It seems that cookbooks are now partly travel books and I guess that isn’t a bad thing when we consider that it is often said that the way to know a country is to understand its food.
Rick Stein takes us on another of his gastronomic journeys and very nice it is too.
The book was written to go alongside his TV programme about Spain and food – or food and Spain and he truely does love that country. His first visit he tells us was in 1955 an his love for the country stems from that early visit.
It is a beautifully crafted book, with glorious pictures not just of recipes but of people and produce and I like the way the chapters reflect the food from each particular area for example Chapter 1 is Galicia Chapter 2 Asturias and Cantabria etc. Stein is an engaging writer and evokes an atmosphere for place in his narrative
“Though it was very cold dark and gloomy at the time, I’m glad I arrived in Galicia in February. You can tell what a place is really like out of season. I drove over the Ria de Ribadeo with my son Jack and Debbie, who helps me with these books, on a blustery, rather melancholic afternoon and found a cheap hotel smelling strongly of tobacco smoke with a small radiator in the bedroom which heated it not at all. We walked around in our overcoats.”
Immediately there is the feeling of where we are and so we are anticipating whatever food might be put in front of us to warm our chilled bones.
There are lots of fish dishes but I made the chicken and garlic and it was delicious. I had thought that the garlic might overwhelm the chicken but it didn’t just a perfect sweetness from the garlic adding to the goodness of the chicken.
I also made an apple and cinnamon cake which has apple cider it it and very nicely it turned out. The cider gave the cake a bit of a kick and it seemed even better the next day. The recipes aren’t difficult and most of the ingredients are easily obtainable but I probably won’t bother with Shellfish Gatherers and Octopus Stew – not sure I can handle an octopus.
If you love Spain and if you are a bit bored with what you have been cooking this is a book which will transport you to another country and the invitation is in its pages to try something different.
Lovely book great recipes.
