Rota! It's where I'm at! PART 1

I get asked a lot, “What is there to do in Rota?”

It may seem it would be obvious what is going on, but it isn’t. The base is a small one and, unless you have a job, quite sleepy. Off-base, Rota can be difficult to navigate (see driving video at bottom of blog), so you may end up in the same places. The locals are friendly enough to Americans, but unless you know Spanish, you won’t get many suggestions from them. Also, the locals and long-timer Americans seem to have the yearly calendar memorized, so there is no need to advertise the big, fun things happening right outside your door. Many times, I have fallen asleep to fireworks, thinking, “Dang it! And I was so bored earlier!” Or I went out one day to find the streets in shambles from the huge town fiesta the night before.

I will explain some starting points, but this is in no way a definitive guide. I am still figuring things out, and the best way to explore Spain, is simply to go outside and, well, explore!

Part 1 - On Base:
The first thing you need to do when you get to Rota is go to the Traveler Section of the MWR website. ITT is the section of MWR that organizes trips close and far. They are very affordable, and John loves them, because he does not have to do the driving, which can be quite boring through all the farmland outside of Rota.

Next, pick up the monthly schedule from Fleet and Family Support. They have 2 fantastic Spanish people working there who organize smaller trips FULL of interesting tidbits about the culture and area, and most of their stuff is free. It is with Rosa and Clemente that I learned how to make Spanish food, learned about jamon and olive oil at the grocery store, and toured the Sherry Bodega. They love what they do, and it shows in their willingness to demystify traditions and ease culture shock.

Because I work there, I must mention the gym. I love it! It is way better than the barn in Patuxent River, and we always have tons of programs always going on. Sports, tournaments, classes (aerobic, spin, water aerobics, yoga, dance, bootcamp, circuit training, etc), races, and more! This weekend is a half marathon, there will be a triathlon in June, and soccer starts next week again for John. We also have a website.

Eating on base is not good and gives you every reason to leave base and try new things. We have Taco Bell (for the 2 of us, it comes to $30 and I always think, “This is the last time.” Oh, and the beans taste like cardboard), Subway (yawn), KFC (do people still eat that crap???), a hamburger place at the airport (plate of grease and a coffee anyone?), and Champions (a sportsbar and café that is dark and depressing, but DO try the Monolo Special, a breakfast sandwich). The Spanish people loooove to come on base for 2 reasons: Baskin Robbins and Pizza Villa, which means these places are usually really crowded. Pizza Villa is boring but decent, and their gigantic calzones are quite good. The only reason we eat so much of it? They deliver.
Update Nov 2009: this is soon to change! We are so excited!! The grill once at Champions is now at the Bowling Alley. They still have the Manolo Special (Thank Heaven!) Champions will soon host an Asian food place that may or may not be run by a local favorite. Update later!

Also on base, we have a small library and small movie theater. They are not exciting but serve their purpose. We have an indoor pool, outdoor pool open in Summer, bowling alley, and small stretch of beach. Go to Expeditions (right by ITT, across the street from the gym) to rent bikes, kayaks, camping gear, or try the rock climbing wall.

The beauty salon is hit and miss.

The commissary (grocery store to the unmilitary) is surpisingly well stocked. I can get most of my favorites, but I do have to import real taco sauce and cayenne pepper. Sugar-free seems to be a bad word here. Thankfully, they have started carrying whole wheat pasta and bison meat (I am on the Clean Eating lifestyle).

The Navy Exchange (department store) is OK. The electronics and kitchen sections are complete and great. Clothes, bathroom decor, make-up, and pet food sections are not. This is my 1st overseas NEX, so I hesitate to judge too harshly. Ijust thank God for the great malls off-base.

Off-base is where the real fun is, so in the next post I will go over what Rota, Puerto, and a couple other close towns have to offer.

Part 3 will be about longer trips to other Spanish cities and beyond Spain-- what is popular and some tips.

I hope this is beginning to answer to some questions. If not, just give me a comment!

Spanish Cooking 101

There is a family-owned restaurant in Rota which let's a group from the base invade their kitchen for a day!

I never have worked at a restaurant, so I found it fun just to be in the kitchen! It was a lot smaller than I thought it would have to be.

