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Live...from spain!!! Cordoba, costa de da luz (vejer de la frontera area, madrid

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Live...from spain!!! Cordoba, costa de da luz (vejer de la frontera area, madrid

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Old Mar 6th, 2024, 03:01 AM
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if you want to try 'rabo de toro' again, go to a Jamaican restaurant near where you live and order the oxtail brown stew. This is a great dish.

Ajo blanco is the common term for 'white gazpacho,' thickened with almonds, though it is generally no thicker than gazpacho. Mazamorra originates from Cordoba specifically and made its way to South and Central America where it is thickened with corn. It is more like a porridge. In Spain, you probably won't find it outside Cordoba.
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Old Mar 6th, 2024, 03:07 AM
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And ajo blanco, unlike gazpacho, does not have tomatoes. Ingredients: bread crumbs, water, EVOO, almonds, garlic and sherry vinegar.

I've not seen mazamorra on menus outside of Córdoba. It´s thicker than ajo blanco as it contains more bread crumbs.

Another Andalusian cold soup: porra antequerana

Eks,
Have you tried the berenjenas con miel yet, the lightly fried eggplant with cane honey?


Last edited by Maribel; Mar 6th, 2024 at 03:34 AM.
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Old Mar 6th, 2024, 08:58 AM
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Following along - loving it!
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Old Mar 6th, 2024, 09:18 AM
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I am SO annoyed! I have been writing for 45 minutes, only to see the entire post disappear!
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Old Mar 6th, 2024, 09:19 AM
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We're still following, eks. Take your time. It´s so frustrating when your post disappears that you've spent so much time to compose!
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Old Mar 6th, 2024, 09:32 AM
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Quick recap:

I was joined last night by 2 friends for dinner at TABERNA DEL ALMODOVAR.
It's an airy, white restaurant with. plenty of room between tables to chat, and service was lovely.

My friends were happy (I'm sorry but I went into So MUCh detail only to have ti disappear that I am only going to say that they were both happy with their dinner:

1. Salmorejo
2. Salad of soft lettuces topped by ventreuca.

I did not have an appetizer since I had my heart set on the suckling pig which was served for two.
It was very tender and delicious but lacked the crujiente bits of the skin that I had kept in my memory. Maybe this was my mistake for ordering this dish, iconic to Segovia, but the nice waiter proudly showed me that he could cut the quarter of the animal up with a plate, a la Candido!!! He (Nacho) was fun to talk to and we covered a lot of food ground but I held myself back for my friends did not speak Spanish. They did comment that they had never seen me so animated as when I was talking about food in Spain!!!

My portion of the Bill (one third) came to 52.30euro. TABERNA DEL ALMODOVAR, walking distance from the hotel. Recommended.

Yesterday I was thrilled to pass a caracol stand, which means spring is almost here in Cordoba; I am determined to try the snails before I leave here.

I enjoyed my visited to the Patios of El Palacio de Viana (8 euro for seniors) yesterday afternoon.


Today I had a light breakfast in the courtyard of the Hospes, where trees drip with oranges and lemons (I've been advised by one of my "friends" at the front desk that I MUST take some of those lemons home with me and can only imagine how to pull off this caper--late at night, stretching to reach the fruits of the lemon tree (Trinii Lopez--that name surely gives away my age!!)

I did not leave my hotel until close to 1:30. bound for the MUSEO TAURINO. I had written so many paragraphs about this place and will try recreate some of the words that I lost.

But that's about all for now as I need to get ready for my dinner at NOOR.

So will return soon with details of the Taurine Museum, the Synagogue, and the lovely craft shop. SIMPLEMENTE CORDOBA, where I bought three very pretty items..the jewelry and small leather bags are much nicer in person than on their site; I bought 2 pretty necklaces and even a small grey leather bag, all for less than 100euro and they look very good in quality.

I was so long on my feet that I got turned around and had to take a taxi back to the hotel!!! I'm walking more than 14,000 steps a day, not sure how many miles is that b ut its all been a delight!!!

Please excuse the typos..I am running late here...

