Food and Statues in Spain - Famous Phrases From What Cervantes Said About Food

 

My husband and I visited the north of sunny Spain in July 2024 and our circular tour ended at the port of Bilbao (home of the Guggenheim museum). Our route took us via Valladoid, the city which was our last night before reaching Bilbao for the ferry back to Britain. 

The hotel Imperial had a nine plus rating from Booking.com  The chatty man on reception gives you a map and circles the places you can see by walking. So we set off for a one hour walk, first down the alley to the main square. 

Then down the road to see the magnificent giant old buildings and museums and statues. 

Angela Lansbury by the statue of Cervantes, author of Don Quixote, in Valladolid, northern Spain. Photo by Trevor Sharot Copyright.

We could not see the museums, which were closed Sunday evening and all day Monday and I had waned to see something connected with Cervantes, author of Don Quixote, pronounced key hoh, tay) source of the English adjective quixotic, Spain's renowned author, known worldwide. I was initially disappointed that the building connected with him was closed.

However, I was delighted to get a picture of the statue of Cervantes, author of Don Quixote. Cervantes was he source of he well known often quoted proverb:

The proof of the pudding is in the eating.

The proof in this context means the test, to prove its value. Nowadays we use proof o mean the good result of a est, the evidence, or the certification. The word test would make more sense to a modern reader, especially children and those who speak English as a second language. Although the word proof is not used like this nowadays, we quote in the old language because proof of the pudding is alliterative. It sounds better and is more memorable.

 In AZ quotes I found what Cervantes said about food:

There is no sauce in the world like hunger.

All sorrows are less with bread.

It is a true saying that a man must eat a peck (pack) of salt with a friend before he knows him.

A peck is a term hardly known and used by the public in English nowadays. A peck, was, and is, a technical term, not a pinch but a large amount. So I have added a similar word translated into English to convey clarity of the large size.

After taking this photo of Cervantes, we went to a Tapas bar, which I have described on this blog on travel, and on my more focused blog on wineanddinewith Angela. 

Please share with friends, family and colleagues, links to your favourite blog posts.

Italian Almond Crumb Cake - Sbrisolona & Sweet Food Festival

 Almond crumb cake comes from Mantua, also called Mantova, in the Lombardy region of Italy. 

Sbrisolona. Photo from Wikipedia.

The city has had a Sbrisolona festival. The second one was Oct 13-15 in 2023. The net one is 18-20 Oct 2024.

Festival of Sbrisolona, Mantua, Italy. Photo by Franzk in Wikipedia.

The distinctive features of this almond cake are that it is crumbly and it is made with orange instead of lemon zest.

Italian Almond Tart Sbrisolona

https://www.bing.com/search?q=ialian+almond+tart&pc=GD03&form=GDAVG1&ptag=7301&showconv=1

Please follow my blog and save and share links to your favourite posts.

Almond Cakes Around Europe - England, France, Spain & Portugal

Spanish Almond Tart

 In Spain we had almond cake for evening dinner dessert, at the Parador de Fuent De in the Picos de Europa (European Peaks) in the north of Spain.  I loved the almond filling. The same item appeared again at breakfast.

French Almond Tart

Just across the border is France. The French call their marzipan tart frangipane.

Another Spanish Almond Tart

We travelled west through northern Spain to Santiago de Compostelo, the city whose cathedral is the end of a hiking pilgrimage. The city's classic dish is the Tarta De Santiago.

We crossed the border to Spain, off to Oporto and the port wine region of the Douro.

Portuguese Almond Tart (Tarte de amendoa)

As we travelled onwards, west into Portugal I had a pleasant surprise. My favourite almond tart appeared again.

English Almond Tarts

Back in London, England, I noticed Bakewell tart or almond tart in Tesco Express. We once stopped in Bakewell to try tart from a shop claiming to be the original site of the recipe. But their tart seemed to me no better nor different than others I had tried. I was quite happy with locally bought Bakewell tart down south in London.

Bakewell tart picture by Brynn in Wikipedia under Bakewell Tart. Notice the red fruit jam (Americans say jelly) on the pastry base of the tart. Flaked almonds and icing sugar (Americans say powdered sugar) on the top of the tart.

Costa's Almonds

Across the road, in Costa in Hatch End, I was able to indulge myself in part of a slice of almond cake, shared with my husband. Costa is Italian. 

Costa Exterior with pavement seating for summer. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright. 

