A lifetime of encounters with Spain.
Posted in Reflexiones en Español on Feb 16th, 2010
En los primeros años de La Tienda un joven llamado Tomás Lozano se puso en contacto conmigo. Por aquellos entonces experimentábamos con muchos nuevos productos de España para descubrir los gustos de nuestros clientes. Ofrecíamos cerámicas, alimentos y un puñado de reproducciones del arte medieval labradas a mano como tablillas de madera y cruces. Tomás [...]
Posted in Amigos, Corners of Spain, Reflections on Spain on Feb 16th, 2010
In the early years of La Tienda, a young man named Tomás Lozano contacted me. At the time we were experimenting with many new products from Spain to discover what our customers would like. We featured ceramics, foods and a handful of hand-carved reproductions of medieval art, including wooden panels and crosses. He wanted to [...]
Posted in Reflexiones en Español on Nov 15th, 2007
En una ocasión hace mucho tiempo, cuando yo era sólo un niño, me eché en la cama con un libro para colorear apoyándolo sobre la almohada. Era una encantadora publicación dedicada en ese número al Día de Acción de Gracias. En las páginas centrales, encontré el perfil de una cornucopia- el cuerno de la abundancia—rebosante [...]
Posted in Reflections on Spain on Nov 15th, 2007
How easy it is to imagine timeless Spain where the local harvest traditions have been going on for thousands of years. But of course it is not the case. Radical changes occurred in 1492: not only the final triumph of the 700 year struggle with the Moors on the plains of Granada, but, most notably, Christopher Columbus’s discovery of America. It was a watershed for Spain and its cuisine: the introduction of new foods from the Americas heralded a revolution in how Spaniards farmed, cooked and enjoyed food.
Posted in Corners of Spain, Fairs, Feasts and Fiestas, Reflections on Spain on Dec 15th, 2005
We arrived at the church only a minute or two before Midnight, relieved that we were not too late. But to our dismay we found a darkened church with the door locked! Just about then the local parish priest roared up in his small SEAT sedan (so much for medieval illusions!). He greeted us, unlocked the door, and then bustled about the building lighting several portable butane heaters (with the familiar orange ‘butano’ canisters) and rolling them to where the congregation would be sitting –saving one heater for himself by the altar.
Posted in Reflexiones en Español on Dec 15th, 2005
¡Felices Fiestas, mi amigos! Hace ocho años, Ruth y yo sí que sacamos billetes de avión para que toda la familia celebrara la Navidad en una parte remota de España. Condujimos directamente a Granada, pasamos la noche, y luego nos fuimos al sudeste hacia la zona que rodea el pueblo de montaña de Cádiar en [...]
Posted in Corners of Spain, Fairs, Feasts and Fiestas, Reflections on Spain on May 15th, 2004
Late spring is an especially gentle time in Andalucía. The rolling hills, which stretch to the horizon with countless rows olive trees, are blanketed with wild flowers that punctuate the soft grass. The starkness of Holy Week processions is but a memory in the many small towns and larger cities. In a few weeks the [...]
Posted in Reflexiones en Español on May 15th, 2004
La primavera en su apogeo es un momento especialmente agradable en Andalucía. Las colinas, que se extienden onduladas hasta el horizonte con filas incontables de olivos, se cubren con un manto de flores silvestres que salpican la mullida hierba. La austeridad de las procesiones de Semana Santa no es ya más que una memoria en [...]
