A Jeanne in the Kitchen

Spicy foods, shrimp and pasta, and even a dash of curry.  WOW!!! Some of my favorite things all cooked up together.  I love it!  How could I not, after all?  This dish is originally from the Tuscany Valley in Italy.  The Tuscany Valley is a beautiful part of Italy too, and is one of my favorite places in Italy, although, it has been such a long time since I’ve been to Italy.  I might just have to go back again sometime very soon and see if it is still one of my favorites.  🙂  I believe this dish was just custom made with me in mind.

Spicy Shrimp and Asparagus Pasta

(Pasta con i Gamberi e Gli Aspargi)

Cook your favorite pasta per the directions on the package.  I chose angel hair for this particular dish, but it doesn’t really matter what kind of pasta you choose.

4 TBSP olive oil

1 1/2 TBSP garlic

1 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into pieces about 1 inch in size

1 large shallot, chopped fine

3 TBSP parsley, chopped fine

2-3 TBSP sun-dried tomatoes, chopped rough

1 tsp curry, hot or mild, depending on your taste

1 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste

1- 1 1/2 lbs large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 cup brandy

1/2 cup lemon juice

1 cup tomato sauce

salt & pepper to taste

top with Parmigiano cheese and parsley, optional

Heat the olive oil and add the garlic.  On a medium-high heat, cook for about 2 minutes, then add the shallots, sun-dried tomatoes, asparagus and seasonings.

Cook for about 3 minutes, then add the shrimp and continue cooking until the shrimp are completely cooked and have turned pink.

Once the shrimp are cooked pour in the brandy and continue to cook for about 2 more minutes.  Be careful to prevent flair-ups when pouring in the brandy.

After the liquid has cooked down to about 1/2, remove the shrimp and set them aside.  Then add the tomato sauce and the lemon juice.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook for another 7-10 minutes.  Add about half the parsley and stir in.

Right before you are ready to serve, add the shrimp back to the sauce.  Serve over your favorite pasta, and top with Parmigiano cheese and the rest of the parsley, if you so desire.

Depending on your appetite, serve it with a small side salad and some garlic bread (I served it with my garlic cheese bread) and a smooth red wine.  Delicioso!  Mangia!

I am busy working on actual “work stuff” today, and really don’t have much time to devote to the kitchen at the moment, so I thought I would give you some food for thought from others in the know today.  Fortunately, I usually have time to do both, however, there are those days when time just flies by and I fill my day with to much and not nearly enough time to get everything done.   “These things, they do happen”, “Carlotta, from Phantom of the Opera.

“Dining is the privilege of civilization … The nation which knows how to dine has learnt the leading lesson of progress”.

~ Isabella Beeton, from The Book of Household Management~

“Skillful and refined cookery has always been a feature of the most glorious epochs of history”.  

~ Lucien Tendret~

“If we don’t watch out, the pleasure to be gained from the discriminating enjoyment of food will be lost.  It may not be long before the art of fine cooking is viewed as the invention of a handful of snobs … A whole aspect of living well, of civilization itself, is threatened with extinction”.  

~ Benoit Groult, from “La Mer a la Cuisine”, in Loaves & Wishes~

“No matter where I take my guests, it seems they like my kitchen best”.

~ Pennsylvania Dutch saying~

” You don’t have to cook anything fancy or complicated masterpieces.  Just good food from fresh ingredients”.  

~ Julia Child~

It’s been a long time since I’ve made doggie treats for my Lucie and Vinnie.  I thought, since I have the time off at the moment, and because we were just gone on vacation that it was time again.  They deserve cookies.  Starting next week, my schedule will once again fill up, although it never really slows down all that much any more.   I had the time and I decided to make them some yummy, healthy treats.  They’re never going to turn down homemade treats either, but then again, they rarely turn down any treats.  Also, someone had asked if I ever made dog treats not all that long ago.  Yes, I do.   I made them some strawberry banana dog biscuits.  As expected, they were a hit.

