La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
I mentioned that San Geraldo and I went for lunch Sunday at Mercado Victoria (Victoria Market). Located in the Victoria Gardens, the market began life in 1877 as the Circle of Friendship pavilion at the Córdoba Fair. It was a factory beginning around 1918. In 2004, the City rehabilitated the building and it was then used for special events. In 2013, it became Mercado Victoria, the first permanent gastronomic market in Spain. The original roof is forged zinc and the building was open-air until a pseudo-Mudejar (partly gothic, partly Islamic architectural style popular here in the 12th to 15th centuries) masonry structure was added in 1918. I think there are between 25 and 30 separate stalls with options for the pickiest eater. Bustling and beautiful and so delicious. We had a great lunch. San Geraldo had nachos. I had a Spanish tortilla of ratatouille. That shop had some very unusual Spanish tortillas and I’d like to go back and try them all. Except the one with tripe.
Yesterday we had 16 flattened moving boxes still waiting to be carried down to recycling. I thought if San Geraldo and I each take four every time we go downstairs, we would be done in two trips. But San Geraldo does not obsess about things the way I do and doesn’t think it’s necessary to make every trip downstairs “worthwhile.” I say, ‘Why waste a trip?’ On our trip downstairs last night, I took four boxes. So it will probably be three more trips for me unless I bulk up the loads. With all the things arriving, we always have more cardboard boxes to go down. That makes me a little crazy.
The new kitchen island is here. There’s a lot of assembly involved. More boxes! I might try getting that done Friday. We’ve got a busy week.
Nick and Alyson trained up from Fuengirola yesterday. We went to the Mesquite and had an exceptional day with them. This morning we’re meeting Tynan and daughter Paula for breakfast. Paula graduated in music last school year from the University of Córdoba and has been back regularly for honors programs and other events. They came up for an event last night and are heading home early afternoon. It’s nice that we haven’t had to live without these friends for too long. While out with Nick and Alyson yesterday, we bumped into Diego (one of our two new friends here). THAT made us feel like we we’re home!
Mencioné que San Geraldo y yo fuimos a almorzar el domingo al Mercado Victoria. Ubicado en los Jardines de la Victoria, el mercado comenzó a funcionar en 1877 como el pabellón del Círculo de la Amistad en la Feria de Córdoba. Fue una fábrica a partir de 1918. En 2004, el Ayuntamiento rehabilitó el edificio y luego se utilizó para eventos especiales. En 2013, se convirtió en el Mercado Victoria, el primer mercado gastronómico permanente en España. El techo original es de zinc forjado y el edificio estaba al aire libre hasta que se agregó una estructura de mampostería pseudo-mudéjar (estilo arquitectónico en parte gótico, en parte islámico popular aquí en los siglos XII al XV) en 1918. Creo que hay entre 25 y 30 puestos separados con opciones para los comensales más exigentes. Bullicioso, hermoso y delicioso. Tuvimos un excelente almuerzo. San Geraldo tenía nachos. Yo comí una tortilla española de ratatouille. En esa tienda había unas tortillas españolas muy raras y me gustaría volver y probarlas todas, excepto la de callos.
Ayer teníamos 16 cajas de mudanza aplastadas que todavía estaban esperando ser llevadas al reciclaje. Pensé que si San Geraldo y yo llevábamos cuatro cada vez que bajábamos, terminaríamos en dos viajes. Pero San Geraldo no se obsesiona con las cosas como yo y no cree que sea necesario hacer que cada viaje a la planta baja “valga la pena”. Yo digo: “¿Para qué desperdiciar un viaje?”. En nuestro viaje anoche, llevé cuatro cajas. Así que probablemente serán tres viajes más para mí a menos que aumente la carga. Con todas las cosas que llegan, siempre tenemos más cajas de cartón para bajar. Eso me vuelve un poco loca.
La nueva isla de la cocina está aquí. Hay mucho montaje involucrado. ¡Más cajas! Puede que intente terminar eso el viernes. Tenemos una semana ajetreada.
Nick y Alyson entrenaron ayer desde Fuengirola. Fuimos a Mesquite y pasamos un día excepcional con ellos. Esta mañana nos reuniremos con Tynan y su hija Paula para desayunar. Paula se graduó en música el año pasado en la Universidad de Córdoba y ha vuelto regularmente para programas de honores y otros eventos. Vinieron a un evento anoche y se van a casa a primera hora de la tarde. Es bueno que no hayamos tenido que vivir sin estos amigos durante demasiado tiempo. Mientras salíamos con Nick y Alyson ayer, nos encontramos con Diego (uno de nuestros dos nuevos amigos aquí). ¡ESO nos hizo sentir como si estuviéramos en casa!
• Mi tortilla de pisto.
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The Mesquite is so bright and cheerful! I love all the color in your photos of Spain. Life here seems pretty drab in comparison. 🙂
It’s good to know you’re settling in and liking your new home!
J Barlow:
Yes, a very colorful country and city. I’m loving it. Just wish the back would cooperate… well, and the rest of the body!
The Mercado looks fabulous; I just love an open air FOOD market!
On this subject, with the boxes, I am a little SG here and Carlos is a little you; I understand that not every trip has to be an accomplishment, while Carlos would be, “Just take the boxes!!”
And you do know that Maddie just got home from her trip and she’s going to see Cordoba Crocs and explode, right?
Bob:
This one has amazing looking food and great energy. I look forward to going back. And we went the first time on a Sunday! I should be more like Carlos. I say, “Don’t worry about the boxes if you don’t want to.” And then he doesn’t worry.
