After breakfast I headed to the central markets to meet up with my group for a paella making course. I opted for the tradition Valencian paella, but most of the group opted for seafood. Gary headed out later to wander the streets alone (can you still hear the whining?)
The bakery operated by the sisters Coffee/breakfast in the hostel lounge With Sonya
Off to my paella class…
Waiting for the group… the back?/front? of the Silk ExchangeNext to the Central Markets, this neo-Medieval style building with decorative touches of Valencian Modernism was originally built as the Municipal Market AdministrationInside the markets to buy produce for our paellas. Daniel (left) is our chef/teacher with Tiann (Florida)The cupola in the centre of the main market hallDecorated with oranges … the symbol of ValenciaOn a fish stall… not for our paellasDaniel explained that the original 950+ stalls have now been consolidated to about 250 as holders buy up their neighbours for a bigger footprint. This is the last single stall (411) and is now run by the fourth generation. It sells spices… I bought some saffron and paprikas Daniel buying the cuttlefish for the seafood paellasLive eels in the stall behind, also not for our paellasRed Roget beans for the traditional Valencian paellasSnails… although there are snails in the Valencian paellas they take three days to prepare… already waiting for us at the kitchen.Daniel shared a lot more information as we walked from the market to the kitchen… this tiny pink building (La Estrecha) is the narrowest in the city. It was squeezed in between buildings to be as close as possible to the local church for protection in the more perilous times gone byLa Estrecha on the left, church on right
At the Sea Saffron kitchen
The four wines we tasted, all ValencianCava, with smoky peanuts and marinated olivesInto the kitchen… the ingredients for my Valencian paellaIngredients for Tiann’s seafood paellaTiann with a drop of white wine to help the cookingFirst, add the oil to a moderately hot paella (it’s the name of the pan as well as the food)Next… some tapas… Onion, cuttlefish, prawn heads, tomato, saffron and paprika so far in the seafood versionChicken, rabbit, green beans, tomato, saffron and paprika in the ValencianWith stock and lima beans in mine… more tapas, thanks OliverGary & Beebe (Penang) with their seafood versionDaniel checking our salt levelsThis is how to add the rice (Albufera variety)… all in a straight line across the pan, then stir to distribute evenly across the bottom of the pan. Cook 16-18 minutes but DON’T STIR to allow the socarrat (the golden, crispy, caramelized layer of toasted rice that forms at the very bottom) to form Returning the prawn meat to the seafood versionReady to eat… with my coordinated napkin (😬)My final product… not too bad if I do say so myself. Yes, I ate a snailSeafood version (Gary & Beebe’s)Dessert… Bizcochode Llanda (orange sponge cake with cream and cinnamon). The most emblematic traditional sponge cake of the Valencian Community. Its name comes from the rectangular metal mold or tin (llanda) in which it is baked. (Google)
Gary’s morning
Another beautiful hotel … again not oursThe Plaza de Toros de Valencia, an historic bullring Inside the waiting room at the València Estació del Nord train stationHis new life motto A wedding with confetti…… and fireworks 😳
Our afternoon
Into the Plaza La Reina. The Cathedral door faces the side of the square because it used to be a road leading to the Cathedral. In the 1960s the buildings to the right (in this view) were demolished to make an open space to help the city “breathe”. During Covid it was transformed into the current paved plaza (Thanks Daniel!)The post Covid Placa de la ReinaPlaca Redonda, the round square The Cathedral has three doors… the newest- Baroque door…The older – Gothic doorThe oldest – Roman door (Thanks Daniel)
I made great sacrifices today and forced myself to try some more local delicacies … (yes, after the wine, the paella, the tapas…I’m a martyr for the cause)
A recommendation from Daniel (my local guru)Traditional Valencian pumpkin buñuelos (buñuelos de calabaza) and chocolate. They’re essentially sweet pumpkin donuts. Horchata and fartons (yes, really). Horchata de chufa is a traditional, plant-based Valencian drink made from crushed tiger nuts (chufas), water, and sugar, protected by a Designation of Origin (D.O. Chufa de Valencia). It is always served ice-cold and paired with fartons—long, soft, sugar-glazed sponge pastries created in the 1960s by the Polo family in Alboraya specifically to be dipped into the drink (Google)A very multicultural guy… drinking German beer in an Irish pub in a Spanish city served by a Scottish (?) waitress watching Arsenal play Everton!
Later this evening we surfaced for a walk and yet more food…
Our hotel/hostal
Into Placa de la Reina, Placa del’Arabesque and Placa de la Virgin and there is a major celebration and masses in the major churches/cathedral. Google tells me they are celebrations of the closing of the Jubilee Year of the Holy Chalice, with open air masses, Eucharistic Procession, and Eucharistic Vigil & Night Adoration all scheduled for today/tonight. The area is heaving with people but we don’t know if this is because of these celebrations (there were certainly hundreds of people at the open air Mass, and many streaming into the Cathedral at the end of the Procession) or a normal Saturday. Either way, the atmosphere is happy and it’s great to be a part of it!
Inside the Reial Basílica de la Mare de Déu dels DesemparatsNoticed as we walked past the CathedralA Galician Camino waymarker- also near the Cathedral (and near the ground marker)… he’s confused! We’re nowhere near Galicia which is in NW Spain!
Google tells me that: The Camino de Levante (Camino de Santiago) is starts right at the Valencia Cathedral (historically from the port) and crosses the entire Iberian Peninsula to Santiago de Compostela, 1200 – 1250km.
Supper tonight… his beer, my Aperol Spritz (another bucket list item… I don’t remember having one before???)Grilled cuttlefishSmoked sardines… spectacularly tasty!
So, so entertaining… Hard to pick a favourite but the “fireworks” had me giggling, couldn’t help but picture a smouldering bride & groom emerging! What a day, I’m reminded
So, so entertaining… Hard to pick a favourite but the “fireworks” had me giggling, couldn’t help but picture a smouldering bride & groom emerging! What a day, I’m reminded
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You got cut off… but now I’m giggling over the smouldering couple too 😂
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