Sources & Resources

March 2023

Yellow daffodils mark the beginning of Spring.

I returned to Spain at the end of January and visited Carmona, Trujillo, and Madrid. Los Paradores are still a great option when traveling around Spain and Portugal: lovely locations, great food, and reasonable pricing.

With spring in mind…. so looking forward to warmer weather!

Watch:

Under the Vines. Acorn. A charming collaboration: Australian settings and British actors. Just lovely.

Karen Pirie. Set in Scotland, this modern-day police procedural is fun and charming.

Stonehouse: Britbox. Set in the 70s, tells the fictionalized story of a disgraced British government minister. Totally hilarious and very entertaining.

Read:

Verity. Colleen Hoover. Interesting, fun, and full of twists. Loved it. And then, of course, had to read It Starts With Us and It Ends With Us.

La Chica de la Nieve by Javier Castillo. Set in New York, it is a suspense thriller that will have you on the edge of your sofa (or bed). It is now a Netflix movie set in Malaga. Also, as exciting and continuing the story: “El Dia Que Se Perdio la Locura” and “El Dia Que Se Perdio el Amor.”

Collect:

Passionate about a well-set table, I am working with artists in Madrid to create a collection of hand-painted plates to sell at Wynsum through Patrick Killian. Priced at $64.00 for the dinner and soup plate, $54 for dessert/salad, and $40 for bread & butter. I love the dessert/salad plates, each one with a different leaf and made to mix and match. Purchase them in sets of four or eight and add them to your collection as new colors arrive! All dishwasher safe.

Eat:

As I love trying out new products that make life easier, I have recently tried Callie’s new cheese crisps—Crumbly, flavorful with a touch of spice, and perfect for serving with drinks. They have been officially added to my rotation of bits.

Cook:

Lots of entertainment at home this month (more on this in future diaries….) and revisiting some of the oldies. This Cajun Chowder is the perfect “make-ahead-of-time” dish. Serving it in deep bowls with rice & beans and garnishes “a la chili” makes it fun and…. different. Perfect for entertaining on a Spring night.

I love serving this chowder with all the garnishes in separate bowls on a buffet, meaning bowls of rice, black beans, diced tomatoes, scallions, sour cream, cheddar cheese, and jalapeno peppers for everyone to serve themselves as much or as little as they like.

Add crusty bread from mopping up those last bits.

A favorite dessert for spring when we are all working on our summer bodies is seasonal fruit (whatever is in the market), strawberries, blueberries, raspberries etc… tossed with a little orange juice and served with lemon sorbet and coconut cookies. Yes, that simple.

Spicy Cajun Chowder 

Serves 6 

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
  

• 1 medium Spanish onion, diced
  

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
  

• 1 tablespoon chili powder, more or less to taste 
  

• 1 tablespoon curry powder, more or less to taste 
  

• 1 tablespoon turmeric, more or less to taste 
  

• 1 large red bell pepper, diced 
  

• 1 large yellow bell pepper, diced 
  

• 1 poblano pepper, diced 
  

• 1 pound Cajun/andouille sausage, sliced thin 
  

• 1 pound white corn kernels, fresh or frozen and thawed at room temperature
  

• 1 cup chicken broth, preferably low-sodium or homemade
  

• 1 cup heavy cream
  

• 1 cup grated white cheddar cheese
  

• 2 pounds shrimp (16/20 count), peeled and deveined
  

• Salt and pepper 
  

In a large stock pot over medium heat, heat the olive oil and sauté the onion and garlic until soft and transparent. Add the spices and stir to coat with the oil and to release all their aromas. Add the peppers and cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until just soft. Season with salt and pepper. 

Add the Cajun sausage and cook for a few minutes, until it begins to release some of its juices, stirring to mix all the ingredients. Add the corn and broth and bring to a boil. Add grated cheese and cream, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook until the cheese has melted. 

Taste to adjust seasonings. When you are ready to serve, bring the chowder back to a simmer and add the shrimp. Cook for 3 or 4 minutes, or until the shrimp is cooked through. Serve hot, garnished with diced tomatoes, scallions, and sour cream. 

Make Ahead: The chowder can be made ahead of time (in the morning, or the day before), leaving out the shrimp. Just before serving, bring the chowder back to a simmer over low heat and add the shrimp. Cook for 3 or 4 minutes, or until the shrimp is cooked through, then serve hot.

Black Beans and Rice 

Serves 4-6 

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
  

• 1 cup uncooked white or brown long grain rice 
  

• 2 cups water
  

• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
  

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 
  

• 1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
  

In a saucepan over medium heat, add the olive oil and rice. Stir until the rice is coated with the oil. Add 2 cups of water, bring to a boil, and then season with salt and pepper. Cover and lower the heat to simmer. Cook until the water is totally absorbed, about 20 minutes. Add the drained black beans and stir to combine well. Serve hot. 

Make Ahead: Rice and beans can be cooked ahead of time and reheated over low heat. Stir well before serving.