bobag87

I made my first attempt from the cookbook today. I made the blackberry smoke dish. I turned out well and looked great. I did not forget the cigar and will note that there was definitely an underlying note of tobacco. In fact, if you taste the cream by itself, the tobacco is overpowering. Mixed with the berry, salt and mint, it was a fascinating combination. Five people tried the dish. One hated it (our young babysitter with a limited appreciation for alta cocina), one was indifferent (me) and three liked it. The good news is, as the previous poster did, I think the tobacco could be replaced and the recipe for the cream (which is basically like a panna cota) could be used with any number of flavorings instead of tobacco. I would make this again, but I am more excited about the possibilities of using the recipe for other flavors. Here is a photo of the completed project:

Its been a while since I have been to Sadie's. I may have to go for lunch next month when in town. Try mixing the green chile powder with sour cream, a squeze of lime, minced garlic and soy sauce or salt to make a great green chile dip.

I've been using the recipes on this site for several years. I ordered the cookbook several years ago and loaned it to a friend who does not have internet access (a Luddite) and never asked for it back. My dad lives in New Mexico and I generally include a bit of shopping for local ingredients on every trip to visit him. ← Those are all good classic New Mexico recipes.

I think the key elements of traditional New Mexico food that distinguish it from Tex-Mex or other versions of Mexican food in the U.S. is two-fold. First, New Mexico food is strongly influenced by the Native American culture. Thus, ingredients such as blue corn and chicos as well as serving an ingredient like posole as a side to dishes not just as a stew, are traits that evidence this influence. Second, the chiles used, both red and green, are unique to New Mexican food. Also, they are aggressively used and not cut with other aggressive flavors (i.e. New Mexico Green chile sauce is not cut with tomatillos for example -- it is focused on the flavor of the green chiles). I am sure we could write a thesis on this, but to me, these are the key elements. As for Navajo goat stew, I have not had it, but I have had many a bowl of mutton stew at ceremonies at both Hopi and Zuni. Sometimes it is quite good, sometimes it is a bit of a struggle, but it is always appreciated.

I second the concerns on the Mansion as it seems to be up in the air right now. York Street is still consistently great, but I think the best place in town right now is Charile Palmers. Pyles is a good choice as well (they even have a fairly inexpensive lunch). A good lunch spot (especially if you want to have a beverage or two) is Thomas Avenue Beverage Company. Great food for a bar. Finally, I always have to recommend Louies for pizza (and other dishes) and drinks if you are into dives. I can offer further thoughts if helpful as we live about two blocks from York Street.

I use New Mexico catalog -- http://www.newmexicocatalog.com/html/fresh_green_chile.html. They have always shipped on time and provide great quality, although they are expensive compared to prices you can pay in New Mexico. I would order Big Jims if you want something on the milder side. These are large meaty peppers with a little heat, but not overwhelming. They have great flavor. It looks like NM Catalog also has a mild variety. My only thought on the mild chiles is they tend to also lack some flavor. One note on ordering, once you get the chiles, you have just a few days to roast them prior to their wilting so plan accordingly. I time the arrival for the day before the chile roast so I have minimal wilt loss.

gfron1 -- We too look forward to the day the chiles arrive at our house. My family has always had a chile roast in September of each year where the supply of New Mexico green chiles for the year are roasted and bagged. However, being somewhat crazy, we have never had the store roast the chiles. Instead, we bring them home fresh and roast them ourselves on grills -- please, no questions as to our sanity. This is how my family has always done it. Now, living in Texas with several family members wanting their own stash, we roasted 200 lbs this last September in this fashion. It took 3 grills and 8 hours, but it is always a fun event accompanied by green chile stew, posole, home made tortillas with freshly roasted chiles rolled up inside and sangria. I would also note that we bag our roasted chiles with the skin on and peel when thawed later. I should note for the Texans reading this, although most stores are now bringing in "Hatch" chiles every fall, we have found that they are bringing in an early crop that is devoid of flavor and heat. Thus, we still order in our chiles from a great company in New Mexico.