Fritzie always loves to help out when I make treats for the “kids”.  She likes to inspect everything to make sure it all comes out just perfect.  So far, she has always given me her stamp of approval too, but then, the only ones I need are from Lucie and Vinnie.  So far, they have always given me their paw-stamps of approval too.

Fritzie and I only used a few simple ingredients.  Soft bananas, that are turning brown are actually the best when baking.  They mush really easily and are full of flavor.  Dogs need food high in proteins and low in fats.  Dogs can eat and love berries, and they are good for them, but they need to eat them in moderation.  If they overeat them, the doggies could get some nasty tummy aches.

Strawberry Banana Dog Treats

2 eggs

2/3 cup peanut butter, either crunchy or creamy is just fine

2 1/2 cups flour, or more as needed

1 cup oats

2 bananas, mashed

8 strawberries, diced fine

Once the bananas are completely mashed, add the peanut butter and the eggs and mix everything together.

Mix all the dry ingredients together, then add the strawberries.  Combine all the ingredients together and mix well.  Form the dough into a ball.

On a lightly floured surface roll the dough out to your doggies’ desired thickness, and cut with a cookie cutter.

Preheat the oven to 325* F

Place the cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for at least 35 minutes, or longer if you and your pooch want them to be crispier.

Make sure the cookies are COMPLETELY cooled before handing them out to your precious pups.  I know from personal experience, Lucie’s tummy cannot handle things when they are to warm or to hot.  Once they are cooled, store them in an airtight container.  They do not last long in my house though.

Once the cookies are cooled, it’s time to try them out and see how the pups like them.  If your dogs are anything like my two, they will gobble them up before they have a chance to actually taste them.  But at least you know you are giving them something healthy, which counts for a lot.

Trust me, they were not nearly as patient waiting for these cookies as this picture would indicate.  We had a lot of attempts to get this shot.  You can see on their faces, they were getting more than a little annoyed with mommy for being so mean and not letting them get the cookies right away.

We are back from our fabulous trip to Spain, and the kitchen is open for business as usual once again.  We ate a lot of pork and seafood all throughout Spain, and both of us were hungry for a good steak.  I was still in the Spanish frame of mind though, so this was a good transition meal.  One of the first things I prepared since coming home was this delicious steak dinner topped with a creamy tomato mushroom sauce.  I had seen this recipe for the mushrooms on a video and thought, “I can easily do that”, so of course, I did.  The mushrooms can be served over rice or pasta as is for either a side dish or a light vegetarian meal, or like I did with steak, or with chicken or shrimp too.  No matter how you serve it, I think it will be a winner, and you are all going to like it.  I served it over wild rice with warmed ciabbatta bread and an olive oil dip, along with a bold, delicious, smooth red blend.  What a great dinner to make after a fantastic vacation.  I just noticed we had a steak dinner before we left for Spain, and our first dinner after returning home was also a steak dinner.  HMMMMMM!  I think we like steak.

Mushrooms with a Creamy Tomato Sauce

1 lb mushrooms, rinsed and stems trimmed all the way down

3 cups spinach, stems removed

1 shallot, sliced very thin

1 small can of tomato  paste

2-3 Roma tomatoes, diced medium, or about 1 cup of grape tomatoes or tomatoes of your choice, sliced in half

1 heaping TBSP garlic

olive oil

1/2 cup Parmigiano cheese

1 cup heavy whipping cream

salt & pepper to taste

In a hot skillet with olive oil, saute the shallots and the garlic for about 2 minutes, or until the shallots are tender.

Add the tomato paste and completely incorporate into the shallots and garlic.

Then add the cream and mix well.

Once everything is mixed together, add the mushrooms, with the rounded parts down and cook for about 7-8 minutes over a medium heat, then turn them over and continue to cook for about anther 7 or so minutes.  Add the Parmigiano cheese  and the salt and pepper and mix together well.  Then add the spinach and the tomatoes.  Cook just long enough for the spinach to start to wilt.

I added a little butter at the end as a finishing touch, which also cut down on some of the acidity from the tomatoes and the tomato paste.  You can eat it just like this, served over either rice or pasta, or you can use it as a sauce to top steak, chicken or shrimp.  I served it over steak.

