Adventures in Vegetarian Marshmallow Making

I didn’t publicize it too much, but I moved back to Colorado for awhile. Since I wont be in Spain to celebrate with my friends for Christmas I decided to send a box of homemade cookies and marshmallows to them. I had everything all set up and was about to open the packs of gelatin to get the marshmallows started when I thought…uh oh…is this gelatin made from Pork? Most of my friends in Spain don’t eat pork for various reasons so I would feel terrible sending them something that I knew had pork in it. Turns out Knox brand and all the store-brand gelatins are made from pork and beef.

Not a problem, I thought. How hard can it be to get pork-free gelatin? After all, Denver is a great foodie town. My dad and I hopped in my car and went on what turned out to be LONG tour of Denver’s different super markets. We went to 3 Arab super markets, Whole Foods, a Kroger brand super market, Vitamin cottage and a Korean super market. No luck. While we were out driving my dad found out that there is a kosher supermarket not that far from where we live. I went there the next day and was happy to find Leiber’s Unflavored Jel which is a vegan gelatin made from a product of a chemical reaction. I had done some research which said that this stuff substitutes for regular gelatin without problems, so I bought 2 boxes and headed back to the kitchen.



It did not work. At all. The marshmallows turned out like the texture of the inside of a Junior Mint and had a disgusting aftertaste. I was starting to get defeated, but I am never one to give up on something in the kitchen.

Marshmallow fail

Luckily, I have been keeping up with this season of Top Chef and remembered that one of the contestants made a shrimp noodle with agar agar. Agar agar is a vegan substitute for gelatin and is made from algae. While we were at the Korean supermarket I picked up 2 packets of powdered agar agar to play around with. Get your Agar Agar Here.



Once the Leiber’s marshmallows failed miserably I started looking for a recipe for agar agar marshmallows. Again, this turned out to be way harder than I thought. Don’t get me wrong, there are many bloggers with recipes for them. Only one of them has a recipe that works.
First, I will tell you all the ones that didn’t work.

University of Indiana: Vegetarian Marshmallows
Inhabitots: Vegan Marshmallows
Oh My Sweetie Pie: Vegan Marshmallows
Vegetarian.Lovetoknow: Vegan Marshmallows

Yes…I did try all of those. Side note to all of you recipe hunters: If you are going to try a recipe off a blog, make sure you read the comments. If the recipe doesn’t work, you’d better believe the readers will let the blog writer know.

At this point I was about ready to give up, but while on hold to sign up for health insurance I came across an interesting website that said vegan marshmallows usually don’t work because they need some sort of strong protein (ie. animal protein) to hold them together. This explains why none of the recipes listed above worked.

Deep in the pages of Google I came across the blog Be Miam and her recipe for Agar Agar Marshmallows. To make up for the lack of animal protein she uses egg whites. I was so happy to find out that based on the comments, her marshmallows actually worked! And they did!!!! These marshmallows turn out a little more dense and less squishy than normal marshmallows, but considering how many failures I had before I was unbelievably excited to finally have a recipe that works! Thanks Miam.

Agar Agar Marshmallows from Be Miam Christmas-ified by me
Note: These marshmallows don’t do well in hot chocolate.

Ingredients:
3 egg whites or vegan egg substitute
8.82 ounces Sugar
3.38 fl.oz water
1 Tbs Honey
1 Tsp Agar Agar Powder
1 cup crushed peppermint candies
Powdered sugar for dusting (about 1 cup)

Directions:

• Grease a 4x4 baking dish and line with parchment paper. Brush the parchment paper with cooking oil.
• While preparing the rest of your ingredients, dissolve the agar agar in 100ml of cold water.
• In a small sauce pan, boil the sugar, honey and agar agar until it reaches 250 F on a candy thermometer.
• Whisk egg whites in an electric mixer until they are very firm. You should be able to take out the whisk and have the egg whites stand up in peaks.
• When the sugar mixture reaches 250 F, lower the mixer to a slower speed (so the hot syrup won’t splash out and burn you) and slowly pour in the syrup mixture.
• Once all the syrup is in, raise the speed to high and mix until the syrup is incorporated.
• Add the candies and mix until they are blended in.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and let dry for at least 10 hours.
• Once the marshmallows are dry, unmold them and cut to your desired size.
• Roll the marshmallows in powdered sugar and enjoy!

