My first Passover Sedar

This last Sunday I went to Temple and celebrated my first Passover Sedar and it was AWESOME! If there is food and wine involved I am going to enjoy! (and I did!) At the Sedar table we all read and sang from a book called the Passover Haggadah, it tells the story of the Exodus from Egypt. I find that I have no talent for reading Hebrew, but my hubby is pretty darn good. I loved the food and even more cool was the Kosher Wine from Israel that I drank. MMMMM it was quite tasty! I should add that Miguel and I are both Catholic and until a couple of months ago the most I knew about the Jewish Faith was what I saw on the movie Schindler's List. No kidding. I have met some wonderful and kind people at this Temple! (and would you believe it but most of them are Democrats hehehehehehe!) I feel right at home! Peace.

A Simple Pleasure

One of my favorite Asturian meals is not very glamorous that's for sure! It involves 3 items. Wine (duh) a big chunk of crusty bread and fresh caught sardines from the north Atlantic ocean. Fresh sardines are available in many sizes but I like the little ones as I can eat the spine as well . Hey I hear the spine is loaded with calcium! The "fish truck" sometimes comes through town or we can purchase the daily catch from one of a hundred markets. Competition is good, if someone sells you less than perfect product you will just never patronize that shop again. My mama in law can clean a kilo of sardines so fast you wont believe it! In one swift motion of the thumb, she pops the heads off and guts them. They are rinsed under water , dredged in flour and lightly fried in olive oil. Any leftovers are served cold with vinegar. I should add that my son and my father don't seem to share my love for this meal!

Fabada Asturiana

This evening is cold , cloudy and in general dreary as hell. Fortunately I had the remedy for just such a day in my kitchen cabinet. Fabada is probably the most famous dish in all of Asturias. Its a hearty bean stew, somewhat similar to our "ham and beans". My mother in law Mari makes the BEST fabada! Every year Miguel and I bring cans of this home from Spain in our suitcases. Forget the silly souvenir's, we pack food! Fabada is costly to make though. Quality fabada beans cost about 10.00 dollars a pound. The ingredients on the can I just consumed or inhaled reads as follows....Beans, salted pork belly, black pudding, chorizo, olive oil, salt , sweet paprika and saffron. I really miss Asturias today. I miss it a lot.