What in the name of Don Juan is that? Why is it that alien-yellow colour? And what terrible things did I do in a previous life to deserve another plate of these with my beer? These are the kind of thoughts that pass through my head when a waiter is cruel enough to push a dish of Mejillones a la vinagreta across the counter at me with my drink.
This is when an important Spanish bar etiquette question arises: can you ask to change free tapas that you would no sooner eat than fly to a distant planet that shares their same radioactive colour? Well, it’s always worth a try, a polite ‘puedo cambiar la tapa por otra cosa, es que no me gusta…‘ usually yields something slightly more comestible… unless you’re with someone that actually appreciates these things, in which case you’re stuffed – Marina always eats mine and claims to love them. Apparently the mussels are boiled, one half of the shell is removed, then a vinaigrette including chopped up onion, green pepper, and tomato is poured on top.
Well, first the sardines and tomato, now this. Spanish waiters have really got it in for me these days. I promise to find something I can rave about for next week’s tapas!
Stuart
19 Apr 07 at 4:08 pm
I am shaking my head… I have a look of horror on my face…
Ben, with your taste in food, you disgust me as much as these disgust you!
ValenciaSon
19 Apr 07 at 4:15 pm
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I’ll take your seafood tapas off of you Ben if Marina ain’t available.
Edith
19 Apr 07 at 5:19 pm
I’m not a real fan, but I will eat mussels in paella, so I wouldn’t mind giving this tapa a try.
@ Ben, you should never go to Japan!
Stuart
19 Apr 07 at 6:10 pm
ValenciaSon,
http://enperu.blogsyte.com/files/images/mejillones.jpg
Mejillones + Jugo del Limónes Peruanos + Cebollas + Ají =
Graeme
19 Apr 07 at 6:55 pm
The most you get in a lot of places in Madrid these days is some stale crisps; you’re turning your nose up at sardines, mussels and caterpillar sandwiches! Some people just don’t appreciate what they have.
Jon Hundt
19 Apr 07 at 7:26 pm
Ben, you whiner… remind us again what sort of free tapas they used to give you back in England.
In the States they don’t do tapas; some bars give free peanuts. Old fashioned bars – like where my ma used to take me – had a pretty good selection of free warm dishes in the afternooon (funny enough, I can’t remember the name of this kind of snack..) But I suppose that is all over these days.
Edith
19 Apr 07 at 9:10 pm
Fish and seafood: the people from Okinawa thrive on this sort of stuff. As a matter of fact, their average life expectancy is about the longest in the world!
ValenciaSon
19 Apr 07 at 10:31 pm
IO know of some bars in the US that will have a free buffet of like chicken wings, wontons, pretzels and other simple snacks during happy hour which usually runs from 5-7PM.
Rebecca NYC
19 Apr 07 at 10:49 pm
Call me crazy but Ben’s description of this tapa actually sounded appetizing!
ValenciaSon
19 Apr 07 at 11:58 pm
It is unless you don’t have a liking to seafood.
Ben
20 Apr 07 at 6:20 pm
Jon Hundt – as soon as I get a decent photo of a croquetta I’ll stop whining and start raving!
Edith
20 Apr 07 at 10:06 pm
Ah, a croqueta filled with jamón serrano…………!!!!! Yes please!!!
Simon
20 Apr 07 at 11:10 pm
I wouldn’t be changing this tapa at all. The only thing I might change is from a cerveza to a vino blanco
.
Jon Hundt
21 Apr 07 at 8:02 am
fair enough Ben – post that croquetta pic and we’ll forget all about this little incident. Maybe you can post the recipe too….
Is a A Spanish croquetta related to a Dutch croquette by any chance?
Edith
21 Apr 07 at 5:43 pm
@ Jon, I don’t think so because they use jamón serrano in Spanish croquetas. Ours are made with veal or beef. BTW, I only like Van Dobben or Kwekkeboom – won’t settle for anything else.
Delicious, on a bum with lots of roomboter….!!!
