little bites

A few weeks ago, we had a friend over for dinner -- there was only one problem. We don't have enough chairs to all sit at the dining room table, nor did we have a coffee table (we do now!), so any food that required big plates was out of the question.
The solution? Small bites.
Tapas.... =)
So, here they are on our dining room table, from left to right (and sort of squiggly in order):

• homemade sangria on ice (we made it with lemon, oranges, lime, and apples - and strawberries? I can't remember.)
  
• tortilla de patatas (we only have one non-stick fry pan, and it's a big pan, so our tortillas come out super-skinny, but still delicious)
• manchego, feta, and chorizo (sweet, not spicy)
• mixed olives from the Healthy Living olive bar (my favorite are the bright green Catalán olives that are hot-pickled with chiles and celery)
• salted peanuts
• assorted Spanish sweets - candied fruits "bathed" in chocolate, and pine nut toffees
• smoked almonds
• fresh strawberries
• sweet yellow pear tomatoes and red cherry tomatoes
• zesty gazpacho
  
• pastelitos de gambas (shrimp pastries - Spanish-style egg rolls made with sauteed vegetables and two shrimps apiece - I learned how to make these when I worked for Paulino in Madrid)
• delicious soft rolls from A Taste of Europe

In the top of the photo you can just barely see a near-black sunflower peeking out -- these were supposed to be crimson-colored and only 12" tall, so I planted them in the front of the garden. This did not work out - they are taller than me.

Other tapas posts :
tapas party
bites in San Sebastián - Donostia
tapas at the piso
tapas with Kay & José
tapas in Barcelona
first real tapas in Madrid
little bites in Boston!
Delicious discovery - cured duck! (Madrid)
bites in Granada
back to Dalí!
a few days in the Berwicks

tapas with Kay & José

Dinner last Friday with Kay & José, our favorite madrileños... From the back of the table, left to right, marinated sardines, mussels with a delicious sauce, empanadas, potato salad, croquetas (ham), ham & cheese, tortilla, fried peppers, stuffed olives, AMAZING sautéed chicken with mushrooms, croquetas (cod), ham, delicious sauce that went on the mussels, and breadsticks. Delicious!!!

dinner party apps

I know... I haven't blogged in a long time. It's been (yikes!) over a month. I've been making/eating good food in the meantime but haven't had time to write so much as a paragraph about what I've been cooking. In fact, I've barely had time to enjoy a meal sitting down. I've started a new job, and technically am working three jobs right now. One will end this week just in time for another to start. Luckily I'm good at time-management and am great at multi-tasking. Yay for being type-A!

Anyway, these are some tasty apps that I whipped up for a dinner party last night. I carved out some squarish pieces of puff pastry, carved out a smaller square (halfway through the dough) to make a raised edge, pressed in some feta cheese, added a tomato slice (1 slice of San Marzano plum tomato or a quarter slice of a larger tomato), and drizzled with herby oil (1 cup extra virgin olive oil and mixed garden herbs, along with some salt and pepper -- whipped into happiness with an immersion blender). Just a few minutes in the oven and we were ready for the party!

Grad party!

We had a party with friends and family at our house yesterday to celebrate my graduation from college. It's unbelievable how fast the past four years have flown by. As usual, it was my goal to fill everyone's tummy with good food. Here's what was on the menu:

On the Spanish app table:

• Tortilla (Spanish potato omelette)
• Manchego (traditional sheep cheese from La Mancha)
• Membrillo (quince paste -- traditionally paired with manchego)
• Spicy Catalan olives
• Bread, of course
  
• Pastelitos de gambas (shrimp egg-roll style bites -- learned how to make these in Madrid) *
  

On the veg app table:

• Fresh fruit
• Veggies & dip (we found the cutest little yellow baby carrots!)

On the un-named app table:

• Chips & 2 salsas
• Cinnamon chips & fruit salsa (by Jane)
• Boucher Blue Cheese (by Green Mountain Blue Cheese @ Boucher Family Farm)
  
• Vermont Butter & Cheese Chevre
• Bread & crispy bagel chips
• More fresh fruit

On the kitchen island:

• Maple Whiskey Pulled Chicken from Picante Dulce *
  
• Zesty coleslaw
• Cabot Hunter's Cheddar & rolls for making chicken sandwiches
• Dakin Farm maple glazed ham
  
• Grape tomato, fresh mozzarella, and basil salad
• Spinach, red cabbage, and cilantro salad (thanks to an SMC Spanish prof for that idea!)
• Southwest black bean, corn, and red pepper salad
• Potato salad (by my great aunt)
• Roasted veggie, orzo, and feta salad

For dessert:

• Strawberry trifle!
• Oatmeal & cinnamon chip cookies

* MMcC -- I saved you some in the freezy!

Apple Pie Overseas

A few days after New Year's (in Madrid), Kay had Nat and I over for her mother-in-law's famous meatballs and gravy.

Kay made an apple pie for dessert, and it was the perfect bit of American cuisine to make us feel at home. The apples were perfectly cooked and the crust was delightfully crispy with cinnamon & sugar.

The Spanish make a dessert (called tarta de manzana) similar to our good ol' fashioned apple pie, but it's not quite the same.

Noche Vieja in Madrid

This year, Nat & I spent New Year's in Madrid. For dinner & grapes, we went to a party at a fellow American's house. Her husband, the chef & baker, prepared a delicious feast for all senses.

