A Mesa e a Gente (The Table and Us)
A Mesa e a gente
Originally uploaded by ravelite It is a certain madness that drives one to obsess over food like this, but all the same it is good for life, to have engaging projects and to offer good food for those around. I woke this morning at nine, scanning the kitchen which was fairly wrecked from last night's Christmas Dinner. At the Supermercat (read: mini-mart) Ciutat Vella downstairs I looked for star anise and I came up with cloves for a holiday tea, made from black tea leaves, spices, honey, and fruit juice; brewing and bringing to the room clarity and fragrance. At the confectioners' I found some little chocolates to leave outside of the door for my flat mates.
Leaving yesterday's dishes in the pile by the sink I began preparing the cake. The plan was to try something like a Caribbean Black Cake, something I read about through a featured Global Voices link, and a NYT recipe. As I had already soaked a mountain of dried fruits ie raisins, prunes, glace cherries and orange peel, almonds in a potent mix of brandy and rum, and afterwards partially processed in the blender, there only remained the matter of the dough. So I cleaned and greased the pans, added egg, flour, butter; mixed, and sent them to the oven where they began the journey to being fruitcakes. Most of you know already how I feel about all things fruit.
Next was the main course. For two days it had marinated in a kind of ham glaze---red wine, honey, pineapple juice (like this.) But this was not a cooked ham, it was a fresh pork leg (basically in the shape of those jamónes ibericos hanging in all the restaurants, bars, etc) given to me by the butcher lady as the logical conclusion of a conversation in which I asked for a cooked ham to glaze and put in the oven. Expecting the familiar rounded shape I was a bit surprised by what seemed a different part of the animal. "Me: Is this similar to ham? She: It's exactly ham!" Only later I realized she was right. She was helpful and kept referring to me as 'guapo'. Don't change a thing, middle-aged butcher lady at the market with chubby arms and friendly disposition. You're adorable.
The roasting process was similar to the turkey, except longer and on lower heat. It roasted for about 4 hours, and I basted occasionally and put foil over parts that started to burn due to proximity with the broiler. To be honest, this learning to cook large bits of meat is kind of new to me, save the occasional roast chicken. It was generally excellent, the glaze wasn't too strong. With a couple of more hours, perhaps it could have been more tender, but nothing is perfect. (this evening: the bones are sweating with bay leaves and peppercorns for a broth. It's a hobby.)
The sides were easy; mashed potatoes prepared the night before warmed in the oven, green beans steamed and then sauteed in garlic, radish greens and botifarra, a Catalan sausage, and a beet and radish salad. And the cakes eventually turned right and I added some rum for good measure.
As far as the meal went, I think my flat mates enjoyed it, though after celebrations of last night they seemed a bit the morning after the night before, as it were. And the cakes, they are sweet and rummy, yet I have no true reference.
It has been too long since I have written. The last month was sort of tense as I am trying to improve my living situation, decide how to live life here, while also missing many of you back in GA. Nothing actually heavy, just a period of introspection, staring into the void etc. And that's okay.
May you have wonderful Christmases, everyone; or whatever you may celebrate. I hope we can meet again in the New Year. Because it helps.
Bonus: enjoy a special holiday remix of Robot Legs (Coleman and Solomon, Gallagher) courtesy of the Jingler.
Afterword: Via the exciting world of sketchy int'l calling cards, I have again made contact with the entire Coleman mothership. This day could only be more complete if we all (read: YOU) got together later to hang out and sing and hang out and do math puzzles. One can dream. But at 11pm it's yet early, so maybe I'll go for a walk in Gracia again. Bon nadal, i Bones Festes.
(Maybe not, there is a Pau Riba + De Mortimers Christmas special---strange retelling kind of a cross between Jesus and Star Wars---with crazy pop pastiche, VL-TONE and other baby instrument demos---on TV33.)