How I Long for Pizza and Cafe Amb Llet: The Post-Partum Somewhat Baby-Friendly Diet

We're two and half months in to this newborn's life and that still means no lactose products: milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, butter, whipped cream, etc. This translates to: pizza, rice with yogurt, tuna melts, cupcakes, creme brulee (crema catalana) and other such like desserts.  Even soy-based alternatives bother this little one's digestion.

His digestive system is too immature that it cannot yet handle more complex and irritating foods and food proteins such as lactose and legumes (soybeans included). The consequences of mama's morning cafe amb llet for my little guy implies lots of gas, constipation, green stools (yuck! – they should be yellow), crying, inability to sleep due to extreme discomfort, etc., etc.

I am also, less actively, avoiding stimulants such as coffee, tea, sodas and chocolate because these can irritate the baby's tummy too. Tea and sodas are easiest since in general I do not drink them, but coffee and chocolate, not so much. I have turned to the dreaded decaf and am trying not to eat chocolate every day, except for this week when I have had many more cravings than usual – I wonder what I am missing in my diet. Thankfully, I have a couple of new sweet friends (alternatives) such as turrons and digestive cookies – I'll tell you about them some day soon.

Very soon we will be visiting my home in Western Washington and all I can think about are Trophy cupcakes, mochi ice cream balls, Mexican food, mochas, greek yogurt, goat cheese, Molly Moon's, waffles and egg's benedict. I am saying prayers so that he'll be able to stomach lactose soon.

Xocolata Amb Xurros (Chocolate with Churros)

Kilian and I went out for the most sugar-filled breakfast imaginable: xocolata amb xurros.

Xurros with lots of sugar!

When the weather turns to autumn, xurro trucks, xurrerias, begin to pop up in different places around Catalonia. These trucks serve freshly deep-fried xurros, which are different from porras, which the Catalans seem to love (according to Wikipedia, this is most popular in Spain and Italy).

Xurreria at night, courtesy of Flickr

The first time I heard about churros was in my middle school Spanish class where we learned about "Mexican" food, including churros. We had a celebration where we could try these desserts, along with a variety of other typical eats. Those churros from the States are not the xurros of Catalonia. These ones are markedly softer, served fresh and warm with hot xocolata desfeta (melted chocolate), a very dense, dark, rich hot chocolate beverage.

As I mentioned before, this meal is served at breakfast. I'm not sure I would call it a meal; to me it is more like a dessert. But this is typical here and when in Catalonia, do as the Catalans do, or so they say.

Xurros are the small and thin ones. Photo from: CocinaRecetas)

Having tried xurros from different places, I find that there can be a huge difference in taste and texture depending on a number of factors including how long they are fried for, the dough, and the amount of oil/sugar ratio when served. For me, overly oily xurros are too much for my stomach to bear for very long.

The type of xocolata also makes a difference. Since there are both milk chocolate and dark chocolate variations of xocolata desfeta, this contributes to the richness of the meal, as well as the consistency of the xocolata desfeta. A more liquid xocolata will go much further than the thick, pudding-like kind which is heavy in and of itself but a very rich dark chocolate won't make it as long (for me and my tummy) as a less intense milk chocolate.

Milk chocolate (left), xurros, dark chocolate (right)

This combination is very heavy and sweet; not for the faint of stomach. Eaten with moderation, it makes for a quite delicious breakfast or afternoon snack.

Roasted Root Vegetable & Emmer Salad

I made this beautiful, healthy, satisfying salad served alongside a pumpkin-coconut soup and warm fresh bread last weekend when my brother and sister-in-law were visiting. It was full of fresh autumn vegetables which, served warm, feel nourishing during these cooler days.