I am new to eGullet and started posting beacuse of a recent trip to Spain. One of my passions is traditional New Mexico cooking and I thought I would see if there are other fans out there. While I don't live in the State, I make frequent trips and my parents were from there. This leads to fall chile roasts with chile shipped in to Texas (the chile available in Dallas, even at Central Market, is a dumbed down version that is far too mild -- perhaps I will have to add to the chile threads on this point). Every Christmas eve, New Years eve and at various family gatherings throughout the year, our family gathers around a pot of traditional posole. To me, the most fascinating thing about New Mexican cooking is the blend of traditional Native American elements with elements brought by the Spanish colonists. Thus, posole combines a true Native American product (the Posole) with local red chiles and imported pork. This recipe has been developed over the years but comes from watching posole prepared for various feast days in numerous New Mexico Pueblos. It also is modernized with a few touches and focuses on a heavier flavoring of red chile than is typical. Step 1 -- Soak dried New Mexico posole. I frequently use a mixture of blue corn and white corn posole. The dried posole can be found at many farmers markets in New Mexico as well as on line. There is also a frozen Bueno product sold in New Mexico. I use 2 lbs of dried posole soaked over night. Step 2 - Make chicken stock. I make homemade chicken stock because of the ease. 1 whole chicken, one onion split, 2 celery stalks, salt and a bay leaf. Simmer for 2 1/2 hours and then strain. Step 3 -- Boil Posole. Cover posole with at least 3 inches of water and boil for 1 to 2 hours until it starts popping open. Add stock to the extent the water level drops too low. Step 4 -- Pork, Onions and Garlic -- While posole is boiling, cube 4 pork tenderloins. Brown the pork cubes in oil and set aside. Saute 1 whole diced onion and 4 garlic cloves that have been minced until they start to turn color and set aside. Step 5 -- Make Chile Sauce -- Roast 2 cookie trays full of New Mexico red chiles in a 400 degree oven for 1 minute 30 seconds to 2 minutes -- until fragrant. If you were fortunate to buy Bueno dried red chiles, they are already roasted so you can skip this step. Most New Mexico dried red chiles (which I have found are widely available) are not roasted and this step is crucial. Take the chiles out of the oven and in the sink, pull the stem off and wash each chile and place in a blender. I try to keep the seeds as I like it hot. It is up to you. Fill the blender with the cleaned chiles, packing somewhat tightly. Add 1 tbs salt, 2 tbs blue corn meal, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tbs corriander seed and a slight pinch of mexican oregano. Fill the blender with hot water and let sit for 5 minutes. Then pure until a smooth sauce is formed. Step 6 -- Make Posole -- Once the posole has opened up, add 8 cups chicken stock. and bring to a boil. Add pork, onions and garlic and return to a boil. Add red chile sauce and thin with additional stock if necessary. Simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes more. Add salt to taste. Serve with tortillas and margaritas. I hope this helps and I can answer any questions on this dish. Hopefully there are some other New Mexico food fans out there.

Silly me for asking permission, I guess. Interesting to see how just within a couple weeks certain of the menu items get tweaked here and there. ← That's one way to look at it, but I found asking avoids bad feelings later. Of course, that did not stop me from shooting the last two pics. It was interesting to me how their dishes have evolved. Especially the rape bronceado which I have read or seen done in similar, but slightly varied ways. For example, when it was served to Bordain, the fish was painted heavily with the coloring. Also the variations on the egg dish seem to be numerous. Thanks for your thoughts, and especially your great blog, which was very helpful for our trip.