They taught us to make:

beef in a veggie-wine sauce

mushrooms cooked in wine

Arranque Roteña, which is the dip form of gazpacho and strictly a Rota dish

Spanish tortilla

and a fruit desert

We drank Tinto de Verano (my favorite), and helped with the preparations, a couple of us at a time. I took lots of notes and soon there is a trip to a Spanish grocery store (so we can learn what the unfamiliar stuff is used for) so I feel pretty confident I could make the dishes again.

After a couple hours of cooking, we all sat down to eat everything. It was delicious of course, and people were arguing over who had made the best tortilla. The arrangue is my favorite and full of garlic, so after a while, I didn't feel too comfortable talking anymore! I tasted garlic until the Next Day!

How to make the Arranque Roteña:

equal numbers (not parts) of chopped:

ripe, red, not-refrigerated tomato

big long curly green mild chili pepper (you know the one, not small)

garlic (may need more depending how small)

and

very good quality virgin olive oil (dark green)

2 day old white baguette bread, munched into VERY fine crumbs (regular bread crumbs may be too soft, but you could try it)

salt

Blend the 1st 3 ingredients very well in a blender (or with a balde on a stick thingie).

Add bread crumbs in stages to make it a thick, pastey cookie-dough texture.

Then add oil in stages to make it smooth. It will still be thick and pastey (NOT creamy).

Both of those ingredients are quite a bit!!!

When you think it has enough oil, add some more! Seriously.

Salt that baby up!

Chill for at least an hour to let marry.

Serve with small slices of baguette bread and long, thick, raw slices of that same chili for dipping. MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!

It should be really thick and garlicky. The chili should be just the occasional lil bite in the bite.

Tortilla

Beef in sauce and patatas (french fries)


Dessert

Drive-thru

In Spain, the word drive-thru leaves something to be desired, so they play with the words.

McDonald's becomes:

MC AUTO

Burger King becomes:

AUTO KING

Honestly, drive-thru is quite the foreign concept here. If you buy a coffee at a coffee STAND, they don't want your money until you have FINISHED it!

And if you go to a tapa bar and order a round of tapas, then some more, then a drink here, then there, then you ask for the bill: It is perfect. Just what your ordered.

It really takes getting used to here.

They don't want your money until you are all done and happy and sat there another 20 minutes. Then MAYBE they will take your money.

Anyway, I have seen a McD, and yes they serve beer but not wine, and I have been to Burger King and it is yummy, but the menu looks funny because they put some side dishes under "tapas". How cute is that??? Srsly?

Sanlucar

Yesterday, I went to Sanlucar with a tour from the base.

Famous for being the place that Magellan set sail from when he went around the tip of South America (only to die in the Philipines), Sanlucar is about 20 minutes from Rota. It is part of the famed Sherry Triangle, which also includes El Puerto de Santa Maria (right next to Rota) and Jerez (obviously, as the word for Sherry in spanish IS Jerez).

View of Sanlucar from the bodega, which is on a *pant huge pant* hill.

The highlight of the short trip was the Museo de Barbadillo (or Barbadillo Museum). Barbadillo is the brand name of the bodega (bodega is what they call a winery). Still with me? OK.

I went to a wine museum. It was very interesting how they have different shaped rooms and buildings for different wines, because the architecture affects the temperature of the wine. This place makes a base wine that is made into different Sherries.

Bodega Patio

Between buildings and rooms are large gardens and patios and open corridors, which bring the all-important sea air in to keep the wine humid. In the gardens were many rose bushes, so the whole place smelled of sherry and roses.

Sherry is an acquired taste- one I have YET to acquire. I keep trying, because I live in THE SHERRY TRIANGLE of the world! But so far no go, and all I bought there was a bottle of vinegar. (All about Sherry.)

The inside of a Sherry Barrel. Notice the yeast at the top.

The most interesting part of the bodega was the Bodega Catedral. No, they did not have an actual cathedral in the winery. It is their largest room for storing wine barrels. It is 40 feet high, has 100 pillars, and houses 4800 barrels! And it does look something like a catedral. Underneath the barrels was special soil from the Sevilla area. When wet, it keeps the wine at the right humidity.

Photos from the Bodega Catedral.

