A Delicious Persian Meal

For a recent dinner with friends, I decided to serve a (mostly) Persian meal. I was delighted with the results. 

The three principal dishes were Persian:
- Cucumber salad (Salad-e Shirazi)
- Chicken Pomegranate Stew (Khoresh-e Fesenjan)
- Bottom-of-the-Pot Rice (Polo ba Tahdig)

Dessert was Baklava, which is served from the Balkans and Greece all the way to Central Asia.

(I refer to the main dishes in this posting as Persian rather than Iranian because there are a number of different ethnic groups and cuisines in Iran.)

I love the cucumber salad, which is very simple to make, and would go beautifully with a wide variety of dishes. It contains cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, and herbs. Its dressing is fresh lime juice, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. I used small, seedless cucumbers from a nearby Middle Eastern store. I followed the recipe I found at: 
https://www.goodfood.com.au/recipes/salade-shirazi-persian-cucumber-tomato-and-onion-salad-20190617-h1fg57. Of the herb possibilities suggested in the recipe, I chose fresh parsley and dried mint.

The Chicken Pomegranate stew contains chicken breast or thighs (I used thighs), pomegranate molasses, walnut paste, onions, sugar, chicken stock, and a variety of spices. The pomegranate molasses is available on Amazon. I purchased the Al Wadi brand from Lebanon. This syrup is widely used throughout the Middle East. The walnut paste is made by crushing toasted walnuts in a food processor. This dish is delicious the first day, BUT is much more flavorful the next day. I followed the recipe I found at: 
https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/fesenjan_persian_chicken_stew_with_walnut_and_pomegranate_sauce/ It took me about four hours to make. 
(Not in the photo below are the pomegranate arils I added as garnish before serving.) It ain't purty, but it shore is yummy!

Khoresh-e Fesenjan

The Persians have several unique rice dishes. One is Polo ba Tahdig, which is extremely popular. A main feature is that it has caramelized rice or slices of potato or bread at the bottom and is topped with saffron rice when served. I tried one recipe a few months ago, and was not successful. However, this time I found a recipe with a very clear video explanation. It worked great. The recipe can be found at:
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/240606/persian-rice/

Polo ba Tahdig

The pastries I served were pistachio baklava, walnut baklava, and "birds nest" from Beirut Bakery (http://beirutbakery.net/) in Livonia, Michigan. They were incredible. Beirut Bakery makes the best baklava I've had, and I've had lots. The bakery came close to shipping the delivery on the wrong day. Fortunately, I phoned them to make sure the order had been shipped.

The wines I served were 2018 Martin Ray Chardonnay from the Sonoma Coast, Poggio Antico's 2015 Madre Tuscan red from Montalcino, and 2016 Davey Family Shiraz from McLaren Vale, 

Ciutat Comtal/Ciudad Condal - Great Tapas in Barcelona

The first meal I had in Barcelona was a mouth-watering experience at Ciutat Comtal (its Catalan name) / Ciudad Condal (its Spanish name). Each bite of each dish was really tasty.

It's very popular and doesn't take reservations. I was on a waiting list for 90 minutes before I got a seat at the covered outdoor cafe. It also has indoor dining. The extensive menu is in both Spanish and English.

Part of the Menu

I started out with Bacalao Especial (salt cod) with aioli for €10.95. If you're in Spain, you have to try at least one Bacalao dish because it's a major Spanish (and Portuguese) food. I tried several, and was always pleased.

With the Bacalao and the next tapa, I had a glass of Viña Pomal Crianza Rioja for €3.35. It was very nice.

My second tapa was Mejillones del Norte al Vapor (steamed mussels) for €6.30.

Time for another glass of wine - Raimat Abadia Costers del Segre - Cabernet Sauvignon & Tempranillo for €3.10. Also very nice.

My third tapa was Huevos Estrelladas con Jabugo. Fried eggs with Jabugo ham and potatoes. Jabugo is a terrific ham from the village of Jabugo in southern Spain.

Huevos Estrellados

My total bill came to €42.40.

The restaurant is located on the corner of Rambla de Catalunya and Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, one block north of Plaza Cataluña.

Poem to Antoni Gaudí

During my visit to Barcelona, I visited four of the great works of the architectural genius, Antoni Gaudí. The first was the Basilica de la Sagrada Familia (the Basilica of the Holy Family), an immense work which has been under construction since 1882. Two of the four were residences - Casa Battló/La Pedrera and Casa Milà. The fourth was Parc Güell, a beautiful park high above the city.