We started our trip to San Sebastian with dinner at Arzak. I switched the order of Mugaritz and Arzak in these posts (compared to the chronological order of our visits). One of the most helpful aspects of this forum was narrowing down options in San Sebastian. Arzak was a non-negotiable stop, but Mugaritz, Akelarre, Etxebarri, etc. were other thoughts. After succeeding on getting reservations at Arzak through my travel agent, I started researching the other big meal we would have as we wanted two big meals and two meals composed of pintxos. The posts had me concerned that perhaps my automatic choice of Arzak was misguided and that we should have looked at some of the other spots. At a minimum, it had me thinking that Mugaritz would blow Arzak away. We took a cab to Arzak and were warmly greeted and seated at a table upstairs. Again, I was quickly asked if I wanted to remove my sport coat and the feel of the place was very comfortable. I knew we were not sitting down to a stuffy dinner. Also, our table, like Mugaritz, was attended to by a number of people who worked seamlessly throughout the service. The menu contained a number of entre options and a tasting menu. We both selected the tasting menu. Unlike Mugaritz, the server presented us with several choices in the tasting menu. One choice was between a lobster dish and an oyster dish, one choice was between a beef dish and a veal dish, and the final choice was on desert. We asked for a wine selection and again were surprised that the chosen wine (Torre Muga 1994) was not overly expensive. I should note that we did not take many pictures. This was partly based on our own poster drosendorf's blog who notes the reluctance of the staff regarding photos and partly because we were so engaged in the meal we forgot. See drosendorf's blog here http://www.foodforthoughtmiami.com/2009/03...-sebastian.html. I should note that this blog covers much of what I am going to say, but perhaps there are a few notes I can add. I will note that many people around me were taking photos of each dish without anyone commenting or requesting they stop. The setting was great, the wine was good, and the service was incredible. So what about the meal? Service started with the Caldito de alubia negra con queso. This black bean soup with a white cheese liquified topping was great and full of flavor. It was followed immediately by lightboxes topped with Puding de kabrarroka con fideos fritos (a fish dish surrounded by fried fideo), Raid de loto con mousse de arraitxiki (lotus root chips with a mushroom mouse), Aroz crujiente con hongos (rice crackers with mushroom paste) and Morcila en tempura (tempura fried blod sausage). Thes were all literally tiny bites and they were all perfect. The Morcilla dish was fried perfectly and the morcilla was delicious and rich -- perfect for a one bite item. I would also note the Puding dish was fantastic and a truely great one bite dish. The rest were very good and I have no complaints about the starter dishes. In fact, in presentation, size and taste, they were a fantastic start to the meal. I should also note that one of the concerns I have seen raised is plating at Arzak. I can say that every dish was beatifully plated and, with this starter, any concerns I had dissapeared. This was follwed by the Manzana con aceite de foie (apples with oil of foie gras). This dish was beatifully plated with three disks of apple topped with foie (oil?) that was bruleed. Sprinkled around the plate were accents of pommegrannite, etc. As noted above, foie (gasp!) is not necessarily my thing. However, this combination of flavors, textures and the contrasts in both was phenomenal. It is not too strong of a statement to say that this was the best dish I have ever had. It was certainly, the best dish of the trip. It quickly spoke of the skills of the Arzaks and this restaurant and was a prelude to many other great dishes to come. What is interesting to me is that the apples were topped with what was called foie oil. However, the texture seemed to me to be a very thin layer of acutal foie that was then bruleed. Whatever the technique, it worked perfectly after being bruleed on top. This was followed by Patata, bogavante y copaiba. This layered dish had crisp potato baskets filled with lobster and a light mouse. The entire dish was fully a lobster flavored dish and while not our favorite of the night, the tastes were delicious and the presentation great. I was dissapointed not to get to try the lobster dish with the powdered olive oil and onion broth, but this was an interesting and flavorful dish. Next was the legendary Del huevo a la gallina. I am not sure how one can take a poached egg and raise it to the level of a dish that I consider one of the best of my life. More importantly,my more critical wife, signed off on this as her favorite dish of all time. A poached egg sprinkled with some tiny, but ultra sweet fresh green peas, covered with an egg veil and served tableside with a dousing of perfect chicken stalk. When the yolk was broken into this mixture and the veil melted away, one was left with a lucious dish. If nothing else it illustrates what perfect ingredients can do. Rarely have I noticed the quality of an egg. Occassionaly, I have been served eggs that were fresh and you could truly notice a difference. In this dish, the quality of the egg was obvious as was the quality of the peas and the chicken stock. All of this aside, it was also an incredibly fun dish to eat. I will note that most descriptions of this dish vary and it appears that the peas were a seasonal addition. They provided a fantastic sweetness to the dish. This was followed by Rape bronceado (bronzed monkfish). I agree with drosendorf on this one as this dish was an experience in color. Unlike the fully "bronzed" monkfish seen in the books or on the shows, the dish has changed. It now is a lightly colored monkfish loin with a plate containing a number of light sauces. At the table, another sauce is added which creates beautiful bronze pools on the plate. The fish was perfectly cooked, the various sauces were light and added to the dish. Along side were served edible paperlike bronze sculptures (think origami). They were interesting, but not necissarily delicious. This dish was great, but did not hold up to the apples or the egg. My wife and I each had different dishes for the next course. I had Ternera con chufas aireadas (Veal with a chufas air). The veal was tender and well cooked (think tender pot roast), but it was heavily sauced and the chufas air was lost in the dish. This was my least favorite dish at Arzak, but, it was still a well executed and tasty dish. My wife's dish was incredible. It was Taco de vacuno con resina, molleja y vono de bota. This was a beef dish with a red wine foam and it was perfectly executed. I would rate it up there at the top of my list of dishes from the trip. Next was deserts. They were all great. I had the Pina asada pomposa and loved the techinque and the pure pineapple taste, but note that after the bubbles go down, you are left with a thin pineapple soup. My wife had Sopa y chocolate "entre vinedos". This dish used the spherification technique with chocolate spheres in a red wine broth. Others have noted the basil ice cream as the standout of this dish and it was great and refreshing. However, I would note the chocolate spheres were delicate but clearly and purely favored. This was another revelation of a dish -- simply said -- it was a pure pleasure and I was slightly pissed that I ordered the pomposa. Both of us shared Dulce lunatico and Bizcocho esponjoso de yogur. Both of these dishes were good and showcased a number of techniques and flavors. They were good dishes to end the meal with, but were not overly remarkable. Then the check came and with it, a plate of petit fours: This was a great plate of small bites and shows the attention to detail that the Arzaks put into the meal. During our meal, Elena came by the table and visited with us for a minute or so. After dinner, she was in the lounge and talked to everyone on their way out. She even graciously took a picture with us (I know we were definitely tourists). Here is the crux of my posts on San Sebastian -- Arzak did not dissapoint. Pintxos were great and I plan on going back to enjoy the fun and relaxing nights and lunches we had going from bar to bar. Mugaritz was a fantastic experiece that I would definitely return to. It was a place to experience revealing techniques and dishes that challenged the diner. However, at the end of the day, Arzak was the best meal I have ever had. While both Mugaritz and Arzak were friendly, well staffed and relaxed, Arzak's meal was lighter with smaller portions and we did not ever feel like we had reached our limit. In addition, while Arzak showed a variety of "alta cocina" techniques, we never felt flavor was overshadowed by technique. One of the reviews I read had Arzak placed it on a list of five restaurants that the reviewer would spend money to travel to for a meal. I agree and it would be at the top of my list. As my wife noted the amount of food, the time it took, the wine suggestions and the hospitality made Arzak a perfect experience. In keeping with the top 10 list, here are my top ten dishes of this trip. 1 -- Manzana con aceite de foie (Arzak) 2 -- Del huevo a la gallina (Arzak) 3 -- Barbecue-smoked Scalope of Foie Gras (Mugaritz) 4 -- Cigalas and Percebes (El Gran Barril) 5 -- Quesos (Mugaritz) 6 -- Taco e vacuno con resina, mollea y vono de bota (Arzak) 7 -- Carpaccio accompanied by a sweet and sour dressing etc. (Mugaritz) 8 -- Sopa y chocolate "entre vinedos" (Arzak) 9 -- Piece of Milk Veal (Mugaritz) 10 -- Rape bronceado (Arzak) Hopefully, these posts will be helpful as they were intended to give back. Of course now I am addicted to the forums so I am off to the Southwest and Texas boards. Feel free to ask any questions.