I thought the creamy mushrooms and tomato sauce was a perfect compliment to the steak.  I hope you like it too.  Our vacation was great, but it feels good to be home too.

Ciao for now!

Well, sadly, our Spanish vacation has come to an end.  We traveled over 1600 miles or about 2600 km.  We saw so many beautiful and wonderful sights, wined and dined on some fabulous foods, met some fun and interesting people, and overall, had a truly fantastic time.  Our last stop before heading home was a night outside of London, just a few short bus stops away from Heathrow airport.

This was our little flat we stayed in for the night.  There were four rooms, all labeled by the seasons, and then a shared kitchen, which of course we did not use at all.  We stayed in the Autumn room.  It was very cute and comfortable, and the owner even stopped by to check on us to make sure we had everything we needed.  We dropped off our bags and headed out.

Our first stop was for dinner at The Three Magpies Pub.  We were famished and what better place to eat in London than a good, old fashioned London pub.  This was just a quick walk away from where we were staying too.  It was nice and refreshing to enjoy some cooler London weather too.  Spain was very, very hot.

This cozy little spot right in front of the fireplace is where we sat to enjoy our delicious dinner of bangers and mash for Larry and a chicken and mushroom pie for me.

While there were still daylight hours, with full bellies, and what little energy we had left, we set out to see what we could see.  On the to-do list was to ride a double decker bus, on the top of course.

The view from the top opened the window to a little bit of life in the outskirts of London.  The bus was free from the airport, and we rode it to the end of the line, but we had to pay to ride back.  We did not have any British pounds, and we were not going to get any since we were only in town for a few short hours, so we walked it back.  It was a much longer walk than what we thought, and by the time we got back to our flat, we were exhausted.  But we got to see some nice flowers and houses on the way back, plus we burned off some extra calories as well.

A traditional London cabbie out for a drive.

Some typical English homes.

In the morning, we headed out, back to Heathrow, headed for home.  At the start of our trip, we flew from Houston to London.  Coming home, we took a different route, and flew over the southern most tip of Greenland.  I think the people who named Iceland and Greenland got it backwards.  Iceland, from all the pictures I’ve seen, is actually green and Greenland is covered in snow.  HMMMMM!  This is our view from 40,000 feet above the ground.

I am always a bit sad when my vacations come to an end, but at the same time, it’s good to get back home too. I ALWAYS miss my fur babies, my peeps, my swimmers, and the general routine of home sweet home.  After all, “There is no place like home”.

I hope you have all enjoyed my special series on Spain as much as I enjoyed sharing all our Spanish adventures with you.  The hardest part was to narrow things down without overwhelming you.  We have no other vacations on the books for the moment, and once again, “The Kitchen” is open for business as usual.

Ciao for now!

We are now home from our magnificent trip to Spain.  I hope you have all been enjoying my special edition series on our Spanish adventures.  Now that we are home, it is time to open up “The Kitchen” once again, and get back into the routine of things here at home.

I have stated many, many times how I have been very lucky and blessed by making so many wonderful and unique connections through my blog, ” A Jeanne in the Kitchen”.  I am having a blast meeting so many fantastic people, learning about and being introduced to so many new products and hearing all the stories behind the scenes.

Right before our trip to Spain, I was connected to Kristin Morrill, the manager at Adams Natural Meats, located in Evergreen, Colorado, which is less than an hour from where I live.  Kristen asked if I was interested in learning more about the buffalo or bison meat, and would I be interested in meeting with her for a tour of the Colorado ranch.  Of course I was.  I jumped at the opportunity to meet with Kristin and the herd.  We arrived home from Spain last Tuesday, and Saturday, I was out with the buffalo.  Kristin is an absolute delight.  I felt like she and I had known each other for years.

The Evergreen, Colorado ranch.

The Arizona ranch, in Buckeye, Arizona.

Kristin and I with Hank.

