing over there to read about it. She also took a fabulous photo of me and Luke (I didn’t have my camera), which I’m so stoked about as it’s my proper ‘celebrity & me’ photo ever (yes, the one with Brad Pitt was fake. I can’t believe people actually believed it).

Anada Bar & Restaurant, 197 Gertrude St., Fitzroy

Der 24. November ist nicht unbedingt mein Lieblingstag. Zu viele traurige Erinnerungen haften ihm an, kommen an diesem Tag immer hoch.

Meiner nieder-mit-der-Traurigkeit-Kampfansage folgend habe ich heute vorgebeugt. Stundenlang zur Ablenkung zu schuften und noch dazu etwas zu tun, was mir Spaß macht, war ein guter Plan. Kaum trübe Gedanken, dafür ein leckeres Ergebnis.

Meine ersten selbstgemachten Tapas:

Blätterteig mit halbierten Cocktailtomaten, nach dem Backen beträufelt mit selbstgemachtem Knoblauch-Chili-Basilikum-Öl

orange Minipaprika gefüllt mit Frischkäse und kleingehackter Salatgurke

Spanienmitbringsel: Manchego, Lomo, Brotsticks

Garnelen-Zucchini-Spießchen, mariniert in Knoblauch-Chili-Basilikum-Öl

selbstgebackene Minifladenbrote

Salsa mit Paprika, Zucchini und Mais

Pepperoni, Oliven, Schafskäse

Käse-Schinken-Blätterteigschnecken

Joghurt, gemischt mit Maracuja und Vanille, Mousse au Chocolat-Orangen-Schokodeko (OK, die Deko ist nicht selbstgemacht^^)

Katja (heute sowas von Küchenfee)

We worden vroeg gewekt door de wasmachines een verdieping lager. De zon is alweer op en we besluiten dit zelf ook maar te doen. Om half elf komt een shuttlebus ons ophalen voor vetrek naar het vliegveld. We besluiten om de tijd te benuttigen om nog wat te winkelen in Alice Springs. Eerst maar eens ontwaken met een ontbijt in een koffiehuis.

We zouden graag ergens een computer willen gebruiken om foto’s van de digitale camera naar een harde schijf te zetten maar alle internet-cafeetjes zijn nog gesloten. Tijdens onze zoektocht lopen we een van de vele souvenierwinkeltjes in en bekijken wat didgeridoos. Deze zou je via de post naar huis kunnen sturen, wat niet al te veel kost. We kopen toch maar nix want we hebben al zoveel (rommel).

Terug in het hotel pakken we de tassen en checken uit. De bus komt ook vrij snel hierna. Bij de busstop staan ook de Nederlanders die we eerder hebben ontmoet voordat we beiden op tocht gingen in de outback. We praten wat bij en delen nog wat bruikbare tips over leuke bestemmingen uit.

De rit kent veel stops onderweg en aangekomen bij het vliegveld mogen we direct inchecken. In het vliegveld komen de ‘german on the rock’-Duitser tegen die ook op tocht was in de outback. In het vliegtuig wordt de tijd gedood met de film ‘The soloist’. Tja, je moet er van houden.

Het tijdsverschil met Sydney is anderhalf uur en we komen dus om 5 uur aan. De trein brengt ons in de stad waarbij we een keer moeten overstappen. Op het station nemen we afscheid van Duitser Markus en kijken we uit naar een taxi. Deze is snel geregeld.

Ons hotel zit op 21 Oxford Street maar het blijkt dat er dezelfde straten zijn in maar in veschillende wijken. Natuurlijk zitten we in de verkeerde wijk. Een tweede taxi brengt ons naar het juiste adres.

Op de kamer aangekomen zien we dat we een mooi uitzicht hebben op Harbour Bay. Het hotel ligt aan een drukke straat die wel lawaaierig is. Sydney is vol met boetiekjes, restaurants en auto’s.

We besluiten om deze avond voor de verandering op de tapas-tour te gaan. Vorige ervaringen met tapas-tentjes hebben ons geleerd dat de porties vaak klein zijn dus we bestellen lekker veel. Als echter de eerste schotels worden geserveerd schrikken we van de hoeveelheid! Gelukkig kunnen we nog enkele porties afbestellen. Niettemin is eea erg lekker en gezellig. Helaas.. nog een dag en Patrick mag weer alcohol drinken!

Gezellig in Sydney!

No final da semana passado fizemos um evento que foi um sucesso…

Dezoito “Tapas e Pintxos” dos mais clássicos aos mais contemporâneos terminando com um “Mini-Suquet” e como carne um delicioso Fricandó com champignons selvagens franceses.

Para encerrar sorvete de arroz doce e uma interpretação da sobremesa inglesa “triffle”.

