Olive oil: an olive oil lover's guide to the organic oils of spain

The new Green Earth Guide to the organic olive oils of Spain is now available on Amazon!

Olive Oil: An Olive Oil Lover’s Guide to the Organic Oils of Spain
is for any connoisseur or lover of olive oils. Passionate about olive oil, Dorian Yates, author of the award-winning Green Earth Guide series to traveling naturally and ecologically in Europe takes you on a tour of the abundant, fresh olive oils produced organically in Spain. Olive Oil includes historical and cultural information, growing and processing techniques, as well as full listings of over forty oils. Her mouth-watering guide to Spain’s organic olive oils makes you want to break out the dipping bread and start tasting.

Buy the book and start tasting the over forty delicious oils listed in the Guide. Some of them are available in the United States, others you will have to travel to Spain to enjoy.

Slow Food Spain

Last week, "alive" food. This week slow….. and not as in eating snails (even though that is the Slow Food logo) and sloths, but rather, slow as in the promotion of whole food meals prepared fresh from local and seasonal foods.

In Spain, the Slow Food Farm-to-Table project, called Km 0, certifies restaurants serving local, organic and indigenous foods that have come from farms less than 100 km (62 miles) away. Close to sixty restaurants around Spain have been recognized as Km 0. The highest concentration of Km 0 restaurants are in the Catalonia and Basque regions. The rest are scattered around the country. A couple are listed specifically in the Green Earth Guide to Spain—Kimpira in Valencia and Gaia in Sevilla.

Founded in Italy twenty-two years ago, the Slow Food movement mission is five-fold—to defend food biodiversity, safeguard the environment, advocate sustainable agriculture, protect small producers and their communities, and foster the gastronomic traditions of the world. Within that broad purpose, Slow Food has many projects including Farm to Table/Km 0 and the Ark of Taste. For restaurants in Spain to be accepted in the Km 0 program they must serve at least 5 dishes on their menu made avoiding GMO foods and with a minimum of 40% ingredients from local producers and 60% from foods that are organic or identified in the Ark of Taste project. The Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity Ark of Taste project catalogs and promotes indigenous foods at risk of extinction. More than 900 foods from fifty countries have been identified so far. In Spain this includes seventy-nine foods—some olive oils, olives, fruits, vegetables, herbs, cheeses, meat, fish, grains and wines. Restaurants are reviewed annually to make sure they are maintaining compliance with the Km 0 requirements.

Thanks to Slow Food España for administrating the Km 0 project and for providing the list of Km 0 participating restaurants. To find the Spanish restaurants approved as Km 0 visit the new 2010-2011 list of restaurants, organized alphabetically by city:
http://cocineros.slowfood.es/2010/12/09/restaurantes-km-0-edicion-2010-2011/

New and Old Organic Discoveries at the Mercado Central

I love that I can discover new wonderful places even after ten months of living some place. Yesterday I went down one of the many aisles at the Mercado Central and discovered SuperGourmet where lovely Ana showed me the many local products they carry as well as the organic (ecologico) selections. SuperGourmet actually has three stalls in the Mercado Central de Valencia (Central Market) - one for cheese and cured meats, one with fresh baked goods including breads, pastries and olive sandwich rolls, and the third with a very full selection of foods and wines from Spain as well as gourmet products from other countries.

SuperGourmet offers a number of organic products including LA Organic olives oils from Cordoba, Spain (not Los Angeles), local, organic Valencian Orxata de Xufa (horchata de chufa in Castilian- see below), Cueva wine from Utiel-Requena, plus a myriad of other local products - rice from the Valencia region, salt from Andalucia, seaweeds from Galicia, pates, jams and honey. At SuperGourmet you can taste much of what they offer and they sell sample sizes of a number of products which make great gifts.They can also prepare platters, picnics and cater for parties, or you can buy the supplies yourself for a fantastic picnic.

A note about Orxata de Xufa for visitors to Valencia - it is a very popular beverage in Valencia having been introduced by the Arabs hundreds of years ago. You will find it sold on street corners and most cafes. The botanical name for the xufa (or chufa) is Cyperus esculentus, an edible tuber used to make a "milk"- horchata. The organic brands simply contain paste of the chufa and organic sugar. Other varieties can have additional ingredients. The prepared versions can be a little heavy on the sugar for my liking but you can buy the dried chufa and make your own milk and sweeten it to taste. You can find bags of the chufas with instructions at SuperGourmet .

