Valencia: What to Eat, Where ?

When in Valencia, from Monday to Friday you can pay much less for lunch than on the weekends. Everywhere there is a "menu del dia" (daily specials) with prices starting at 8 euros up to 11 euros per person. It may include wine, taxes and dessert. Spaniards go for a decent meal during lunch and some tapas on the evening - just the opposite of the Dutch. Cloggies get satisfied with a simple sandwich and are prepared for the warm meal very early in the evening.

Just two blocks from our hotel we found a bar serving lunch (starter, main course, dessert and a glass of  wine at 8,50 euros). Our starters: gazpacho manchego (above) for me and paella for hubby (bellow). I thought I was going to get a chilled tomato soup, the famous gazpacho andaluz,  but instead I got a broth with chicken (and rabbit maybe?) and pasta - or another sort of dough. Exquisite. A typical autumn dish !  I do not recommend you have a paella for one person though- probably they make a big dish and re-heat it during the day or maybe is even from the night before.

The first evening we opted for tapas at a restaurant downtown called Baldo, in a contemporary decor. Must try: croquetas.  Just like it is made in Brazil: golden outside, soft inside - so different from the brown-almost-black-hard-outside Dutch kroketten.  Another delicacy is calamares a la plancha: squid lightly baked and served with garlic and parsley. The fried anchovies were also great. We spotted a couple of Dutch tourists who were in the airplane with us eating hamburgers with French fries also at Baldo. Oh My !

On the same street of the Mercado Central there were lots of paella pans and clay pots. I think I have enough clays pots but I started to caress some paella pans... My husband is my conscience and started to whisper "C'mon, you have a very good one at home".

How can use use gian paella p in aconventional stove ? Here is the answer (below).

Whoah ! This is what I call a giant paella. Spotted at the harbour area. It was noon and two men were already throwing pieces of frozen meat into the pan in order to make a huuuuge paella for the evening.
Downtown Valencia we had excellent paellas at two traditional, small places: Gres de Sabra (or Gris de Sabre ? just near the souvenir shops and where the bus turistic departs). A wonderful (and a bit too salty) paella with lobsters.  And paella de mariscos - my ever favourite - at Tasca located on Calle Corona 7, parallel to Quart Caballeros street. Just go there for lunch and ask to the owner behind the counter a paella dish for two (around 18 euros per person). At both such small restaurants the paellas were fresh - the cooks started the preparation the moment we had ordered them. Toasted on the borders and bottom, creamy in the middle of the pan, very aromatic...

Mediterranean food is wonderful, but my husband's taste buds ask now and then for something oriental. When we were at lunch time checking the menus and prices on the streets he started to talk to me about this oriental restaurant well recommended on his pocket guide: Feng. During the week, for just 8 euros something you can choose from 80 dishes - including desserts, a sweet liquor and taxes, excluding drinks. Really, you could pick as many cold dishes and salads from the belt as you wanted and also order warm dishes to the waitresses. They were Japanese and could communicate in a broken Spanish - but had a very good will and patience.

Wanna go for a change while in Valencia ? Feng is quite reasonable, calm and has elegant decor: dark wall with delicate Japanese decorative pieces. Calle Conde Altea 19, L'Eixample district. Metro stop: Colon.

Gourmet souvenirs ? I suggest you search for some turrones. A turron is a sweet bar with roasted nuts. It can be hard and crunchy (a chocolate one with almonds, for example) or soft, with or without egg yolk. Downtown Valencia, just near the bus turistic it was 13,50 euros. I refused to buy any. In a shop on the way to Plaza de Toros we  saw a shop with sweets and a turron was 3,50 euros. My husband exclaimed: "It cannot be ! I think she said trece and not tres. Go ask again.". I asked the girl behind the counter and she repeated: "Tres. Tres euros coma cinquenta".  Incredible ! I have bought five different ones, and back at home I gave soft ones to a friend of us and my parents-in-law (I prefer the hard ones cause I am a wild person - my mother-in-law even calls me barbarian, hahaha! But the soft one with walnuts surprised me and maybe became my favourite). In Holland you can find smaller, soft and chewy version of turrones at HEMA - they use rather the French name of it...  nougat.