Adams Natural Meats was started in 1992, when the founder, Bryan Adams (no, not the singer), and his wife Mary inherited 3 bison calves in exchange for services.  At the time Bryan was working in the drilling and blasting business, here in Colorado.  After a short while, the Adams’ moved to Arizona and started the Arizona Buffalo Company, which has evolved into Adams Natural Meats.  The motto of their company is “Striving for excellence … Growing with pride”.  This motto is exemplified every day, with all Bryan and Mary do.  They are dedicated to humanely and naturally raising their bison to produce the best tasting and healthiest meats possible.  Though bison/buffalo meat is their specialty, they also have elk and beef products as well.

Bryan, Mary and the rest of their “family” use everything from the Bison and the elk.  Nothing is left unused or goes to waste.

Is there a difference between buffalo and bison?  Yes, there actually is.  The difference between a buffalo and a bison, is that the American Bison is native to North and South America and Europe, while the other two buffalo species reside in Africa and Asia, although the two terms are often used interchangeably.  Buffalo are also generally slightly larger than bison too.

Why buffalo meat over beef, you might ask.  Bison has a sweeter taste than beef, and can be prepared in many of the same ways.  Bison falls under the specialty or gourmet category of meats.  It is much leaner than beef, and is loaded with nutrition.  Bison has far less calories and less cholesterol than beef, and is very dense, so you are more satiated while eating less.  Bison is also a highly concentrated source of iron and other minerals that are essential for a healthy diet.

Meet the Colorado herd.  The others are in Arizona.  Each bison can produce about 600 lbs of meat on average.

We purchased some small pieces of meat as well as a bison roast.  For dinner, I used a couple of the smaller pieces to make some bison pitas.  They came out very good.  The sunflowers are from my backyard.

I made a quick and easy yogurt and vegetable sauce that I served over the cooked bison on top of warmed pitas.  I also made some couscous and French fries and served everything with a delicious red blend wine to complete the meal.

Yogurt and Vegetable Sauce

1 cup plain yogurt

1 tomato, diced fine

1/3 cucumber, peeled and diced fine

1/4 red onion, diced fine

1 TBSP garlic

2-3 TBSP lemon juice

black pepper to taste

red pepper flakes to taste

1 tsp each oregano and basil, dried or fresh is fine

a dash of sweet or smoky paprika

Mix everything together well, and serve either over your meat or on the side.

I just sauteed the meat with a little salt and pepper in olive oil.  It only takes a couple of minutes to cook.

If you are interested in learning more about or ordering your bison from Adams Natural Meats, you can find them on line at either http://www.adamsnaturalmeats.com or adamsnaturalmeats@aol.com.  Or feel free to visit them in Evergreen when you are in town.  They are located at 33850 Hwy 40, Evergreen, CO 85326.  You can call them at  (303) 674-3123 too.  Kristin will be more than happy to help you out with whatever you need.

After leaving Sevilla, we headed east to Toledo.  The drive was a very beautiful, scenic drive, that was beautifully decorated with 100’s of 1000’s of acres of olive trees, produce and vineyards, as was so much of rural Spain.

Along the way to Toledo, we made a quick little stop at the olive museum or museo de oliva, since after all, we were in olive country.  It wasn’t really what we were expecting.  It was more of a store than a museum, however, I did really like this big vat used for storing olive oil.  I go through a lot of olive oil at my house, and I think I could really use one of these big vats.

Toledo, like most of Spain, is yet another very old city with a rich and illustrious history.  It dates back to the 1st century BCE, and was an important city to the Ancient Romans.  The city of Toledo has over 2,000 years of history behind it and is still going strong today. The old, historic part of Toledo sits atop the hills, behind the walls that were built in the days of the Ancient Romans, overlooking the Tagus River.  The modern part of Toledo extends far below the hills and the walls.  It is 42 miles or 67 km southwest of Madrid.  Particularly for tourists, Toledo is the old part of town, and this is the part to see.  The new, modern part of town is more for the residents and the industry.

The sweetheart locks on the gates, overlooking the city below.

In 1085, Toledo was one of the most important cities of Spain, and was the political and social center of the Castile region.  It remained an important city, as well as the capital of Spain, until 1560, when King Phillip II made Madrid the capital, and Toledo’s importance as a city declined.

