flashback :: cheesy meat pie

I made this the night after I made the savory pancetta tart, since I had some pie dough left. I filled this savory pie with sauteed ground beef, onions and garlic, mixed with chopped baked potato, sour cream and a mix of cheeses (cheddar & jack?). I might have enjoyed it better if the potatoes were pureed or in smaller bits, but overall, it was quite tasty!

flashback :: savory pancetta tart

I made this tart back in January -- I know it's not cold out, but I can reminisce -- peppery sauteed pancetta, caramelized onions, maybe a little thyme, and nutty gruyere, hugged by flaky pie crust. Yumm....

Cosmen & Keiless' New Location!

Madrid-based bakery and bread shop Cosmen & Keiless recently opened the doors of their second location (c/ Príncipe de Vergara, 15).

Here are some shots from the new shop:













































Check out their flagship store here in English, or here in Spanish.

Cosmen & Keiless

If you live in Madrid, it's possible that you have already discovered the most fantastic bakery in the city. But if not, here it is.

Cosmen & Keiless is a bakery and pastry shop situated in the Plaza de las Salesas. There, it's considered taboo to even mention frozen bread (a very common occurance in the city). They carry exclusively naturally leavened (aka sourdough) and freshly baked breads and a lovely selection of other tasty bites. They have a mixture of Spanish and American foods. This reflects perfectly the family of owner Kay Hespen. She (who is American) and her Spanish husband José Suárez are the creators of the delicatessens known as Hespen y Suarez and this store is their latest venture.






They have a delicious selection of breads (including Madrid's classic baguette-style loaf named "pistola" for only 1,20€ and also the "miche" that goes for only 0,42€ per 100 grams). They also have a myriad of sweets -- sweet rolls, cakes, cupcakes, brownies and cookies (which some people call "cookie-bars"). In addition, they sell the best American-style bagels that exist in Madrid.

If you'd like to visit the store, you can arrive from any of the following metro stations -- Chueca, Tribunal, Alonso Martinez, or Colon. Click here to see a map.

If you have yet to find this jewel of Madrid, there is no other option for you... You have to go to the nearest metro station... =)

Info tidbit : When I was studying in Madrid, I did an internship with the company that opened this bakery -- World Wide Food.

Cosmen y Keiless

Si vives in Madrid, es posible que ya has dado cuenta de la panadería más fantástica de la ciudad. Pero si no, aquí lo tienes.

Cosmen y Keiless es una panadería y pastelería situada en la Plaza de las Salesas, 8. Allí es un tabú hablar de pan congelado. Tienen exclusivamente pan de levadura madre y un montón de otras delicias. Tienen una mezcla de comida española y comida americana. Esto refleja perfectamente la familia de la propietaria Kay Hespen. Ella (quien es americana, por supuesto) y su marido José Suárez (quien es español) son las creadores de los delis Hespen y Suarez y esta tienda es su nueva ventura.

Tienen allí una selección muy buena de panes (incluyendo el clásico - pistola madrileña a solamente 1,20€ y también el "miche" que venden a solamente 0,42€ por cada 100 gr). Tienen también una selección de dulces -- bollos, bizcochos, "cupcakes", "brownies" y "cookies" (que unas personas llaman "cookie-bars"). También venden los "bagels" mejores de Madrid.

Si quieres visitar a la tienda, puedes llegar del metro Chueca, Tribunal, Alonso Martinez, o Colon. Haz clic aquí para ver un mapa.

Si ya no has encontrado esta joya de la ciudad, no tienes otra opción. Tienes que ir a la estación de metro más cerca... =)

Bites in San Sebastián - Donostia

Spent the weekend in San Sebastián - Donostia with some friends, and enjoyed some delicious cuisine. If you are at a loss for where to go, check out the following suggestions:

• Pick up some local pastries at a pastelería, some fresh strawberries at a frutería, and head to the beach for a relaxing breakfast
  
• La Tahoma (pastelería/pastry shop in Gros, on San Franzisco) has a huge selection of pastries and breads.
• There are tons of pastry shops and bakeries, however, so take your pick. =)
• If you're there on a Saturday, check out the farmers' market in Gros and pick up some local goods -- breads, local goat or cow cheeses (sample some from the lady that sells only goat cheese... it's delicious!), baked goods, veggies and fruits, or flowers.
  
