It was forecast to rain all day today so we didn't really plan anything. Slept in, showered, Nic and Dave did some work, read, Rick went for a walk and came back soaked.
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| I worked on this painting of the back of Rick on the beach. Unfortunately as I pulled off the masking tape on the edges it ripped some of the bottom of the painting off. Such a pity, I was proud of the deck chair. |
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I forgot to post this on yesterdays blog. In Segunto, just before Daphne picked us up we found this fabulous bakery and bought 6 eclairs. They were real choux pastry. 2 had whipped cream inside, 2 had chocolate whipped cream and 2 had custard. All had a crunchy toffee type of glaze. They were amazing and we all loved them and had different favourites. It was supposed to stop raining at 2pm and it did slow down so we ventured out to the grocery store to get the "fixings" to make Paella. The main concern being the kind of rice we needed so I took a screenshot of the recommendations from the recipe and
We found it at the grocery store. |
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| On our way back it started raining again but we took a quick walk |
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| to the beach as we were feeling rather "house bound". |
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| We played some cards - with wine and olives- and the first one out had to start the Paella. That was Nic. |
Muslims in Al-Andalus began rice cultivation around the 10th century.[7] Eastern Iberian Peninsula locals often made casseroles of rice, fish, and spices for family gatherings and religious feasts, thus establishing the custom of eating rice in Spain. This led to rice becoming a staple by the 15th century.
One likely theory is that paella was invented by Albufera rice
farmers in the 15th century. Farmers gathered in the paddies to cook a
one-pot dish with ingredients that were readily available in the
surrounding fields: rice, snails, aquatic birds, green beans and water
from the Albufera de València.[8]
It became customary for cooks to combine rice with vegetables, beans, and dry cod, providing an acceptable meal for Lent. Along Spain's Mediterranean coast, rice was predominantly eaten with fish.[9][10]
Spanish food historian Lourdes March notes that the dish "symbolizes the union and heritage of two important cultures, the Roman, which gives us the utensil and the Arab which brought us the basic food of humanity for centuries: rice. From Wikipedia.
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| A recipe from the internet and |
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| our largest frying pan. A Paella pan would have been better (wide, flat bottom with handles on the sides). Onion, garlic, green and yellow peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes simmered. |
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| Rice, vegetable stock, paella seasoning, white wine, chicken thighs cubed simmered. |
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| Shrimp and frozen peas. Simmered and then covered to sit for 10 minutes. |
Served with baguette and butter. Declared a resounding success.
