Today ends Fuengirola’s annual restaurant event called “La Cazuela de la Abuela,” which means “Grandma’s Casserole.” Sixty-three restaurants participated offering their own special tapa-size casserole. All I needed to do was sample five and I could then vote for the best, and get entered in a great prize drawing. Except for sampling Meson Salvador’s entry, we missed the rest of the competition. But it doesn’t really matter because, in my humble opinion, Meson Salvador is always the best at everything anyway.
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| LEFT TO RIGHT: MY MATERNAL, HIS MATERNAL, HIS PATERNAL, AND MY PATERNAL GRANDMOTHER. |
On the subject of abuelas and casseroles, my paternal grandmother died when I was very young. All I remember was her coaxing me out from behind my mother’s back by giving me candies from a cut glass bowl — raspberry hard candies with liquid centers. I, therefore, loved her.
My maternal grandmother was an amazing cook, but I don’t remember a single casserole.
San Geraldo’s paternal grandmother was born and raised in South Dakota, so I’m sure she made plenty of casseroles in her time. However, in South Dakota, casseroles were called “Hot Dish.” At a potluck supper, people were told to bring “Hot Dish” — not “a” hot dish, but “Hot Dish.” As Jerry’s Norwegian maternal grandmother would say, “More funny America.”
(Click the pics to make your mouth water…)
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| ABUELA (GRANDMA) OUT FRONT PROMOTING THE EVENT. |
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| LA CAZUELA DE LA ABUELA. DELICIOUS! (POTATOES, A VARIETY OF FRESH MUSHROOMS, AND CRUNCHY HAM). |
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| TRADITIONAL SPANISH POTATO TORTILLA. |
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| BREAD THAT WAS SIMPLY TOO GOOD. |
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| REBANADA ESPECIAL. (BREAD SLICE TOPPED WITH OLIVE OIL, IBERIAN HAM, AND QUAIL EGGS.) |
Beyond the exceptional food and atmosphere, what makes Meson Salvador the best in the world is the staff. They call us “family” and they mean it. After a recent meal, Adrián brought us our complementary chupitos (shots of liquor). They serve “Pionono,” similar to Bailey’s Irish Cream only a whole lot better.
Since San Geraldo rarely drinks alcohol, Adrián brought him something non-alcoholic, a blackberry (mora) beverage. It’s what they serve to children. San Geraldo made a face when he tasted it, so Adrián got a straw and helped him drink it.
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| SAN GERALDO AND ADRIÁN. |
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| I ASKED SAN GERALDO TO MOVE HIS HAND OUT OF THE WAY FOR MY PHOTO. THIS IS HOW TYNAN AND ELENA HELPED. THAT’S WHEN I TAUGHT ADRIÁN THE MEANING OF THE ENGLISH TERM “SMART ASS.” |