A few aisles down in the market you will find a favorite organic stall, La Morhada, run by wonderful Lucia. Here you will find all manner of organic products and a bouquet of produce. Favorites here include the sheep and goat cheese from Los Corrales, as well as the divine organic fruits and vegetables.

The Mercado Central, a beautiful indoor market, is open from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm Monday to Saturday although sometimes individual stalls have slightly different hours.

Deep Organic and Groovy in Valencia

The longer I am in a place the more opportunity  I have to sniff out its organic and groovy world and Valencia is full of surprises. In the Green Earth Guide: Traveling Naturally in Spain, I cover many sources for organic and natural foods, but Valencia has other gems slightly hidden from the beaten path which I am listing below. Wherever you go remember to bring your own bags!

This coming weekend (Friday June 4 through Sunday June 6) is the 23rd Fira Alternativa de Valencia (Alternative Fair of Valencia)  featuring all organic and alternative foods and goods with many local artisans and farms represented. The fair, open from 10:00 am to 11:00 pm each day, will be in the Turia Park between the Bridge of Flowers and Calatrava Bridge. 

The new, airy Bio Basic Supermercat Natural, is next door to the Gobinde Yoga studio in the Russafa neighborhood of Valencia. Bio Basic sells teas, personal care products, supplements, dry goods, some gluten-free foods, and they have a small refrigerated food case and some produce. If you bring your own bag(s) and pay with cash you can get a 3% discount. BioBasic, calle Pintor Salvador Abril (Abrir) 31, 46005 Valencia; Tel: 963 349 327; open Monday to Friday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm/5:00 pm to 8:30 pm, Saturdays from 10:30 am to 2:00 pm.

L'hortet is a cute health food store in Russafa. While not large it is well stocked with a full range of products including produce and some interesting choices - that is some products not commonly found at the other health food stores in Valencia, for example some of  the Mon Deconatur body-care products which are high quality and made in Spain. A favorite of mine is the Alcohol de Romero (Rosemary Alcohol) excellent for rubbing on tired feet at the end of the day. The Mon Deconatur product is simply made with wild rosemary, lavender and bitter orange alcohol extracts. While not in the general tourist zone, L'hortet is only about five blocks from the train station and only about one to two blocks from the Russafa Mercado. L'hortet Ecologia Vital, Calle de Cadiz 38, Valencia; Tel: 963 126 372; Open Monday to Friday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm/5:00 to 8:30 pm, Saturday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm

Just outside of the north part of the old city, out past the Serranos Towers is Ecologicos La Llavoreta, a sweet coop food store with organic, mostly Spain-grown, produce, and a variety of other dry goods and dairy, a little slim on gluten-free. The Ecologicos LaLlavoreta, c/ Orihuela (or La Oriola) 14, 46009 Valencia; Open Monday 11:00 am to 2:00 pm/5:00 to 8:00 pm, Tuesday to Friday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm/5:00 to 8:00 pm and Saturday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.

On the same street as the Amnesty International Valencia offices in the old part of Valencia a few blocks from the Quart Towers there is a small Fair Trade store with some delicious treasures but limited hours. Tenda de la Solidaritat, Calle Carniceros 8 (on the corner of Calle Villena); open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from 6:00 to 8:30 pm, and Tuesday and Wednesday from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm.

Listed in the Green Earth Guide to Spain, Ecorganic is worth a second mention as a Green Earth Guide Favorite. Ecorganic, out by the University on Ave. Blasco Ibañez, is large and well-stocked with a down-to-earth feel and good selections of everything.

See the recent Traveling Naturally post for information about the new cafe and health food store, L'Eco Russafa.

The La Morhada organic stall at the Mercado Central, listed numerous times in the Green Earth Guide: Traveling Naturally in Spain, is a favorite - and wonderful Lucia always has beautiful produce and food.

There are even more spots which I will cover in future posts- stay tuned. In the meantime, enjoy all the green that Valencia has to offer.

Mangiamo! Fresh Pizza with Organic Options

Russafa, the fun, hip, funky and non-touristy neighborhood in Valencia, is surprisingly full of health food stores and good little restaurants. Here you will find Mangiamo, a small pizzeria serving "Italian-style" pizza at its best. With thin crust and fresh toppings, I went for my favorite combination of olives, cherry tomatoes and rucula (arugula). I was delighted to find that the rucula was organic!

