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Friday has become my day for Felix taking care of me. Inside at La Galeria there are elves at work.
Bits and pieces arrived, unasked but much appreciated. You’ve seen the pictures: a shot of soup; bite sized morsels; and a bit of bread with olive oil.
Then anchovies in tempura batter on a tomato salad that was delightfully, sneakily, spicey……
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The vegetables were lovely, and the crisps real……
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Coffee came with chocolate strawberry and home-made biscuit. Plus an extra “digestive” 🙂
And for those of my readers who are in the UK and Canada, this was all indoors. On white tablecloths. And for those in the UK, no need to sign in with your name and telephone number.
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On Saturday evening, sitting in the apartment seemed unreasonable. So out I stepped.
Warm evenings are typically bustling in Spain. Everyone is out. From grans to grankids. And all in between. It’s like a symphony. Conversations that rise and fall, from here and there. Not a cacophany. Almost as if someone is directing.
Yes, people are out. It is the way in Spain. Everyone comes out. They walk a bit. They stand a bit. They walk a bit more. They sit a bit. They sit a bit longer. A small glass. Maybe a tapas. And then on they weave. If you find an empty tapas bar, it does not stay empty for long. If a tapas bar is full, it will loose the crowd, only for another to follow in. A symphony of people. Coming and going. This way and that. Unhurried. Greetings passing between groups. Causing them to stop and play their conversation.
Into Saturday’s evening symphony I strolled, this way and that. No need for direction. Not all who wander are lost. There is no need to hurry or worry. You will find what you need.
So I found these garlic mushrooms……
Like a baseline to the symphony.
That’s what food has always been.
Food sets the beat to the music.
Many a happy memory starts with a bit of food, teasing people together. The main course turning their words into armies, with training and rules coming to the fore. By dessert these armies are holding skirmishes, which turn into gentle battles that last as long as the refreshments. The refreshments being the only casualties. Like old soldiers, used up, laid in neat rows, and discarded.
Spain does this rather well.
May all your weekends have a symphony.