Paella Mixta

 

Paella4

This past weekend my husband made a delicious paella mixta, complete with chorizo, chicken, shrimp, and even oysters from Bodega Bay Oyster Company. This was an all-day affair, which is to be expected, given the prep and the research he wanted to do about the best methods for making paella. He decided to cook it on the grill outside, over wood chips, which gave the it a delicious, smoky flavor. He earned major points with this endeavor!

I was inspired to share some video clips with you about the cooking process. A clear recipe for paella mixta can be found here. Keep in mind that everyone likes different ingredients, so it may take a few tries until you establish your “style.” I know that every Spanish family has their secret to the perfect paella. I especially like this video, which shows in detail the different steps taken to prep and cook the ingredients before combining everything in the pan for simmering.

Paella2

 

I also can’t resist sharing this video – just in case you want to know what cooking paella for 400 people looks like.

Finally, a post about paella is not complete without a mention of fideuà. I fell in love with fideuà while in Valencia. This pasta version of paella is, to me, the epitome of comfort food. I made some awhile back for a Spanish friend of ours, and he pronounced it proper…so, feeling confident in my skills at this point. Between my husband’s paella and my fideuà, we are covered.

One big piece of advice is to give yourself enough time for cooking. Make it an all-afternoon affair, complete with a bit of manchego and Albariño, and you’ll be a happy camper. Buen provecho.

Paella3

Nueva Edición: Buenas Noticias

Back by popular demand, I have a new edition of good news tidbits from around the Spanish-speaking world. Shall we begin?!

Noticias-en-el-iPad

If you’d like more, head over to my first good news post for more articles. Have a great weekend!

Cure Your Back-To-School Blues!

Happy back-to-school season. If you are anything like me, you are bidding a bittersweet “hasta luego” to sleeping in, lazy days by a (fill in the blank: pool, ocean, river, etc.), and warmer nights. But have no fear, your Spanish mix is here! I’ve compiled a list of ten songs that will help keep that summer sunset going in your mind. 🙂 Here they are:

Ana Tijoux ft. Shadia Mansour: “Somos Sur” – Beautiful song, beautiful message.

Julieta Venegas: “Limón y Sal” – The title itself will remind you of margaritas.

Enrique Iglesias: “Bailando” – Enrique just won’t quit, and this is a total summer 2015 anthem.

Camila: “Mientes” – Samo’s strong vocals make Camila one of my favorites.

CD9: “Ángel Cruel” – Boy band fans rejoice, this one is for you.

Enrique Iglesias ft. Marco Antonio Solís: “El Perdedor” – Perfect for crying over your breakup…or over the end of summer.

Prince Royce: “Darte un Beso” – He’s channeling some Hawaii here for sure.

La 5ª Estación: “Algo Más” – Natalia Jiménez can make any day better. Love, love, love her voice.

Luis Fonsi: “Corazón en la Maleta” – Good title for summer.

Juan Luis Guerra: “La Guagua” – I would love to be on this bus.

Wishing you a happy end of summer and beginning of fall.

Photo credit: http://fondos.wallpaperstock.net/

New video! – Inspirational Spanish Tip #1

Hi everyone – I’m thrilled to share my first video blog entry with you! These videos help to inspire those of you who are learning Spanish. I’ll provide you with tips and tricks that, no matter how you are learning Spanish, will help you to take learning into your own hands.

The topic for video #1? Talking to yourself! Check it out and let me know what you think in the comments below.

 

Cables, Waves, and Trails

Views along the Napali Coast, Kaua'i.
Views along the Napali Coast, Kaua’i.

I just got back from nearly one month of nonstop travel, and it feels good to be home! Today I ate lunch at one of my favorite falafel joints here in San Francisco. I have to say, it would have been tough to find Mediterranean food as good as today while I was in Costa Rica and Hawaii.