(Mugaritz cont.) Our first desert was LEAVES, FRUITS AND FLOWERS. This was a nice desert that showcased a number of alta cocina techniques, but was not something that rose to the level of the better dishes. There were great textures, flavors, colors and contrasts of temperatures and the techniques were all interesting, but it was not some revelation. In the dishes defense, it was quite flavorful and tasty and would be a desert that I would have again, but I am not sure it rose to its "alta cocina" ambissions. Next was WARM PUMPKIN BITE with sweet and bitter accents. This was a stewed or roasted? cube of pumpkin with sweet potato pure and expresso cream. The pumbkin bite was flavorful and sweet (must have been braised or roasted with a sugar syrup). On its own, it would have been nothing special, but the contrast with the sweet potato (similar yet slightly different ingredients) was fascinating. These ingredients are often seen as interchangeable. Tasting the pumpkin and the sweet potato side by side revealed incredible similarities but interesting subtle differences. The star of the dish, and the element that elevated it to a great desert was the bitter cream which was made with expresso. This bitter element cut the sweetness of the dish and was a perfect addition. This was followed by the dish everyone is familiar with -- Interpretation of vanity MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKE, cold almonds cream and cocoa bubbles. What can I say, this was a fun, delicious experience. The cake is really a mouse, the cream was great and the bubbles were flavorful and added to the taste as well as the fun. A great desert on all accounts. At this point we were stuffed, but one of our servers indicated that the chef would like to present us with another desert. We indicated that we only needed one to share and were graciousy presented with the Mugaritz version of Frenc Toast with a great ice cream. The French Toast was dense, perfect and covered with a brule that was perfectly crisp and foregiving. This was a perfect desert and, while over stuffed, we were impressed by this gracious addition. To sum it up, I would first note that Mugaritz was an experience that I would return to again. After spending over 4 hours at the restaurant, we developed some concerns that the lunch was too long. I also note that the numerous dishes presented a progression, but some of them were too large in amount or substance so that we were at our limit well before we hit the dessert courses. Outside of these concerns, the staff was incredible, the tour was great, many of the dishes were true experiences (whether the taste agreed with us or not), and the whole experience was incredible. People love the top ten list, so I will give my list of favorite dishes from Mugaritz. 1. The Scalope of Foie Gras (3rd best dish of the trip) 2. The Cheese course with the "fossilized" apple 3. The Milk Veal, and 4. The Carpaccio Again, any criticisms are those of someone wanting to help out those who are interested. I should state that I would absolutely return here again and this was one of the top meals of my life.

Great write-ups, but this line in particular was a gem. We were just in San Sebastian last month, this is much like reliving our trip. Thx. ← Sometimes there is no other way to say it. Of course, I think that is part of the fun of Mugaritz. I actually said the same thing to my wife when we finished the dish and she started laughing, but it got us at least thinking about the approach to dishes the rest of the meal. Glad you are enjoying these. I hope to finish up this weekend.