Contudo levamos várias “broncas” (e com razão…) por não divulgar mais o catering e não ter atualizado o telefone de contato.  (Por sorte o querido cliente conseguiu nos localizar através do e-mail particular).

Nosso serviço de catering é totalmente personalizado, para eventos de no máximo 50 convidados. 

Jantares “petit-comité” com opções de “taste-menu”, finger food em aperitivos criativos e charmosos ou degustações de quitutes de vários países como “tapas” ou “meze”  em  apresentações modernas respeitando os sabores da tradição, são as nossas propostas.

Para contato e orçamentos estamos no telefone acima ou no e-mail que segue. Espero não levar mais nenhum puxão de orelha!

This past weekend Creative Delites teamed up with Chef Mario Rodriguez-Salazar from the trendy Upper West Side Restaurant Fatty Crab. Together, we hosted our first ever Cooking Party. The event was such a hit that we would like to invite more up-can-coming chefs to turn up the heat in kitchens all over the Upper West Side. Although the restaurant’s focus is Malaysian fare, we decided to focus the evening on Spanish Tapas and basic cooking techniques– from mastering knife skills to making Spanish omelets and sauces.

While there are a number of NYC chefs who offer private cooking lessons, Creative Delites is all about having fun in the kitchen– with a little bit of class. The interactive demo-style evening allowed for guests to shout out questions while relaxing with pitchers of pomegranate sangria and a plates full of tasty tapas. For Mario, it was an opportunity to pass on his love of cooking to others, and get his name out there. At the end of the night, all of the guests left with full stomachs and a booklet of recipes.

| View Show | Create Your Own

The Photos: Chef Mario Rodriguez-Salazar, of Fatty Crab, at work in the Creative Delites Kitchen; Guests enjoying Mario’s Spanish Tapas favorites.

Check out the links below to view the ingredients, preparation and photos for all the dishes. We would love to hear your ideas for a new class, including what kitchen skills you would like to master as well as any menu ideas.

the MENU

SPANISH TAPAS PARTY

Pomegranate Sangria

Tomato Tart with Goat Cheese & Olive Tapenade

Grilled Autumn Vegetables

Pan Con Tomate (Tomato Bread)

Stuffed Piquillo Peppers

Tortilla Espanola (Spanish Omelette) with Romesco Sauce

Pan Con Chocolate

Sunday was the last day to participate in the Puerto de la Cruz Ruta de Tapas and we’d only managed to try three restaurants and six tapas so far. This was our last chance to notch up a few more.

Seafood kebab with gazpacho

We began at La Clave on Calle Puerto Viejo. A stylish Galician restaurant with tables and chairs outside and a New York-style counter inside, we’d wanted to eat here ever since it opened and the tapas route was the perfect opportunity.
We ordered our ‘one of each’ tapas and sat back with the accompanying glass of beer to study the route and see where we wanted to go next.

The food arrived; black rice with cuttlefish and ali-oli; and seafood kebab with gazpacho, all beautifully presented on plain white crockery. The seafood kebab was cooked to perfection, the gazpacho was just okay (but that’s more to do with the fact that I’m not overly keen on gazpacho) and the black rice was delicious. In the time we were there, four more tables became occupied by tapas routers clutching their blue ‘passports’ in their hands.

We’d realised that several of the participating restaurants were only serving up until 3pm and so time became a factor both in our choice of venue and in the time we could afford to linger over each stop. So, leaving a five Euro note on the counter, we downed our beers and headed to the next stop.

Cuttlefish and seafood tempura, or Tiger, Tiger!

At the top of the harbour with tables and chairs laid out on the opposite pavement is Bar-Restaurant Oregón.
Within minutes, the elegant glasses of beer had arrived and the tapas was on its way. Lying on top of a crusty piece of brocheta and striped with orange and black sauce so that it looked like tiger kebab, was a crispy cuttlefish, seafood and vegetable tempura. The sauces were mojo rojo and soy sauce and the barbecued smokey flavour of the tempura combined with the sauces was fantastic.

By now I’d noticed a couple of things; firstly I recognised several of the people who’d been at La Clave so there was a small band of us doing this food crawl, and secondly, I was beginning to feel tipsy.
The clock was ticking and we still hadn’t decided which restaurant to make our third and final so once again, a fiver was placed on the table, our passports were stamped, we downed our beers and off we went.

Mushroom hat

It was between Restaurant La Guapa which was offering stuffed calamari and stuffed peppers or Restaurant Maga which had a seafood filled shell and a mushroom hat on offer. We opted for Maga on the grounds that we’d never eaten there. When we arrived, the tables were empty, but within minutes other tapas crawlers had arrived and the terrace was buzzing.

It turned out to have been the right choice because the mushroom hat was excellent but the seafood filled shell, although small, was a real taste sensation.