Basilica de la Sagrada Familia

Casa Battló/La Pedrera

In Parc Güell

Looking from Parc Güell over Barcelona to the Mediterranean

Frater Vester Qui Erat in Barcelona[i]

To Antoni Gaudi

October 1, 2019, Barcelona

I. Qui cherche, Trouve[ii]

Gaudi. not gawdy,

Was colorfully plaudible[iii] -

Bounded by nature,

But unbounded within,

His complexity was simple,

His simplicity complex.

He was myopically farsighted

But saw better than all.

His Barcelona creations

Are Gaudacious[iv] innovations

That generate sensations

Of astounding incarnations

Beyond adulation.

Basilica and park

Batlló and Milà -

A wholly-made family[v]

Of complimentary creatures

Featured a new DNA

That none could foresee.

I saw nothing he missed,

But missed much that he saw.

II. Heaven Scent[vi]

Perhaps he'd confess

That his constructs for life

 Built a path to his end:

A. His daily devotion

Led him faster to God.

B. He wouldn't take transport,

But transport took him.

C. His shabbiness without,

Despite elegance within,

Left him sadly bereft

Of emergency care.

[i] The title is a take-off on the name of the prayer - Pater Noster - the Our Father. The title translates to: "Your Brother Who Was in Barcelona." Appropriately, the “cel” in "Barcelona" is the Catalan word for “heaven.”

[ii] The title of this section, "Qui Cherche, Trouve," is my French motto. It means,  "He who searches, finds." Its substantive meaning is that the person who searches for solutions finds them. That was Gaudi.

[iii] "Plaudible" is a word I made up from plaudit.

[iv] "Gaudacious" is a word I made up.

[v] “Wholly made family" is a take-off on "Sagrada Familia" - Holy Family.

[vi] This section is about factors relating to his death.

Barcelona - A Great Place to Visit

Everyone I’ve met who’s been to Barcelona has told me how much they’ve enjoyed it. Now that I’ve had the chance to visit the city, I understand why. The city is interesting, lively, clean, safe, and walk-able. There is a great variety of delicious restaurants and cafes – both indoor and outdoor. There is a lot to see and do. The people are hospitable and English is widely spoken. On one level, it is a bi-cultural city mixing Catalan and Spanish people and their distinct languages. Among the Catalan people there is strong sentiment for independence from Spain. Barcelona is also a multicultural city, with large communities from of many different ethnicities. It has a superb transportation system of interconnected subways, buses, and trains. The weather when I was there in late September was perfect – with highs in the high 70s.

The only downside that I could see was that it was swarming with tourists – like me. Since it is such a terrific destination, it is visited by over 18 million tourists per year. It is the beginning or end point for many Mediterranean cruises. From Montjuic Castle overlooking the city, I could see six huge cruise ships in the port.

I loved the cuisine in Barcelona. There is a great variety of mouth-watering appetizers – Spanish tapas, montaditos (small open-faced, single slice items like crostini, or small baguette sandwiches), and Basque pintxos (also like crostini or canapes, but with a toothpick holding the topping to the bread). In addition to the small dishes, I tried a number of Spanish, Catalan, and Galician dishes. I took a tapas and pintxos walking tour, and a paella cooking class.

Prior to my trip, I did a lot of research on the cuisine and restaurants, and received great advice from friends. So I had a number of specific dishes and restaurants to try. I had reservations at a number of the restaurants.

The Spanish wines were also very enjoyable and reasonably priced. I took a winery tour to the Penedès region about an hour west of Barcelona, and another to the mountaintop Montserrat Benedictine Monsastery and the Ollmer del Mas winery, about an hour northwest of the city.

In the city, I visited four of the architectural wonders of the creative genius Antoni Gaudí – the Sagrada Familia basilica, Park Güell, Casa Milà/La Pedrera, and Casa Battló. I was so impressed, I wrote a poem to him, which I plan to post.

I also visited the incredible La Boqueria food market, the Cathedral of Barcelona, Montjuic Castle, the Gothic Quarter, and the Arc de Triomf.

I was lucky to be there during the annual La Mercè Festival in honor of the patron saint of Barcelona. I saw a fantastic parade, and great outdoor dance performances.

I walked for miles in the city, and never felt uncomfortable.

There were lots of wooden benches where one could sit and relax, or people watch.

Pickpockets are reportedly a problem, so I was very careful to protect my valuables.

As gifts for family and friends, I bought delicious Torrons, traditional Spanish nougats. I purchased them at Vicens Torrons, which has been making them for 300 years.

I also succeeded in my hunt for men’s tie clips to add to my collection. I found them at two places. The best was Militaria Barcelona, a great military antiques store. The other was a booth at the Mercat dels Encants flea market, the largest in Barcelona.

