Travel Tuesday

Looking back: a view that never gets old.

(click to enlarge)

  

3 hours (or less) from Paris

Fly/Drive 

Cadaqués, Spain

 

Sunset Sunday

A private corner, a Greek island, a seaside village.

 

 3 hours (or less) from Paris

 

 PARIS - ATHENS

 

Direct flights daily + boats at Piraeus Port 

 

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Greek cuisine blends that magic fusion of tasty and good-for-you, making it hard to beat. A cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet, it’s both delicious and healthy due to its emphasis on fresh, whole ingredients and balanced flavors. Centered around olive oil, vegetables, legumes, fish, and lean meats, true Greek meals - not those greasy street-style foods touted in foreign countries - are known to provide loads of heart-healthy fats, fiber, and antioxidants that reduce inflammation and promote longevity. Dishes like grilled octopus, lamb, tzatziki, Greek salads, and lentil soups bursting with vibrant herbs and spices - dill, oregano, garlic - create satisfying savory profiles. A moderate inclusion of dairy, mostly feta and yogurt, adds protein and probiotics, while whole grains like barley ensure sustained energy. They know how to put a meal together and the combo of nutrient-dense foods and bold, fresh flavors, as we, and many others have discovered, makes "eating Greek" a pure delight in every way. - BPJ

 

Recipes + photos in September newsletter, out next week

 

Flashback Friday

Today's flashback is to Cadaqués, Spain, just south of the French border, circa mid-80s - days of celebrations, couch squatters, droppers-in, gallery openings, seaside horchata and feasting - that we will always call home. - BPJ

 Above: large watercolors of mommy's helper ❤️ Danielle❤️ on our terrace at sunset overlooking the crescent bay and village (the artist was an Australian art student en passant, hence the kangaroos - if she spots these, I hope she contacts me!)

 

Gazpacho in heat

Above: a cobbled street in Cadaqués, Spain leads to a small market square on the bay; gazpacho andaluz w/traditional toppings

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Looking back:

As temperatures climb towards June our Paris kitchen has been the scene of an outpouring of gazpacho, that queen of the cold soups from Spain that magically appears each summer as a primer plato, entrada or even refreshing drink in almost every restaurant, tapas bar and café from the Costa Brava to the Costa del Sol. Sometimes served with ice cubes bobbing on its surface, this simple and refreshing sopa made its way to France and now, as in Spain, it's a seasonal menu staple.

During my time in Barcelona and Cadaqués everyone I knew - including me - kept a freshly made supply cooling in the fridge. So when an industrial facsimile began showing up on supermarket shelves it didn't make sense: with a hand blender, gazpacho took almost as much time to make as it did to open a box and pour, faster than you can say “¡Hace calor!”

But mind you not just any gazpacho would do. All over Spain, at least, it had to be gazpacho andaluz from the sunny south. Less tomato and more cucumber meant a much lighter color than expected. When visiting Italian family in Rome in summer, I'd whip up a pitcherful in the late afternoon at the urging of my Tante Maria, an excellent cook who preferred hers with extra garlic. When I added a dash of cayenne pepper by accident, a version she called “Gestapo," she declared, “This replaces all of the minerals you lose in your sweat!” (She'd also insist that spaghetti al dente with nothing in it but grated parmesan and burro was a "complete food" containing "everything anyone would ever want" for optimum health).

Some prefer their gazpacho sieved until creamy smooth; others, like me, prefer texture. Either way, accompaniments of fried croûtons and assorted chopped raw veggies such as tomato, cucumber, onion and avocado add yet more structure and flavor. - BPJ

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Recipe in June newsletter

3 hours (or less) from Paris: Can you guess?

A Greek island village? Somewhere off the coast of Sicily?

Neither. It's Cadaqués Spain, Mediterranean fishing village of surrealist Salvador Dalí that I once called home, an hour drive into France.

 Below: nightfall w/view of bay and church; cat relaxes on friends' veranda

Recommended: fly/drive

PARIS - PERPIGNAN (France)
Direct flight (1-hr 30 min) + car rental (1-hr 20 min drive to Cadaqués)

 

PARIS - GIRONA

Direct flight (1-hr 45 min) + car rental (1-hr drive to Cadaqués)


Where to eat:

Compartir
(means "to share" in Spanish - see video in link)
Riera de Sant Vicenç s/n 17488 Cadaqués

 We couldn't get enough of this gem launched by sous chefs of Ferran Adrià of mythic El Bulli (named "best restaurant on the planet" five times) after its closure.

- inventive cocktails / ultra tapas -

(click photos to enlarge)

Paris' 21st arrondissement #2

 

Provençal-style markets, small fishing villages, local fleur de sel and fleur de sel goat cheeses.

 

On the nearby tiny island of Aix where no cars are allowed and access is solely by ferry a man makes his way down the main street.

 

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Getting there: 

By TGV train from Paris: leave early to La Rochelle (just 2 1/2 hours)

At La Rochelle rent a car and head to île de Ré, a 10-minute drive

 

By car from Paris: approximately 4 hours 

If driving, plan on spending at least one night

Paris' 21st arrondissement #1

 

Île de Ré in the Poitou-Charentes region is sometimes called "the 21st arrondissement of Paris" as many Parisians own second homes here.

Above: map showing the island's villages; old Port of La Rochelle; obligatory seaside moules-frites topped off by a glorious sunset