Last edited by ekscrunchy; Mar 6th, 2024 at 09:36 AM.
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Old Mar 6th, 2024, 10:23 AM
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Enjoy your tasting menu at NOOR! I can hardly wait to hear the details! We have reservations at the Taberna del Almodóvar in a few weeks, and I'll be sure to seek out Nacho.
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Old Mar 7th, 2024, 01:46 AM
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I bought the ticket for the patios only at the PALACIO DE VIANA and it was really a lovely place--a good introduction to the city. I had written much more, and lost it, so will continue only to say that there is THE lovely Plaza JUAN BERNIER between the HOSPES and the PALACIO DE VIANA, with one of the beautiful bronze sculpture groupings named EL POZO DE LOS FLORES. These bronzes, of various subjects relating to the care of the famous flower-laden patios, stand throughout the city and I will attempt to find more during my wanderings today.
(I saw another on the Callejon de los Flores) yesterday but it was so jammed with Instagrammers that I could barely see within the narrow alley.

But equally exciting, in the Plaza Juan Bernier, I spotted my first snail stand. These land-grown creatures are a delicacy during spring months in Cordoba, when stands crop up all over offering various sizes and in various recipes; (my taxi driver last night told me that I should first try them "in brood," broth, before tackllng the others, which can be prepared with various meats.
So although I thought I would never think about food after last night's diner at NOOR, I am up and ready at this late hour of the morning, thinking about what else, caracoles---and salmorejo, which I've yet to try.

Yesterday I also woke up late and headed for the MUSEO TAURINO which I found fascinating. Its a small and well done portrayal of the art of bullfighting, with special emphasis on two bullfighters native to here:

MANOLETE the legendary. Most fascinating to ne were the exhibition of the intricately crafted trajes de Luces (suits of light), the shimmering suits worn by the matadors. How small the waists of these men must have been to fit into these almost doll-size costumes! Layer upon layer of hand-embroidery with mostly metallic threads. And hand applied pearls and jewels!!! Just to take in those silver buttons--each one is different and all obviously made by hand. I could have stayed there for hours. Of course there are many photos of Manolete, who met his end by the horns of "MIURA???" bull names ISLERO, at the arena at Linares in 1947 at the age of 31. You can see the ears and tail of ISLERO at the museum but according to the guard in charge, the dead of Islero was stolen and its whereabouts remain a mystery to this day.

Of course the other "star" of the Museum is Manuel Benitez, El Cordobes, whose likeness in poster form decorated the walls of my bedroom when I was a teenager. (remember you once could buy replica posters with your own name on them????) (Not for me, that, I was committed to the handsome EL CORDOBES, and am happy to report that he is often spotted around the city today, lithe and spry, and handsome at the age of 87!! More than one person this week has shown me photos of him on their phone, walking, in restaurants, greeting his fans----after so many years he remains king here in Cordoba! There are videos at the museum but none of the information has been translated into languages other than Spanish and I did not spot any audio guides.

After the museum, I walked a short was to the Sinagoga, a small white-and ivory cubed space shoe walls are covered with lavish inscriptions and the Moorish "key" symbol. There was an Italian tour group inside when I was there so I caught a few words, but perhaps it would be best ifs one read up more than I did, or had their own guide. But in any case, its lovely and very moving if you are familiar with the tale of the expulsion of the Jews from Spain, but I wished there was much more history included in writing at the Sinagoga. By the way, in case you have a hard tine finding it, it is close to both the MUSEUO TAURINO and the NH HOTEL not too far from the Mezquita.

I don't want to go on for too much longer here, as I am on a quest to cross the Roman Bridge, see the Botanical Garden, and also to see more of the bronzes, and of course, to snack on some snails (the taxi driver tells men those are brought over from Morocco but I will investigate).

More soon including getting hopelessly lost en route to NOOR, necessitating not one but two calls from the restaurant, asking me where I was. I ended up arriving almost one hour late!!!
Google maps seems useless outside the center,, unless I am doing something wrong, which is entirely possible.

And Maribel, when I asked how to walk to NOOR from the Hospes, the front desk person told me that NOOR was closed on Wednesdays! Just as she had said that EL PISTO will be closed today. Again, investigation to come. It appears that the front desk people do not call the restaurants, they just look at Google or another site to determine which days a place is open, and as you know, those sites often conflict! MMMMMM...

Last edited by ekscrunchy; Mar 7th, 2024 at 01:51 AM.
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Old Mar 7th, 2024, 01:47 AM
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Also, II want to remind myself of the nice costume jewelry store where I did some damage...offering created locally..Ii will find the card later...

please forgive typos ads I want to get outside and its almost noon!!
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Old Mar 7th, 2024, 02:27 AM
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Hi eks,
Waiting eagerly for your NOOR dinner report! The desk staff should CERTAINLY have told you to take a taxi to Noor!! Have they not had guests with dinner reservations there??? (apparently not, lol!).

