Adventures in Spain: Road Trip Through Navarra

After our evening tapas crawl in Madrid, the next morning we set off on our journey to the region of Navarra.  After four hours of driving through rather quiet scenery, we arrived at the picturesque Bardenas Reales, a desert-like natural park of plateaus formed by erosion over millions of years. 

We continued on to the historic town of Olite.  It was a very charming town housing the Royal Palace of Olite, previously home to the court of the King of Navarra during the Middle Ages.

Quiet streets of Olite

 Royal Palace of Olite

That day it so happened that there was a special youth federation event – we got to witness a mini “running of the bulls” with the young boys of Olite running with small bulls through the streets of Olite. 

Adventures in Spain: Tapas Crawl in Madrid

Back in February, my string of good luck began when I won a trip to Navarra, Spain.  You can read my original post about Navarra and the dinner we attended during Navarra Gastronomic Week here. 

The time finally came last week for Piggie Hubby and me to embark on what we knew would be a spectacular, unforgettable gastronomic adventure in Spain.  As you’ll see from the photos, we kicked off our trip by spending our first two days eating all of the tapas Madrid had to offer. 

Our first food adventure was at Mercado de San Miguel, a covered market with over 30 different shops that offer fresh fruit and seafood and most importantly for us, beer and tapas!  We came here our first night in Madrid to have a sampling of tapas.  There was so much more we wanted to try, we came back for lunch the next day as well.

Tehuitzingo – Mexico en Nueva York Señoras y Señores

Today's post is compliments of Piggie Hubby.  Born and raised in Mexico, this piggie knows his tacos.  

I have searched endlessly for a place that would remind me of the delicious dishes I grew up eating in Mexico.  My search for those treats, tacos, quesadillas, tostadas, tortas, has spanned numerous cities with the hopes of finding the restaurant that would remind me of the comforts of home with a single bite.  Hidden in the back of a tiny Mexican grocery store in Hell’s Kitchen, I finally found the answer to my quest: Tehuitzingo.

In hindsight, I should have known that my search would end as soon as I entered Tehuitzingo and found myself surrounded by the familiar décor of a traditional deli in Mexico: shelves stocked with traditional spices, salsas, sweet treats, canned goods, and friendly faces.  Beyond the groceries and after walking past a set of fridges filled with Mexican drinks (Sidral, Sangria, Jumex juices),

Mini Oreo Cheesecakes

As most of you already know, or may have figured out, I have an absurdly large sweet tooth.  I have successfully managed to polish off batches of cookies and cakes by myself (probably not something to brag about).  In order to curb my excessive dessert intake, I now try to decrease my baking.

A few weeks ago, my coworker had a housewarming party - the perfect opportunity for me to bake something and not single-handedly consume all of the goods.  For two years, yes, TWO WHOLE YEARS, I have had this Mini Oreo Cheesecake recipe bookmarked but never actually made it.  On this fine Saturday in May, I finally

Best Thing Since Sliced Bread? Mac n Cheese Sandwich

Oh yes, your eyes are not fooling you.  I did indeed pile mac n cheese between two slices of sourdough bread.  This has been a dream I’ve wanted to make a reality for a long time. 

Dreams really do come true

But that’s not all folks – my mac n cheese had a spicy kick from

Patron Secret Dining Society: NYC Secrets Revealed

Last week, Piggie Hubby and I had the pleasure of enjoying a cocktail hour and 4-course dinner prepared by Chef Marcus Samuelsson along with Patron cocktail pairings by Mixologist Tomas Delos Reyes.  At no cost to us yipppeeeee!

     

It all started with a Patron Liqueur Double Dark Chocolate Mini-Bundt Cake.  A while ago my husband got this delicious chocolate tequila cake in the mail for his birthday, compliments of Patron. 

One bundt cake later, I signed up to be a member of the Patron Social Club so that I too could get this delicious treat sent to me in the mail.  Fast forward seven or eight months to current day – we received an email from

Pho finally in HK: ChaPa's Vietnamese Noodles and Grill

Hurrah! Pho has arrived in Midtown West!  There’s been an absence of pho around here, but lo and behold, as I was doing my weekly run to Stiles Farmers Market (that’s how I discovered Danji as well), I caught sight of the ChaPa’s Vietnamese Noodles and Grill sign.  Every day after that, I impatiently awaited the grand opening.

That day finally arrived – here’s what I had:

Sweet Potato Shrimp Fritters, Lightly battered deep-fried sweet potato and shrimp served with lettuce, pickled carrots, and daikon.  Served with Vietnamese fish sauce.

Surrounded by Culinary Greatness: James Beard Awards Ceremony & Gala

The James Beard Awards were this past Monday but already seem like a distant memory – I wish I could do it again!  Rubbing shoulders with the best chefs and TV food personalities in the country?  Sounds good to me.  We walked past the red carpet (green, actually) as Susan Ungaro (President of the James Beard Foundation), Tom Colicchio, Marcus Samuelsson, and his model wife Maya Haile were arriving.  The funniest thing was when one of the press photographers thought we were actually some kind of famous couple (see photo below - hahah in hindsight, we should have played along). 

 

I was no more than a foot away as Bobby Flay was getting interviewed.  James Beard Award winner Saipin Chutima (Lotus of Siam) sat two rows in front of us during the awards ceremony.  We ran into Yigit (winner of Top Chef: Just Desserts) and my husband yelled out to him and said hello.  We saw Wylie Dufresne of wd~50,

Piggie Diaries on Twitter!

I've finally given into this 140 characters or less business and joined Twitter - so follow piggiediaries on Twitter!  I would say I'll be giving play-by-play updates on the James Beard Awards tomorrow night...but let's be honest, my hands will be full with all the food I'm going to consume =).

Eat Sandwich Feel Good: City Sandwich

I’ve been on a sandwich kick…ever since I’ve had teeth (a pretty long time).  Crusty bread, meat, and cheese stacked high then preferably toasted, pressed, or grilled in some way.  Now that’s a meal.  So you see, when I found out a new sandwich shop was opening up in the HK ‘hood in October of last year, I knew I had to try it.

With an unassuming name like City Sandwich, you wouldn’t expect it to offer anything more than your average midtown deli sandwich.  Oh, if you only knew how wrong you were.  As you step into the entrance, you immediately are greeted by the fragrant scent of golden bread, the finest meats and cheeses, and all of the other delicious fresh ingredients emanating from the kitchen.