Tapas Paradise in St. Pete

Yesterday, I had a terrific tapas and Basque wine experience at Ceviche restaurant (http://ceviche.com/) in St. Petersburg, FL. Even though the temperature was in the low 90°s, I felt perfectly comfortable sitting outside on their covered porch (about one block from Tampa Bay).

Despite its name, the restaurant has four ceviche dishes on its menu compared to forty-three tapas dishes. It also has three kinds of paellas, cheese and charcuterie plates, and salads.

I had two seafood tapas and a Basque wine at the restaurant and took another two meat tapas home for dinner. They were all mouth watering.

The first seafood tapa I had was Mejillones a la Catalana (Catalann-style Mussels) - Sautéed mussels, sherry cream sauce, serrano ham, shallots, and garlic, with crispy baguette slices and lemon to squeeze. ($11)

I thought the first dish was great. Then I tried the Cangrejo Fundido (Crab Melt) - jumbo lump blue crab, manchego cheese, sherry cream, with small slices of perfect pita onto which I scooped the crab mix. That dish was out of this world. ($13)

The wine I had was a delicious white wine from Spanish Basque country - a 2017 Txakolina wine made with Hondarrabi Zuri grapes. The wine was a bit on the sweet side, and a perfect accompaniment for the two tapas. The winery that produces it is Rekalde, which is owned by the Hirutza family. The 9-oz glass was $13.

The two tapas I took home for dinner were also delicious. (They were on the edge of my modest spiciness tolerance).

The first was Albondigas - chorizo, pork, and veal meatballs in a spicy tomato sauce. ($9)

The second was Piquillos Rellenos - Roasted red peppers stuffed with veal, pork, and chorizo, in sherry cream. ($10)

The restaurant has flamenco performances three nights per week - Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

My server, Brittany, was terrific - customer-focused with a warm and ebullient personality.

I can't wait to go back.

Power AirFryer XL - Incredible Fries & Delicious Salmon Cooked Simultaneously

On a whim, I recently bought a Power Air Fryer XL. A customer in BJs noticed me looking at it, and she commented on what great fries and breaded cod it made. I had to give it a try. I'm really glad I did. It was extremely easy to use and produced great results;

The first time I used it, I tried breaded chicken. It turned out tasty, but not incredible. However, yesterday evening, I decided to try cooking salmon and french fries at the same time. The salmon was delicious and the fries were among the best I have ever had. They were perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

I used unthawed Alexia frozen fries, which I lightly coated with EVOO. I prepared the 7-oz. skinned, fresh, wild Keta salmon filet by basting both sides with EVOO and lemon juice, and sprinkling it with sea salt and pepper.

Then I set the temperature at 400° and the timer at 18 minutes. I put the fries in first. When the timer reached 11 minutes remaining, I opened the basket and inserted the salmon. At the same time, I turned over the fries. When the time reached 5 minutes, I turned the salmon over and shook the fries.

It doesn't get any easier than that. One great benefit of using a hot air fryer, is that it significantly reduces the calorie count of dishes.

The fryer inner and outer baskets are non-stick and are dishwasher safe.

The cost of my 5.3 quart air fryer at BJs was $79.99.

Beirut Bakery - Incredible Arabic Food in Redford, MI

For me, the gold standard for Levantine (Lebanese, Palestinian, & Syrian) Arabic food is the incredible, mouth-watering food my mother made.  A place that comes very close to that gold standard is Beirut Bakery (https://www.beirutbakery.net/) in Redford, Michigan.

As anyone who’s been to Beirut Bakery knows, it's far more than a bakery. If offers an extensive assortment of main dishes, side dishes, and baked goods, primarily for takeout. It also has a couple of tables where one can eat at their venue.

For a number of years, my brother has brought gifts of Beirut Bakery foods when he has visited us in Florida. So I have long wanted to visit Beirut Bakery and try more of the dishes they prepare. During a recent trip to Michigan, a special friend and I joined my brother and his son to have lunch there. It was the most delicious Arabic meal I have enjoyed in many, many years. It included stuffed cabbage rolls (Malfouf), stuffed squash (Khousa), stuffed grape leaves (Warak Arish), baked stuffed Kibbeh, meat pie, Labne yogurt spread (similar to Tzatziki), Hummus, Pita bread (Khoubiz), and Baklava. Everything was superb. I could easily have eaten there every day for two weeks.

Part of My Lunch

I have had Baklava many times over the course of seven decades. Theirs is among the very best.

Catherine & Baklava

One interesting item they carry is a delicious Lebanese olive oil.

They ship many of their foods; and some are carried in Whole Foods stores in their area.

Beirut Bakery was created four decades ago by Milad and Leila Hallis. It is now a family team operation, with daughter Catherine and son Mark working with their parents.