Valencia, Spain: What to Drink ?

Above: Agua de Valencia. We had it at a really cool bar at the harbour area called La Vida Sin Dormir (VSD). A bit too sweet for both of us and not so alcoholic. Ingredients ? Cava, orange juice, sugar, wodka and gin. Some bars add Cointreau instead of wodka and gin.
For approximately 1 litre/1¾ pints:

- 1 bottle of Cava – Spanish champagne
- Orange Juice – freshly squeezed if possible but a carton works almost as well
- Cointreau
- Ice

Preparation:
Put a good amount of ice (a couple of handfuls) into a large jug or punch bowl. Add the bottle of Cava, plenty of fresh orange and some Cointreau (play it safe with the Cointreau as this can become a very potent drink). Obviously you can experiment with the quantities of each liquid to get it just the way you prefer. Salud !

Above, tiled corridor entrance at Horchateria de Santa Catalina.

Super tired bloggirl having a very cold horxata (orxata) de Valencia, a delightful nut drink. Valencian style horchata has an unmatched exquisite taste. The horchata recipe is simple, you just have to take into account that you have to soak some tiger nuts overnight in order to make an almod milk. Add cynammon and sugar.

When at Ciudad de las Ciencias I spotted this woman selling orxatas. I parked my bike and ordered two. She informed me she made it herself, on a daily basis. She was also selling the nuts, chufas (or xufas in the local Valencian language -  see below). I regret very much now the fact I didn't buy it.

Horchata is a home made drink. When in Valencia (or Barcelona too ?) do not forget to try this exquisite Mediterranean drink.

Valencia: Mercado Central

Lets pay a visit to Valencia most important market, the Mercado Central or in Valenciano simply Mercat Central. Above, the principal entrance. The building dates from 1914 and has a structure in iron and impressive artnouveau details. Address: Baron de Carcer, center. Very near Plaza de la Virgen, there are boards on the streets indicating the way. www.mercadocentalvalencia.es (history, photos, restaurants and recipes). Do not mistake it by another market, situated in another part of the city:  Mercado de Colon - very beautiful but it has rather chic, modern restaurants and cafes than a place for fresh, raw produce.

Truly amazing central section, with an equally amazing dome. The photo cannot give you an idea how truly impressive and beautiful it is. Below: another angle of the market.

Let's start visiting the fish stalls, shall we ? Everything super fresh and clean - but hold your breath anyway.

Above: this is called in Dutch something like "shaving knives". I had seen a lot of such shells when I visited the Dutch islands of Texel and Terschelling. They are not native from (European) Northern Atlantic waters. It seems this sort of shells were first brought to Europe in the beginning of last centry when an American cruise ship which had departed from N.Y. arrived in France. After that, they rapidly spreaded around European waters - and the Mediterranean. The idea that you can eat such thing... bleargh ! I do eat octupus, squid (yum!) though... go figure.

THIS SECTION of the market is avegetarian's worst nightnare. Believe me: it is a fantastic market, far different from anything I have seen in Europe and in other parts of the world - and have seen a lot of food markets around the world.  I am not that shocked anymore. I have spared the readers of this blog from the most shocking photos.  And I am against humiliating food.

Ham !

OF COURSE you can also find herbs and spices in this market.

I was happy to quickly find a stall displaying spices called "La Parada de las Especias". I started a conversation with the vendor, who was a bit uncertain to do it in English - therefore I quickly shifted it into Spanish. He told me the difference of first quality saffron and a second quality one (he sold both) and to always pay attention to the expiry date. I bought a little box with 0,8g of superior quality saffron - enough for preparing three big paellas. He told me how to prepare a basic paella (duh! as if I had never done it before) and how to crush the saffran into powder  (ahn!? I had never done that), using a mortar or placing it inside of a folded paper and rolling a pen in order to crush it.
"Ah, si ? Not dissolving it in hot water ?" I argued.
"No !" - he replied.
"Muy bien. And where does your saffran come from ?" I asked.
"Toledo" - he answered.
"Oh, I am used to saffran from the Middle East, Egypt, Iran..." a silly comment of mine that made his wife turn her face away making a disgusting face as if the air was suddenly stinking. "
This is excellent Spanish superior saffran !" - he crossed his arms seriously and started to nod heavily.
At this point more clients - chic ladies in their 60's with lots of make up - were gathering around me and guaranteeing that it was the best saffron ever and that from other parts of the world were just crap.
"Bueno ! I have the best saffran to make the best paella in Holland ! Muchas gracias señor. Adios y un buen dia a todos!" -  and I exit just in time cause my husband coudn't understand a thing and was getting preocupied with so much talking.

