Evening in Spain at C'est si Bon

A Tantalizing Evening in Spain at C'est si Bon Cooking School in Chapel Hill was the perfect foil for Janus trying to depress us with a gray cold 2012. Not to be! We had a delicious night cooking and tasting Spanish foods and wines and learned both a variety of cooking tricks and some lesser known Iberian traditions.

C'est Si Bon Cooking School kitchen

 We started with appetizers and introductions by way of mentioning a favorite food we would preparefor someone special.

Tapas: Chorizo, Queso Manchego, Olives, Mushrooms

In summer, gazpacho would be my favorite to prepare, but for January, Dorette's choice of garbanzo bean soup over seasoned grilled pork was divine.

About to read from Spanish Doors

Though it was Friday the 13th, I was lucky enough to have eager listeners wanting to hear some of what I had written about Spain and its people. The novel started with a dream about a wonderful place and a person I wanted to find. After searching California and other similar coastlines, I decided on Spain which once I visited became a passion I had to explore and write about.

Newlyweds enjoying wine and a story

More local guests

Local guests and friends

While the weather outside was dreary, we put on some clean white aprons and heated up the kitchen. 

Our cooking Instructors:
Rich, owner-sommelier, Lauren chef assistant, Dorette, owner-chef

The Evening's Menu:

Pisto Manchego with Pan D’Horno

(spanish roasted vegetables with a beautiful handcrafted bread)

Sopa with Roast Pork and Smoked Garlic

(steeped broth paired with roast pork and smoked paprika garlic)

Malaga Style Swiss Chard and Other Greens

(winter greens prepared with citrus and olive oil typical of Andalucia)

Chocolate Flan with Candied Almond and Sea Salt Brittle

(a wobbly creamy flan paired with a crunchy and salty brittle creates an avant garde dessert)

The cooking was fun and the meal tasty. For me, the best laughs came while trying out some celebrated traditions. First, we tried the porrón an old vessel for serving and drinking wine. I loved that so many of our guests were good sports and attempted to drink from the porrón and some even got close to doing it perfectly. It's way harder than it looks!



porrón and Spanish wine

For more information, look here:
http://iberianature.com/spain_culture/culture-and-history-of-spain-p/porron-the-spanish-drinking-vessel/

Another celebratory Spanish tradition is preparing a queimada from orujo, coffee beans, sugar and orange peel. Orujo is a flammable liquer made in Galicia. The ceremony is common around All Saints Day for calling the good spirits and banishing all the bad ones.

After dinner queimada: a Galician tradition

 For more information, look here:

http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Spain/Galicia/La-Coruna/blog-310414.html

Sharing the queimada

For me, the evening was one I will long remember and treasure as a time to meet readers and cooks in the Triangle area as well as connect with long-lost friends from childhood.

Opelika girls reunited

Images of Spain

You too can follow Arden on her journey through Spain in Spanish Doors, available at www.createspace.com/3448218.