The name Toledo means a mixture of Spanish and Jewish.  The city was the scene of fusion between the Christian, the Jewish and the Arab worlds and thus became known as the city of three cultures.  Today, Toledo is considered to be the city that is most representative of the Spanish culture.  In 1986, Unesco made Toledo a world heritage site. The words to this are written in both ancient Hebrew and Spanish.

Toledo has been recognized as a place for traditional crafts, arts and steel making since the 1st century BCE.  It is known for the craftmanship of its beautiful swords.  Toledo is still known for its quality steel and steelwork even today.

This gentleman, Michaelangelo Lancha-Sanchez and his brother Juan, are painters of the old, traditional styles.  They hand painted all these exquisite ceramics.  Some were the  “flat painting style” and others were the old, ancient techniques of painting in the “raised style”.  Senor Lancha-Sanchez said his name is an ancient name that has a very long history.

I have always loved collecting plates and displaying them on my dining room wall.  I have an eclectic collection from many places around the world.  Some are old, while others are new.  My dad used to bring them back from his travels, and the tradition just stuck with me.  My newest collection comes from Senor Lancha-Sanchez and Toledo.

Another thing Toledo is known for is marzipan.  Marzipan is a treat made of almond paste that is enjoyed all throughout Europe, particularly around Christmas and the holidays.  The first recorded recipe of marzipan from Toledo dates back to 1512.  The people of Toledo enjoy desserts and cakes with marzipan all year round though, and not just during the Holidays.  Often times, it is formed into small animal shapes.

The main economic focus of Toledo used to be agriculture.  Since the 1990’s though, that focus has shifted from agriculture to industry, particularly that of steel making, machinery, furniture making and the manufacutring of chemicals and electronics.

Toledo is a beautiful patchwork of very tiny, narrow streets and old structures and homes that wind all around and through the hills behind the walls.  It is very much a walking town.  Most of the roads are not wide enough for cars.  Even the smallest of cars would find it very difficult to maneuver through the streets.  I just love all the attention to detail that is lovingly associated with every old home, building and structure all throughout Spain.  This is the tilework that was the front of someone’s home.

And of course, just like everywhere in Spain, religion plays a very important role in the lives of Toledo’s citizens.  I cannot tell you how many Catholic Cathedrals we came across in this tiny area, but Senor Lancha-Sanchez said their were also 3 mosques and 2 or 3 synagogues located within the walls of the old city as well.

From Toledo, we headed back to Madrid, for one final evening before heading home.  Out of all the meals we enjoyed all throughout Spain, this was most definitely our least favorite.  Larry ordered a grilled pork dish that was delicious.  Either I ordered wrong or the waiter did not understand me, but what I thought I ordered and I what I got were definitely NOT the same thing.  Oh well, a minor complaint after a beautiful and wonderful tour all throughout the Southern region of Spain.   Next stop London, then homeward bound.

Ciao for now!

After we left the Costa del Sol region, we headed northwest in to Sevilla.  Sevilla is in the Northwest portion of Andalusia, located about 340 miles south west of Madrid and about 350 miles or so from the Costa del Sol.  Like the rest of Spain, Sevilla has a very long and rich history, filled with many takeovers, twists and turns, as well as financial upswings and downswings of wealth and ruin, and back to wealth again.  It has been around as a major city and trading port since the early Roman days in the 2nd century BCE, when it was an Iberian town.

Up until the 13th century, Sevilla was known as the Muslim capital of Spain.  This lasted until 1248, when the Spanish Christians took over under the leadership of King Ferdinand II.  At this time, the Moors and the Jews were thrown into exile, and became the minorities of the city.  These were dark days for Sevilla.  The city floundered and was in financial ruin.  Sevilla’s wealth and influence had a resurgence of power and once again became the richest and most populated city of Spain in the 16th. century, when she became known as the center of exploration and exploitation of America, since all the riches coming in from the new world were stored and traded through Sevilla, under the Casa de Contradicion or House of Trade agreement in 1503.  This controlled all the commerce coming between Spain and the New World.  The wealth lasted until the 17th century, until once again, Sevilla lost her way and fell victim to financial ruin.