Above: I have also bought this type of rice for paella, called Bomba.
The vendor advised me to add more water than usally needed for other types of rice. I wanna be the paella queen !

Abroad... guess where ?

Ok. This blog is supposed to be about Dutch things - with a bit of Brazilian flavour now and then... But I think you will love when I also post here about some of my occasional travels abroad.

 Can anyone guess where I am going to be soon blogging about ? I could speak the local language there (it was not Portuguese) and even understand the local dialect, re-discover the modern part of the city with a bike on the river bed which was transformed into a huge park (the city is pretty flat), wear fewer clothes than in Holland and eat a lot of flavoured rice (whoaah ! now it has become too easy.)

See you on the next entry !

Aaah... Dutch Appetizers !

If you are a foreigner who just arrived in the NL and may have wondered what to serve during a party or what to expect from Dutch hosts, then this post is for you ! Well, to make a long story short: the dessert (pie) will be served first, even if is not a child's party. Then expect cubes of cheese, some raw veggies... that's it (the Dutch are a practical folk). Oh, some appetizers may cause a bit of confusion/surprise, like the ones listed below:

Worst: slices of huge soft sausages. Oddly, they call it in the short form: worstjes.

Salade: no, it is not made of lettuce and/or veggies. The basis is mashed potatoes and mayo. The main ingredient which gives the name to the "salad" (salmon salad, chicken salad, shrimp salad, egg salad, sausage salad...) ammounts to only 25% or less - plus lots of crazy letters starting with E followed by three letter codes. The salade is served topping slices of  bread or crackers.

Filet Americain: or "Steak tartare". The main ingredient is made of chopped, ground and then seasoned American expats who misbehaved while living in Holland. Served raw on crackers. It has caused outbreaks of Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli O157- infections in the Netherlands since 2005.

Eet smakelijk !

Why Oh Why ?

Fact #1: I think the Dutch people are polite.
I really do. Not sweet and nice like Brazilians - that would be too much to ask to other civilised nationalities. But the Dutch are correct when dealing with customers, for example. Not rude-  and not over considerate either. Normal. Civilised.

Fact #2: I live in the NL for more than ten years.
I have get used to the Dutch way.

So why-oh-why...  do I still get annoyed/a bit sad when I am confronted with the way they  - sometimes - say things ? Like... lecturing on me.

Example number 1:
Yesterday was a windy, cold afternoon and I left home (withouth wearing a scarf) to pick up my little girl.
I couldn't bare waiting at the school patio - too cold for my neck and hands. I decided to go inside to use the restroom and then peak inside my daughter's school box situated on the corridor. Maybe there was art work to be taken home, maybe her "friends book" was back, maybe it was time to check the situation of her gym clothes ... And then the teacher left the room hand in hand with two kids - and a line of kids behind her. The teacher was actually giving one hand to my daughter, but as soon as she (the teacher) saw me she looked to the other side ignoring me and went to the patio. I mentioned my girl's name to grab her attention.
Nothing.
When I was at the patio I mentioned to the teacher and my girl, smiling: "Hey, haven't you ladies seen or heard me ?"  To what the teacher replies, irritated: "Kids are expecting the parents to be outside. It is rather interesting when she can find you outside. OUTSIDE !"
(Moral of the history: the protocol here goes above any common sense or exception.)

Example number 2:
I am going to a gym since the beginning of this year. Three times a week, fitness and on the weekends, Pilates. I love the place, the location, the friendliness of the owners and all coaches/receptionists. I am punctual and I respect their rules. I clean the machines after using them. Since my first day there I was told that when going to the fitness room I have to use (fitness) shoes and not sport shoes I regularly use outside on the streets. I 100% agree with that.  So I go inside the gym, greet the receptionist, insert my card in the machine, grab a heart measurer and go to the girls' room to wear the correct shoes and dress me on.