The Only Drink You Need for Summer in Spain

Horchata can be found throughout the world made with different ingredients. The one that the Spanish enjoy is made from the Chufa or Tigernut. They have known about this nut for more than 3,000 years. The origin is from Central and Northern Africa and it is said that the nut was brought to Spain in the 8^th century by the Arabs, who used the nut to make horchata for special occasions. Now, the nut flourishes in Southern and Eastern Spain as well as Northern Morocco. It is planted in April and May and harvested in November.

Horchata is most common in the Comunidad Valenciana. Before refrigeration was common, horchata was made in the mountains surrounding Valencia and stored in snow to keep it cold as it was brought down to sell in the city. Now a days, you can find horchata in almost every bar, and even in carts specifically selling the drink on the street. It is the perfect summer drink because it is cold and refreshing. It comes in liquid form, or my favorite, icy form. Horchata is traditionally pared with a sweet, tube shaped pastry called a Farton which is usually dunked into the drink before being eaten. Many of Spain’s Chufas are grown in a town called Alboraya near Valencia. Here you can spend a day on a Horchata tour learning about how the nut is farmed and even take a class on how to make the drink before trying some of the freshest horchata de chufa in all of Spain.



Horchata is a surprisingly healthy drink. Since it is made with nuts, it has a lot of protein. It also has a high content of potassium, calcium, phosphorus, complex carbohydrates and vitamins E and C. Many people who are lactose intolerant use horchata as a substitute for milk.



Even if you are not planning a trip to Spain anytime soon you can make horchata at home. Believe it or not it is very easy! All you need is some tigernuts, water, sugar, a cinnamon stick and lemon zest. It takes some time for the flavors to blend together but it is well worth the wait! Order some here if you aren’t in Spain.



There are many places in Valencia to get authentic homemade horchata. My favorite just happens to be the oldest in the city. Horchateria Santa Catalina is just off the Plaza de la Reina near the Santa Catalina Church. The shop is inside an old house that says it has “more than 200 years of tradition.” Inside you can see some beautiful architecture and great examples of ceramic tiles that are traditional in Valencia. Oh, and the horchata is pretty good too!



You can hear me read a shorter version of this post and learn some other cool things about Valencia on The Spain Uncovered Podcast.

Spain’s (Secret) Hobbit-inspired Meals

Flashback to high school Spanish class…pictures of breakfast, lunch, and dinner foods are on the overhead projector (I’m feeling old now!) and we are playing Mata Moscas to see if our class can win a fiesta day (AKA a class where we pig out on chips) after we finish our next exam. I remember this unit very clearly (probably because it was about food!) We were taught that breakfast is called  el desayuno, lunch is el almuerzo and dinner is la cena. And that’s it. Needless to say, we totally won that fiesta day. How could we not when we had only 3 meals to remember?

Imagine my surprise (read: delight) when I arrived in Spain and found out that there are two secret meals that we never learned about, leading me to the conclusion…

…the Spanish eat like hobbits.

 

Here is a little cheat sheet to help you know what and when to eat. Note: These are from my experiences. I am sure that other parts of Spain have slightly different variations.

 

Breakfast (desayuno): This is the first meal of the day, eaten right after you wake up. Usually, something light is eaten like coffee or tea with cookies, a pastry or toast.

My pick: A café con leche and a croissant or palmera

Second Breakfast (almuerzo): Usually eaten between 10am-12pm.  From my experiences, sandwiches are the most popular. A lot of restaurants will have offers for half or full almuerzos for 3,5 and 5 euros respectively. These include a beer, soda, or coffee and a cheese, ham, tuna or tortilla sandwich.

