Eating was a significant part of my visit to Spain and we had the opportunity to sample many of the local delicacies during our stay. Fish and seafood make up a big part of the Galician diet -- unfortunately for me, since I'm not a big fish fan. I did find some real favorites, though. These scallops -- in "Albarino Wine Sauce in its Shell and on a Bed of Salt" -- really hit the spot. And the setting, the 600-plus-year-old Pazo de San Lorenzo certainly added to the enjoyment!
Another night we visited a tapas bar and tried a number of items. I loved these prawns.
I took this picture in a fishmonger's window. Octopus, or pulpo, is as common as hamburgers in Edmond.
Here's a dish of pulpo at the tapas restaurant. And yes, I did try it. It wasn't bad but falls in the category of "Okay, I ate it once, don't have to do it again" along with raw oysters and rattlesnake.
I've already written about the amazing hot chocolate but haven't mentioned the Tarta de Santiago. This is a sweet almond cake topped with powdered sugar and the cross of St. James.
I really fell in love with Galician cheeses -- they make some wonderful ones. My favorite was Tetilla. I'm not sure if it's called "titty" cheese because it wound up looking like a woman's breast or if the cheese makers had a little too much Albarino and said "Let's see if we can make these cheeses look like boobs." Whatever, it's a beautiful, creamy, mild cheese.
The toughest thing about eating in Spain was the late dinners. Everywhere we went, people graciously fed us copious amounts of food -- two hour lunches were standard. So it was almost bedtime before we wanted to even think about eating more. And that was time for the multi-course feast that also lasted two to three hours.
Everything was beautifully presented. The tables gleamed with crystal and silver. No one could have been more charming or welcoming. You'll be proud of me -- I did my best to show my appreciation by eating as much as possible!
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