Since introducing my grandparents to her I've been informed by the Texan that, what she thought was my original wittiness and sense of humour, is nought but a pale imitation of theirs. I'm going to take that as a compliment.
The weekend consisted of what we do best - eating and drinking. Given that I dedicate so much time to detailing the hours spent: thinking about food here, looking for suitable places to have food here and going on about how cheap the food is here, I'm going to give this post over to a little education in the culinary delights Oviedo has to offer.
First stop on Thursday we went for a traditional Menu del Dia on Gascona, the cider street directly beside my flat - it would be so much better if I actually liked the cider! Menus normally cost between 8 and 12 euros and consist of; starter, main course, pudding and a drink. The variations within this structure are endless. Sometimes you pay 8 euros and receive helpings the size of the Iberian Peninsula and yet on the same street you could find a pricier 12 euro menu in which the pudding is nothing but an elegantly placed Cornetto on a white side plate.
Thursdays dishes of note were:
Fabada - Asturian dish with white beans, chorizo, morcilla, sausage, bacon.... (insert any other meat product found in the kitchen here). It's very heavy, but can be delicious.
Cachopo - Cachopo is kind of hard to explain. I think my attempt went along the lines of, it's deep fried meat with some cheese inside. Tasty.
Arroz con leche - otherwise known as the sole reason my mother allowed me to move back to Oviedo. Cold rice pudding glazed with cinnamon. What's not to like?
And of course Cider which almost incapacitated both my grandparents - a good vodka sorted them out though.
On Thursday evening we (of course) went to Sparkly Bar where they put on a spread of tapas for us.
Pimientos de Padron - small fried green peppers smothered in salt. (I have no idea how everyone in Spain doesn't have heart disease.) These are the sole reason my father allowed me to move back to Oviedo. Delicious and yet occasionally deadly if you get one that's more chilli than pepper which usually means you have to guess what the rest of the food tastes like as your tongue has been scorched off.
Tortilla - there is nothing more Spanish or delicious than a properly cooked tortilla and it is without a doubt the main thing I will miss when I leave. I was eating a depressingly disappointing pincho whilst writing this blog
Friday evening we went to another tried and tested favourite - La Mas Barata. Otherwise known as that place you need to wear a loose fitting outfit to. They do paella and rice dishes which are so big you could probably eat one a week and need nothing else. We - of course - ordered way too much and could barely move. I'm convinced that the waiting staff hate me but they were actually really pleasant. Making me think that perhaps their dislike was more of huge tables of foreigners who didn't know how to order, rather than a personal vendetta against me.
Main Event - the discovery of a bottle of Drambuie and the expression on the grandparents face as it was free-poured into glasses directly in front of them I am officially Grandaughter of the Century.
Saturday evening was Tierra Astur. I've been to the espichas many times but only eaten in the restaurant once before. Still reeling from the over-ordering of the night before we decided to forego the starters - then saw croquettas and figured a little wouldn't hurt.
I ate picadillo with chips and tortitas de maiz. Fundamentally spicy mince with chips and potato scones. Wonderful.
Rach and Dad tackled steaks which had been politely introduced to a frying pan before being placed on a scorching grill and brought to the table.
Before....
After
That is how we do it.
All in all it was a lovely weekend which was probably the last time the family will be visiting me in Oviedo. I'm glad we had some good weather so Asturias could show off what it really looks like, although everywhere looks better in the sunshine.
Only five weeks left. Let's see how much I can drink before then!