San Sebastian (cont.) Where to begin. We had dinner on our first night in San Sebastian at Arzak and we had lunch on our last day at Mugaritz. Before I get into the specific details, I want to make it clear that these were two of the best meals I have ever had. I would absolutely go back to each restaurant for the food, environment and service. These two meals were the culinary highlights of a great trip and any criticisms that I post are there to compare and contrast two great restaurants. I am going to start with Mugaritz. First, I contacted Mugaritz via email to ask for a reservation. They were extremely prompt and detailed in all of their responses. In fact, they went out of their way to work with us on a time and date and sent detailed directions and great descriptions of the experience that awaited us. We had lunch reservations at 1:00pm. We took a cab from the hotel at 12:00pm and 20 minutes later we were at Mugaritz. Knowing we were early we went to the door and were greated by a staff member who let us know the doors would not open until 1. He suggested we walk around the property and we did, enjoying the gardens and sights. A little after 1, we returned and were taken to a small cottage that serves as the bar for the restaurant by extremely gracious staff members. Here we were asked for a drink order and enjoyed the rustic, but modern stylings of this little lounge. I was served a great glass of sherry and my wife had a glass of txacoli. Another couple was led into the lounge (also from the U.S.) and we visited over drinks. We were given a choice between two menus. One at 100 euros and one at 130 euros, both of which looked great. The 130 menu however, had more of the dishes I was expecting to see (and we both were required to choose the same menu) so we went with the 130 euro menu called Naturan. Sitting in this lounge with just two other people made for a quiet experience and that was our thought throughout lunch. There were only 4 other tables while we were there (over 4 hours) -- which seemed to be intentional, because I know from talking to people in the hotel they had turned down other lunch reservations. It seemed to me that the staff used a limited lunch seating to prepare a dry run for the dinner service -- this is not to say the quality or service suffered, it is just to note that our experience may have been slightly different if the place was buzzing and full of customers. We were brought the famous potatoes in clay at the lounge and I will note that they were absolutely fun, but not very flavorful. However, the Ailioli that they were served with was perfect and the true flavor component of the dish. I also think there is something to those that have suggested the clay acts as a natural digestive aid (like tums). All in all, this was a cool way to start this experience. In the picture, only the top "stone" is the potato. The others are real warm stones. I should note that we constantly were so excited about each dish, that we forgot to take pictures. There were several potatoes in the basket to start with, but they were gone by the time we thought of taking a photo -- this will be a common and unfortunate theme. We were then taken into the dining room and seated at a perfectly set table. My jacket was taken and everyone made it clear that we were to enjoy a relaxing - non-stuffy environment for this meal. They succeded here with the exception of the small number of tables which created a quiet dining room. Our table was constantly served, cleared and maintained by a team of at least 8 people. All of who were professional, gracious, friendly and many of which were quite humerous. There can be no complaints about the staff and service. We asked for wine suggestions and were first told that we should have a white wine with our first couple of dishes. Following that, a mild red would be acceptable. All of this was based upon the question of whether we preferred red or white (we said red). The sommelier said that the menu is inteded to be light and asked if we had a preference for Spanish wines. We said of course, and he poured two different glasses of Spanish white (one for my wife and one for me). Both were excellent and very different and it was a blast contrasting them. He then suggested a bottle of Spanish red (basically a Pinot Noir). I was shocked at the suggestion of a 38 euro bottle of wine with a meal of this cost but loved it and will always be impressed over this substance over cost advice which is unheard of in many places in the states. We were then served two additional "Amuses" prior to hitting the menu. The first was a soup consiting of acorns and a "forest broth." This dish is perfet for explaining what I loved and disliked about Mugaritz. From an experience point, it was phenomenal. The acorns were very green and earthy and the broth was fresh and very fragrant. The dish tasted exactly like a forrest. However, I am not sure I like the taste of a forrest. Thus, it was truley an experience dish that was great for the experience, but not something I enjoyed the taste of. This was followed by an amuse of white asparagus and a shrimp jelly -- a flavorful but unremarkable dish. We moved from the first three dishes onto the menu. Prior to the menu service, we were graciously invited to take a tour of the kitchen and prep area. This tour was fantastic and the chef de cuisine spent ten minutes with us talking philosophy, technique and process (note Anduriz was not in the house on this day). We were allowed to take photos, and the kitchen is truley an impressive opperation. As explained to us, the whole process was compared to the modern assembly line and he showed us how each person on their 50! person staff had a mission. I should note that all tables received this same opportunity and I thought it was a very cool idea. While we were in the kitchen we got a glimpse of the first dish from our menu. I will give all dishes titles just as they were written on the English menus we were provided. It was CARPACCIO accompanied by a sweet and sour dresing, D. O. Idiazabal cheese chippings and vegetable splinters. Note in the photo you can see the Carpaccio being prepared. This dish was one of the most inventive and delicious of the trip. As everyone who reads egullet and the blogs know, the carpaccio is actually made from watermellon and there is no beef. I expected the textures to be similar to true carpaccio (and they were on an perfect scale), but I thought the taste would be different. However, due to the light dressing compared to the usual heavy dressing of normal carpaccio, the taste of the dish was so close to what one may expect from carpaccio that you really might not suspect the difference unless you knew the base ingredient. The sweetness of the watermellon was simply confused in ones mouth for dressing. In fact, I did not let my wife in on the secret, and while she knew something was up, she was surprised that (1) the dish was not meat, and (2) that watermellon could work. This was truly a culinary work of art that also tasted fantastic. The next dish was FOSSILIZED SALSIFY WITH ALGUES TOPS finished with briny roe. This was another great dish. The Salsify was partially dehydrated in a technique that is genious and was used later on to perfection in the cheese course. The Salsify was desicated, but not dry. This concentrated the flavor and created an interesting texture in the skin which was flavorful and leathery. The roe was a perfect salty seasoning and the Algues were a nice green vegetable accompaniment. This was followed by SPIDER CRAB with Jerusalem artichokes. The technique tied to this dish was the fact that the Jerusalem artichokes when cooked a certain way and turned out of their skin reflected a texture and image identical to that of the crab meat. This was shown to us by the server who brough a piece of JA and encourages us to invert it from the skin. The similarities were remarkable and it was a good dish, but did not overwhelm. Next was SEA URCHIN dressed with sweet vegetable nectar. Long black pepper corns. The dish was beatifully presented, but (I may get banned for this), I am not a big fan of Sea Urchin. Also, the overly sweet nectar (which was like a jelly) was too much for the dish. Here is a picture. This was followed by the best dish of the meal. Barbeque-smoked SCALOPE OF FOIE-GRAS, mustard seeds and leaves. Note all of the titles are formatted as they were on the menu (including the all caps). Again, I may get banned (I have never loved foie), but this dish was transcendent. The Foie was perfectly cooked, mild and tender in a way that I cannot fully describe. The course mustard seeds were the perfect flavoring. This was one of the best food expereineces of my life and the presentation was perfect. This was followed by LOIN OF SOLE, under a salted seasoning of chicory leaves and a reduction of the bones. This was a heavy fish dish with a dense flesh and heavy flavors. We both thought that this dish was the one that was a dissapointment. The next dish was A PIECE OF MILK VEAL, ROASTED AND PERFUMED WITH VINE CUTTING EMBERS, and fragments of thyme, cinders, salts and crisp radishes. Everyone knows this dish, but the veal was a great twist. It was truley light in texture and flavor so that it was almost like a piece of fish. This is a true masterpiece. The look indicates a heavy, dense, strong dark flavored dish. However, once the veal was cut into and you could see its rare state (which was highly encouraged by the staff), you nibbled on the "cinder" crackers and the salts on the plate, it was quickly apparent that this was a perfectly flavored, cooked and presented dish that was as mild as they come. I have included a picture of the cut meat so one can see the true perfection of the dish. Next was Tradition, ocean and land, braised IBERIAN PORK TAILS and pan fried LANGUOSTINES. Reduced braising juices infused with iberian "Jamon". I should note by the time this dish rolled around, we were full. The items on the menu were filling and the portions were not necessarily that small. Thus, we struggled with the heaviness of the sauce. The crispy skin of the tails was fantastic, but the heaviness of the sauce and the fact that the langostine (cigala) was overcooked, created a dissapointment. However, I will say that the dish clearly could be remarkable with a lighter sauce and a perfect cigala. We were then provided with a cheese course (which we ordered as an addition). The cheese course at Mugaritz has been written up a number of times so I will talk about the differences. First, the plate of cheeses contained a number of slivers -- mildest to strongest with spoons at the end with a cheese that we were cautioned was muy fuerte. The chef de cuisine noted that many of the cheeses were produced soley for the restaurant and that we should enjoy them. He was right. First the progression of flavors on the plate were great. Second, the cheese was served with two items. The first was a shot of pear juice, the second a partially dehydrated apple (like the salsify) that was unbelivable, especially as an accompaniment to cheese. It looked like a rock and I did not know what it was until I cut into it. It was moist and concentrated and, together with the great cheeses, a truly important and remarkable dish. The pear juice was not needed however. I should also note that we had eaten the first two cheeses before we took a picture. (up next -- desert and conclusions on Mugaritz)