My pick: Coca-cola with a tortilla sandwich

Lunch (la Comida): This is where you get your money’s worth! It’s usually eaten between 1-3pm Eating at a restaurant for la comida will give you a ton of food. I’m talking a 3 course meal plus a drink for anywhere between 6-18 euros!

My pick (menus change daily, but these are my favorite combinations): drink: Fanta Naranja 1st course: salad or gazpacho 2nd course: vegetable paella 3rd course: flan or coffee

Afternoon Tea (Merienda): Merienda is similar to breakfast. It is usually something light to tide you over until dinner. At restaurants you can often see them advertising the same offers for desayuno and merienda. Usually Merienda is eaten between 5-7pm.

My pick: Tomato toast with a café con leche

Dinner (la cena): La Cena can go on for 3 or more hours here! Usually it starts around 9pm and goes until 12am or later. This is the meal that probably most widely varies in all of Spain. My favorite dinner activity in Almeria was tapeando with my friends, where we would spend hours restaurant hopping. 

My pick: berenjenas con miel, pimientos de padron, and patatas bravas and vino…lot’s of vino.

So, the Spaniard’s don’t have quite as many meals as the hobbits. But, who knows? There might be a few other secret ones I haven’t discovered yet!

Want your very own hobbit clock?
Click here to get a personalized one!

Barcelona Eat Guide Giveaway!

This is the first year of my three years in Spain that I haven’t been able to go to Barcelona. I’m pretty bummed about it because it is one of my favorite cities in Spain. I usually spend all day walking around looking at the pretty buildings and stopping about every 45 minutes to snack on something.
Finding a good restaurant in a city that big and touristy can sometimes be tougher than it seems. I have been tricked a few times thinking that I was getting a good deal, or eating where the locals are only to find out I got stuck with the tourist prices and menu.

Fidua or noodle paella

Luckily for you, future Barcelona travelers, I have two copies of this amazing e-book from the authors of The Spain Scoop about restaurants in Barcelona to give away! It was written by an American and her husband who is from Barcelona, so you can get a true locals perspective of where the best restaurants are. It has tons of Spanish/Catalan listings and some other cuisines, too, for the days when you just don’t feel in the mood for Spanish food. There are lots of different price points and restaurants from all over the city. It is a great resource to have on your phone, ipad, kindle or whatever other device you have.

Regina and Adrian, the authors of Barcelona Eat Guide

One of my favorite parts is reading the little stories the authors have about each restaurant from the first time they tried it. I have a bunch of places bookmarked to try when I make it back to Barcelona (hopefully) soon!

What food are you most interested to try in Barcelona?

UPDATE: The contest is over and the winners have been notified. :) If you didn't win you can still get your very own copy here.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Almería: Spain’s Hidden Tapa Paradise

Like I mentioned in my last post, Road to Almería, I had a great two years living there. I have always known that Spain is famous for its tapas but I had no idea that I was placed in the secret culinary mecca of Spanish Tapas.

Almost every single restaurant in Almería is a tapa restaurant. There during the mid day meal you can order the menu del dia. Which consists of a drink, first course, second course, bread, coffee or dessert for less than 10 euros! Since I am a vegetarian most of the time I was not able to enjoy the menu del dia. I always went for the tapas instead.

So, what makes Almeria’s tapas different from tapas in the rest of Spain? They are technically free! That’s right. Free. You decide what you want to drink (beer, wine, soda, tinto de verano) and your tapa comes free with the drink. The most I ever paid for a tapa there was 2.60. You can go out for a night on the town and have 3 plates of food and 3 drinks and pay less than 10 euros!  Since Almeria is on the coast, it has some of the freshest seafood you will eat in Spain, and everything costs the same.

This is a typical Almerienese tapa called migas, literally crumbs, it is made of bread crumbs that are fried together.
It is usually served with a few small fried fish and a fried pepper, this one was made with ham.

I have a few favorite restaurants there. But my most favorite just happens to be the first place my parents and I went to for lunch on the beach. It is called La Cabaña del Tío Tom (Uncle Tom’s Cabin, why? who knows…) Get there early if you want to be seated right away because there is always a line for both lunch and dinner services.

