Cerveza, Cargols i Covid - a summer in Catalonia

[Duvel]

12 minutes ago, Anna N said:

Very nice. I had to look up your coffee drink. 

Thanks! I had referenced it here (with a little personal anecdote) 😊

[Anna N]

6 minutes ago, Duvel said:

Thanks! I had referenced it here (with a little personal anecdote) 😊

Ah yes. I did read that but it went straight over my head at the time! 

[Duvel]

1 minute ago, Anna N said:

Ah yes. I did read that but it went straight over my head at the time! 

That’s the effect that a couple of those usually have on me 😉

[blue_dolphin]

I’m ever so impressed with your FIL's endeavor @Duvel! It seems very different from textiles but I guess success is always about knowing how to please your customers!  
Also very impressed with the quality and quantity of those meals for 17,00€ With everything included. Did you receive family perks or are they always that generous?  

Finally, you describe it as a camping site.  Here in the US, I tend to think of camping sites as places where the clientele provide their own housing in the form of tents or vehicles of various types equipped for sleeping, cooking, etc. Does this sort of self catering exist at your in-law’s establishment or is it mostly rental of units like the charming cabin you showed?

Thanks for taking us along!

[liuzhou]

15 hours ago, Duvel said:

Todays offers included:

 

That menu brought tears to my eyes and left me drooling! I want everything. Now!

 

And so cheap!

I've copied your picture to my computer just in case I ever get any masochistic urges in the future!
 

Edited August 23, 2021 by liuzhou (log)

[Duvel]

9 hours ago, blue_dolphin said:

Also very impressed with the quality and quantity of those meals for 17,00€ With everything included. Did you receive family perks or are they always that generous?  

No family perks, just maybe a faster service 😉

 

9 hours ago, blue_dolphin said:

Here in the US, I tend to think of camping sites as places where the clientele provide their own housing in the form of tents or vehicles of various types equipped for sleeping, cooking, etc. Does this sort of self catering exist at your in-law’s establishment or is it mostly rental of units like the charming cabin you showed?

Normally, you show up with your camper or with just a tent. Toilets, showers, a swimming pool, self-catering kitchens, waste management, utilities are provided for and can be used. You can rent a cabin like the one we got (there are only a handful) if you prefer a more luxurious stay. The adjacent restaurant is an option for those with limited cooking equipment or skills …

Edited August 23, 2021 by Duvel (log)

[Duvel]

A lazy day unfolded …

 

I was requested by my FIL to take it easy on the breakfast, because “we will have a nice lunch in the next town. You will like it.” - and who am I to spoil my day ?!

 

A simple bocadillo: baguette, rubbed with tomato, olive oil and salt, with a fresh simple omelette and bacon. Together with a cortado.

 

 

My FILs breakfast consisted of a glass of red wine (although I suspected that he had other stuff before we finally got up at 10.00h 😉).

 

 

 

[liuzhou]

12 minutes ago, Duvel said:

My FILs breakfast consisted of a glass of red wine

 

My sort of breakfast! Or a G&T.

[Shelby]

2 hours ago, Duvel said:

A lazy day unfolded …

 

I was requested by my FIL to take it easy on the breakfast, because “we will have a nice lunch in the next town. You will like it.” - and who am I to spoil my day ?!

 

A simple bocadillo: baguette, rubbed with tomato, olive oil and salt, with a fresh simple omelette and bacon. Together with a cortado.

 

 

My FILs breakfast consisted of a glass of red wine (although I suspected that he had other stuff before we finally got up at 10.00h 😉).

 

 

 

Man, I knew I liked your family, but now I know I'd fit right in!!!!  My kinda guy!

[weinoo]

Hey @Duvel, how do you find the breads in Spain (or at least the part of Spain you're currently in) as compared to home?

 

I'd always kind of found them to be much more of a supporting player for the other goodies, rather than the star as a baguette might be in France, or a perfect rye might be in Germany.

[Porthos]

 

@Duvel I am appreciating your travel blog more that words can express. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I am also loving that your shortest one already likes lamb so much.

 

The KOA campgrounds chain here in the US offers both simple cabins that provide beds but no other inside amenities, and cabins with full amenities, as well as tent camping and RV camping spaces. My sister and her husband quite liked to use the basic cabins when they traveled. We've never tried them but then we've never done a lot of car-trip traveling; retirement will be changing that.

[farcego]

Terrific thread @Duvel

I am also back recently to Spain (to the Cantabric coast), and i can see a few things in common, like going for snails, , cured meats, local beans (I still need to get my local bottle of Spinaler sauce ), well, a kind of stuff one can always enjoy when being around... Nice weather, family, holidays, and fine foods... what else?

Keep updating here, please, I also liked a lot some of "the little one" pics, always eating, probably well educated on fine foods since earlier by his dad 😜

[Duvel]

For lunch, we went to the neighboring town of Adahuesca. Please keep in mind - this is the middle of nowhere: both Alquezar and Adahuesca have leas than 200 inhabitants.