After the bodega, we went to the Farmer's Market! NOW this was my kind of market! The ones in Rota are pretty sad. This place was huge, both indoor and outdoor, and had a variety of veggies, fruits, nuts, seafood, meats, spices, and of course sunglasses, purses, and belts (they are at every market).

I finally got some Spanish Paprika! My favorite cookbook keeps saying to use Spanish Paprika and now I know why! It comes in 2 kinds: spicy and sweet. Of course, I bought spicy. And it smells like very strong chili powder with a lil Cayenne. Nothing like that red stuff you put on deviled eggs just for color!!

Then we had lunch! Ahhhhhhh, lunch! We went to a place famous for its seafood tortilla (not a Mexican tortilla remember!), which was pretty much fried tiny shrimp pancakes. That's a horrible description, but they were very delicious and seriously salty- yes even to me!- and greasy. We also had some octopus in olive oil with that spicy Spanish Paprika- mmmmm! It was so tender, not chewy at all. Then we had small sweet red peppers stuffed with shrimp, tuna, and crumbled egg. About 6 of us shared these tapas. It was a very fun afternoon!

Seafood tortilla. All those lil black dots are shrimp eyes! Mmmmmm, I love shrimp eyes!

Octopus- I forget the spanish name for it.

John did not go, because he had to work that night, and he would not have been able to sleep had he gone.

(See all photos from this trip HERE.)

Spoils from Sanlucar:

Chimichurri sauce for meat. I have only had my own chimichurri, so I am looking forward to trying this one, which has grapefruit in it! Sherry vinegar from the bodega. Pistaccio nuts for the bus ride back. Spanish Paprika, can't wait to use it. Someone told me she uses it mostly in stews and rice. And that it gives it that Spanish Rice yellow color. I thought that was the saffron, oh well. And hazlenuts. Forr cookies I promised John's work.

Looking For A New Recipe?

This is The Best cookbook I have bought in ages!

I have never been a reader of Food&Wine Magazine, but this cookbook has great recipe after great recipe! It is organized by seasons, then each season has a starter, main course, side dish, and desert section.

I make 1 or 2 things out of it every week!

They are mostly healthy, mostly simple, and mostly all food I actually eat and can buy at a normal grocery store.

And although John and I rarely have wine at dinner, every single recipe has a wine pairing! Never look lost again at a dinner party, eh?

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I highly recomend:

Indian Pulled-Chicken Sandwiches p. 228

Crispy Pork Milanese p.247

Lemony Rice Parsley Salad p. 262

And the 3 different chicken marinaides (Vietnamese, Peruvian, and Greek) p. 240

Regional Goodness

Some places just have the best of a certain fruit, and once you have it from there, you never want it from another place.

Hawaii has pineapples!

Have a sweet Hawaiian pineapple and you won't open a can of it ever again. At the Dole plantation, they had pineapple chili. I was skeptical, but it was To Die For! Yummmmmm.

We have cantaloupes.

I never really liked them much from CA or MD. They always seemed like the tasteless filler fruit they stick in something, so they don't have to put more strawberries. But not the cantaloupe from here- No Way!

This stuff is so sweet and juicy, it makes those from home seem more related to toast than fruit!

I have heard that Rota's tomatoes are a long the same caliber, but it is difficult to find ones grown here.

What other places have you been and had a fruit or veggie so yummy, that it can't compare to those found in other regions?

Carne Guisada y Arroz

Yesterday, I made Carne Guisada for the first time.

And I have to tell you, it was GOOD!

I put a little too much flour in at the end and had to adjust the spices, but it came out tasting seriously similar to Grandma's. Of course my rice still needs a lot of work.

It looks like her rice, but the taste is not right. I will keep trying though.

Wish you were all here to try this!

Memento Mussel Soup

I have been craving soup even during the last hot few days. And I have been looking for a reason to go to the fish market again (since we are still grill-less *heavy sigh*). Looking around, I found a food blog from an illustrator in Madrid!

See her Spanish Recipes HERE!

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This one just called out to me to be made!

I will let you know how it comes out.