Passports stamped and appetites sated we relaxed with our beers while we deliberated over which restaurant to vote for. Over the past two weekends we’ve tried eleven tapas in six restaurants and we haven’t been disappointed with any.
Eleven beers later I can honestly say  – what a brilliant way to try restaurants and food – Puerto should do this every month – hic.

Bueno es saber de dónde eres o en qué idioma hablas. Una amiga polaka dice que ella bien, bien, no sabe en qué idioma habla: unos días en catalán, otros ratos en castellano o en francés e italiano que se inventa y la mayor parte de las veces en todo a la vez……sabe lo que dice, eso dice, pero no sabe muy bien en lo que habla…también lo dice. Nunca la he oído decir que no sabe de dónde es.

Mi caso es diferente: sé en lo que hablo; a veces, pocas, sé lo que me digo, pero todavía no he decidido de dónde soy. En BCN ejerzo de mandril cheli, en MAD soy un polako impenitente. El otro día intervine, con mi familia, en un pequeño incendio asturiano y a uno de los curiosos le dije que éramos de Jerez de la Frontera –y coló ) me manejo con cierta soltura en lingo suramericano variado y hay muchos términos de cocina que no me salen en castellano o catalán, pero que conozco a la perfección en francés y muchos, también, en inglés. Además trabajo en MAD, pago impuestos en SCQ, Cuenca, MAD y se los debo, también, a los ayuntamientos de BCN y Tarifa –ya podéis correr gañanes, ya, ja, ja, ja, ja!! Si, como se decía en BCN hace unos años, eres de donde hablas, de donde trabajas y de donde pagas tus impuestos ) lo tengo claro.

Así que para elegir el plato del post HEMC, he tenido que recurrir, como se hace siempre en estos casos de las rayas en los mapas, a una decisión política: esta semana soy de MAD, eso es, Madrid es mi pueblo.

Cocina madrileña para el HEMC, puf!! menudo lío!! ¿Algún gato gatrónomo por aquí? Porque vamos que decir que el cocido o los callos son madrileños, manda truco!! Rosquillas, las pajaritas de choco o las violetas escarchadas y de verdad, de verdad, que no se me ocurre cap cosa más que no haya visto o comido en otro sitio …… quizá la manera de hacer y comer el mondongo de cordero podría ser también característico de aquí, poco más. Me hará gracia contar, de la gente que presentamos algún platico este mes, cuántos hemos elegido Madrid como pueblo. Creo que que no hay, ni gatos, ni gatronomía en MAD. BCN es superior a MAD en eso

Sí que tenemos, con gran regocijo de la comarca, grandes sitios donde ir a comer tapas renombradas y a tirar papeles, colillas y cáscaras de gambas al suelo…que es una costumbre que sí parece ser definitoria de todos los que somos o recalamos aquí por un tiempo

Bravas, caracoles, boquerones en vinagre, bacalao frito, gambas al ajillo, calamares rebozados, oreja a la plancha, pinchos morunos, torreznos, riñones, gallinejas y entresijos……cada cosa tiene su sitio adecuado. Hace años, ya muchos, practicábamos muy asiduamente el deporte del vermú popular y era curioso ver cómo la gente se trasladaba de bar en bar, en la misma calle, a buscar tal o cual aperitivo. Ahora, a los precios que va todo, casi que te conformas con ciento cincuenta metros de recorrido.

Así que me decidí, en vista de nuestra penuria gastronómica, por intentar reproducir alguno de los platos típicos de los bares de Madrid, por ejemplo el bacalao rebozado de la Casa Labra.

La Casa Labra, casi todos la conoceréis, es una taberna que hay a un paso de la Puerta del Sol. Como todo en este pueblo, ha tenido mejores tiempos. Ahora, pues, es un sitio de peregrinación turística, atendido por camareros foráneos –no lo hacen mal, pero resultan chocantes en mi paisaje juvenil- y que a según qué horas no te puedes ni arrimar.

Famoso es también porque el abuelo –que era gallego de Ferrol, aquí el único madrileño que hay es el Ministro de Industria, joder! y otros colegas hicieron las primeras reuniones de un partido político de cierta fama en España. Allí hay una placa que alardea de aquello.

En Labra se pueden comer muchas cosas pero las más famosas son los pinchos de bacalao rebozado, las croquetas y el bonito en escabeche.

Dice la leyenda urbana que esos soldaditos de Pavía están tan buenos porque el bacalao lo remojan en leche y lo rebozan con masa de churros ¿? así me lo contaron –uno que ya murió y que era maître del Corral de la Morería- y así os lo cuento.

Del remojado no podría decir nada; me da la sensación de que al bacalao no le quitas tú la sal con leche ni harto de vino, pero el rebozado sí es especial, quizá en lugar de churros se reboce con porras ) pero algo especial tiene.

Por respetarle la memoria al finado –al menos en parte- los he preparado como me contó.