But Sevilla reinvented herself once more, and became a place famous for the arts and culture.  Sevilla became the home of many famous artists, painters and writers.  Some of these famous cultural creators of the area are:  painters Diego Valezquez, Francisco de Zurburan and Bartolome Esteban Murillo; sculptor Juan Martinez Montanes; poet Fernando de Herrera and probably the most famous of them all, the writer Miguel de Cervantes, who was the author of Don Quixote, which he wrote while serving time in jail in Sevilla.

But Sevilla had been dealt another severe financial blow, and all was lost again, until she had yet another renaissance in 1929, with the Iberoamerican Exposition.

Today, Sevilla is flourishing.  She is known as the cultural center of Spain and has a very prolific trade industry.  She is the most important inland port of Spain, and exports many, many goods and products such as wines, olives, fruit, cork and minerals.  She abounds with industry of all kinds and is the 4th largest city in Spain and is the largest city of the Andalusia region.

Sevilla is also known as being the hottest city of 100,000+ residents in all of continental Europe, averaging about 97* F or 38* C in the summer.  I can definitely attest to the heat, but then all of Spain was very, very hot.

We fell in love with the gorgeous area, driving from the Costa del Sol region up to Sevilla.

We had about a 350 mile drive from Costa del Sol to Sevilla, so we packed a picnic lunch, and were just waiting for the right spot to eat along the way.  We found an old castle that was just perfect.  How often to you get to have lunch in an old castle, right?!

After lunch, we were back on the road again, enjoying all the beauty of the area.  We did not stop again until we hit the city.  This was the view from our hotel’s rooftop.

After we got checked in, it was time to hit the town and check out the city.  Like the rest of Spain, Sevilla is a city of numerous contrasts and a blending of the very old and the very new, with many, many cathedrals, churches, basilicas and mosques seemingly around every corner.

Music, dance and culture.  Sevilla is known as the best place to go for flamenco.  These are the fans that all the senoras use.  I never figured out how to work them, whereas the ladies of Spain just work them gracefully and magically with a flip of the wrist and the fingers.

A very fast dancer performing on the street.  The streets are alive con la musica de Sevilla.

Y los comidas de Sevilla.  Churros y chocolate, which is a favorite treat for the locals.  The churros are dipped in the chocolate.

I have really grown an affinity for Albarino wines.  I was first introduced to them last year, in Virginia of all places, and have been a fan ever since,  Wine, Wine Everywhere Wine but the Spanish Albarinos are fantastic.

Olives and capers with a tuna and roasted pepper salad with a balsamic vinegar.  This recipe is one that will most definitely be served here at Casa Jones y Billinger.  Mixed with the bread – Delicioso!

Artichokes sautéed with gambas y jamon or ham and shrimp and a pork and grilled onion dish.

We fell in love with Sevilla, just like we fell in love with the rest of Spain.  Even Ceuta had its own beauty and charm.  We took many great pictures and saw so many beautiful sights, but my favorite picture of Sevilla is of the river.

Ciao for now.

Greetings All.  Even though I still have a few more posts to make to my series on Spain to make it complete, I thought it was time I got back to “Kitchen” business too.  A few of you have sent in some amazing dishes and recipes to be featured on my Guest Chef Series.  In due time, I will do my best to feature all of your delicious recipes.  I want everyone to see the fabulous dishes that have been coming from your kitchens too.

This month’s Guest Chef recipe is for Leek and Greens Lasagne, submitted by my friend Mel at crushedcaramel, courtesy of a recipe she discovered on the BBC website.  I am excited that so many people are interested in my Guest Chef Series.  I love to see what you all cook in your kitchens.  I learn so much and have been inspired by all the recipes and fun photos you send me.  Mel has balanced out the meal with a healthy, tasty looking salad as well as some garlic bread.  This is a vegetarian version of lasagne, so it is a little less fattening, and a bit healthier than the traditional meat and sausage lasagne.  Enjoy and mangia!