Pizzas come in three sizes - individual (small), mediana and familiar (large). The small and medium pizzas are available with the standard crust or made with organic spelt (espelta biologico) flour on request. Mangiamo also serves pasta dishes and salads as well as a few choice desserts like tiramisù. 

Pizza prices run from 5 to 8 euros depending on size and then extra toppings are 50¢ more for each one. The organic espelta crust is an additional 1 euro. Toppings include seven meat choices, seven specialty cheeses, fifteen vegetable options, three fishes and a variety of sauces.

If you are hungry or are feeding hungry people, I would suggest ordering more rather than less of the pizza as the thin light crust and fresh toppings do not make for a heavy filling meal and we found that two "familiar" pizzas were not enough for feeding four people - we all could have eaten more of this delicious fare.

You may not be looking for pizza while you are in Valencia, but if you get an urge, this is the place to go.

Mangiamo, Calle de Cadiz 21, Russafa neighborhood of Valencia; Tel: 963 413 263; Email: quieromipizza@gmail.com; Web:  www.mangiamo.es; open every day from 11:00 am to 3:30 pm/7:00 to 11:00 pm

Charming Eco Food In Valencia - L'Eco de Russafa

As my son likes to say I have some sort of built in homing or radar when it comes to all things eco. Well it was in full force today while I was exploring the lively and interesting non-touristy neighborhood of Russafa in Valencia, Spain (more on this later). I happily stumbled upon L'Eco de Russafa, a new health food store and restaurant one block from the Russafa Mercado (market). Here I found lovely Isabel who gave me a tour of the store and showed me the ropes about the prepared food.

L'Eco de Russafa has a nice selection of organic food from wine and beer to teas, pastas, sauces, juices, grains, herbs and spices, refrigerated soy and dairy products, and produce, which Isabel explained is delivered fresh every week on Tuesdays. They also carry some personal care and household products,

The restaurant part is set up self-serve style in the rear of the store on a center island surrounded by the produce, dry goods and cooler. Here you will find quite an assortment of delicious hot and cold foods - a mini salad bar and around ten warm dishes some of which contain meat, most of which do not, and some are vegan (no animal products). Isabel assured me all the ingredients were bio (organic). To partake of the prepared food, choose a plate (china for eating in, paper for taking out) and pile on whatever you like. Then bring your dish to the counter up front where it is weighed. If you are eating in, you will be given your eating utensils then. If you simply want a beverage you can order your fresh juice or other drink at the counter.

My full plate (I sampled a little of everything) came to only 6.30. I topped it off with  freshly made fruit juice, for which my choices were limited due to the fact it was Monday and the fresh produce is delivered Tuesday. Isabel suggested a combination of melon, kiwi and apple - not one I would have created on my own - but perfectly delicious and refreshing.

L'Eco is a charming store and restaurant. Isabel clearly loves what she does and the proof is in her food which I must say was buenisimo! - every last morsel I tasted.

L'Eco de Russafa, Calle Donoso Cortes 12, 46005 Valencia; Tel: 963 739 310; Web: http://www.ecorussafa.com; Open Monday to Friday from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm, Saturday from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Organic Moon Beer in Spain

While you can find some micro-brewed beer in Spain it is not as abundant as in some other countries, wine being the historical abundant and local alcoholic beverage. But lovers of finely crafted small batch beer will be happy to know that about half-way between the cities of Valencia and Alicante the Articultura Land Cooperative makes special certified organic beer. The Cooperative, located in Agullent, Spain, grew out of a three-fold desire to produce local products crafted with care, employ organic and sustainable land management practices, and generate income with social and environmental responsibility.

The coop produces two organic wines - one a Monastrell, the other Mersequera - as well three different beers. The Lluna (Moon in Valenciano) brand of organic artisanal beer (cervesa artesana ecologica) includes Cervesa Lluna, a golden light beer, Cervesa Lluna Bruna, a brown ale and Cervesa Lluna Negra a dark stout beer.

The beers are sold at certain natural foods restaurants and stores mostly in the Alicante and Valencia areas as well as in a few spots in Barcelona, and only two in Madrid.