So far so good.

Up to one day.

I come in and notice that near the entrance door there is a rack with some shoes on it. "Maybe it is for the coaches", I thought. I do my normal ritual, greeting the receptionist, inserting my card, asking her a heart measurer and addressing myself to the ladies room. I go to my Pilates lesson. When the lesson is over the receptionist approaches me, with hands on her hips and a serious face. She addresses me in a rispid and loud tone of voice:

- Anna.
- Me.
- It is not allowed to enter the fitness wearing the same shoes you were wearing when outside.
- I know. I have had these on especially for the lesson.
- I mean, it is not allowed to enter ANY dependencies of the fitness. You have put your shoes on when you were in the ladies room. You have to wear them immediately after crossing the entrance door. It is a new rule. It is on the newsletter. Maybe you should check our site more regularly ? There is a new rack near the entrance door. Haven't you seen it ?
- Oh. I thought it was for the receptionists, maybe.
- No. It is for EVERYONE.
- Sorry. Nobody had told me. And I have been away for some days. BTW... why are there still racks for the shoes in the ladies room ?
(puzzled face):
- Ahn... to place the bags, for example. But ONLY the bags... Understood ?
- Okay.
- Good.

I strive for being an excellent client. I greet everyone, receptionists and other fellows. I have a little towel for my hands to avoid my sweat dropping all around and spreading bacteria and lethal infections. I am punctual. I clean the machines after using them. I am economical with the absorbent paper. I use only two squares of it. And I spray on it only twice. Two squares of paper and just two sprays of the cleaning product - exactly as three warning papers glued on the wall tell me to do. I have the most expensive membership (an "all-in card"). But maybe I am too naughty - cause I once walked two meters from the entrance door to the ladies rooms wearing my infected Italian leather shoes. Somebody had to put me on the right track.

Mea culpa. Mea maxima culpa.

A Dutch Exposure (brag, brag, brag...)

I have said it here before: the Dutch are a very private people.

However, they do like to shout out to the world some personal achievements, such as turning 50 years old, passing exams / a new school year, having a baby...

I had no idea my neighbour's name was Magda - or that she had completed the New York Marathon. Now I know it and have to see it everyday from my kitchen window for over a week:

Hey Marga, why don't you hang it on your living room wall ?

You know you have been in Holland for too long when... (II part)

46. You know that kapsalon is not a typical turkish dish, but a hairdresser
47. You start to think that the strange position of the hole in the WC is not that disgusting (it is.)
48. You find it easier to find a good joint than a good coffee
49. You have the AH bonus card (you bet I do)
50. Your windows have no curtains, and you don't care (they do have, I just never use them)

51. If your windows have curtains, you don't use them, and just don't care who might be looking at you (see what I mean ?)
52. For you, light rain is not rain (Light rain IS rain - I am Brazilian, I am made of sugar)
53. Professors write a "well done" comment in your assignment and still grade you with a 6
54. You can drink beer in the cinema (Yeaahhh)
55. 10°C is warm enough to wear a short or mini skirt (I do not wear that since I have become a mother)

56. You can ride your bike in the rain, wind and even snow. (and without hands) 
57. Guys are very cute (I miss seeing a South European five o'clock shadow now and then...)
58. You can ride your bike wearing skirt - if you're a girl, a suit or even high heels -if you're a girl. (heels: check)
59. When you start having strong opinion even if you vaguely know the topic. (I used to be like that in Brazil as well)
60. When you "wash" the dishes with soap without rincing them (Well, I have a dishwasher. And if I have to hand wash dishes I always rince them)

61. "Alstublieft" and "dank u wel" are the only dutch words you know. (I also know "goedemorgen" among others)
62. You aren't surprised anymore that the disco closes at 4 - but it still pisses you off.
63. You learn to bike without using your hands on the handle (check #56)
64. You go to the market and you only buy the stuffs that fit in you bike basket (true, hahahaha!)
65. Riding a bike and driking coffee/smoking/eating lunch at the same time is not a problem any more