Jon Hundt
21 Apr 07 at 6:59 pm
Edith – Kwekkeboom and van Dobben are indeed delicious enough on a bun – but on a BUM ! I imagine even better!!…. …we also have a very high opinion of these two. But my favorite is the FEBO Special rundvlees, taken from one of those little automat windows… that sucker is just dripping with grease and great flavor!
Edith
22 Apr 07 at 1:49 am
FEBO…
Edith
22 Apr 07 at 1:50 am
OOps, did I realy write BUM?
ValenciaSon
22 Apr 07 at 12:41 pm
Don’t forget, you are what you eat
Edith
22 Apr 07 at 8:46 pm
That blooper is a gem! I will save it for future reference.
Matthew
23 Apr 07 at 8:25 am
I think mussels are great. In Murcia one of people’s favourite tapas is called ‘tigre’ – which is not a tiger but fried, spicy, battered mussel in a tasty sauce.
Pete
23 Apr 07 at 12:40 pm
Los tigres estan buenisimos!! I think this could be a good dish if you don’t particularly enjoy the look of mussels. The meat is chopped up and fried with onion and garlic, added to a white sauce, put back in the shell, covered in breadcrumbs and fried, giving them a beautiful orange and black colour …hence Tigre!
Marina
24 Apr 07 at 2:16 pm
I love tigres!!! Possibly I can write about a bar that serves very good tigres as soon as I go there and take a picture… and of course eat the whole plate as for sure Ben won’t try them.
A good reason to eat mussels is that they have a big content of iron and are often eaten by people with tendency to anaemy.
ValenciaSon
24 Apr 07 at 11:00 pm
Marina, que significa “anaemy”?
Stuart
25 Apr 07 at 1:45 am
she meant anaemia
Marina
25 Apr 07 at 9:53 am
Sorry anemia.
Según familydoctor.com “La anemia ocurre cuando su sangre no tiene suficiente hemoglobina. La hemoglobina es una proteína dentro de sus glóbulos rojos que transporta oxígeno desde sus pulmones hacia el resto del cuerpo. Una causa común de anemia es no tener una cantidad de hierro suficiente. Su cuerpo necesita hierro para fabricar hemoglobina.”
Edith
25 Apr 07 at 6:07 pm
@ Marina
¿Las gambas también contienen mucho hierro? Lo pregunto porque no como carne todos los días y por eso, hace falta de un sustituto que contiene una cantidad suficiente de este sustancia.
ValenciaSon
26 Apr 07 at 2:54 am
Gracias a Marina y Stuart. Ahora no estare anemico
Pete
26 Apr 07 at 11:19 am
Edith – has probado Guinness, tambien es un buen fuente de hierro pero no creo que lo encuentres en familydoctor.com… jeje
Edith
26 Apr 07 at 3:37 pm
@ Pete
Guinness, ¿de verdad? Qué sorpresa. ¡Me encantan las cervezas especiales pero también trato de adelgazar un poco, y como sabes la cerveza contiene muchas calorías!
Marina
1 May 07 at 8:43 pm
Hola Edith,
La verdad es que no tengo ni idea de si las gambas tienen hierro. La idea de Pete es muy apetecible, pero si prefieres una opción más “sana” y aburrida puedes comer lentejas o espinacas.
Edith
3 May 07 at 8:34 pm
Hola Marina,
Las recetas con espinaca me encantan, es una de mis verduras favoritas.
De vez en cuando hago una ensalada vegetariana con lentejas, queso azul, una cebolla roja picada muy fina, lechuga ‘rucola’, aceite de oliva y vinagre balsámico. La sirvo con pan integral y vino blanco. ¡Es un muy buen plato para traer al jardín en el verano!
Marina
4 May 07 at 10:45 am
Hola Edith,
Me gusta mucho la idea de tu ensalada. Las lentejas como las sirves cocidas o en brotes???
Dan Plunkett
25 Sep 07 at 11:49 pm
Hi all, I am just trying to reconnect with Jon Hundt, does anyone have his email address.
Ben
26 Sep 07 at 8:19 am
I have contacted Jon for you with your details.