The theme: Mexican

The drinks: margaritas & sidra (Spanish cider)













On the menu:

• zesty shrimp and whitefish ceviche (tons of lime!)
  
• roasted chicken with a delicious mole sauce
• spicy bean and jalapeno tamales
• saucy ground beef enchiladas
  
• yellow rice
• perfect guacamole

The verdict: AMAZING.

Tasty bites on T-Day

It seems like every Thanksgiving now, I spend the whole day cooking, standing on my feet, slaving over the stove or chopping things, and I'm sick of it!!!! This year, I had a new plan... On Wednesday, my mom and I spent a few hours chopping and prepping everything, baking the pies, and even canning a few xmas gifts. All that was left to do on T-day was roast the turkey, make the mashed taters, the braised greens, and throw everything else in the oven. Almost no time spent prepping on the big day!

What was on the menu?

- Willow Hill cheeseplate with Red Hen bread
- Feta and roasted garlic spread & crudites
- Maple and sage roasted turkey
- Potato, celeriac, and roasted garlic puree
- Roasted butternut, delicata, and red kuri squashes
- Apple, cranberry, and mushroom stuffing
- Roasted roots (carrots, sweet potatoes, parsnips, onions, and celeriac)
- Braised kale and swiss chard
- Turkey gravy
- Nana's biscuits (a family tradition)
- Spoonbread (brought by my great aunt)
- Cranberry and orange relish (also a family tradition, made by my grandma)
- Apple pie, made with Rhode Island Greening apples
- Pecan Squash pie (maybe a new tradition?) -- See recipe here.

tapas party

For my madre's birthday, we had a tapas party at our house.



Here's what was on the menu:
(from furthest dishes to closest)

• roasted vegetables with caramelized Vermont Butter & Cheese Company's chevre
• thinly sliced chorizo wrapped in puff pastry
• zesty chunky tomato-based gazpacho
• bites of tortilla (Spanish potato omelette)
• mushroom caps stuffed with Willow Hill Farm's Blue Moon blue cheese
• patatas bravas (bites of potato with spicy tomato dipping sauce)
• dishes of chorizo and olives
• roasted citrus & garlic shrimp with romesco sauce (roasted red pepper sauce)
  
• romaine & radicchio salad with thinly-sliced bosc pears, Green Mountain Blue Cheese's Boucher Blue, and a light lemon vinaigrette

dinner party dessert

Some friends of mine threw a party two nights ago, and I was in charge of putting together the desserts. I used to sell these little blueberry tartlets at a farmers' market, but I hadn't made them recently, so I kind of revamped the recipe.

I put together a dough of ground almonds (done in my food processor), sugar, butter, a pinch of salt, and some ice water. After toasting them up, I filled them with a light cream (housemade sheep ricotta, sheep yogurt, whipped cream, and powdered sugar -- all folded together and spiked with a little amaretto). I topped each tartlet with a gigantic Willow Hill Farm blueberry.

grillin' time!

Recently my Madrid roommate came to visit me in VT (check out Madrid bar & club blog here). While we have been bogged down with rain for most of the summer, it let up just long enough to grill up some delicious food. I did my greek-style grilled chicken, a bucket of grilled veggies, and served it up with some of my confetti pasta salad with Doe's Leap goat feta. Yummmmmy! Or as my boy would say, "That's tasty".

I got to cook!!!!

I had dinner at a friend's house last night, and I have to say, I was so glad to be back in the kitchen again. This study-abroad-without-kitchen-priveledges thing is killing me. My friend made a caprese salad, and I roasted some veggies (shittakes, zucchini, onion, green pepper, and garlic) and served them over fresh pasta. Delicious. And it was great to chop things again. =)

Cocido madrileño

Yesterday, I visited a friend's house and enjoyed Cocido madrileño with her and her family. Cocido madrileño is a traditional meal in Madrid, which consists of 3 parts.

1. A soup made with a delicious broth and fideos -- noodles.
2. Carne y garbanzos -- we had brisket, ham and chorizo for meat, garbanzos, and carrots. (meat choices, of course, vary)
3. Verduras (vegetables) -- we had cabbage.

Some people like to eat all three parts mixed together, but we had the soup first, then the carne and verduras together. For a Spanish Wiki, click here and click here for another pic.

As always, there is plenty of bread. And to round out the meal, try a Viña Albali crianza or a gran reserva (both riojas).
Delicious. =)

Do you... fondue?

What a New Year's celebration! Last night my boy and I got together with some friends (and their dogs!!!) for a fondue night... We started off with a cheese fondue made with a tomme from Willow Hill Farm. For dipping -- fingerling taters, broccoli, carrots, bread cubes, apple wedges, chicken bites, and mini smoked sausages. We finished with champagne and a chocolate ganache fondue. For dipping -- shortbread, green grapes, strawberries, bing cherries, orange segments and apple wedges. Talk about a great ending to 2007!

Tandoori Night!!!

My man and I had dinner with some great friends (and their very friendly dogs!) last night... Tandoori chicken (delicious!), fried mixed veggies, perfectly-cooked basmati rice, pappadums, salsas and raita. Everything was tasty, to say the least. To drink -- riesling for the girls and beer for the guys. And for the perfect ending -- Indian-style mango ice cream. The atmosphere was complete with Indian music -- Anoushka Shankar. The best part, though, was cooking the meal together. Good food & great friends... The perfect start to the holiday season.

Big thanks to our host & hostess. :)