In Valencia, one of my favorite restaurants, Kimpira, serves the Lluna beers. Kimpira makes delicious vegan and macrobiotic meals. Their offerings are not regular macrobiotic or vegan fare, but rather beautifully presented gourmet food. You can also find the Lluna beers (appropriately given the name) at La Lluna restaurant and you can hope they are serving their unusual and delicious torta de zanahoria (carrot cake). Health food stores selling Lluna include my favorite Ecorganic ecomercat as well as the Angel Biomercado. If you are in the Girona and Costa Brava area you can find them at my favorite Nana Biosupermercats. Barcelona visitors have to travel farther afield out of the old part of the city for stores offering Lluna beers. See the web site for all store locations under On trober-la.


Salud!

My Green and Local Recipes.....Gluten-Free Pizza with Sheep Cheese & Pesto

A word about my cooking style. As you can see from my recipes I am an "approximate" cook, not a meticulous baker. In our home, my husband, a fine carpenter and house builder, is the baker, extending his precision to eclairs, cakes and other recipes requiring exacting measurements. I, on the other hand, fall into the "a pinch here, a handful there" category, able to improvise with what I have pretty easily. For creations I particularly like I make mental notes of quantities and special ingredients. Here is a pizza favorite, easily changed and adapted for personal preferences in terms of cheeses and toppings, made with some local Spanish delicacies.

Sheep Cheese and Pesto Gluten-Free Pizza with fresh Peppers, Sun-dried Tomatoes and Olives

Ingredients per pizza
Gluten-Free Crust - 1 8-10" crust
Olive Oil (over 40 organic olives oils in Spain to choose from) - 1 Tablespoon
Pesto - 1-2 Tablespoons
Green and Red Peppers - 1/4 each
Olives - handful
Sun-dried Tomatoes - 1-2 slices chopped

Bake the crust with nothing on it for a couple of minutes. Then rub a little olive oil on the crust - not much- about 1 tablespoons - rubbing it to all parts of the crust with your fingers.

Next spread a similar amount of pesto (see below) on the crust. If you are traveling without access to a food processor or great chopping facilities, I would opt for pre-made pesto sold at the markets or in jars in stores.

Slice thinly or grate the cheese. Sheep (Oveja) cheese is quite prevalent in Spain. If you are using it for taste - any will do. If you have allergies to cow milk, then make sure you read the label or ask at the market counter to make sure it is queso puro de oveja sin leche de vaca (pure sheep cheese without cow milk).

My favorite cheese for this pizza is made from smooth raw sheep milk, Queso Extramuros, crafted by artisans in the Natural Park of Sierra de Espadán, in Castellon north of Valencia. Los Corrales makes a variety of cheeses from goat and sheep milk, curing the rind with olive oil so it is edible.You can find this special cheese at the organic food stall, La Morhada, at Valencia's Mercado Central. This cheese melts very quickly so the trick is to watch the pizza as it will easily get overcooked - just a few minutes in the oven. Once it is gently melted, remove the pizza from the oven. Add chopped green (and red) peppers, organic olives and some chopped sundried tomatoes.

Serve with a mixed green salad and Limonada con Menta. All I can say is "yum!"


The Crust:
In Spain gluten-free (sin-gluten) products are fairly abundant and easy to find in large supermarkets and health food stores as well as small herboristerias. The easiest to use are the pre-made crusts, but if you are feeling  creative you can make a crust from scratch - all you need is the flour mix, water and oil ( I do not use yeast in mine). If you are traveling it is simplest really to buy the pre-made crust, or next to that buy a gluten-free flour mix - otherwise you end up with multiple bags of different kinds of flours (rice, tapioca, potato starch, or others depending upon your personal preferences). The pre-made crusts are small, one-two person portion size. Depending where you find yourself in Spain brand names of Gluten-Free pre-made Crusts will include Proceli, Schar, Sense Gluten, and Artediet.