So, I am here to report that I reached my travel goals – ziplining in Costa Rica, surfing, and pushing myself physically on hikes in Kaua’i. First, the ziplining in Costa Rica:

The canopy tour was beautiful. My students and I zipped, rappelled, and balanced our way through the jungle. The first couple of jumps were very scary for me, and I just kept my eye on the platform ahead me….or far below me…by the end I was having fun. The last zipline was gorgeous and veeeeery loooong. I could hear the Pacuare River rushing below me. I also had the chance to take a surfing lesson in Costa Rica, and my instructor was great. I got up three times!

Hiking in Kaua’i was beautiful, difficult, and uplifting. The scenery is breathtaking, and at times it is as if you are stepping right out of a photo from the guidebook. On the island, “breathtaking” means hills, mountains, lots of scrambling, lots of sun, and – for us – lots of rain! We hiked four different trails, and two of those were in the pouring rain and mud. We had the gear, though, and figured it was better to get drenched than to be bored inside. The elevation and steep climbs were challenging. In all, we hiked twenty-four miles over eight days.

How is your own summer travel shaping up? I hope you have a moment to rest and rejuvenate this season.

Here are some shout-outs from my two trips!

-Costa Rica Explorations: Service learning trips in Costa Rica for students in Middle and High School. http://www.costaricaexplorations.org/

-Turrialba, Costa Rica: Where my students spent most of the time in Costa Rica. http://www.lonelyplanet.com/costa-rica/central-valley-and-highlands/turrialba

-Hacienda Tayutic: A working hacienda in the lush mountains of Costa Rica’s Turrialba region. http://www.ticotimes.net/2012/07/20/turrialba-s-treasure-hacienda-tayutic

-Holo Holo Boat Tours: Highly recommended for a sunset cruise of Kaua’i’s Napali Coast. https://www.holoholokauaiboattours.com/kauai_boat_tours/napali-sunset-sightsee-tour/?gclid=CNa02qub3sYCFZBcfgodzsgJYw

-Kauai Explorer: Updated hiking guide to Kaua’i. http://www.kauaiexplorer.com/hiking_kauai/

-Casa di Amici, my favorite meal in Kaua’i: http://www.10best.com/destinations/hawaii/kauai/poipu/restaurants/casa-di-amici/

-Anahola Cafe and Saimin Stand: Classic saimin and plate lunches, plus benefits a local nonprofit dedicated to projects on Hawaiian Home Lands. http://www.hawaiireporter.com/anahola-cafe-and-saimin-stand-a-big-hit

Metas y Sueños: Travel Goals and Dreams


 Bridge in Monteverde

NorthShoreKauai

Summer travel is just around the corner, and I have two trips coming up soon. I’ve never really had a travel bucket list, per se – nothing to the tune of “I will go bungee jumping over the Himalayas before I die.” However, I do see the importance of setting specific goals for myself while traveling. I like to plan ahead for trips a whole lot less than I did when I was in college and in my 20s. Now, sometimes I like to just show up. Nevertheless, both trips coming up lend themselves to stretching and challenging myself in new ways. So, I decided to set a couple of goals for this summer.

First, I have the opportunity to travel to Costa Rica with a group of my students and a fellow language teacher from my school. We’ll be hooking up with Costa Rica Explorations, a student travel company located in Costa Rica. We are prepping the kids for the trip already by practicing the Spanish skills they’ll need, researching where they’ll go, and talking about hopes, fears, and goals. So while all the students are making their goals, I’m sitting there thinking, “I need to get in on this, too!”

One goal I have for this trip is to see Costa Rica through my students’ eyes. For some of them, this is their first time outside the U.S. I’d like to appreciate all the little details along with them, and not take the experience for granted. My second goal for this trip is to do the zip line during our canopy tour. I hate heights, and I think it may just take a group of 12 and 13-year-olds to push me off that platform! No matter how it happens, it will happen. And I’ll tell you about it.

My second trip this summer will be to lovely Kaua’i. I love Hawai’i and this is my first time to Kaua’i. My goal is to take a surfing lesson and to push myself physically on the hikes we are taking. Yes, a frosty drink on the beach will be had as well! Happy travels,

Photos courtesy of jacotransfers.com and kauaiexplorer.com.