Ingredients:

• Sweet potato/Yam (1 large)
• Potato (2 medium)
• Yellow Onion (1 large)
• Carrot (2-3)
• Zucchini (1 average)
• Mixed Salad Greens
• Olive oil
• Bluebird Grains Emmer Farro (1-2 cups)
• Roasted Chopped Nuts
• Fresh Herbs - whatever you have in the garden, we used rosemary
• Herbes de Provence mix (for seasoning)
• Powdered Garlic, Salt & Pepper

** If you like or love garlic, I recommend roasting garlic too. Other vegetables which you could include: bell peppers, beets & eggplant

What to do:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare a baking sheet (with oil or aluminum foil).
2. Clean and peel vegetables. Chop into 1-2 inch chunks. Place in a bowl.
3. When all vegetables are chopped, pour on olive oil and add spices and fresh herbs.
4. Place evenly on baking sheet and roast in oven for about 1 hour, turning the vegetables every 15-20 minutes.
5. While the vegetables are roasting, clean the salad greens and place in a bowl or on a serving plate. Add cooked emmer and roasted nuts.
6. When vegetables finish, add to salad and serve with dressing of choice. We used a simple balsamic vinegar, olive oil and salt mix but this would be even more amazing with a homemade vinaigrette as well.

Delicious Pumpkin Coconut Soup

This soup was an experiment turned delight which I hope you enjoy and take liberty to improve on. It is a simple and easy to prepare soup with grounding autumnal flavors that warm the body during these cooler months. We paired it with a roasted root vegetable & emmer salad and warm freshly baked bread. 

Ingredients:

• Fresh Pumpkin (2 cups)
• Coconut Milk (~1/3 cup)
• Yellow Onion (1 large)
• Coconut Oil (for frying, 2-3 tablespoons) 
• Brown Sugar (2 tablespoons)
• Cinnamon, Clove, Nutmeg & Salt
• Ground, roasted, spiced nuts (as garnish)

What to do:

1. Start by chopping the onion and sautéing it in coconut oil in a medium pot on a medium-high heat, stirring periodically so that it doesn't burn. Meanwhile, cut the pumpkin in chunks.
2. After about five minutes, when the onion is tender and translucent, add the pumpkin and stir for a few minutes.
3. Add just enough water to submerge the pumpkin, cover the pot and bring to a boil. Let the it cook for about 25 minutes.
4. While the soup is cooking, roast the nuts (I used walnuts & almonds) on the stove or in the oven - whichever is your preferred method-, then chop or blend them into small pieces. Add a dash of nutmeg & clove to them.
5. Once the pumpkin is soft and could be easily mashed with a potato masher, it is ready to be puréed.
6. Purée with a blender or other kitchen tool and return soup to pot. 
7. Stir in coconut milk (use more if you want a stronger flavor) and bring soup to low boil. 
8. Add spices to taste. Start with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon clove & nutmeg. Then add more based on preference. 
9. Let cook for another 10-15 minutes. Makes four servings. 
10. Add roasted nuts to garnish. Serve warm.

Enjoy!

The Castanyada: a Catalan alternative to Halloween

Every year on the eve of All Saints Day, which happens to also be Halloween for America, Catalans celebrate the "Castanyada," a dinner of sweet potatoes, roasted castanyes (chestnuts) from which the word "castanyada" is derived and panellets (almond-based cookies). It is traditionally served with a special wine. This Catalan holiday differs from many others in that it is celebrated in the home with family over dinner rather than in the streets with music, dance and other activities.

Sweet potatoes, chestnuts and panellets

Enjoying the Castanyada dinner with family

A large selection of panellets.

During this time of the year, walking through Barcelona and surrounding towns, one will find street vendors roasting chestnuts and sweet potatoes where long cues form to get their hands on these sweet and healthy treats. Since the weather drops quite a bit at this time of year, it is a real delight to warm up the body with these piping hot, freshly-roasted snacks.

Anyone in the mood for chestnuts? Photo credit: Barcelona Street Times

The traditional figure from this holiday is the castanyera (the chestnut-roaster), depicted by the image of an old woman in a skirt with apron and a headscarf, bent over a grill. This image is part of the collective memory of the origins of the Castanyada and has been immortalized in popular children's songs as well as through drawings and stories.