• Sample some delicious local seafood at Freiduría San Francisco in Gros (They have a selection of fried fish, grilled fish and shellfish. Try the gambas a la plancha -- grilled prawns, tortitas de camarones -- crispy fritters made with absolutely tiny shrimp, and fried chipirones -- crispy fried whole baby squid.
• For delicious Italian food, try La Mama Vía (Paseo Colón). They have a selection of pizzas, pastas, salads, and risottos. Try the pizza primavera (with chorizo and green pepper), the pizza la toscana (with chorizo, chicken and hot peppers), or the risotto quatro formaggio (four-cheese).
• Hit up any number of bars (they are all over the place -- Bar Barandiarán on Avda. Boulevard is just one) for local pintxos (pronounced "peen-chose") and a cold beer. Pintxos (or pinchos) are like tapas (appetizers), but refer to a specific type of appetizer. The words pintxo and pincho mean thorn (in Spanish and Portuguese, respectively), and a pintxo consists of a slice of bread, a topping, and a toothpick (aka. the thorn) holding it all together. Common toppings include fish -- tuna, bacalao, smoked salmon or anchovies, faux crab or tortilla de patatas (Spanish potato omelette). See photo below of pintxos and tapas...

Bites in Lisbon/Sintra, Portugal

I just spent the weekend in Portugal, and I have to tell you... The rumors are true! The Portuguese sure know how to do pastries... Walk into any local pastelaría (pastry shop) in Lisbon and you will find yourself surrounded by a mountain of pastries. Sweet or savory, bite-sized or the size of your head, you are bound to find something that appetizes you. Just a few tasty suggestions:

• Pastéis de Nata or Pastéis de Belém (traditional pastry made with flaky crust, custard filling and bruléed top... click here for a pic... so popular that now Brazil's fast food chain Habib's actually has their own version on the menu)
  
• apple-stuffed pastry (not too sweet, just right)
• empanada-type pastry with shrimp & creamy filling
• puff pastry squares baked with ham (fiambre) and cheese (queijo) inside
• fish fritters (made with whitefish & herbs... hard to explain, but delicious)
• croquetes (made with seasoned ground beef and chouriço (chorizo in Esp)
• roll stuffed with sliced chouriço (delicious choice for breakfast)
• roll/bread with chunks of chouriço baked right in

On a completely unrelated note, Lisbon is also home to some amazing Asian food. Restaurant Ton Xin (Av. Brasilia - Edificio Espelho de Agua) is on the water, between Ponte 25 (bridge) and La Torre de Belém. They have three parts to the restaurant: 1. You can enjoy a sit-down meal of Chinese food. 2. Sit-down meal of Japanese food. 3. The WOK. I recommend the WOK. It's all-you-can-eat, and the food is fabulous. They have cooked-to-order wok food, a hot Chinese food bar, cold food bar, sushi bar, and dessert bar. For the wok food, you select your own ingredients from a buffet-style line-up, choose your sauce, and the wok chef cooks it for you in a number of minutes. They have seven sauces to choose from... Try the Gon Bao sauce if you enjoy make-you-cry spicyness or if you are congested, or try the Thailand sauce, which is fantastic. They have less-hot sauces, like sweet-and-sour or garlic, and they even have a curry sauce. All in all, it is inexpensive (13.90€) and worth the trip out to the shore. As it says in their brochure, "If you want to taste the really Chinese food, came and visit us."

If you are in the mood for food from the other side of Asia, check out Bengal Tandoori on Rua Pendôa 11 in Sintra. It's got a sort of bizarre combination of Indian and Italian food, but it works if you have friends with different tastes. As far as Italian goes, the spaghetti/rigatoni con carne is recommended. As far as Indian goes, check out the chicken tikka masala (very saucy, not like others that we've had, but very delicious), the malai kofta (specialty of the house -- veggie patties sort of like falafel with a creamy and spiced sauce), veg soup (that's really what it's called, and it's good), and the paneer naan (flatbread stuffed with homemade cheese and cilantro). Avoid the tap water.