San Sebastian (Parte Vieja) We probably ate at 10 different bars in Parte Vieja and could have eaten at 10 times as many. It is a food lovers paradise and a lot of fun. However, I should note that we figured out the following procedures to be helpful in dealing with the bars. 1. If you have even a rudimentary ability in Spanish, use it. It opened doors. Everyone knew I was not a native speaker, but they appreciated I was trying. 2. Step up to the bar and order assertively. No one is going to coddle you, but they will certainly serve you if you tell them what you want. They are busy with a number of patrons so they do not have time to help walk someone through the process. However, once you have their attention, they will answer questions and very professionally get your order of drinks and food to you. 3. Every bar in San Sebastian has its own rules. Some handed you a plate and asked you to show it to the bartender prior to eating so they knew what to charge, some counted toothpicks, some you just grabbed what you wanted and told them what you had when you requested the check. Watch the locals and it is easy to pick up on how to proceed. 4. Order racciones as well as pintxos. Some of the best dishes we had (as described below) were racciones. 5. Unlike Madrid and Salamanca where the price of your drink included a tapa, in San Sebastian, all pintxos were priced on their own (although quite reasonably priced). Anyhow, here are some of the highlights. Gandarias (Calle 31 de augosto 23) -- I ordered a glass of rioja for my wife in this incredibly busy place and ended up with milhojas de manitas y hongos (which is pork trotters with mushrooms). Not being a big fan of pig trotters, I will note the flavors and sauces in this dish were awesome. Texture was a slight problem for me, but I am glad I tried it. The Bartender came back and when I asked him about the glass of rioja, we both started laughing and realized that he had misheared milhoja for rioja. He asked if I wanted to give the dish back and I refused. We then had some of the best croquetas de jamon that we had during the entire Spain trip. This is another must stop for pintxos and racciones. The beef they were serving looked incredible, and I regret not trying it. The wine selection here was great and the locals clearly favored the place. We liked it so much we returned for another great set of pintxos and a raccione of jamon iberico and got to joke with the same bartender who made sure we were taken care of even though the crowds were huge. Down the road a block was La Cepa (Calle 31 de Augosto 7) -- Another place (with Gandarias and Alona Berri) that we returned to. The staff was great and it was clearly a place that specialized in Jamon and Queso. We had a number of dishes here. The Tortilla was great. I ordered a brocheta de moruno which was basically their rendition of the traditional pinchos morunos consisting of grilled pork seasoned with moorish spices. This version included two skewers of pork loin and pork belly and was greatness. The bartender gave us a smapling of cheese out of the blue and it was (I believe) a manchego, but the best I have ever tasted. Locals were continually coming in and buying cheese and meats to go as if the place was a deli. This is another must go. Gambara (San Jeronimo) -- This place was great with a display up there with Alona Berri. We had a raccion of Gambas al Ajillo (shrimp in garlic) and it was perfect. It reinforced the fact that shrimp in Spain are different (briney) compared to gulf shrimp in the U.S. This brine flavor worked perfectly with the oil and garlic in the dish. I should also note that this place had a friendly staff that was constantly joking. (coming up --- Arzak and San Sebastian)