Homemade Pesto (if you have access to a food processor or great chopping  and mixing facilities):
Basil (albahaca in Spanish)- A pile of fresh basil leaves - closer to a small mountain as far as I am concerned. Basil ranks up there with olive oil in my book - the more the better.
Nuts/Sunflower Seeds - Pine Nuts (piñones)are  traditional. I use those or sunflower seeds (semillas de girasol) due to allergies to other nuts, but you can certainly use walnuts (nueces) or almonds (almendras) if you like. About 1/2 cup for every 2-3 large handfuls of basil.
Lemon Juice - just 1- 2 tablespoons
Garlic (ajo)- 1-3 cloves - personal preference
Olive Oil (aceite de oliva) - to make a pasty to runny consistency
Cheese (queso)- Parmesan is traditional, but you can use whatever you like...I tend to not add the cheese if I am using it on pizzas or other dishes that will contain cheese

Put the nuts/seeds in a food processor and grind, then add the garlic, lemon juice, and as much basil as will fit in the bowl with about 1/4 cup of olive oil. Blend  and then keep adding olive oil while the food processor is on until the desired consistency is reached. If you are adding cheese, do that last.

1 Day until Earth Day - celebrate for a lifetime!

My Green and Local Recipes.....Limonada con Menta

It is sunny, warm and lovely in Valencia Spain with the smell of orange blossoms in the air - a perfume that has yet to be captured as perfectly as nature makes it.

As usual the bounty at the mercado central allows for divine treats made with ingredients grown within a few miles from my door. Today's delight is mint lemonade, a personal favorite.

Limonada con Menta (Mint Lemonade)

Ingredients:
Local Lemons - 5
Raw Honey from Orange Flower Blossoms (Miel Cruda de Azahar) - 3-4 Tablespoons
Fresh Mint - 1-2 Handfuls
Good Water - 1-2 Liters/Quarts

Fresh squeeze 5 lemons from the market, or if you are lucky enough to have a friend with lemon trees in their yard, which many do in Spain, 5 from the yard tree.

Mix 3-4 Tablespoons of honey into the lemon juice concentrate (more or less to taste depending upon how sweet or tangy you prefer your lemonade). The raw honey tends to be crystallized so I advise using a fork for stirring. While heating the honey is the usual way to easily combine it with a liquid, the heating somewhat defeats the purpose of using the raw honey rich with enzymes and other nutrients. Once the honey is dissolved into the lemon juice add the water, again to taste according to how condensed or diluted you like your lemonade.

Next cut or crush the fresh mint and add it to the lemonade.

You can serve as is, or add extra crushed mint to the glass.

Enjoy!


2 Days until Earth Day - celebrate for a lifetime!

Valencia's Fallas - The Beauty and the Environmental Bane

I have been away from Spain for two weeks and find myself so happy to be back in the land of sun and exuberant people. I am living in Valencia – home to the tradition of Fallas – which while considered a one week festival is actually an almost year long process involving the construction of giant themed cartoon-like sculptures. These used to be made out of wood scraps and papier maché, and prior to that it is guessed that they were made from the boards that held the candles carpenters used to work by during the dark winter months, which would then be burned after a week long-festival as an offering to and celebration of Saint Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters.

The Fallas is a whole city event and unique to Valencia. Each neighborhood has one or more Fallas organizations or clubs, that design fallas sculptures, so there is pride and camaraderie in the week-long celebration that also includes parades, music and an all out city-wide party. Other parts of Spain do not have the week off, but in Valencia schools, many businesses, and certain streets are closed for the week that includes March 15th to 19th. Local Valencians either love Fallas - enjoying the round the clock firecracker noise with official Mascleta fireworks at 2:00 pm every day for three weeks and huge fireworks displays for four nights starting at 1:00 am in the Turia Park - or they hate it and flee the city in search of quiet. 

While I was out doing errands, going to the market and other grocery shopping, I walked past a few of the mega-Fallas and marveled at the magnitude of each creation. Some of the monumentos can be as tall as sixty feet high and costs can range between five thousand to a million dollars or more for each one. I was struck by the good cheer and excited atmosphere in the city – as if everyone was invited to a private party and having a good time. And just as I was feeling all warm and fuzzy about this community filled celebration and all night partying extravaganza, my cozy bubble was burst wide open, as my husband and I discovered that the gigantic monumentos are no longer constructed out of wood, wax, cork and papier maché (although some of the smaller ones can still be), but rather from polyurethane foam….an environmentalist’s nightmare. 

A nightmare I say because at the end of the week long partying and fireworks, all the three hundred and fifty fallas monumentos are burned – sent up in smoke! The U.S. Polyurethane Foam Association says that polyurethane foam, when burned, releases smoke containing toxic gases including carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. 

