The Food Adventures Continue

The more that I tried new foods, the more that I hunger for them. It is more than just the food. It is the experience. I feel alive when my eyes lock onto something that looks unfamiliar while walking through a market followed by an informative conversation with the person selling the food. I used to worry that I was an annoyance, but more often than not, it is a magnetic force of someone getting to share their passion with me, someone very willing to soak up whatever they can tell me. This can happen in a grocery store, restaurant, or market. Anytime that someone is present to tell me about the product that I stumbled on. Some of my favorite memories are standing in a local farmer's market and learning about a local guy who roasts his own coffee to sell at the market. Another time, I was tasting cheese and getting the story about the source of the cheese from the cheesemonger followed by recommendations to try several other things with similarly unexpectedly complex flavors. 

I fell in love with some "entry" foods. Foods that got me so interested in experiencing more. These may not be foods I would write home about anymore, but I have not forgotten the mental snapshots of the moments that I first tasted them. They were significant enough that I knew I was falling for food. They were foods that made me wonder, if I never knew this existed, then what else have I yet to taste that may be even more phenomenal? I have yet to tire of the search. 

My List: 

Ewephoria sheep milk cheese

Stumptown coffee 

Dandelion chocolate 

Graber olives 

Sauternais wine

Cherimoya 

Sapote 

My Food Journey

I suppose that I will officially admit that I am enamored with food. I have allowed it to cast a spell over me that willingly continue to remain under it. But from whence did this stem?

As a child, I had a fairly typical midwestern exposure to food, but with little nuances that added variety.My maternal grandmother was Armenian, so at times she would make lahmajoun or sarma, requiring an entire day of cooking, as she made enough to feed our family, which consisted of six children, for more than one meal. I also had baklava, tabbouli, and lamb, which other children on my school bus certainly were not fed at home. Below, I am pictured putting the finishing touches on crimping the edges of lahmajoun before baking. 

My paternal grandmother was Polish and at times made Chrusciki. I had eaten Pierogi and Paczki. Beyond that, the food I grew up eating was fairly healthy, garden grown in the summer, and rare instances of eating outside of the home. I learned to cook up basics like frozen vegetables, french bread pizza, spaghetti, steak, and hamburgers. My training was adequate that I cooked for my family at least once a week and cooking to feed myself after moving away to college was no problem. The first time that I remember being excited about a particular restaurant, it was the discovery of a place adjacent to my college campus known for having a vast variety of dipping sauces. They served everything from sauces that were really an entree, such as a Philly cheesesteak" style to one with a Mediterranean flare. Somehow this felt like creative cuisine to me.

A few years later, I began really enjoying baking, taking baked goods to work, making cakes for friends, and learning that I could execute baked goods at a level decent enough that I had plenty of willing consumers. I even took the time to get paperwork to register with the local farmer's market, imagining that maybe I would select a few recipes to sell each month. 

Before that idea took flight, I moved to California. A number of things happened in the intervening years. First, I began to travel a little bit outside of the country, exposing me to international cuisine that was authentic, as I was never sure if a midwestern restaurant was adequately representing whatever genre they claimed, and I was also dating, going out to eat, and learning about what and how other people eat. I think it is key to note that I was always open to trying new foods and did not struggle with any feelings of pickiness or aversion to food, but instead was always willing to try something new with the assumption that if another culture found it to be worthy of eating, then I was ready to try it. Over the years, I have also come to believe that if I do not care for a food, it is likely due to the way it was prepared and that I will enjoy it if cooked another way or by someone more skilled. 

My willingness to try new foods opened unlimited food experiences. The more that I tasted, the more my interest and hunger to find new foods grew. Now, I feel most alive when surprised by an unexpected flavor combination or when wandering through a foreign marketplace and seeing something that I do not recognize, followed by tasting and researching what it is. 

Vides Wine Bar - Madrid, Spain

 Where to drink wine in the capitol of Spain, you ask? VIDES! 

If ratings are your thing, then know that Vides Vinoteca comes in as number 6 on the "Top 50" list of wine bars in Europe. Not too shabby. They boast over a hundred bottles of Spanish wines and serve only Spanish wines, but sourced from around the country. Further, their specialty is focused on obtaining specialty small production wines, but with the reputation of finding those of high quality. They even have their own wine label that is available as well. 

When I arrived to Vides, an airy glass entrance greeted me, erasing the line between the sidewalk and the interior. Once inside, I was enveloped by a moderate amount of visual clutter made up of typical wine bar paraphernalia. I arrived in the afternoon just as the bar was opening so that I could be sure to get a seat, which is not guaranteed here during busier hours. Also, I was hoping that the bar might be sparse on patrons so that I would have the opportunity to ask the multitude of questions that always plague me. 

After an overly lengthy examination of the menu, I selected the wine pictured below. I felt silly looking at the menu for so long, particularly because I was confident in the reviews that raved about the high quality of the wine. Although certainly any choice I made would be solid, I was perusing for something unusual, or at least some varietal that was unfamiliar to me. I selected Godello. 

This wine is a straw color. It is 100% Godello from Castilla y Leon region. It is fruity and has a soft velvet like mouthfeel. Although it is not dry nor acidic, I would not necessarily consider it particularly sweet, as it is described as having a touch of smoke and herbaceous qualities as well. Refreshing in the late afternoon. 

I also can plead my slow wine selection on the very detailed menu, which is below.

The menu is color coordinated with each colors having significance. One of the deals included is the exact place if production. I also enjoyed a taste of sparkling wine that was crisp and clean and would have been complimentary to nearly any food. 

I decided to only enjoy the drink menu, but Vides also has a tapas menu with the classic (and undoubtedly quality), Spanish plates represented. Selections included a range of different cheese options, with multiple types of Manchebo, but also items such as Iberico ham or an omelette.

To improve an already lovely experience, a mother and daughter duo happened to arrive and sit next to me at the bar. As it would happen, they were from the United States and one of them was even from Los Angeles. Somehow, finding someone from home when on the other side of the world frequently can lead to an instant connection. I enjoyed our serendipitous meeting and was able to share the tidbits of foodie knowledge that I had acquired during my time in the city, as they had only just arrived and eagerly made notes about my recommendations. 

Another heart warming moment is this striking picture of a vineyard stretching out behind the boy and man clad in red suits. 

This picture hangs on the wall and has a large presence in the small bar. I learned it to be  picture of the current owner, Vicente, standing with his father when he was young. 

Below, you can see Vicente working a the bar on the day that I visited, sans red suit. 

Enjoy experiencing this spot yourself. A good glass of wine is certain to greet you!