So much choice! What to choose? Good thing you can keep going back to try more dishes.
What an opulent town, really, so much history and culture. You’ve both really got the gift of friendship, keeping old friends while meeting new ones. It’s a talent. Boud.
Boud:
It sounds like we have a lot more friends than we actually do, I think. But the ones we care about and who care about us, we hold close.
Well, at least that guy colour coordinated his crocs with his shirt. You gotta give him points for that, right?
Debra:
Exactly! I was going to do a close-up of the Crocs but the point was he accessorized.
LOVE will keep you going back for more. And Crocs instead of wild prints. Be careful about leaving boxes alone, they reproduce in the dark.
David:
I don’t know about the boxes, but the dust balls sure do! And the piles of stuff around the house.
Oh My God, all that so attractive looking food makes me feel very hungry;-)!
Jan from Perth:
And, oh my god, lunch was delicious and I can’t wait to go back.
So gulas are imitation baby eels, like krab is imitation crab. I call it Kay-rab. Whatever you call fake baby eels that look like worms, I don’t believe I’d want to eat any. Or tripe, for that matter.
I love the way you guys have just slid into your new life there with friends from far and wide to visit and new friends already made.
One question- why do grown men wear children’s crocs? (This coming from a woman who is, as we speak, wearing crocs but grown-up ones, plain black with NO decoration of any kind. As one should.)
Ms. Moon (sigh)
Ms.Moonsigh:
Tripe, blech! Honestly, gula is delicious. I finally had a meal of it yesterday and will soon share a picture. It’s simply mild fish. I thought the same thing about the Crocs and then I realized that movie came out in 2006. That “grown man” was probably obsessed with it when he was a kid. He would ask, “Why wear black, unadorned Crocs?!?”
I don’t know about that baby eel and squid. Looks too much like it may be made from the same ingredients as the “chocolate” pie in the movie called “The Help”. I see folks in your new area are more color coordinated in their manner of dress. Hold that vacant apartment on your floor for when I win the lottery.
Shirley:
I’m sure the gula and squid is much better than the chocolate pie. Then again, whatsername thought the chocolate pie was delicious. Much more sophisticated style here. But there ARE tourists.
Ugh. I should never have clicked on the link about the baby eels.
Kelly:
It was quite an experience. But I’m proud to say I had them with my lunch yesterday and they were delicious. I’ll share a photo and tell about it.
Oh, food porn again! [Apart from anything that has squid ink in it, like that faux-elver tortilla.] Love the fact you can have Moet et Chandon with your boquerones, and that place with the “sample platters” is intriguing, too! Whoever would have thought that a “cone of cheese” could be a “thing”?
Can’t wait to be back in Spain… Jx
Jon:
Oh, the cheese cones and ham cones. You can get them in Málaga, too. All levels of Spanish ham. All kinds of cheese. Hog heaven for me. I often grabbed two cones for lunch while out wandering.
I love food markets. Your photos are so incredibly colorful! (Except the eel and squid tortilla. A hard no on that one. And thanks for more fashion photos!
Michael:
I’m definitely going to try the gula (fake eel) and squid tortilla next time. I don’t think I could do real baby eels (couldn’t afford them anyway). They have EYES!
Yes, the eyes would bother me too.
(Super) Mercado was one of the first words I’ve learned in Spanish
Adam:
Here are a few new ones for you: Club, animal, bar, fundamental. See? You’re already fluent.
There really is something for everyone in that Mercado! Are those hog legs cured like hams? I can’t begin to imagine how that would be served at table… I’ll pass on the squid ink and baby eel tortilla too as there wouldn’t be enough champagne in the world to make me eat that, LOL! (And I’ve had seal meat, black bear stew and Canada goose sausage)
BLACK BEAR STEW!!!!!!!!!! SEAL MEAT!!!! Nooooooooooooooooooo
Mistress Borghese:
Exactly. My fake baby eel doesn’t sound so bad now, does it?
Tundra Bunny:
There are special racks for the pig legs. They sit on the kitchen counter covered by cheesecloth and you simply slice beautiful thin slices as needed. I can’t believe you’d pass on the fake baby eel and squid ink, but you could eat seal and black bear. I couldn’t. You must be from the Tundra!
I want to try it all! Your food tours are great. Olivia
Olivia:
I think you would have a ball at the market. Heaven.
You just had to welcome me back with, with, with those strainer shoes…those damned, damned shoes…that Croc picture didn’t you!!!!!!! WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I got lightheaded for a minute.
Now where was I….oh yes, that market looks phenomenal! I would love it and what a nice re-purpose. I’d pass on the baby eels and squid though, that looks absolutely revolting. At least you have fun while unpacking and balance time with friends. When I move, I can’t move on with anything till everything is unpacked and in it’s place I’m happy with, right down to flower stems placed in a vase of water. I don’t take upheaval good for very long. I’m grossly behind in reading blogs. I hope you been keeping well.
Mistress Borghese:
Oh, I hoped you wouldn’t miss them! Usually, when we move I have everything unpacked and pictures on the walls within a few days. This has been a bit challenging for my borderline OCD. But I’m coping. More great progress today. I missed you!
Looks like a great market! I didn’t imagine something like that when you said omelette — I was picturing something flatter and more crepe-like. Maybe that’s a French omelette?
Those Crocs are hilarious, especially if that’s a grown man wearing them!
Steve:
What did I call an omelette? And, yes, that is a grown man wearing the Crocs!
Fabulous market. You always find the best places.
Instead of the crazy mismatched outfits will we see more crazy Croc shoes ?
parsnip:
I think we’ll see a lot more chic. And cheetah print!