Hmmm…  I shudder to imagine what the carbon footprint of Fallas might be, not to mention the health effects. 

While I admire the Buddhist quality of creating and destroying the Fallas sculptures like sand mandalas painstakingly created by monks and then swept away, I would hope that the Fallas could be made out of a material, like sand, that when swept or burned would not harm the environment nor the respiratory systems of creatures large and small. 

Can Valencians rise to the challenge of an environmentally friendly Fallas? Let’s hope the city will see that making Fallas Green would benefit everyone in the short and long term. But for this year at least, if you are in Valencia, enjoy the partying and camaraderie, but best not to breathe too deeply on the night of Friday March 19th.

Xativa Spain - Organic Wine and Good Sites

Xativa (pronounced Chativa) (Jativa in Castilian) is a small city a 45-minute train ride southwest of Valencia city. Xativa is a bit of a gateway to what is referred to as the Tuscany of Spain. An agricultural area rich with vineyards - many of which are organic -Xativa makes for an easy day-trip excursion from Valencia city or a place to stay and explore on its own. The main sites - the castle perched on a mountain over the city with sections dating back one thousand years, as well as Paleolithic caves turned into shrines including the Cova Negra - can be easily accessed by foot from the train station. 

There are plenty of fountains and eateries including the local daily market and the Restaurante Canela y Clavo specializing in gourmet, market-fresh menus.

South and west of Xativa you can find the beautiful, organic vineyards of Bodegas Enguera and Bodegas des Frailes.

The cercanias (short distance commuter trains) run regularly between Xativa and Valencia city. If you have purchased your ticket over the Internet you will need to show it at the ticket window and get a ticket that is card-size and will work in the turnstile like ticket machines at the stations - and hold on to that ticket as you need it to exit as well as enter.  However it is not necessary to purchase over the Internet as tickets are easily and quickly available through machines at the stations and cost about 3.65 each way. 

The Castle is open in the spring and summer - March to October - on Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm, in the winter, October to March, on Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm

La Pebrella is a small natural foods store with gluten-free foods as well as offerings of natural therapies including acupuncture on the main street of Jaume I. La Pebrella Herboristeria, Alameda Jaume 1, 1, 46800 Xativa, Tel: 962 281 288; Email: lapebrella@hotmail.com; open Monday to Friday from 9:30 to 1:30pm/4:30 to 8:30 pm. Saturday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm/ 5:00 to 8:30 pm.

Restaurante Canela y Clavo, Alameda de Jaume I 64, 46800 Xàtiva; Tel: 962 282 624; Email: info@canelayclavo.com; Web: www.canelayclavo.com 

Local, Fresh Food - Excellent Spots in Valencia Spain

Here are some truly delicious places to eat while you are in Valencia. If you are a vegetarian you will be able to find  excellent choices at any of these restaurants.

 Since 1951 the Restaurante Navarro has been serving food prepared from the fresh daily central market. They offer traditional and Mediterranean fare with a twist including a delicious Ensalada Vegetariana (vegetarian salad) and a dessert of strawberries in fresh squeezed orange juice (fresas en zumo naranja natural). With indoor and outdoor dining, decorated with local artist’s work, Navarro is conveniently located a few blocks from the Valencia train station and the central Plaza Ajuntament, as well as being down the block from the excellent natural foods store, J. Navarro Terra Verde Herbolario. Reservations for dinner are recommended. For lunch you can often walk in, especially when the weather is nice and the outdoor seating is in use. Restaurante Navarro, c/ Arzobispo Mayoral 5, 46002 Valencia; Tel: 963 529 623; Web: www.restaurantenavarro.com; open for lunch Monday to Sunday from 1:30 to 4:00 pm, and on Saturdays also for dinner from 8:30 to 11:00 pm.