Photo credit: L'Elefant Tropeta

Delicaffessen

There is a new cafe in town - new meaning that it wasn't there in 2012 - with a distinctly North American touch. It's styled with black and white paint, with red accents and black and white photos in red frames. The photos come from various movies, from classic to modern, the scene of which includes coffee. There are many, many tables in this cafe and they provide free wi-fi. They bring a large jug of water with each order, which is exactly what any coffee drinker will need. The impression I get is that they WANT you to be comfortable and to stay. They also speak English.

some of the interior detail

The coffee itself is excellent. I have tried the regular once and the decaf a number of times. I always order the same: cafe amb llet or cafe con leche or coffee with milk. I have learned that a European (or Israeli) cappuccino is not the same as one in the US and have found these cafe amb llet's to be a delightful substitute. Anyway, back to the coffee: the decaf here does not taste like decaf. It is so delicious that you don't even realize it is decaf. Decaf is usually disgusting and hardly drinkable but here it is so sweet and smooth; there is hardly any difference.

cafe amb llet with magdalena

The only downside to this cafe is the pastry selection. Once, I had a piece of homemade brioche which went perfectly with the coffee but since it's been hit or miss. There is little to choose from and I'm not convinced it is homemade. If you like to have your coffee with a pastry, this may or may not be the place for you. 

You can visit their Facebook page here to find their location and hours.

Homemade cookies

I have ventured into the land of no-recipe baking. 

not the most beautiful looking but tasty all the same.

I felt like we needed cookies in the home so I decided to make some healthier cookies. In principle, they are a version of oatmeal walnut chocolate chip cookies. In reality, they are oatmeal walnut carob chip cookies made with a combination of rice and whole grain flour in place of all-purpose white flour, maple syrup and honey in place of white and brown sugar and carob chips in place of chocolate chips. I still used eggs and butter, salt and baking powder - I have yet to muster the courage to go dairy-free.

I have been known to substitute sugars and flours in the past but this was the first time I completely forwent measuring. They turned out pretty well, if I must say. I could have added a bit more oats and honey. In any case, I recommend experimentation to you as it encourages creativity and trusting in oneself. 

Pizzeria Toto - Delicious Pizza in El Vendrell

There is this little pizzeria in El Vendrell that Kilian and I enjoy quite a bit. They make thin crust, oven-roasted pizzas with some 45 different toppings options, many of which are available for only 7€.

All I have to say about this pizza: it's SO delicious! I am not a pizza lover (bread + cheese = not my favorite combination) but ever since discovering this place, I find myself wanting to go there at least once per week. I think it helps that the pizza is not greasy and the crust is so thin.

They also have a lunch menu for 3.80€. It's a great deal and the quality is not that bad. It's not the best but at that price, it's a really great find. 

mmm... pizza!!

Chocolate Almond Cake

Enjoying a large slice of homemade chocolate almond cake with a decaf coffee with milk (café amb llet) at La Xocolateria in the Plaça Nova of El Vendrell.

The cake is moist and not too sugary or overwhelmingly chocolaty. It is just sweet enough, making it an ideal complement with an unsweetened hot drink of choice.

Delish!!

The Friday Market

El Vendrell's Friday morning market has all you want and more. From locally grown and fresh from the field produce to clothing and household goods, you can get lost in this market for hours.

Look at those tomatoes and peppers!

Fresh seasonal fruit (and look at all those stands in the background).

Car traffic is blocked for this market.

The Rambla, re-envisioned as shopping district.

La Dolceria Soler & Chocolate Croissants

La Dolceria Soler, or simply La Soler, is a locally-owned bakery in El Vendrell. It has provided the town with pastries, cakes, savories and sweets since 1940.

La Dolceria Soler

mmm... fresh pastries

There are many favorable things that I could write about this bakery but the most important has to be about their chocolate croissants. I have tried many a chocolate croissant in my short life and believe me, once you eat a chocolate croissant from La Soler, you will have a difficult time finding the same level of satisfaction from other chocolate croissants.

What can be so difficult about making a delicious chocolate croissant? Or what can be so different about their chocolate croissants that it deserves a post, in and of itself?

These croissants are made with real, pure chocolate. The chocolate is soft and smooth. Inside, you don't just get a hard little bar of chocolate or chocolate cream, rather there is this perfect balance of softness and firmness, of quantity that makes every bite crave-worthy. As you can see, the ends of each side are dipped in this same pure chocolate which just add to its edibility. Finally, the pastry dough itself is not too buttery (and hence, oily) so you don't feel weighted down afterwards. It also isn't so thin that when you take a bite, it has completed diminished in size and volume. Yum!

I am pretty sure everything they have is made par excellence; their standards are high (just taste for yourself). I also tried this almond, orange sweet glazed pretzel-shaped (not pretzel bread) pastry and was equally satisfied (and surprised I liked it since it was made with orange).

They don't have a website, but you can visit their Facebook page.