Costa interior with indoor seating in the light by the window. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Almond bake on display (lower center) at Costa in Hatch End, London. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

It is very fattening. All that almond cake in Spain had fattened me up. After all that cake and hotel and restaurant meals in Spain and Portugal I needed to go on a diet. But, who can resist cake. 

I ate a third.

Almond tart, divided, in Costa. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

Tesco Almond Cake

Tesco in London also had croissants, hot every morning, with almond fillings. (We also saw these in Singapore last year, 2023). I looked up the calorie count for almond filled croissants and was horrified.

Today I went online looking for recipes and found a few. Almond cake or rather tart, seems more easy to make than cheesecake.

You have a shortcrust pastry base. You can buy this from the supermarkets in rolls unbaked and roll it out. Then three equal amounts, 180 grams, of ground almonds which American call almond flour), granulated sugar, and butter. Add three eggs. 

Either mix the eggs and sugar, then the almonds, or mix the dry sugar and almonds, then add the eggs.

You may have to pre-cook the base so it doesn't go soggy

How high and long do you cook it?  170 degrees for 45 minutes.

Optional extras are lemon juice and/or cinnamon.

On top you can put almond flakes (also called sliced almonds), or confectioners' sugar (icing sugar(, or raspberries. If you think fruit is healthier than sugar this would be a good idea. Adding flour is optional, and some recipes without it or tars without it are promoted as gluten free. Almond essence is added by some books to enhance the almond flavour.

Another variation is individual cupcakes with white icing on top and a cherry in the middle, recently revived from an old recipe book promoted as Gloucester tarts which were given away free at the city's museums as a promotion. The distinctive ingredients were ground rice and raspberry jam.

Gloucester tart from Wikipedia.

Gloucester is a cathedral city in southwest England on the way to Wales, near Monmouth. 

I must admit I was familiar with this kind of cake or tart. I remember clearly trying both this one which was cheaper and an almond tart I decided that the almonds were lost under the sugar icing, which seemed to me a way of giving you a layer of sugar without almonds, which looked pretty. An economy for mass production. But for pure almond taste, I preferred an almond cake.

I am now thinking of making an almond tart at home, with and without the almond essence. I shall read the label to check if it is really intensified flavour from real or roasted almonds, or a chemical. But since I am already over-indulging in the delights of a tart made by mixing sugar with almonds, admittedly with added egg. maybe I should be less prim and proper and just enjoy.

Please save and share links to your favourite posts.

Useful Websites

The Shop and Cafe in Bakewell, Derbyshire, Peak District, England

https://www.bakewelltarts.co.uk/

English Almond Tart Recipe - Waitrose supermarket video on making Bakewell Tart

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R8V_yooAEc

Spanish Almond Tart Recipe

https://www.carolinescooking.com/tarta-de-santiago/

Portuguese Almond Tart Recipe Video

https://honestcooking.com/tarte-de-amendoa-portuguese-almond-tart-recipe/

Italian Almond Tart Sbrisolona

https://www.bing.com/search?q=ialian+almond+tart&pc=GD03&form=GDAVG1&ptag=7301&showconv=1

French Frangipane Almond Tart

https://thecafesucrefarine.com/ridiculously-easy-french-almond-frangipane-tart/

See my next post on Italian almond cake.

Please follow my bog and save and share links to your favourite posts.

Veera Restaurant - South Indian Restaurant in Hatch End - Very New, Very Good

Angela Lansbury in Indian outfit outside newly opened Veera by Sarasas Indian restaurant. Photo by Trevor Sharot.
 

The name Veera means older brother in two Indian languages as well as being from the Sanskrit brave. The owners have two other successful restaurants in Hayes and Ruislip. The new restaurant in Hatch End was designed by the family. While it's new, they will be overseeing the Hatch End branch. But they keep an eye on the quality of service with video so they can spot if customers are looking for attention. I think this is wonderful.  The family were busy checking up looking after us when we had a meal there on the first day.

Now, what about the decor and food.\

Delightful Decor

First the decor. We popped in to look at the menu at lunch time and were delighted. Of course it was all new.  A choice of seating, upright dining chairs or banquettes against the walls. One circular table. A bank of three behind a barrier which cuts it off from the bar. The circular table is opposite the kitchen window, so might be noisy they warned up. There was background music, good for us as we had a three year old and did not want to risk disturbing others.