Memento mussel soup

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2kgs mussels, cleaned and debearded

100 gr. or so of chistorra, or any other cooking chorizo

a bunch of spring onions, or three shallots

2 cloves of garlic, minced

4 smallish tomatoes, grated (or a 1/2 kg. tin, which will give you more liquid, and lucky you)

salt, pepper, dried oregano to taste

1 tablespoonful flour

300 ml or so of liquid (white wine, beer or both)

olive oil

Creme fraiche, or any thick cream

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Begin by sauteeing the chistorra in olive oil in a big pan that will hold all the mussels later, until it´s released its fat and it´s beginning to crisp up. Add the spring onions. After a couple of minutes, add the tomatoes and garlic. None of this has to cook down a lot, but give it a couple of minutes, too. Now add the flour and stir til it dissappears, and stir it around for a bit more so it won´t taste raw.

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Pour in the liquid and stir until it´s thickened and the alcohol has evaporated. Throw in the mussels, cover, and, taking the pan in your mittened hands that are also clamping down the lid, give it a good shake. Do this again a couple of times (males of the species are good for this job. recruit one).

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Check after three minutes. If there are a lot of unopened shells, leave it another minute. Now serve in big deep bowls, as many mussels as you can, plenty of the soup and a blob of sour cream (with chopped parsley or chives if you have them, for prettiness). Put a big salad bowl for the shells on the table, alongside some hot sauce. As people eat, their bowls will be ready for more, so top them up.

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Serves 4 as dinner, with fresh bread, or 8 more timid souls as a starter.

Spanish Sun & Sun Flowers

I am so sunburned! Ugh! This is the only place I know where you can get sunburned at 6PM!!! Great. Just in time for my birthday too.

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A couple days ago, John and I went to Puerto. It is a slightly larger town that Rota, and more modern. It has a very beachy laid back feel. All the bigger cafes were packed. We walked along the water and found a cute place to have lunch. The food was some of the best fish I have had here yet.

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I really wish I had brought the camera, because it was so beautiful and the water was full of fish.

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After our big lunch, we went to the mall to walk around. I wish I knew of a better place to buy clothes. The mall seemed kinda expensive for the quality. And I am very wary of bying things online. You know how something can look so good on the hanger until you try it on.

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Driving back to the base, we came upon huge fields of sunflowers!! They was so gorgeous, and I did not even know they were there. I am definately taking the camera next time.

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Well, tomarrow's my birthday, which means steak and eggs and german chocolate cake, and I don't know what else. Not only that but I am celebrating my A in English. This week, I also have to register for my first online class I am taking this Summer. It is Philosophy of Art. How interesting does that sound??? I know- cool, huh? I am excited, but scared of online classes!

Rated R Chinese Dinner

This is 100% true.

John and I went to eat at a Chinese restaurant this afternoon. It looked and felt like any one in the U.S. The only differences were that they had sushi on the menu, and of course they spoke Spanish.

Everything was delicous. At the end of the meal, John had ice-cream and I had cafe solo. John asked for the check, and with it, the server brought 2 very small shot glasses with Chinese artistry painted on the outside. He filled them from a bottle and told us that it was sweet rice wine. They were tiny glasses, so we decided to try it. When we picked up the glasses, John said, "Hey, there is a picture at the bottom!"

We looked closer. It was of a man. Wearing a smile. And nothing else. And he seemed to be very happy about whatever he was smiling about. Very happy. I drank mine (it tasted like apple juice) and John's too. He said he did "not like the drink." I don't think it was the drink.

Anyway, when you drink the liquid, the bottom of the cup is rounded glass, so you can no longer see the picture. It is too distorted by the glass.

Intrigued all over again, we both filled our cups with water to see the picture come back up. No pun intended. I don't think we started laughing about it until we got all the way back to the car. It was sort of like, "Did we just see...? Yeah, we just saw....! Ok."

We cannot wait to try a different Chinese place to see if we get free "shots" at the end of our meal. John is hoping the pictures are of women next time.

Sunday Seven

Sunday Seven Ways to Eat in Spain

1) Do it LATE! Breakfast at 10, Luch at 3, Dinner at 9, clubbing at 1AM ( and all those times are early!!!)

2) Love them sammiches. I cannot remember or find online for the life of me what they are called, but they are ALL you find places. It is a mini baguette of fresh bread, meat(usually ham), and cheese if your lucky- AND THAT'S IT!

