I visited Spain last month – Barcelona to be exact – and was fortunate enough to spend the end of last year there too.

Barcelona is a magical place.  I could write a novel about the beauty in the landscapes, breathtaking cities, warm and welcoming culture, relaxing beaches and world-renowned artwork.  For now, I’ll just focus on the unique foodie culture that makes Spain so wonderful.

I love Barcelona’s outlook on life.  They don’t live to work like we do here in the states, they work to live.  They prioritize life around spending time with the ones they care about.  Some of my best memories include enjoying tapas and wine over casual conversation and playful banter.

The Spanish culture is all about socializing, which means they love their food and drink.  The freshest food in Barcelona is found at the local market located on Las Ramblas, near the beach.  You’ll find seafood (caught the morning of) still squirming and clawing as you pass by.  Every spice you can imagine orcandy ever craved can be found at this hidden gem of a market.

Spanish cuisine is heavy on the seafood, which is readily available since it borders the Mediterranean Sea.  This is especially true for Barcelona, where fresh seafood can go from ocean to plate in mere hours.  There are thousands of recipes and dishes that make up the varied cuisines of Spain. These range from croquetas (a small fried food roll containing mashed potatoes and/or minced meat, often encased in breadcrumbs) to rare Spanish sea urchin.  One thing is certain; you will not be disappointed or bored with the food offerings.

Spain’s most common dishes include: potato omelet (tortilla de patata), cheeses, various stews, migas, sausages (such as embutidos chorizo, and morcilla), jamón serrano, and of course paella.  Seafood paella is a popular favorite throughout Spain and typically includes rice, seafood and seasoning.  This dish dates back to the 15^th century and is tender, flavorful, and exotic.

While Spain has a traditional paella style, creative chefs worldwide have given their own twists using local ingredients.  For those of us in the Pacific Northwest, Chef Cathy Whims from Nostrana has a delicious version that features chicken and chorizo.  Portland Monthly recently featured this recipe as a great option for a summer meal with friends. Try it out and let us know what you think. And enjoy a few of my favorite photos from Spain!

Today, I had the opportunity to swing by and sample their ribs.  Since the weather has been so gloomy, I wasn’t looking forward to walking the ten blocks over to 13th and Irving but I was pleasantly surprised when I arrived.  The BBQ masters were very friendly and I was even able to convince one of them to bust out some breakdance moves.  I was debating on whether or not we should have a mini dance battle but b-boying is tough in a collared shirt. Once the dance party wrapped up it was finally time for some ribs.

Even though it has been a few years since I’ve had some BBQ ribs, I thoroughly enjoyed Irving St. Kitchen’s house smoked St. Louis ribs.  It just rolls off your tongue, doesn’t it?  The best part about their ribs, in my opinion, is how they are able to slather them with their sweet and tangy St. Louis BBQ sauce and yet still manage to keep that smoky meat flavor in every fall-off-the-bone bite.  They were so good in fact that I forgot to take a picture of them before I inhaled them.  I guess on your next lunch break you will need to check it out in person.  Make sure you bring your dancing shoes!

Check out the menu attached below for food offerings and prices.

Irving St. Kitchen

703 Northwest 13th Avenue

Portland, OR 97209

(503) 343-9440

Directions

He arrives in Portland Thursday, June 17th for an appearance with Orlo – at the newly renovated Zoomtopia Building in SE Portland.  The action begins at 8 p.m. and beverages have been generously provided by Lagunitas Brewing Company (donation appreciated).

Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to learn, share and mingle with Bill Carter as he recounts his experiences as told in his memoir “Red Summer” and shares his thoughts on the proposed Pebble Mine – a project that threatens to destroy one of the most sustainable fisheries in the world.  The event will also have a short reading by local Portland writer Moe Bowstern.

Tour and event details:

June 17th – Portland, Oregon
Celebration of creative writing and non-fiction with Orlo – www.orlo.org
8 – 10 pm
810 SE Belmont
Portland, OR
971-235-2734

June 18th – Seattle, Washington
Fisherman’s Dinner with Ray’s Boathouse (www.rays.com)
5:30 – 8 pm
6049 Seaview Avenue NW
Seattle, WA 98107
(206) 789.3770

June 19th – Port Townsend, Washington
Sea-to-table Conversation hosted by the North Olympic Salmon Coalition (www.nosc.org)
5 – 7 pm
2333 San Juan Avenue
Port Townsend, WA 98368

June 20th – Portland, Oregon
Sustainable & Wild Salmon Dinner
Hosted by Nostrana (www.nostrana.com)
1401 SE Morrison Portland, Oregon
503.234.2427

June 21st – Astoria, Oregon
Filmmakers Dinner hosted by Clemente’s Restaurant (http://www.clementesrestaurant.com)
5 – 10 pm
1198 Commercial Street
Astoria, OR 97103
503.325.1067

June 22nd – Portland, Oregon
Screening of Miss Sarajevo at Mercy Corps Action Center (http://www.actioncenter.org/)
7– 9 pm
28 SW First Ave
Portland, OR 97204
(503) 896-5002