The decor is delightful. Unusual light fittings. The toilets have an imitation leaves of the roof.

Amusing. Restful. Different.

I also liked the playing card motifs indicating men and women on he toilet doors.

Food Prices and Choices

The dearest items were the mixed grill at 27 pounds and the tandoori salmon at 17.

Mixed grill. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

The chicken biriani was 15. Biriani comes at four prices depending on ingredients. Vegetarians can choose vegetarian options at lower prices. 

The most dramatic dish, ordered by others at the next table, was the conical dosai. Amusing and amazing. 

Conical dosai at Veera Restaurant, Hatch End. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

The peshwari naan contained coconut. Six pounds.

The desserts we tried were two kinds of kulfi (Indian ice cream). 

Kulfi in two flavours. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

Drinks

The Lunetta Prosecco was a small 20c  bottle, enough for two of us to have a glass.  I had mango lassi at six pounds. Service charge was more than 10 percent. 

We had some leftover food and they provided lidded boxes for us to select our take away. 

The owner escorted us to the door and made sure we had a sample of the digestive seeds in the decorative bicycle.

Counter top model of a bicycle containing seeds. Veera restaurant by Sarasas. Hatch End. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

If the website prices are up to date, you can get the same or similar food and drink at their other branches at lower prices.

Useful Information

Veera Restaurant

322-324 Uxbridge Road, Hatch End, Harrow HA5 4HR

 For their branches in Ruislip and Hayes, see

http://sarasasrestaurant.com/

Please share links to your favourite posts.

Perfect and Vital Photos of Holiday Resorts, Business, family, friends, clubs

A welcome sign can be used to open a slide show or blog.
 

You can take photos on travels, whether on business or holiday, either for a purpose or as a backup.

These are the photos I take

IN ADVANCE - TICKETS & LUGGAGE & PEOPLE

If you forget, take luggage in transit or as you check-in at an airport.

Suitcases showing colour, style (hard side), size and brand, for identification in case of loss. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

1 TICKETS

Tickets and reservations. They may be on the internet but the internet could go down. They may be on my phone but the phone might need charging or not get a connection to show them.

The hotel, plane, or tour or restaurant might not recognize you. Your reservation letter would reveal that you are at the wrong branch of a Holiday Inn. Of an Asian hotel has listed your first name as a family name. 

2 BAGS

Photos of luggage. In case I need to search, send others to search at baggage claim, or fill out a form. If you lose luggage they ask the colour and brand. If you have eight items it is hard to remember, and if there is a query, or language problem, you can show a picture.

3 PEOPLE

Photos of your companions are useful. Lose your husband at an airport or meeting. In a large shop? Lose a child? Show the photo to an official or bystander.

DESTINATION

4 Destination photos. PLACES. 

First I take my hotel. If I get lost, I can show the picture to a local person. Even if I can't speak the language, or the cannot understand my accent, they can lead me to the end of he road and point to my nearby, yet seemingly elusive hotel.

Hotel Imperial, Valladolid. Spain. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

5 PEOPLE

Photos of people on business, or friends. Take a photo to add to your contacts. If you have six people called Marie, or Patel, or Ali, you will be able to identify the person who you promised to send the photos of the three of you at an event.

6 FOOD & DRINK

Photos of wine bottles, labelled food at a buffet, so you can ask for it in a local supermarket to take home as a souvenir or gift.

7 Photos of yourself. For a passport photo or visa or ski lift pass. Or in action to show your credentials as an expert, as a chef, of speaker, on a TV show, with the book you are selling.

8 YOUR FAVOURITES AT HOME

Photos of books or goods or restaurants you want to sell of recommend.  If you live in a well known place such as New York or Rome, you might meet somebody who says they are going there, so can you recommend a restaurant or hotel. Take your favourite hotel or restaurant or museum photo just before you go, so you can show it, and WhatsApp it to the person who asks you.

9 LOCATION NAMES

A name, phone, signpost, welcome design of each city or hotel. This helps you to identify cities, landmarks, churches, temples, people, hotels, every picture taken on holiday. Date each picture in the caption, with the country. It's obvious at the time. Three years later, it won't be.

10 WEDDINGS

Weddings. Photograph the invitation showing the names of the bride and groom, and their parents. Then the main people at the top table. Add those at the table where you sat. Any person you spoke to. 