66. You reformulate the saying "if you drink, don't drive" by "if you drink, don't ride" (I always tell this to my husband... he laughs)
67. You've been asked where the coffeeshop is (several times)
68. You start wearing orange during soccer events, even when you're not Dutch (no!)
69. You get used not to use napkins when eating. You just eat dirtily. (I always have my own ones) 
70. You know what GVD stands for

71. You can never predict the weather and can not believe the weather forecast anymore
72. You wait for the light to go green before crossing the street, even if there is no car (I am a well trained expat)
73. You sometimes eat only with a spoon (are you kidding me ? no way !)
74. You tried fried fish from the caravans at least once (Once ? Many times!)
75. You clap the lecturer just because he's been speaking for 2 hours
76. You run to Albert Heijn at 21.55 to get some beer for the party that night
77. Trees planted in straight rows - aka the forest - seems normal  (no, it is not normal; it is a Dutch forest)
78. You think you understand why they don't serve coffee at coffeeshops (but I'm not sure yet)
79. You steal a bike at the station because the night before someone stole yours - HAHAHAH!
80. You think it is okay to eat multicoloured sprinkels on bread for breakfast (no. Argh!)
81. You use 9292ov.nl to go to the supermarket (sometimes)
82. You know that the wind blows in your face regardless of the direction in which you are biking (always)
83. You don't even try to park in an unauthorised area just to 'pick something up in 5min', because you know you will get a ticket in 30seconds (I can talk by experience)
84. When you move out of your appartment, you know you might have to take the floors with you

85. Stepping in doggiepoo on the sideawalk becomes almost a daily thing.
86. You end up eating super greasy food at 5am at FEBO or ALEV
87. And after that, you manage to bike home still completely wasted and go to work/class at 8:00
88. You need an appointement to talk with your friends. Or your mother. (No way - mine is Brazilian thus... 24hday 7/7 available)
89. You enjoy making tourists jump off the bike path (I loooove it !)

90. You paid more for the lock of your bike than for the bike itselft (Oh My, the harsh reality!)
91. Real bread? You've made your peace with it. It doesn't exist. (I got used to brown sliced ones)
92. You know that the Netherlands doesn't have a special dish. They just fry everything. (or overcook everything)
93. You know getting a couch will be difficult because it doesn't fit through the door. (Windows maybe?)
94. You're ok spending Queen's Day in the train because people are walking on the rails

95. You pay for ketchup at the fast food and think it's normal (I do not consumme that)
96. Kroket, Frikandel, Frietjes met (of zonder mayo) are your normal on your food vocabulary (no!)
97. You know at least 1 guy called Jaap, Joost, Joop or Jeroen (1?)
98. You take your own plastic bag to the supermarket ("It is good for the environment")
99. "Lekker", "leuk", "gezellig", "mooi" and "lekker weer" are expressions that are also on your vocabulary (they are mandatory once the Dutch would get confused if I preferred to elaborate on that)
100. When you cry once you have to go back to your homeland. (serious ?)

Amsterdammers and Bikes: A Love Story

Sometimes after visiting my hairdresser at the Bilderdijkstraat I decide to go to the center of Amsterdam zigzagging via the 9 streets.

I check the shop windows, I admire the canals, I check the last trends on bike decorations....

And then I have seen this MEGA eyecandy:

I thought I would have a fit or faint !
Instead, I put myself together, grabbed my camera and here you see the results.
I have lately LOTS of idea about how to prettify my own bike (a mother bike). I am already visitng shops like HEMA, V&D and Xenos. Something vintage, kitsch, cool...  Maybe I will do it next year, after spring time. Maybe I will show the metamorfose here, "before and after" sort of post entry.
For now, stay with this cool video and have you all a wonderful week !
(The world would be a better place if more people decided to make more use of their bikes - when possible, of course. )



Dit is Amsterdam en dit is mijn fiets = This is A'dam and this is my bike
Amsterdam houdt van fietsen = Amsterdam loves biking
fietsen = to ride a bicycle
(een) fiets = a bicycle

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