Para los soldaditos de Pavía al estilo de la Casa Labra compré un poco de bacalao desalado –tradicionalmente inexistente, porque aquí la peña remoja con agua del grifo- y lo dejé un día en leche. Además tenía por casa medio paquete de harina para churros –de otra intentona fallida- que preparé espeso con agua helada al estilo de la tempura.

Rebozar el pescado en la masa y freír en aceite muy caliente, escurrir en papel absorbente y a comer. Más fácil imposible.

No son idénticos a los de allí, eso me hace insistir en lo de las porras, pero bastante aparentes.  Por cierto los tomates de la foto están agarrados de la mata diez minutos antes de hacer la foto

Bss.

“yoga is just stretching”.  No, Yoga is yoga, just stretching is just stretching. 

Now,  I will explain in a way that makes sense to me: Yoga is a way of going about things.  Yoga is systematic, yoga has other parts other than the physical postures (asanas).  I’ve spoken about the Eight Limbs of yoga before; they are what makes Yoga not “just stretching”.  Some people who know that I practice Yoga ask me “do you practice Yoga everyday?”  My initial response is “no”, because what they’re usually asking is if I practice postures; if i do the yogic exercises.  That is what I am answering “no” to.  In the beginning, i would have meant “no”, entirely.  Now, after studying and learning more about Yoga, i find that I am answering “no” about postures, but the real answer is “yes, i do practice yoga everyday”.  Now that i know that, i find myself answering in that way, and if i feel that it is welcomed, I’ll explain.  The beauty of Yoga is its philosophy, its path; to get you to your truest self, to help you to happiness, to help you to detach; not let yourself become so attached to anything, to control the fluctuations of the mind, to come to peace. 

How do you practice Yoga, how do we practice Yoga?  Why is it just not stretching?  Because of the philosophy.  Because of the Eight Limbs; Yamas (restraints), Niyamas (observances), Asana (postures), Pranayama (breath practices), Pratyahara (sense withdrawal), Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation) and Samadhi (enlightenment).  Because of these Eight Limbs, because of the other things going on, that is what makes it different.  In Yoga, we practice non-competitiveness. We learn to look into ourselves, and watch our own progress and make sure to not push ourselves beyond our limits, beyond our edge.  We appreciate what others are doing around us (whether that is postures or at work), and if we get jealous, we work on not being jealous.  we work on being happy for those that we feel are excelling, we don’t use that as a way to feel bad about ourselves and push ourselves past where we are.  If you push yourself past where you are, you could hurt yourself and that is not practicing the first Yama (restraint) which is Ahimsa (non-harming), and it is not practicing a few of the Niyamas (observances) such as, Santosha (contentment), or Tapas (discipline).  This is what makes Yoga, Yoga.  It may seem like a lot to be thinking about while you are practicing postures or just living life, but when you chose to live a yogic lifestyle, and you begin to understand these Eight Limbs, you start to realize that they all just lead to the next, and they are so complimentary to each other that they just become common sense and second nature.

If you are not practicing the postures (asanas) every day, but you are observing the restraints (yamas) and observances (niyamas) then you are practicing Yoga.  If you are practicing the postures (asanas) but you steal, or are a bully or you lie then you are not practicing Yoga, you may be doing Yogic postures, but Yoga is more than it’s postures.  if you think that you are better than anybody else; superior in some way, not seeing the divine in everybody, then you are not practicing yoga, even if you practice postures everyday…that is my understanding.

But we should talk about the postures.  as far as the Asanas (postures), the physical, it is also strength-building, and massage.  There are postures we do that absolutely build strength, strength of body and of mind.  It is the strength of the mind that is my favorite part.  When you stand in Vrkshasana (Tree Pose), you are strengthening your legs, you are strengthening your core, you are strengthening your arms, and you are strengthening your mind.  How are you strengthening your mind?  By focusing.  Balance postures are such a wonderful and immediate way to see if you are focusing, it’s a wonderful time to practice Pratyahara (sense withdrawal).  When you work on balance postures and your mind is wondering, you will find pretty quickly that you will fall out of the posture.  When you focus, when you are concentrating on what you are doing, the posture, you will stay in it longer.  This sort of practice affects your focus for the rest of the day.  The more you practice something, the better you get at it.  So, you find yourself having trouble focusing on a project at work or during a conversation, just remember  how you focused in Tree Pose and do that, bring it into your life, not just on the mat, or wherever you practice your postures.

So, do i practice Yoga everyday?  Yes.  do i practice postures (asanas) everyday, no.  I know that since i began my journey on the Yogic path, i am more truthful, more content, more observant, more calm, more understanding, more a lot of things.  And, again, yoga helps with yoga.  I used to get mad at myself for not practicing the postures everyday, then i realized that went against the principles of yoga, and that Yoga is so much more than the physical.

I hope this explains some of the difference

namaste, kory