3) Wine for lunch, beer with dinner, liquer if you dare--- It is WAY stronger here than U.S.

4) Tapas- nothing but appatizers! Yummy! Usually cold cuts, potato salad made with olive oil rather than mayonnaise, and the Spainsh Tortilla.

5) When you go with friends, you split the bill as to how many there are of you- NEVER seperate checks- very rude. You pay more now, but you pay less another time. Must be Spainish Culinary Karma.

6) Ham- even vegetarians eat it here- NO KIDDING! You better love ham!!!

7) Planning on eating after a bullfight? Guess what you will be eating. That's right! The main star!! And no piece goes unserved- NO PIECE! Even the tail is a delicacy! All the surrounding resteraunts have the bull on the menu that night.

Sunday Seven

Today is a special day. Yeah, I know there is some kind of football game on, but I mean it is a culinary fiesta here!! It has smelled so good here all day, but now it is all ready,

So today's list is

The Sunday Seven Reasons You Wish You Were Having Dinner Here

1. Ernie's famous meatballs. Soooooooo much flavor!

2. Mashed potatoes with meatball gravy

3. Buttered peas

4. Clayton's home-made Caribean Jerk Wings

5. Clayton's Hot-wings

6. Clayton's Sesame Wings

7. Left-over chocolate birthday cake

Ernie and his meatballs

Tortilla

Think you know what a tortilla is?

In Spain it is not the flour or corn thing outside of a burrito. It is an egg and potato omlette that is a popular tapa (appatizer or bar food).

I have made them before, and this one is my favorite. It is made with carrot and zucchini, because I like the color, but you can replace those with red pepper and garlic or peas and asparagus or any combo you like.

Tortilla Espana

1 large russet potato, chopped

1 large carrot, chopped

1 small zucchini, chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 medium onion, chopped

salt/pepper

5 eggs

1. Steam potato, carrot, zucchini until crisp.

2. Heat oil, saute onions until getting color. Stir in steamed veggies.

3. Beat eggs with salt and pepper thoroughly and pour in with potatoes, stir once, tilt pan to spread evenly. Turn heat to low. Cover, cook 10-15 minutes, until eggs start to set. Meanwhile, preheat broiler.

4. Finish 2-3 minutes in broiler. Allow to cool to room temperature. Cut into wedges. Serve with salsa to dip or spread over top.

4-8 servings

Halloween Cookies~

The annual cookies for Halloween Awareness and Celebration were another success.

Eventhough this year I had no coworkers to be victims to my crazy baking ritual. I made do with family, neighbors, and even sending them. (Still no word yet on if they made it to Bahrain.)

This time, the clear favorite was the apple butter recipe, so here goes:


Apple Butter Cookies with Penuche Frosting

1/2 c granulated sugar
1/2 c packed light brown sugar
1 c (2 sticks) softened butter
1 c apple butter (mmm...yummy)
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
2 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon ( I always put more)
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 c chopped walnuts (I grind them to almost powder, I hate biting into a dry nut in a moist cookie)
Penuche Frosting (recipe follows)


1. Preheat oven 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment.
2. Beat sugars, butter with electric mixer until creamy. Add apple butter, vanilla, and egg and beat until light and fluffy. Stop mixer. Add flour, baking powder and soda, cinn, and salt to same bowl. Beat again until well combined. Stir in Nuts.
3. Drop by rounded tsp fulls 2 inches apart onto parchmented cookie sheets, Bake 16 to 20 minutes or until light brown around edges.
4. Cool completely. Frost. Let frosting set before storing.


Penuche Frosting

3 tbs butter
1/2 c packed light brown sugar
1/4 c cream or half n half
1 1/2 to 2 c powdered sugar (I remember just adding it until looked right. I either added a lot more or less.)

1. Melt butter and brown sugar in med saucepan over med-high heat, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil, cook, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened. May thicken immediately.
2. Remove from heat, cool 10 min. Mixture will begin to harden.
3. Add cream and stir smooth. Add powdered sugar 1/4 c at a time, beating well after each addition until frosting reaches desired consistancy. (I like it thick)