My favorite! Last time I went to Almeria to visit a friend I went with a guy who was visiting his
girlfriend in Almeria. On the way we were talking about where we wanted to go first when
we arrived....we both said Tio Tom's.

This restaurant is great because it has a massive menu that includes everything from paella, sandwiches, toasts, baked potatoes, meat (even half a chicken!) and lots of seafood. Here, there is something for everyone. And, did I mention, that the tapas are huge? When you can get half a chicken and a beer for 2.50, I think that is the definition of a good deal!

My friend Alaina and me. She is just as much a foodie as I am. She sent me a picture of a tapa she and her boyfriend
had one night....sauteed blood and onions.

My go to tapa here is called El Probe (The taste/sample). It has 1 or 2 fried peppers, french fries, a fried egg, bacon, caramelized onions, bread and ali oli sauce. For me, it is the perfect start to a meal after spending the day on the beach.

So, if you are ever in need of a beach/foodie vacation look no further than Almeria, Spain. You will not be disappointed.

Recipe: Roasted Baby Artichokes

I am very lucky to live in a place that has so much agriculture. On the train ride to work I can see fields of all sorts of vegetables. One of the cheapest things here are artichokes. At the vegetable stand I go to you can get a kilo for just over 1 euro! So, usually about once a week here we have artichokes in some form.

Last time I was at the stand, I tried to pick out the smallest artichokes I could find because I wanted to try roasting them which is something new for me. Now, it is officially my favorite way! Paired with a homemade hollandaise or alioli it is a great side dish.

Just out of the oven! I couldn't wait to try one, they smelled so good!

Ingredients:
6 small artichokes
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tbs fresh rosemary
1 tbs minced garlic
1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 Fahrenheit or about 200 Celsius.
2. Fill a large bowl with water and the lemon juice and set aside. While you are preparing the artichokes, put them in this bowl so they don’t turn brown.
3. Cut the stem leaving about 1/4 inch to the base of the artichoke.
4. Take off the outer, harder leaves. stop once the leaves become thin and easily bendable.
5. With a vegetable peeler, peel what is left of the stem and any remaining pieces of the leaves that you removed.
6. Cut the tops of the artichokes off. Even though these are the soft leaves, they still have a pointy tip that you do not want to eat.
7. Cut the artichokes in half.
8. drain the water, and pat dry the artichokes.
9. mince the garlic and the rosemary together and add it to a large bowl with the olive oil.
10. Toss the artichokes together with the garlic, rosemary, olive oil and red pepper flakes if you are using them.
11. Put the artichokes on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper, making sure they are not touching. Sprinkle some salt and pepper on top of the artichokes.
12. Cook for 20 minutes or until the artichokes are golden brown and the leaves have started to separate from each other.

Spanish Food Epiphany

One food that I have hated all my life are olives. I have always found them to be just salty and sour, especially my dad’s favorite, dried. Yuck! Spain is one of the biggest exporters of olive oil and olives are served with everything here. When I first arrived I avoided them like the plague. They were tossed into salads, on sandwiches and sitting there menacingly on my plate trying to contaminate my tapa with its salty juices.

My first year in Almeria I lived with an American girl and her boyfriend was at our house a lot. The only plus about that was he was from a small town outside of Almeria where his family had a lot of orange, lemon and olive trees. So, one weekend after they got back with bags and bags of free oranges they also brought some home pressed olive oil and a few jars of Manzanilla olives. Everyone was raging about how good they were. I wasn’t convinced. During a dinner party (a few drinks may have been involved) they convinced me to try one. And you know what? It was pretty darn good!

A night out with my roommates in Almeria

That was my one and only olive for awhile until I went out tapeando with a friend one night. During a lull in the conversation she looked down and said: “I thought you hated olives…” I didn’t even realize I had eaten the ones on my plate! After that I could not be stopped. I was buying olives at the markets and going through about a jar a week by myself! I have since calmed down and enjoy olives in more reasonable quantities…and I consider myself very lucky to be living in a country with such fresh and delicious olives!

yum :)

Food Mule

Food Mule [ˈfuːd ˈmjuːl]
Noun [c]
A person who takes food products between countries: Her suitcase is full of food, she must be a food mule.

