Food, Glorious Food!

This likely goes without saying but the food in Spain is DELICIOUS!!

Beyond that, HOW they eat is delightful.

Just about no such thing as fast food.  Service is slow compared to the US.  They don't hang over you while you eat or make you feel rushed to free up the table.

You sit. Eventually someone asks you what you want. Eventually, it shows up. Slowly, you eat it. Eventually, you ask for more of something or coffee or dessert or for the bill.

NOTHING is rushed.

That took some getting used to.

Cute little breakfast place about 50 feet from the Cathedral in Santiago:

Scheduling took some getting used to.  Even by US standards, I'm an early bird.  That meant starving for a few hours if I didn't plan ahead.  Then many places have an afternoon break, so if you get hungry around 2 pm, you may have a bit of a wait unless you know where the grocery store is (learned that fast!). Restaurants open for the evening meal around 8 at the earliest.

The first two days I ate protein bars and apples until I figured it out and could time it right.

Coffee in Spain deserves its own post, so I'll chat about that later.  Mmmm.  Coffee.
 

But the food was lovely.  I wish I had taken pictures of it.  Spain is a carnivore's delight.  If it moves and breathes, it can be slapped on a plate.

It took me four days to work up to eating octopus, aka "pulpo."  It is freakin DELICIOUS!  I admit to cutting off the obvious tentacley parts at first, but then they went down with the rest. (Okay, I did shut my eyes.) still, so good!

Breakfast was usually bread, cheese and an apple.  I usually went back for more cheese.  I love cheese and lots of coffee.  Mmm. Coffee.

Lunch was usually something at a bar. The bars there are sort of their version of fast food.  The "menu" was the daily deal... Usually some sort of meat, bread, French fries and dessert. And coffee.  Mmm. Coffee.

French fries were everywhere.  I got really excited when I saw "salad" advertised.  Once I discovered croquettas, I was lost.  Imagine the best mashed potatoes you've ever had, mix in some chopped ham and cheese and garlic, shape into little fingers, then deep fry it.  I could eat myself sick on those things.  And tried!


Not croquettas, but yummy potatoey Spanish omelet:
 

BTW, Spain is a pastry place. I was worried about coming back to the US and not having a daily chocolate croissant for a snack.  Fortunately, Sugar Mamas has my back on the pastry issue.  Many lovely little corner bakeries with all sorts of lovely sweets.  And coffee. Mmm. Coffee.

Dinner was often tapas, which is where the octopus came in.  Many different small plates shared with friends.  Lots of seafood.  Lots of potatoes. Lots of bread. Cheese.  Heaven.  And coffee.  Mmm. Coffee.

A couple nights we stayed in to eat, and found ourselves choosing very simple things, yogurt, apples, bread, cheese... Almost like going back to home base before going out again on a culinary adventure.

In Madrid, we chose the restaurants very simply. We walked around and eventually said, hey, there looks good! Half the time we weren't sure what we were ordering until it showed up.  Thankfully it was always edible.

There were so many different things I tried, being a fan of food in general and a pretty adventurous eater, that I can't possibly put it all in a blog post.  And all of it was eaten increasingly slowly.  What normally is an interruption to my work -bolting down fuel- became something to be savored and even cherished, sharing delicious food with good company, even when I was sitting alone.

But seriously, the food was amazing.  And the coffee.  Mmm. Coffee.

Random-ass photo of Melinda and me in the hotel garden, cause, you know, why not?