Paella, chicken, rabbit & snails

Woo hoo today was the day. Downloaded the app for the local taxi, put in our address and waited. Showing the taxi only 9 mins away. Then a phone call, lady I am at address…ahh nope ya aren’t. What address, I read it out to him, “I no understand, I am at the address you put in….” ahhh nope ya aren’t. “Lady, look at me” Nope can’t see ya…
Seems the app did not put the address I put into it, put something completely different. Had to send him a photo of the sign on the street and he said I will be 10 mins. We are now down to 25 mins till the start of the cooking class!!!!!!!!!!
We showed each other our screens when he finally arrived and yes totally different address. Told him his app is crap, he agreed. We chatted for awhile and then he mentioned NZ Cricket, so told him I know Tim Southees father and Trent Bolts mother (sort of do ya know) WELL was he happy, started talking cricket and Kel could chime in with some cricket greats… all was well with the world. He got us to the venue in time. We met up with the group and Jose took us through the history of Paella. Did you know Paella means a pan… and they kept saying we are very simple in Valencia, the home of Paella (not Barcelona as everyone thinks) we use words for multiple things.
The Mercado de Ruzafa was amazing. Veges galore, fish, meat, cheese, olives and gastro delight.
They went through the ingredients we would need and as we were in the Chicken,Rabbit and Snail Paella group we went around getting ingredients (not that we selected them) they had them back at the restaurant. The seafood Paella group had two types of prawns, cuttlefish, mussels.
So off we walked to the restaurant… just a little jaunt around the city.
Christina (the guide for the other group) and Anna the chef were waiting for us all. Anna was a vivacious Spanish woman, loud and fun. They made Sangria and gave us all a glass and told us how to do ‘cheers’ in Spanish. Salute! They had made Tapas of Potata Bravas, Mussels (cooked deliciously and we have the recipe) Manchingo Cheese, Serano Ham (related to prosciutto) and pickled Olives. OMG it was delicious. We could keep on eating them and drinking the Sangria.
So the process began, god they cooked the hell out of the chicken and rabbit (we thought) Beans were fried and kept in as well for the whole time. When anything was added the added salt too. Gees it was salty when they got us to do a taste of the stock.
We will definitely be jazzwardoing it up. At the end of the cooking, and it took quite some time, they gave us a shot of Cervero (just like Zambuca) and did another traditional ‘cheers’. She was a good drop I tell ya. Beth and I LOVED it. Another one would of been great. I quite like that Sangria, so had a few whilst the cooking was happening. Beth kept putting her glass down cos it was getting ‘dangerous’ as it was so delicious. Susie and Kel weren’t fussed on it though.
Lunch was served. No you can’t have both types of Paella, you have the one your group cooked. Damn! So on the plate is 3 snails….oooooo not too sure about that, but anyway I ate them, Beth too, Susie only ate 1 and Kel 0… who are the gastronomic delights huh?
To be fair the chicken was as dry as BoBo Faulkners Armpit, and would love to have added some other flavour, yes Josh we all will bastardise the recipe.
3 hours later our Paella Cooking class was finished. We had a fabulous time and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Off to the supermarket to restock our pantry and home to lie about the pool, read books and basically just loll about.
Easy dinner tonight, garlic bread, cheese in the oven and other delights Kel is pulling together. Beth has converted me to Vodka, lime lemon mint and water… Susie and Kel having a Sauv Blanc.
another successful day. 💕Read more