This is the definition of me whenever I travel. It is pretty common knowledge that when I travel, one of the first things I want to visit is the city’s markets. There I usually window shop and pick up a few things to keep in my bag for snacks for travel. Before I leave whatever country I am in I usually buy a few foodie souvenirs to take back and enjoy at home.

Here are a few of the random things I have picked up over my travels:

Portugal: A bottle of Port and a bottle of cherry liquor
Belgium: Chocolate (of course!)
Poland: A bottle of Bison Grass Vodka and salt
Palestine: Za’atar and Arabic coffee
Italy: (I literally wanted to buy everything I saw, but we flew Ryanair. ) Orzo, Farro, and Spinach pasta.
Austria: Salt

I try to buy something special from every country I visit. It is always nice to cook with a little reminder of your travels.

My most recent trip was to Colorado (my home state!) Since I went home for Christmas I had to bring back food presents for everyone. Whenever I send a package to my parents I include some Spanish saffron and, if I can find them, pine nuts from Spain. So shopping for their Christmas present was very easy! Rice from Valencia, Saffron from Spain and a real Paella pan! My cousin got some saffron as well.



My all time top food mule experience was leaving the US. I had some friends ask me for candy from the US. I am also addicted to Reese's so I had to load up on those as well. Also included was some instant yeast, cream of tartar, maple sugar,  candy canes for my adult students and BBQ rub. I was very lucky this time that I didn’t have much clothes to take back! What’s your favorite thing to buy when traveling??

American Christmas vs. Spanish Christmas

The Christmas season is my favorite time of the year. I love the cold weather, the decorations and the general happy feeling everyone has. I have been lucky enough to be able to spend Christmas in 3 different countries. My first year abroad I was in Bologna, Italy and last year I was in Bethlehem, Palestine. Both very different and very enjoyable! This year, I decided it was time I spent my favorite holiday with my own family. Since I haven't been home in such a long time it made me start to really look at the differences between Spain and the US in regards to Christmas.

My family and me, together after many years apart!

Decorations:

One of my family’s traditions is going to look at Christmas lights. There is a house close to mine in Colorado that has SO many decorations outside. Dolls, lights, trains, music. Literally, their entire yard is covered with lights and moving pieces. Just driving around you can see some incredible house decorations. And what would Christmas be without the tree? Everyone here has a tree that they decorate. We have always had a live one which adds a great smell to the room!

Our tree in Colorado

A house in our neighborhood

A very decorated house

Decorations in Spain, while very pretty, don’t compare to decorations in the US. The center of every city is nicely decorated and often has a tree. Some of the side streets might have lights as well. But, people generally don’t decorate the outside of their houses. Inside decorations are different, too. The most popular decoration in Spain is a nativity scene. Months before the holiday season the stores fill with little parts to build your belen. Some of them are really intricate and include a real river! The trees are not as important here.

The center in Valencia

In Valencia

A nativity scene in my school in Almeria

Food:

This is a big part for both countries. In the United States people usually have a huge meal on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day resembling Thanksgiving. Typically, it is a turkey or a ham. One of my favorite things to do around this holiday is bake A LOT and decorate cookies. I think this is why people generally gain a lot of weight during the holidays.

Yummy cookies

The holiday food in Spain is not that different than the US. Turkeys are becoming more popular, so a lot of people eat turkey dinners. My favorite part is the sweets! Starting mid November the grocery stores clear their shelves for the holiday treats. Polvorones, a sweet crumbly almond cookie and turron de almendras, a hard or soft nougat with marcona almonds are my favorite. (Click the links for recipes). The king’s cake is also a really fun and delicious part of Christmas in Spain.

Polvorones

Turron de almendras

Bringer of the presents:

Weird title I know. But, it was the easiest way to explain the difference. Everyone knows it’s all about Santa in the US. Kids start making lists for him early in the year. All the decorations include a Santa and lots of arts and crafts are about him.

