Life in General – Page 12

anguish, fall fruit, and a cake made for a virgin……..

Autumn entered with grace here in Granada as a nice cool rain cleansed the city on Friday afternoon. My daughter ran to put on the warmest clothes she could find along with her rain boots and we happily splashed and walked along the river. Fall in Granada tends to be a short period of time so we try to enjoy every bit of it. The blazing sun still shows its face each day, but the evenings and mornings are quite crisp and cold. Many people in the city vacation until mid-September so this is the first week that Granada feels back to full swing after the long summer. This last weekend in September is one of the biggest local celebrations in Granada. The day of the Virgin of Anguish, the patron Saint of Granada. La Virgin de las Angustias. The procession for the Virgin is held on Sunday evening (now) and the city is completely inundated by “Granainos” who come from all over the city and surrounding towns to honor the Virgin. Fifteen minutes of fireworks announced the beginning of the procession at the Basilica this evening.

The celebration of the Patron Saint is accompanied by the festival of fall fruits in the main plaza of the city.

For me the smell of the plaza brings back memories of being in an apple orchard when I was young. However, you won’t find a single apple in the plaza today. At the different posts you can find quince, beautiful yellow and black fresh dates, acerolas, and chirimoyas (custard apples). You can also taste an “azufaifa”, the fruit from a jujube tree. This reddish fruit is similar to a bitter, dry apple. Interesting. The flavors of autumn. On the other side of the plaza from the fruit stands are different associations selling various pastries and the famous “Torta de la Virgin” or Virgin’s Cake. This sweet bread made with olive oil can be found plain or filled with chocolate, cream or a unique filling made from squash. Thousands of virgin cakes are consumed by the people of Granada today.

Today we wandered back home early enough to avoid the crowds for the procession. But, we enjoyed the day in our own way by observing the Basilica and the vendors selling rosaries and long white candles. Tradition, culture and the smell of fruit filled the streets today.

IMG00977-20110925-1626 — selling candles.....

IMG00944-20110924-1823 — torta de la virgin

toes in the sand, shrimp in my hand……

shrimpcantarrijan — peeling shrimp, big hands and little hands

Some of my favorite tapas are on the coast of Granada. Since it is still around 90 degrees everyday here, I have the beach on my mind constantly. In any of the beach restaurants or “chiringuitos” you can sit down at a table with your feet in the sand, order a beer (or whatever it is you desire), and enjoy a wonderful tapa. Fresh fish and seafood are the norm here. I love when I am surprised with a small plate of grilled shrimp or fried, marinated dogfish.

I remember my first couple years in Granada when we would take the bus down to the beach for the day. There was something liberating about enjoying a cold drink with a free tapa of fried squid and then jumping into the Mediterranean sea merely 5 feet away. My excitement about this has not faded a bit in the past 16 years. Swim, tapa, swim, sun, tapa, swim, tapa, sun, swim…………ahhhhhhhhh!!

During the summer months the “chiringuitos” set up an open fire to grill the fresh sardines. We call them “sardinas al espeto”, sardines on a skewer. For most of my life I thought I hated sardines (?). Little did I know about the delicate flavor of these healthy fish. I prefer the smaller sardines to the larger ones. The larger ones tend to be oilier and have a stronger flavor. A favorite tapa here is “migas” or sauteed breadcrumbs and garlic, topped with grilled sardines. Sometimes a bit of melon is thrown in. Delicious!

Tapa Time!!………

Tapas are a way of life in Spain. Small, simple dishes of food that vary depending on the region and the restaurant. The word tapa simply means “cover” or “lid” since originally a slice of cheese or ham was placed over a glass of wine. Whether this was done either to keep the flies out or simply because someone decided it is preferable to have some sustenance along with your beverage of choice, the outcome shaped an important part of this culture. This is my first of many posts dedicated to the “tapa”.

Where I live in Granada tapas are free. Not just in the city, but in the entire province (county). There are many places throughout the country where you will be given a bite of something when you order a drink, be it olives or a small dish of paella. But in Granada, the tapa enters into a whole different dimension. During “tapa time” which happens between 1 p.m and 3:30p.m. and then again from 8p.m. to 11 p.m. more or less, you are given a free tapa with each drink you order. In many bars you are simply given a different tapa with each drink where in others you are given a list of tapas to choose from. The assortment varies from bar to bar and can include anything from fried fish, meatballs, cured ham or a Spanish omelet to fried eggs with potatoes, snails in a spicy sauce or a small baguette with pork tenderloin and tomato. The list is endless.

tapacenes — Ham, eggs, potatoes and peppers! A light Tapa!!

The end of the day……….

My favorite time to be on the beach is at the end of the day when the sun has just barely set in the distance. I love the sluggish manner that the families pack up to go home almost with regret or “sin ganas”, without desire. The end of summer, the shortening of days. After surviving some of the hottest days of the year, we were met yesterday by clouds on the beach. Last night the air smelled of cool rain followed by a nice morning breeze. It was cleansing, but if it were up to me I would extend summer just one month more. I tend to spend the hottest of the Spanish summer working and then as soon as possible we go straight north to enjoy a bit of cooler air. Avoiding the Southern beaches in the summer has become a habit. Too many people, too expensive, too many umbrellas on the beach, and difficult to find an empty bit of sand on any beach. However, in early fall all of this disappears and the beaches are left wide open to enjoy. The water has a perfect temperature and the sun still warms enough of your body to enjoy the full day.

The coast of Granada tends to be filled with local people. The beaches have pebbles instead of sand which at times can be a bit agonizing for the feet but I prefer to look at it as reflexology. The service in restaurants tend to be typical “estilo granadino” with a bit of grouchiness thrown in with your fried fish. But for me, it is simply home. Once you cringe over the pebbly entrance, the water is cool, deep and so salty that there isn’t a need to move a limb to float. I can swim for hours. Over the years I have fallen in love with many secret coves in Granada. Even on a day where we have little time to go hiking and driving about, in 35 minutes we can be on a beautiful, relaxing beach. The food comes next…………