Yes, one can still purchase those bullfight posters with one's name in the middle, as the second matador. I bought one for a student who wanted one for his poster collection.

When I was a young girl, it was the heyday of El Cordobés, Paco Camino, El Viti, Luis Miguel Dominguín, Antonio Ordóñez, and the rivalry between the last two, about which Hemingway wrote his The Dangerous Summer.
In Salamanca while I was a student, I lived with the family of the Galache bull raising ranch, so got to hear many stories from my hostess.
Speaking of El Cordobés, have you read, "Or I'll Dress You in Mourning" by Larry Collins & Dominique Lapierre? (about his life story)

The current crop of matadors used to stay at our now-closed hotel in Pamplona, and we would see them everyday, coming and going from hotel to Plaza. They are tiny, especially the now-retired El Juli.

Now back. to our regular programming-----the adventures of ekscrunchy at NOOR and her quest for caracoles!
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Old Mar 7th, 2024, 02:59 AM
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Quick installation. EL PISTO is certainly open today despite the admonitions of the hotel staff. So here I stand outside waiting for the scheduled opening at 1pm, a few minutes from now, with SALMOREJO on my mind!!!

Weather is perfect. Cool and cloudy. Perfect for ambling!! All that cool weather wear I bought at Zara. Only needed the first day but I look forward to wearing a lot at home and on future trips.

Crowd collecting at the doors of EL PISTO!! Its 12:59!!!!

More soon!!!
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Old Mar 7th, 2024, 05:49 AM
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eks,
Tonight at el Bar de Paco Morales, if you have room, order the salmorejo de naranja to sample another very different style of Cordoban cold soup. Here he makes it with orange juice, bread crumbs, EVOO, garlic, salt and Pedro Ximenez vinegar, accompanied by smoked cod and a topping of cheese.

These are the chef´s favorite salmorejos, so many versions, so rich!

Last edited by Maribel; Mar 7th, 2024 at 06:06 AM.
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Old Mar 7th, 2024, 05:56 AM
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Originally Posted by ekscrunchy
I am SO annoyed! I have been writing for 45 minutes, only to see the entire post disappear!
Anymore, for long posts I compose in Word or Pages (ios), save often, and then copy and paste. It's too easy to lose content otherwise. Learned the hard way.
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Old Mar 7th, 2024, 06:03 AM
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I don't care for salmorejo when it's made with an olive oil that has a peppery finish.... though it can be hard to find it otherwise.
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Old Mar 7th, 2024, 06:13 AM
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Since I had no reservation, I was at the front door of EL PISTO, with a few o this who appeared to be locals. So I was able to snag a small table in a room just off the main entrance--and had the room to myself! This restaurant is so handsome, all tiled walls and wonderful framed memorabilia on the walls of several interconnected rooms, with abundant greenery. It's truly like film set and I would not surprised if it had served as one in the part.

The waiters are lovely!!!! Even though I had no booking, it was no problem to get a table, and in a private room yet!!!

I know what I wanted, only salmorejo. How could I spend 5 nights here and not sample this iconic dish!?!?! So I ordered this (very)cold soup, topped with small bits of hard-boiled egg and jamon, and it was wonderful. And would have been even more welcome had the day not turned from cool and cloudy to heaving rain!!!

And then I noticed the fried eggplant with honey on the menu and recalled having them in Brooklyn, of all place, and loving them. This dish would probably rank in my top ten of ALL Spanish light fare. It's served with not honey, but an almost black-in-color cane syrup which I b believe is a speciality of Frigillana above the Costa del Sol, also. in Andalucia. I had purchased some yesterday in an interesting, small "gourmet" shop, and still have a glass jar at home from last year that I've never even opened, b being too lazy to attempt the eggplant dish (No reason it could not be drizzled over oatmeal or ice cream and I will buy more before I head for home.

EL PISTO'S BENENJENA CON MIEL is a dish I will never forget. I've not tried it elsewhere in the city, so either I hit its just right, or it can be found in myriad places. I do imagine the this dish MUST e served straight from the fryer. I'm still salivating thinking of it!!!

This might be the only place in Spain that produces this "honey of cane sugar". Boy, I never knew what I was missing before today!!!



https://www.malaga.es/es/laprovincia...nio-industrial
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Old Mar 7th, 2024, 06:21 AM
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It's now 4:15 and still pouring so I will give up, for now, on my snail foray, and hope to persuade the driver who will scoot me tomorrow about 11:45am to the Jerez Airport to make a quick stop so we can share in some snails in the car.

