It's all about food :)

Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside. 

(Mark Twain)

If I were to use Mark Twain quote it should have been more than a success when it comes to food during our holiday. We didnt't just eat what we like, we also eat what we didn't like (at least the look of it)  . Knowing Herb, our holiday normally will involves tasting local food - Herb like to try what the local eat. He even like to eat where the local eat, not where the tourist eat!

So, here are some pictures of cuisine that we tried during recent holiday in Picos de Europa (Peak of the Europe);

1. Churos (batter stick)

You should try churos dip into hot chocolate for breakfast! We tried both, churos with chocolate and with cafe con leche.  

2. Cider (Sidra)

Cider is the regional pride in Northern Spain and joy that permeates drinking and eating customs. Cider pouring is the national sport. Always served from a bottle, the cider is 100% natural apple juice that has completed its fermentation process. There is no gas added, and the bottled product is “flat” and receives its carbonation from the pouring process. It is typically the waiters and bartenders (“escanciadores” = cider pourer) who ritualistically pour behind the bar or next to the table, bottle held high overhead into glasses held at a slight angle as close to the ground as the arm will go. A wooden splash guard is optional equipment: there is a lot of splashing, as even the experts do not seek to pour all the liquid into the glass.

I enjoyed watching them pouring the cider, even tried once while we have lunch in Llanes  Of course more goes into the wooden splash guard than into the cup.

3. Asturias known for its beans. And I had 'fabes on clam', which I enjoyed.

 

4. Seafood:

Mejillones relera (stuffed mussel)

- Centollo (crab) .Herb love this fellow but I find it difficult to eat due to the hard shell of the crab. Even though neccessary tools were provided, I feels like it disturb my eating tempo :)

Of all seafood lunch, I enjoyed this one the most!  A plate of grilled seafood that consists of 3 types of fish, 2 type of prawn (which has different name too, one is called gambas and the other one .... ops, I forgot!), squids, navajas, mussel

This is called gambas.

This is navajas (razor shells). I love navajas and we have it twice but the second time we have it wasn't as good as the below.

This is the second time we had navajes

Varieties of fish:

5. Dessert

- Flan

- Natilla

 

6. Being Asian, I live on rice so when paella is on the menu, I feel like I am at home :)

7. Herb taking picture of his noodle soup in Potes.

 

During our holiday Herb will eat fish most of the time so that we can exchange our meals. I can't eat meat because it is not 'halal' for me. But sometimes Herb will go for meat - it is not fair for him not able to try those tasty Asturias/Cantabrias lamb.

8. This is another cuisine that Herb wanted me to try. It looks like ordinary pepper, but it is not. It's called pamiento de pedron - it is girlled and u can add salt if you want. Why is it famous? Out of a plate of pamiento de pedron that you munch, you will never know which is going to be very hot! So it is always a surprise waiting for you while eating pamiento de pedron :)

9. And, the most interesting one is this 'creature' called Percebes (Gooseneck barnacles) ... I save the best for last :)

(Percebes are a shellfish with a long, soft body like the neck of a goose, hard shells at the top, and a 'foot' at the bottom that attaches them to rocks. They only grow on rocks exposed to heavy surf, and only grow in several parts of the world. They are highly sought after as a rare delicacy, savoured for their lovely texture and flavour which is somewhat like crab or lobster. In Portugal and Spain, they are a widely consumed and expensive .)

Herb is showing how to open the Percebes after being showed by the restaurant staff.

 And this is how you eat Percebes ....