First, a little housekeeping: Never let your wife read your posts. After laughing for 30 minutes, she pointed out all of the numerous spelling issues with my posts. Her favorite was "waitor." Hopefully, no one else is offended since I do not spend a lot of time proof reading and try to focus on writing something informative. I also got beat up about her dislike of shrimp. She would like it noted that she doesn't hate shrimp as I posted above. Note, she did not object to the statement that she hates lobster. Back to what matters, San Sebastian. We spent three days here based out of the Hotel Maria Cristina which is just on the outside of the Parte Vieja and across the river from the Gros neighborhood. The Hotel provided a great map of the bars in Parte Vieja. We spent two lunches and two dinners making the rounds of the bars. We mostly focused on the Parte Vieja area, but did make two trips into Gros. We visited a couple of places in Gros, but the one worth mentioning is everyone's favorite, Alona Berri (Calle Bermingham 24). There are numerous blogs and discussions on egullet about this place, but let me give you my thoughts. First, let me state, start with a more traditional bar in Parte Vieja first before coming here. The reason being, the presentation and flavors here are so advanced, it is nice to have a more traditional experience to compare it to. Also, the beauty of the dishes here are the ultimate pintxos experience. You don't want to start at the top. The staff at this bar was extremely friendly and continually encouraged us to have certain dishes. Our first lunch there, they encouraged us to start with one of the house specialties. I wish I could remember the full names of these two dishes as they were poetic. I am sure you can find them on the net if you look. The first was the dish with a shotglass, a chipporon (baby squid) body suspended over the shotglass with a skewer and a wafer like (but clear) cracker with various spices. The cracker was to be eaten first, followed by the squid, followed by the shot. It was a remarkably beautiful and fun dish. This was followed by one of the most beautiful dishes (presentation wise) of the whole trip which was the mullet/foie dish with the leak paper an various spices. You were to fold up the leak paper with the spices and eat it first followed by the rest of the dish in a second bite. Both of these two pintxos were incredible small dishes for under 4 euros a piece. We washed them down with txacoli or a good red wine and thoroughly enjoyed them. I would only note that while things were beatiful with these two dishes, there may be too much going on. They were incredibly fun to eat and astonishingly beautiful, but I am not sure that all of the flavors worked together. All of that said, you definitely need to try them and form your own opinion. We had numerous other pintxos here, and found that some of their preparations of simple items were the best in town. My wife had a tostada with brie cheese, jam and fresh strawberries which she is still raving about. I tried their version of Toritalla Espanola and found it to be perfect even thought it looked much more like a French omelet that a Spanish Tortilla. We also had various crab dishes, beef cheeks, jamon and other items that were perfect. I would also note that one should definitely try the various spoons. All of which are layered with ingredients and complexity. I would rate this as an absolute must visit establishment. Here are a few other photos. There are numerous other bars in the Gros area and we sampled a couple of others, but spent most of the rest of our time in Parte Vieja.

Madrid (cont.) That night we did the tourist thing and went to a Flamenco performance at Corral de la Morreria. We had dinner here and it was decent. The show was fantastic, and I would recommend it to anyone. The food was actually quite good, but overly expensive due to the show. It is somewhat traditional fare with the main course tending to be some form of roasted meat (cochinillo, cabrito, cordero etc.). The next day for lunch and dinner, we did tapas. We went to numerous places. At lunch, we actually stumbled into a cava (or cave) on the west side of the Plaza Mayor (Calle San Miguel). Here we ordered tortilla, jamon iberico and pimientos de padron -- these are addictive and were quite good as we had them at several places. We also had some croquetas de jamon, which were also quite good. All of this food could be obtained at any bar in town, but the cava was an interesting environment in an ancient feeling set of rooms. We liked it so much we came back that evening (at the suggestion of our server) as they had a singer and keyboard player (while overly cheesy, it was a blast and a great memory from the trip). At night we had more pimientos de padron and did not regret it. Here is a photo of the plates. That night we went to a number of bars for tapas. Out of the places we went, I would recommend two. Casa Albert (Huerta 13) was great. We had traditional tapas with our drinks and the staff was very friendly. However the place shined due to an order of a raccion of albondigas (meatballs). They were fantastic and a great example of how good some of the traditional tapas can be. I should note that in Madrid, as in Salamanca, the price of your drink included a tapa, which was displayed on the bar. Then there was always a menu of racciones which are plates of food more substantial than a tapa, but still a small plate of food. The racciones cost extra, but were typically priced cheaply except for the jamon products. This is a different model than in San Sebastian which will be discussed later. La Taberna de Antonio Sanchez (Meson de Peredes 13). While I cannot comment to much on the food here, the atmosphere is fantastic. It is an old bullfighting hangout with much memorabillia. When we got there, there were no other patrons (which may be a sign of decline), but the place was a real throw back and looked like it could be a great place when active. Next - San Sebastian (Pintxos, Arzak and Mugaritz)

Madrid (cont.) We had only one set of reservations for lunch for our three days. The ideas were to have tapas/ or find lunches the other days. In fact, we arrived in Madrid on our first day and, based on the suggestion of our hotel staff, we wandered down to an area to the southwest of the Plaza Mayor where two streets (Alta Cava and Baja Cava) contained numerous small restaurants and bars. While I am sure it does not make any of the high culinary lists, we randomly selected a very small place on Baja Cava called La Turuleta where we had a great plate of Jamon Iberico and traditional Madrilleno fare of fired eggs and Chistoso (a great cured Spanish sausage). All of this was washed down with a good rioja and it made for a great lunch in Madrid. I would recommend this place for lunch if you are looking for a cozy place with simlple traditional fare. Its address is listed as Almendro 25 (91 364 26 66). Again, nothing fancy, but, as we found most places, good food. As noted earlier, dinner on this night was at El Gran Barril. The next day, we had lunch reservations at La Bola which had a great traditional atmosphere and was clearly a local favorite as it filled up quickly with Spanish families having lunch. Obviously, we picked this place to try the traditional Cocido Madrilleno and it was visited by Batali and Bittman on the PBS Show. I emailed La Bola weeks in advance of our trip and received a warm email confiming our reservation. When we arrived, the host had our reservation down and quickly found it due to my Spanish accent/language dissabilities. As in most places in Spain at this time of year, there were not many tourists. While everyone appreciated my attempts to speak Spanish, my accent and skills always immediately made it clear that we were tourists. However, I will note that it seems that attempts to use the Spanish language were greatly appreciated. We ordred three Cocidos (one for each of us and a good bottle of Marques de Riscal). Very quickly a tray of peppers, onions and a mild red sauce was brought, followed by three clay jugs. The server asked us to place our servilletas (napkins) over our shirts and he poured broth out of the jugs into a bowl of fine noodles. The result was a simple brothy noodle soup, with a great hint of chorizo flavor and color due to the chorizo in the jug. When the guandillas peppers and raw onion was added to bites of the soup, it was quite good. This was followed by a dumping out of the rest of the jugs with chickpeas as the main focus of the dish, but there was chorizo, beef, chicken, pork belly and a wide variety of homely cuts of meat (all of which were so tender they were falling apart). All in all, this was a great meal of a very traditional dish. The staff was friendly, and insisted that we have some desert. We tried the bunelo with apple and a small sorbet of lemon with cava. Both were great. This was a great cultural experience and not too expensive (each cocido at 19 euros). If you want to try this traditional dish, I would highly recommend La Bola. Here is the noodles and broth (my picture of the acutal meat did not turn out well).

