La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
San Geraldo and I went to Mesón Salvador last night for an early dinner. We started the meal with berenjenas con miel de caña (fried eggplant/aubergine with cane honey), a popular local dish we had never heard of until our arrival in Málaga province (more than 11 years ago). Sugar cane was introduced to Málaga sometime around 1,000 years ago by the Arab rulers. By the 17th century, there was even a sugar factory in Frigiliana (click here) to mill the cane. It’s now produced exclusively at Nuestra Señora del Carmen Sugar Factory. The town hosts an annual Cane Honey Day, something I think San Geraldo might enjoy as you’ll see from today’s photos. The factory produces almost 500 tons a year. Here, cane honey is called miel de caña but you might know it as molasses. To confuse things, miel de caña is also known as melaza in Spanish, which directly translates to molasses. Note: Treacle is lighter and sweeter than molasses. Got it?
We had an excellent meal. San Geraldo places his order “with no vegetables.” I place mine with “no potatoes.” San Geraldo found creative ways to sop up every last bit of the miel de caña. He admitted to me that he didn’t really need the fried eggplant. Just a bowl of miel de caña would suffice. And bread. Of course.
San Geraldo y yo fuimos anoche al Mesón Salvador para cenar temprano. Comenzamos la comida con berenjenas con miel de caña, un plato local popular del que nunca habíamos oído hablar hasta nuestra llegada a la provincia de Málaga (hace más de 11 años). La caña de azúcar fue introducida en Málaga hace unos 1.000 años por los gobernantes árabes. En el siglo XVII, existía incluso una fábrica de azúcar en Frigiliana (haz clic aquí) para moler la caña. Actualmente se produce exclusivamente en la Azucarera Nuestra Señora del Carmen. La ciudad organiza anualmente el Día de la Miel de Caña, algo que creo que San Geraldo podría disfrutar, como verás en las fotos de hoy. La fábrica produce casi 500 toneladas al año.
Tuvimos una comida excelente. San Geraldo hace su pedido “sin verduras”. Yo coloco el mío “sin patatas”. San Geraldo encontró formas creativas de absorber hasta el último trozo de miel de caña. Me admitió que realmente no necesitaba las berenjenas fritas. Bastaría con un plato de miel de caña. Y pan. Por supuesto.
• Las costillas de San Geraldo. Ellos ciertamente se pegarían a mis costillas.
• Mi exquisita rosada a la plancha. Conocida con muchos nombres fuera de España: Kingclip, dorado, cusk-eel, ling, y congrio, por ejemplo.
You had me at eggplant!!!!!
Mistress Borghese:
We’ve had the fried eggplant cut in so many different styles but we always love it.
I love your accounts of restaurant meals and the contrast between sg’s choices and yours. Also the language explanations. Boud, Leader of the Pedants’ Revolt here.
Boud:
I’m glad you enjoy that. I have a great time with the language explanations. As for the way we eat and have almost always eaten (and how we feel about exercise and physical activity), here we sit: San Geraldo is well and I’m dealing with all sorts of problems. Go figure!
I don’t know if the ribs would stick to my ribs or not, but they look delicious.
Kirk:
I’m not a fan of ribs, but SG loves them. And Mesón Salvador’s are especially meaty and delicious.
The only time I use molasses in baking is when I make my Mom’s recipe for soft ginger cookies. I always use “fancy” grade molasses which I suspect is Canada’s equivalent of “treacle.”
Debra:
One of my favorite cookies! I’d make a trip to the wilds of Canada for those!
I’m not a big fan of eggplant other than baba ghanoush, but that does look interesting. When I think of molasses it’s the blackstrap variety and with cane syrup, something along the lines of Karo brand syrup. I can remember getting pieces of sugar cane (to chew on) as a treat when I was a child.
Kelly:
SG would love to chew on sugar cane, I’m sure.
I might have to search and see if I can find a recipe for that eggplant with “cane honey.” I love that name! It is very much what molasses is. I use molasses in various things like oat bran muffins, spice cake, and baked beans. I love the flavor but many do not.
Your fish looks amazing and those ribs look pretty much exactly like the ones I cooked a few nights ago.
Good story about San Geraldo getting separated from your little group. Things like that make me so anxious! I would have been mad too, I think, which is ironic in that we only get mad because we love them so much.
Ms. Moon
Ms. Moon:
There are many recipes online in English, I see. I hope you find one that works well. SG loves the ribs at Mesón Salvador and the fish was exceptional. I forgot about the Frigiliana story about SG. I got mad because we spent 45 minutes going up and down hills and stairs looking for him. Love had nothin’ to do with it.
I am a non-eggplant eater; never could find any way to cook it that I liked.
Now, your fish and veggies looks yummy!
Bob:
The fried eggplant is a completely different texture and taste. And, yes, the fish and veggies were perfect.
I must admit the combination of aubergine and molasses does sound nauseating – however, I’ve not tried it, so I can but surmise. Spare ribs perplex me – the pork is tasty, but there’s so little of it, it makes for a messy and unsatisfying snack rather than meal. The mysterious “Rosada” is on every menu everywhere in Spain – and I swear you never het the same fish twice! Jx
Jon:
The ribs at Mesón Salvador are always very meaty. SG never complains but he’s had them elsewhere and has experienced the lack of meat. I have no idea what you’re getting instead of this fish called Rosada. I’ve never had anything different no matter where I’ve had it.
Oh, wowwww. Yummm. (Although, actually, not so much the bread coated with molasses, but the fried eggplant just drizzled with it… yummy… and your fish, and the veggies and the fries and the ribs… oh boy).
Thanks for treating us to photos of your yummy meals, Mitch. I really enjoy them.
Judy C:
A local delicacy — the fried eggplant and cane honey. The fish and the veggies were perfection.
Mmmmmmm. Looks delicious.
Sassybear:
It was just what the doctor ordered.
That food has my mouth watering, and it’s just now 07h00.
Walt the Fourth:
It was so delicious.
I remember traveling by train near Cadiz about 30 years ago (!) and seeing lots of cane out the windows. I wonder if it was sugar cane or just marsh grass? No idea.
Steve,
I can’t imagine it was sugar cane. What you saw was most likely Spanish cane. Click here to learn more: https://movingwithmitchell.com/2016/12/16/youd-better-never-bother-with-me-o/
Molasses on fried eggplant or bread would not be my first choice, though I do enjoy Panda natural black liquorice once in a while (and I loathed it until about 20 years ago) and home-made ginger cookies. Those ribs have my mouth watering and I’ve had some very meaty ribs over the years too!
Tundra Bunny:
I LOVE Panda natural black licorice and ginger cookies. Debra She Who Seeks just mentioned her mother’s recipe made with molasses and MY mouth is still watering.