Record the name of the caterer or photographer, if you wish to do business with them later. The official photographer might take only those at the top table. Ignoring your family, your best friend, or Auntie Sally from overseas who dies so you have no happy photo of her for the obituary because nobody else took a photo of an old lady, only of the teenagers dancing.

11 VIP Conference Speakers

 At a conference, photograph the speakers, people you meet, those given awards. A video of a speech if its brief and not using up too much of your camera or phone memory. Sometimes people are very grateful to have a record.

Remember to get your own speech recorded. And a photo of yourself being presented with an award. This is handy in years to come, including an end of year party for a slide show of members, or a celebration of a hotel or restaurant or club at the end of the first year or after ten years or twenty.

Birthday picture of Angela. If a photo is blurred, it can later be edited. Some software programmes which you can buy or get free will do this. I was offered a sharpening of photo service on one of the websites like ancestry com and 23 and me. In Jul 2024 my Samsung Galaxy phone started offering to save photos in higher resolution, which would take up more space on the phone because of increasing pixels if you did it for lots of photos. An alternative is to save special photos in the cloud or on a remote disc, on another phone, on another family member's phone. Or take more photos, checking which are blurred and saving the better ones.

A birthday or anniversary picture can be used to send to family overseas, or a montage of pictures for an anniversary, a screen covered by photos, the birthday of an 80 year old or somebody reaching 100 years old. A happy picture can also lift your spirits at a funeral.

12 DRAMAS

Accidents and dramas. Your photo could help with an insurance claim.

13 LANGUAGE

Learning languages is aided by photos of signs, menus, even laundry lists.

VIDEOS

You can also take a video of your walk from a hotel to a nearby shop or railway station. Then reverse it to find your way back, or to tell another family member or business associate or club member where to find you and the venue

PHOTO TIPS

Photograph food from displays, but not through glass.

Photograph yourself smiling. Unsmiling for passport photos. 

Without glasses and hats which obscure eyes. 

Cut or pin back fringes covering eyes for passport photos.

Unfold arms to look more welcoming for PR for yourself or a company. People think folded arms look more important. No. It just looks like you don't want to get involved with others. Or you have something to hide. Norwegians are serious people. The USA, UK and Europe go for the friendly smile.

Please save and share links to your favourite posts.

Holiday-makers' Hoarding - Is it like imposter syndrome, because we're never good enough?

Fridge magnets. Two from Konyaalti beaches in Turkey. A pair from Korea. Albania. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

What is haording? Collecting random things you don't need? Cluttering the house with items not used and not classified. Having so much you cannot find anything and keep buying more? Collecting anything and everything? Being afraid to throw things away? Keeping tow of everything?

Seeking Souvenirs and Savings - the cause?

Hoarding clothes and souvenirs - selling souvenirs and clothes is big business. Garages no longer hold cars. They keep clutter which has overflowed from the house. 

If we keep buying clothes and souvenirs, what makes us do it? Maybe bargain hunting is an obsession which comes from a father or mother or spouse who said 'you are spending too much,' or, 'you are eating too much'. 

On holiday we indulge ourselves. We are away from prying eyes. We deserve the small souvenir, or big saving. It is harmless because it is a temporary thing. It is a now or never opportunity.

Bargain Hunting

You go on holiday and choose the cheapest item on the menu. You buy the cheapest goods and souvenirs. The cheapest tours. The walking tours. You picnic instead of trying local food.

What about, self-bullying syndrome, the bargain hunter, the mean buyer, depriving themselves on holiday? Which type are you? 

Racial & Cultural Stereotypes

The Chinese are sometimes like this. The Scots have a reputation for being mean. Mean all the time, to themselves more than to others.

It is nothing new. Dickens wrote about Scrooge not celebrating Christmas. The puritans tried to ban Christmas to stop over-indulgence, and divergence from religious messages to consumerism. The very word materialism is pejorative.

Hoarding

Hoarding New Clothes Stories

A good friend of mine told me that when his father died, my friend found boxes of brand new shirts - still in their boxes - which his father had never worn.

I found that my late uncle had a boxed computerized, musical instrument. I felt guilty because he had asked me how to use it and I said I didn't know. I was too busy (looking after my widowed father) to cross London to look at it. When I buy anything electronic or mechanical, I tend to delay opening the box and reading the instructions. I am afraid to break it, lose bits, feel silly at not understanding it.

Hoarding Unworn Clothes

I am guilty of the same thing as the shirt hoarder. I have smart clothes I won't wear in case they get stained. 

