Back in the 18th century near a lake in Albufera, a Valencian peasant with a strong Andaluz accent (come on, anything’s possible) was out shooting when he caught a nice juicy rabbit. His wife wasn’t feeling too well, so when he got home he skinned and de-gutted the animal and had a quick nose around [...]

Summer in the city. You lie around in your underwear, eyes glazed, watching TV adverts for canned iced tea, air conditioners, mosquito machines and indefinably pornographic ice creams.  It’s time to head for the hills for the Catalan Picnic Experience, an elaborate ritual that bears no resemblance to the consumption, in the car in a [...]

Now that the weather is heating up, it’s time to make escalivada. Mmmm. You absolutely can’t beat it – Mediterranean, healthy, fat-free, delicious, and perfect for preparing in advance. You can serve it as a salad or sidedish, warm or cold.  A lot of recipes mention onions and tomatoes, but I just do it with [...]

Whenever I’m asked what I most love about living here, the first answer that comes unbidden is usually: the food. It’s not just about the thousands of bars and cafes and restaurants, nor about eating out at all the ‘happening’ joints or fusion or Ferran Adrià. It’s the colourful cornucopia of the markets; the elaborate [...]

Have you heard the ‘good’ news? Starbucks is coming to Malaga. Or at least to Malaga airport- when the new terminal opens this Easter.  It’s eight years now since the first two Starbucks opened in Madrid. Today there are 71 of them cluttering up the centres of Madrid, Barcelona and Sevilla. There are also two [...]