This Global Kitchen | Day 4: Spain
I know by some of the world’s standards, our kitchen isn’t tiny. But, it really is narrow. It’s at the end of our flat’s hallway on the left, and it boasts a European refrigerator (small) at one end, and a European washing machine (small) in the “laundry room” at the other end. We hang dry our clothes out there as well.
I can find anything I need for a kitchen here in Spain, as we have Ikea, department stores and even Costco (which sells stuff that’s too big for our place). However, it’s all much more expensive than in the States, so we shipped a lot when we moved, and most of it was kitchen items. I brought my knives, stainless steel cookware, cast iron, and my Kitchen-aid mixer. I still haven’t purchased a converter though, so the mixer has yet to run.
It’s so hard for me to organize kitchens. I struggled in the States, too, with where to put all the bags of gluten-free flour, different types of sweetener, and extra boxes of tea. So, it’s always a mess inside my cupboards. I’ve learned to deal with it and occasionally I try to Marie-Kondo the heck out of a cabinet by adding a shoebox.
My least favorite things about our kitchen is the lack of light and the tiny sink. My cutting boards and pots and pans don't really fit in it and I am forever soaking myself with water that has a mind of its own. We do have a dishwasher, but if you load it with too many big items, it leaks. But, at least we have one. We’ve lived in two homes in the States without one, so we appreciate it very much.
My favorite thing about the kitchen is that the whole thing is tiled with the easiest, most wipeable surface ever. Keeping the walls clean is super easy (floors not so much) and the blessing of a small kitchen is there isn't as much to clean!
I hope you enjoyed this glimpse of our small (by US standards) kitchen in our piso in Spain.
My Must Haves for My Expat Kitchen:
Whenever people visit, I ask them to bring Everything but the Bagel seasoning from Trader Joe's. I love it because it makes things like eggs and roasted potatoes look so pretty, and it's a distinct American combination.
I lugged my KitchenAid mixer and it's the only electric thing in our house that needs a transformer/converter besides chargers, but it was totally worth it.
Spanish Tortilla
by Rosalie | TakingRoute.net
The Spanish Tortilla is the most popular dish in Spain. It's basically a potato omelet, but in Spain it's proudly called a tortilla.
- 6 eggs
- 2 small potatoes, peeled and evenly cut in thin half disks
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
Pour olive oil into the pan to coat the bottom. When the oil is hot, add the potatoes and some salt and pepper. Cook, moving the potatoes around frequently, until potatoes are just fork tender. It should be about 8 minutes, depending on the thickness of the potato slices. Meanwhile, whisk your eggs into a large bowl. Add a little salt and pepper to the eggs too.
When potatoes are just fork tender, use a slotted spoon to remove them from the oil and put them in the bowl with the eggs. If you have a lot of remaining oil, you can drain a little, but leave a good coating for the tortilla. Stir the potato and egg mixture gently to coat the potatoes and pour it back into the pan. Cook over medium heat, gently lifting the edges and allowing egg to drain to the bottom.
When there is only a little liquid on the top, put a plate on top of the tortilla and carefully flip the pan and slide the tortilla back into the pan. This is the hardest part and it takes some practice. The smaller your frying pan, the better.
Allow the other side to cook just a few minutes until it is solid. You don't want to brown the egg.
Slide the tortilla onto a plate and cut into wedges for breakfast or squares for tapas.