I think I have sort of figured this out. Here are the cigalas at El Gran Barril. And here are the percebes.

Our first night in Madrid followed a Novillada Picadilla at the Plaza de Toros. We did not have reservations anywhere and the Hotel noted that as it was a Sunday night, many places were closed. As we were staying in the Salamanca neighborhood, they recomended El Gran Barril for some good seafood. While I had given them a list of the more noted establishments, most of which were closed, we agreed to reservations at El Gran Barril and headed off for dinner. We started the meal of with Gambas a la plancha which were great. The smaller shrimp were brinnier and less sweet than what we are used to in the states, but the flavor and freshness of the shrimp was uncomparrable to what we are used to seeing here. In addition, I asked for an order of percebes (barnacles). Again, this was a move to try traditional foods and, unlike the Hake throats, I found this to be one of the great food products I have ever had. After working with the waitor to figure out how to break them apart and expose the flesh, I was surprised by how mild, but flavorful they were. They were the equivalent of the best fresh clams I have ever eaten, but better in both texture and natural flavor. The percebes were merely steamed with no other flavoring -- they did not need it. We followed these entrantes with a cigala for each of us. As noted, I loved the one I had in Salamanca and decided to splurge so that all of us could have one. As the seafood at Barril is chared by 100 grams, the waitor brought me a total weight to make sure I still wanted them. While the price was steep, we ordered them and they were prepared al la plancha. Three plates, each with a huge cigala arrived shortly after. Seasoned with a slight pinch of salt and lemon juice, they were simply awesome. My wife who hates lobster and shrimp, loved them. I simply note that this was some of the best seafood I have ever had. I have pictures of the cigalas and percebes in the front case at Barril and will try to figure out how to post them. Main courses consisted of broiled Hake for my wife and mom -- they thought it was very good, and chipporones al la plancha for me. The squid was good. Very fresh, but perhaps lacked a little seasoning. While El Gran Barril is not necessarily on the top 5 list, the product provided was superb. It was all simple and fresh -- and quite expensive, but we had a great time with a friendly and helpful staff. Next, Madrid Tapas and Cocido . . .

First, I want to thank this board for the great insight that I was able to gain prior to our recent trip to Spain (March 26-April 5). This board helped plan dinners and tapas (pintxos) in Madrid and San Sebastian. In return, I registered as a member so that I can provide my thoughts and perhaps additional suggestions. We spent our first two days in Salamanca. I studied here in 1995 and wanted to return with my wife and mother. Salamanca is a great town and actually provided some of the most memorable moments from the trip. We staid at Hotel Rector and I cannot reccomend it enough. It was great -- particularly great for foodies because the management walked us through various tapas options that were clearly neighborhood favorites and off the beaten path. Of course the main old town is small so it was easy to walk to all places that we wanted to go. I am not sure how interested the Board is in Salamanca so I will keep this brief. We started our trip with a visit to a bar on the Plaza Mayor for tapas. Cervantes is a bar that tends to serve the university contingent in town and we had great, simple but traditional tapas with our drinks. In Salamanca it was clear that a drink order included your choice of tapa or pincho (as some places called them). Thus, an order for a glass of wine would include a tapa of tortilla, calamares, or other item. If you wanted a raccion of more substantial food, it costs extra. Tapas were followed by a very traditional but great dinner at Casa Paca. Started off with a plate of Jamon Iberico that happened to be the best of many had on the trip. Followed that with traditional entrantes included pimentos rellenos, artichokes and ham and cigalas. This started my obsession with cigalas on this trip. While I have heard them referred to as langostines or scampi, they are by my thoughts larger. The cigalas at Casa Paca were fantastic (more about cigalas from my Madrid report). Casa Paca main courses were cochinillo (suckling pig), Cabrito (goat) and Hake Cheeks in green sauce. I must admit, that the last dish was my order and I wanted to try it after watching Arzak make them on the PBS show On the Road Again. While I am glad I tried the dish due to its traditional nature, and while the flavors were bold and delicious, I must say the texture took some getting used to. The fish skin caused the dish to be quite gelatinous. We found Casa Paca to be a great traditional Spanish restaurant, and returned the next evening for great tapas at their tapas bar. The next evening, after having tapas at Casa Paca, we followed the reccomendation of the Hotel and went to three other local tapas bars in various neighborhoods. All of which were great and were certainly local spots as we saw no one other than locals in any of the bars. I am more than happy to name the bars if anyone is interested. Next up, Madrid . . . .