 

 

Arriving in the middle of the siesta at 14.00h, the town was dead. We walked from the place where I felt less worried to leave my car to a nondescript courtyard.

 

 

The restaurant was run by a group of ladies (most likely all younger than me). Our waitress was charming and probably 9 month pregnant. She knew my FIL and while providing the menu she asked whether she should bring 4 or 5 degustation menus. He answered 4, as my MIL “wasn’t that hungry”. Little one was delighted that he got his own menu 😉

 

 

Starters: Melon soup. A sandwich from fried squid with allioli on squid ink bread. A mussels croquette. An ensphered gazpacho. Someone was happy !

 

 

A loaf of bread appeared, still warm from the oven.

 

 

Next was octopus, mixed with raw apple, celery and a mayonnaise infused with piementon de la vera, smoked paprika. Very good …

 

 

The best dish of the whole lunch was this: apple slices, braised in duck stock and layered with duck confit. Incredibly flavorful.

 

 

For the main course we chose four different dishes and circulated …

 

Lamb meatballs (ultra juicy and intense)

 

 

Braised oxtail (in a red wine reduction).

 

 

Braised pork cheek with mushrooms.

 

 

Grilled secreto de iberico with local goat cheese (we’ll come back to the latter tomorrow).

 

 

We were all full, but there were a few desserts …

 

Chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream

 

 

Peanut brittle cheese cake

 

 

A kind of caramel creme …

 

 

Just a coffee today (as I had to drive), but I guess you know how that looks …

 

A fantastic meal in an unexpected place. I hope they’ll stay in business for a long time 😌 !

 

 

[Duvel]

7 hours ago, weinoo said:

Hey @Duvel, how do you find the breads in Spain (or at least the part of Spain you're currently in) as compared to home?

 

I'd always kind of found them to be much more of a supporting player for the other goodies, rather than the star as a baguette might be in France, or a perfect rye might be in Germany.

I think that Spain had a quite diverse range of baked goods (and the corresponding traditions). As for the everyday bread I tend to agree with your observation: I find it less standing out (as for example a good loaf of sourdough rye would) and more of a team player with the other dishes being served. That being said - Infind even a not that outstanding piece of baguette derivative does a fantastic job as a carrier for Spanish cheeses and charcuterie, if toasted, rubbed with tomato & possibly garlic and doused with olive oil and salt …

 

[rotuts]

@Duvel 

 

many thanks again

 

was pleased too see

 

TLO enjoying 

 

??  molecular  ///

 

outstanding g

 

as Im sure the food is

 

and thanks for the Munu

 

this on was in Spanish ? as the last one or so ?

 

ie I can read it

 

does Catalan keep itself

 

closer to Barcelona ?

[KennethT]

41 minutes ago, Duvel said:

For lunch, we went to the neighboring town of Adahuesca. Please keep in mind - this is the middle of nowhere: both Alquezar and Adahuesca have leas than 200 inhabitants.

 

 

Arriving in the middle of the siesta at 14.00h, the town was dead. We walked from the place where I felt less worried to leave my car to a nondescript courtyard.

 

 

The restaurant was run by a group of ladies (most likely all younger than me). Our waitress was charming and probably 9 month pregnant. She knew my FIL and while providing the menu she asked whether she should bring 4 or 5 degustation menus. He answered 4, as my MIL “wasn’t that hungry”. Little one was delighted that he got his own menu 😉

 

 

Starters: Melon soup. A sandwich from fried squid with allioli on squid ink bread. A mussels croquette. An ensphered gazpacho. Someone was happy !

 

 

A loaf of bread appeared, still warm from the oven.

 

 

Next was octopus, mixed with raw apple, celery and a mayonnaise infused with piementon de la vera, smoked paprika. Very good …

 

 

The best dish of the whole lunch was this: apple slices, braised in duck stock and layered with duck confit. Incredibly flavorful.

 

 

For the main course we chose four different dishes and circulated …

 

Lamb meatballs (ultra juicy and intense)

 

 

Braised oxtail (in a red wine reduction).

 

 

Braised pork cheek with mushrooms.

 

 

Grilled secreto de iberico with local goat cheese (we’ll come back to the latter tomorrow).

 

 

We were all full, but there were a few desserts …

 

Chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream

 

 

Peanut brittle cheese cake

 

 

A kind of caramel creme …

 

 

Just a coffee today (as I had to drive), but I guess you know how that looks …

 

A fantastic meal in an unexpected place. I hope they’ll stay in business for a long time 😌 !

 

 

If that type of lunch is typical, no wonder everyone needs a siesta aftwards!!!  ha!

[Duvel]

14 hours ago, rotuts said:

 

this on was in Spanish ? as the last one or so ?

 

ie I can read it

 

does Catalan keep itself

 

closer to Barcelona ?

Yes, they were both in Spanish. We are now in Aragòn, a bit west of Catalonia …