This is starting to change a little in Spain. But, for them the Reyes Magos (The Three Wise men) bring the presents! Working in the elementary school in Almeria was always fun to go back after winter break and hear what different gifts the kids got from which king. This is also an added bonus for an American expat, because the Christmas break doesn’t end until after 3 King’s Day!

So, who is the winner? Maybe it’s because I grew up in the US, but I am going to have to stick with my mother land on this one. I just love the whole atmosphere of Christmas in the US a lot better than Spain. But of course you be the judge.

A Super Expat Thanksgiving

When I was growing up Thanksgiving was never a holiday I really understood why people got excited for. My family is full of good cooks, so we had gourmet meals practically every day. So, for us Thanksgiving was just a day to eat dinner at 3pm and in the dining room instead of the kitchen.

My feelings on Thanksgiving took a 180 turn once I moved abroad. Suddenly, I was very excited to share this American holiday with all my new friends! I have been lucky enough to be able to celebrate my 3 years here with people from all over the world. Here is the story of my first Spanish Thanksgiving 2 years ago, a very eclectic mix of food. Last year was a small celebration with my good friend, Roisin, who was visiting from England.

My vegetarian Thanksgiving with Roisin

This year I wanted to make Thanksgiving as traditional as possible. Since we don’t have a break here, we had to celebrate the Saturday after Thanksgiving. I spent the week preparing the menu and gathering the ingredients. Going off tradition, I didn’t get a turkey because I didn’t order it in time (oops!) So, we ended up with 2 chickens instead. The funny thing about poultry here, is it isn't as clean as it would be in the US. Sometimes there are still big feathers in the skin and little feathers that need to be burned off. Friday night, I went through each bird with a pair of pliers to take out the rest of the big feathers. Then, to get the small feathers off, Mo made a blow torch with the stove. I was a little worried we would explode, but it all worked out in the end.

Saturday morning I woke up early to start preparing everything. First thing to hit the oven was a pumpkin pie made from homemade pumpkin puree (actually a butternut squash.) Thanks to King Arthur Flour for the amazing recipe.

Beautiful color!

The pie. DELICIOUS!

Mashed potatoes are my specialty, and something I always have been in charge of for Thanksgiving back home. I FINALLY found “my” secret ingredient (I stole the idea from my mom, who has been nice enough to let me claim it as my own. Thanks mom!) so I was very excited to be able to make the perfect potatoes. I forgot how much time they take to peel! Well worth the time though.

After the potatoes were done I started on the stuffings. There were two vegetarians at the meal so I made one for the chickens and one with a watered down cream of mushroom soup for the base. Man, it turned out good! The stuffings were both flavored with rosemary, thyme and sage. We were very lucky to have some dried sage in the house all the way from Palestine! Although sage grows in the mountains near Valencia, I have, unfortunately, never seen it in the stores here.

After all those dishes were done, I took a quick nap and went out for a coffee to try to get ride of a headache that was bothering me all day. A side effect of some antibiotics for strep throat.

When I was ready for the kitchen again, my roommate was finally awake to help me with the chickens. To keep with the flavors of the stuffing we made a butter, fresh rosemary, fresh thyme and dried sage rub for under the skin of the chickens. We had a little too much fun listening to Christmas carols and dancing with the chickens while they were sitting on beer cans to let the rest of the blood drain.

Notice the green twine....

A few hours before our guests arrived we finished the stuffing the chickens. I realized then that we didn’t have any butchers twine! Luckily, she had some string from a craft project that worked just fine. It was colored though, so the only thing that was going through my head while we were tying the legs together was the scene from the movie Bridget Jones’s Diary where she uses blue Christmas ribbon to tie some herbs for a soup and the soup comes out blue! Luckily, our chickens came out a perfect toasty brown color and not green.

The spread!

The desserts! Homemade pumpkin and apple pies

This was probably my favorite of all the Thanksgivings I have had here. It was full of great people and great food. Did I mention we had 4 countries represented?? Talk about a true expat party!

American, Palestinian, Egyptian, Spanish, American, American. A very international Thanksgiving!