Leeks & Greens Lasagne

1 tbsp olive oil
50g butter
1 bay leaf
rosemary sprig, leaves picked and roughly chopped
1 leeks, finely sliced
40g plain flour
500ml milk
fresh nutmeg, for grating
75g cheddar, grated
30g parmesan, grated

Heat 1 tbsp oil with the butter over a medium heat. Add the bay leaf, rosemary and finely sliced leek, season and cook for a few mins until the leek has softened.

Ceuta, pronounced Theuta by the Spanish, is the southern Pillar of Hercules, located on the tip of Northern Africa.  The Pillars of Hercules – Part 1 – Gibraltar  It borders Morocco and is the only part of Europe or the EU that actually borders the African coast.  The total area is about 18.5 km or about 7 square miles and it is the gateway to both the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.  It is a very strategic outpost used by both the military and the commercial shipping industry.  Ceuta is 1 of 9 Spanish territories still held in Africa.  They are known as Spanish Autonomous cities.

Ceuta has a very long and prolific history.  Because of its location and the fact that it is the control center for both the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, it was a hub for trade.  It was first founded by the ancient Phoenicians, back in the 1st millennium BC.  It has been under the rule of many different countries throughout its long history.  Before becoming a part of Spain, it was under Portuguese rule until 1581, when King Phillip II of Spain united Spain and Portugal under the Iberian Union, and became King Phillip I of Portugal at the same time.  Both kingdoms were allowed to continue on their own without being merged.  Ceuta officially became part of Spain with the Treaty of Lisbon in 1661, under King Afonso VI of Portugal, and has been part of Spain ever since.  Currently, Morocco is fighting to gain control over the city, and has been trying to do so for quite some time, but for now, Ceuta remains a part of Spain.  Ceuta has slightly more than 85,000 people who call the city home.  In 2005, the population was almost 1/2 Spanish and Christian/Catholic and 1/2 Muslim.  Today, the demographics have changed and it is about 68% Catholic and 28% Muslim.  The official language is Spanish, although about 40-50% of the citizens speak Darija Arabic, which is Moroccan in origin.

There are many statues and tributes to Ceuta’s long history with the sea.  The Ceutatians are very proud of their seafaring history.

As an avid scuba diver, this statue found a place in my heart.

Going in to Ceuta, we took a helicopter.  It was only about a 10 minute helicopter ride from the port of Algeciras, and neither one of us had ever been on a helicopter before.  We had also never been to Africa before either, so this was two firsts for us at the same time.

I think this picture captures the blending of the very old, ancient times with modern times perfectly.  My picture does not capture it, but the water was a beautiful emerald green.

Ceuta, like the rest of Spain, was very hot, but the troopers and adventure seekers that we are, we endured the heat, and walked all over Ceuta.  And also like the rest of Spain, there are beautiful old churches, basilicas and mosques everywhere.

We covered and saw a lot of Spain.  In total we drove over 1600 miles or about 2600 km.  I fell in love with Spain, but I was really not that impressed with Ceuta, sad to say.  I was real excited about the helicopter trip going over, and the fact that we were able to touch ground in Africa, a new continent to both of us, but overall, I found Ceuta to be very dirty and not particularly friendly to tourists.  There was a lot to see, and definitely a lot of history, but the city is not really designed for tourism.  I’m glad I went, but once was more than enough for me.

We went back to Algeciras by the ferry.  That crossing was pleasant on the smooth sea, and took about an hour.  This ferry is not the one we took, but you get the idea.  This one was the ferry that took people on the longer cruise to Tangier.

On our drive back to Costa del Sol, we stopped at a delicious Indian restaurant, called Mini India, for a fantastic Indian dinner.  The owner Parvis, was a delight.

Parvis is the tall, elegant gentleman in the center.

Dinner started with an Indian flatbread and three different sauces.

The main entrees were spinach rice, garlic naan bread and chicken and mango curry for me and lamb vindaloo for Larry.  Everything was fantastic and the service was impeccable.

We always like to order something different so we can share and get a better variety and sampling of the foods.

Ciao for now.  Until next time.