I have mother of the bride dresses, never worn. My only son married back in 2020. 

Contrast - One Smart Seasonal Outfit Warn Daily

I am the opposite of my friend across the road. She would throw out all her old clothes at the end of the season. She bought one very expensive outfit.

Buying The Best

She wore every day. So she always looked and felt her best.

Are you saving an outfit for an interview? For an event? For being in the media?

Waiting For the VIP Millionaire

Or for meeting a millionaire? Or your company's boss?

You might never meet the millionaire. Or you might meet him any day. Your company's boss is probably a millionaire. You might meet him, or her, at a large company meeting,, the annual dinner, or just in the lift.

Buying Bargains

I am the opposite. I have hundreds of cheap items. On holiday I am always looking for a bargain. something, some souvenir, cheaper than I can buy it at home. 

Some people ravel to buy wines, duty free. 

Save up for a rainy day. It has rained almost every day this year. But I am still saving up for a rainy day.

Surveys often tell us we hoard clothes we never wear, bags we never use, shoes we never wear. 

One widowed man told us he had saved all his late wife's herbs and not used them up. Unfortunately they had lost their flavour after a year or two. A waste. 

 I am not using my best umbrellas. I might spoil the spokes.

Everybody seems to look for the best value flight, however much money they have.

A very few people take the opposite attitude. They want only the best. The top brand. The Ferrari. The branded goods. Custom design. Whether or not they can afford it. Life is short. They want the best.

Please share links to your favourite posts.

Prescription Sunglasses and Prescription Goggles - would you need them on holiday or at home?

In Hatch End there are two opticians offering eye tests and spectacle frames and lenses. Hatch End Eyecare, and The Eyecare Studio. If you go further afield around London, to Watford or Harrow, you can find Specsavers, Boots and others. 

I come back back to Hatch End because I know the people and they have a good range of elegant and interesting spectacle frames which I will be wearing every day, so it's important for me to look right.

In Hatch End Eyecare earlier this year I bought a reasonably priced spectacle string holder.

Angela Lansbury wearing prescription varifocals which darken in sunlight. Photo by Trevor Sharot Copyright.

Later I popped into the other opticians and I am grateful to them for introducing me to the idea of sighted goggles.

The Eyecare Studio in Hatch End. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

I wear varifocal glasses. Why? So that I don't need o carry and pay for or lose two pairs of glasses. So I can turn from reading something to looking at my screen in a Zoom meeting To read the bus timetable and then look up at the approaching bus for the bus number.

Why wear the glasses all the time? Because if I take them off, I then have to get my eyes adjusted to wearing them again. 

You can get variable sunglasses which darken in bright sunlight so you don't have to carry or buy a second pair of prescription glasses.

You can also get prescription goggles.

You can buy goggles with the standard off the shelf magnifications like off the shelf reading glasses.

Why would you need this? To look at creatures on the sea bed, underwater. To read signs. to recognize friendly fish and fish foes.

Ask your regular optician who will probably have a leaflet and displays and sample goggles and glasses. And/ or look online.

The idea of prescription goggles is an interesting one. I knew about prescription sunglasses, but until this year I did not know about prescription goggles.

I read the leaflet from Maui Jim.

Maui Jim

Maui is an island in Hawaii. The eight horizontal lines on the flag represent the eight islands.

They are promoted as having anti glare, anti cancer, gold plating and many other advantages, along with a choice of colours and styles.

I looked in Wikipedia and learned more. In fact I felt quite skeptical, verging on suspicious, when I read their brochure.

Brochure Small Print Size

Firstly, I did not find their brochure reader-friendly. I was annoyed that it was in small print, when selling to people who need glasses. Is that to make you think you need glasses! I think it's just the usual way of economizing on paper. Reading online, where you can blow the print up to your preferred size, is easier than reading a printed brochure.

The Company History Revealed

However, when I went onto Wikipedia I felt much more knowledgeable about the company. I became increasingly positive towards the company, and their products.

The company is American. It started in Hawaii, hence the name. According to Wikipedia, it stared with a man selling sunglasses on the beaches of Hawaii. However, it is now third largest company in the world for sunglasses manufacture. Impressive. Successful growth. Major importance. A brand leader.

If money is not object, or health or comfort are your prime concern, these are a must.

Useful Websites

hatchendeyecare.com

www.mauijim.com

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maui_Jim

Please share links to your favourite posts.