OR, if the weather perks. up, I may have time between my booked "thermal baths," included in the price of the room, and my 9pm dinner at BAR DE PACO MORLES!!! One of the front of house people at NOOR (description off dinner still to be related here) told me he would phone BAR DE PM where he has an Italian friend and alert this person that I was planning to die alone. Oh, how easy it is to get used to the kindness of people in Andalucia!!!!!

I'd love to continue but my head is dropping on top of my keyboard so, until very soon, best regards, ek
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Old Mar 7th, 2024, 06:23 AM
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In case you didn´t see it,
¨eks,
Tonight at el Bar de Paco Morales, if you have room, order the salmorejo de naranja to sample another very different style of Cordoban cold soup. Here he makes it with orange juice, bread crumbs, EVOO, garlic, salt and Pedro Ximenez vinegar, accompanied by smoked cod and a topping of cheese.

These are the chef´s favorite salmorejos, so many versions, so rich!¨

Have you had a flamenquín yet or the alcachofas a la montillana? It's artichoke season already and these are braised in Montilla-Moriles wine and usually topped with jamón ibérico.

Last edited by Maribel; Mar 7th, 2024 at 07:12 AM.
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Old Mar 7th, 2024, 09:09 AM
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Maribel, I've never tried flamenquin so will do that tonight. There are do many great things on his menu that I do not know how I can sample as many as I want to try!!!
I have very high hopes for the restaurant.....I've got 2 hours to go and the rain has stopped..

I took advantage of the Roman baths at the hotel: There are three shallow pools: Templada aka pretty cold but ok once you are immersed. You can even swim a few laps in this one (I didi not). Next is the hot bath which is at a comfy temperature and very nice for soaking. After that, the lovely young Estefania instructed me to finish in the cold pool....one toe in the water and I knew I was not going to dip inside that one. They are salt water and very clean. Estefania gave me a black bathing suit as I had thought, wrongly, that these baths were for "naturists," or were for private use only. Good thing, too, as I was alone and peaceful for the first part of my time (one hour total) and then a trio from the US entered so good thing I had a suit on!!

I ended my time after about 35 minutes; it was very nice but I had other things on my mind. I suppose you do not get the entire experience unless you book the "extras," a long line-up of various massages, manicures, everything that a regular spa-goer would know about...but costly.

All in all it was very nice.

And I looked at the outdoor pool. It's on the small side but a dedicated lap swimmer could get some exercise there as long as the tempearture was warm enough.

My room is #12, right off the first courtyard not far from reception ; it's a very large room with one king bed and a handsome modern dark bathroom with both shower enclosure and bath with shower overhead. The ladies that do the housekeeping are very very friendly and bring you whatever. you need! Today they surprised me with a bottle of
Cava in an ice-filled bucket; some nights I get lucious brownies (do not leave these out too long--bugs also like brownies!!). Or a plate of walnuts with dried apricots and black figs.....very good touch. All of the workers here are very social and often want to discuss local foods, so I am in heaven!!!

But I do need to see about those caracoles....can I find the puestos de carioles on the drive from here to Jerez Airport? Do you know any highly recommended snack stop for something interesting along that route??? No matter; driver may not want to stop abandon if he does, he will know where to go......

Very nervous about getting the SIXT car from the airport tomorrow!!! Usual anxiety!! I did get an IDP this tine.

All goes well and I will be ensconced in my usual room at LA SIESTA by tomorrow night. The chef is off for the first two days of my stay so Friday night I can get some snacks en route one then so I have 2 lunches at ANTONIO all sewn up for the opening weekend! What could be better?

Greeting to all from Cordob!!

Last edited by ekscrunchy; Mar 7th, 2024 at 09:16 AM.
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Old Mar 7th, 2024, 09:19 AM
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On the route from Córdoba to Aeropuerto de Jerez, I´m assuming your driver will go via the A-4, skirting Sevilla to the south, and then down the autopista all the way. so as to get you there under 3 hours.

Think of the new El Muro in Vejer as a dining alternative while in Vejer. mdn enjoyed his meal there and I've read good reports. It has a nod from Michelin AND from Repsol. The young chef is Paco Doncel.
https://elmurorestaurante.es

Last edited by Maribel; Mar 7th, 2024 at 09:29 AM.
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Old Mar 7th, 2024, 10:23 AM
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Paco Doncel interview
https://www.lavozdigital.es/gurme/ca...2_noticia.html
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