TintoFino is a gem hidden in the back streets of the old part of Valencia not far from the Plaza de la Reina. With very friendly and helpful staff, TintoFino is a blend of the funky and the fine, with mismatched chairs for seating and fresh local foods prepared almost before your eyes. They offer in the range of one hundred wine choices and have daily specials as well as divine regular menu choices like the Capricho – melted mild brie-like goat cheese with tomato jam on top and a memorable homemade cheesecake somewhat to-die-for – fresh and not sweet with a sauce from local berries resembling wild blueberries. Smoking is not allowed in the restaurant part, but is allowed in the separate bar area. This is a popular place with locals so it fills up quickly – if you get there “early” between 8:30 and 9:00 pm you should have no problem getting a seat. TintoFino, c/ Corregeria 38, 46001 Valencia; Tel: 963 153 964; Web: www.tintofinoultramarino.com; open for dinner 8:30 to 11:00pm. 

La Luna is a vegetarian restaurant tucked in the warren of small streets in the old part of Valencia not far from the landmark Torres de Quart (Quart Towers pronounced Cuart). They offer an a-la-cart menu as well as a menu del dia in the 8 euro range.  My favorite part of the meal was the “carrot cake” tarta de zanhoria made with fresh carrots and coconut, not wheat and cream cheese– very different and delicious! La Luna is a little cave-like with blue and white, local tile lining the walls. The downstairs seating is non-smoking, upstairs is smoking – but I never knew there was smoke in the building until I went upstairs to use the aseo (toilet). La Luna, c/ San Ramon 23, 46003 Valencia; Tel: 963 922 146; open Monday to Saturday from 1:30 to 4:30pm/8:00 to midnight. 

Casa Montaña has been around since 1836 in the old area of El Cabañal out by the Valencia port and beach. They serve a variety of typical local tapas dishes (no entrees) including especially good grilled fresh sardines and patatas bravas (cut potatoes served with spicy ketch-up like sauce and garlic aioli). You can take the bus or metro if you are staying in the old part of the city, but I advise bringing a map with you as it is not on the main drag, but rather a bit concealed in this old fishing neighborhood of Valencia.

Casa Montaña, c/Jose Benlliure 69, 46011 Valencia; Tel: 963 672 314; Web: www.emilianobodega.com; open Monday to Saturday (12:30 to 3:30 on Saturday) 1:00 to 3:30pm/8:00 to 11:30 pm, Sunday from 12:30 to 3:30 pm. Reservations recommended. Closed the second half of August for vacation.

Funky, Fun Second Hand Store in Valencia

I admit that I am an absolute sucker for second hand stores and markets….I am really very happy to spend open-ended time surveying the contents of such stores – almost like a walking meditation for me as I get lost in thought, thinking about the old items I am touching, wondering about their history, and curious why they were discarded. I found a great store for my perusing - Rastrell Reciclatge - a fun and funky store right next door to the Museo de Bellas Artes (Museum of Fine Arts) in Valencia.

The store is run as a non-profit to create jobs and encourage reuse and recycling to minimize the environmental impact of trash. The store is filled with a variety of objects, from clothing and household items, to furniture, books, records, and collectibles. I found an amusing “erotic comic” entitled Tiburon (meaning shark in Spanish) dating from 1974 which meant it had been published while Spain was still under Franco’s rule. This was the mildest form of eroticism, if you could even call it that – involving a giant shark (Tiburon) – all I could see from flipping through the book was a scantily clothed woman in the jaws of the shark---well, whatever floats your boat as it were. 

It is definitely a fun store to paw through and explore. The Rastrell Reciclatge is directly opposite the Pont de Trinitat on Vuelta del Ruiseñor (in Spanish) – the street sign is in Valenciano so reads Volta del Rossinyal. The big landmark to look for is the large blue dome of the Museo de Bellas Artes. Rastrell Reciclatge, Vuelta del Ruiseñor 1, 46010 Valencia, Spain; Tel: 96 362 35 09; They have a second store at c/ Perez Galdos 89, 46008 near Angel Guimera; Web: www.ctv.es/USERS/rastrell; open Monday to Friday from 10:00 am to 2:30pm/5:00 to 8:00 pm, Saturday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.

Happy hunting.

Green Earth Guide to Spain goes YouTube.....

Here is the Green Earth Guide: Traveling Naturally in Spain - the video version. Watch it, buy the book, travel green and pass it on.... leaving small footprints wherever you go.....

I hope you enjoy the images in this short video - so many amazing sites and not enough room in any book to share them.....

Many thanks!

Always on the Hunt for Good Bread - Success in Valencia Spain!

While I have found some wonderful bakeries making traditional and artisanal breads in Paris, Barcelona, Barcelona again and Madrid (see posts), I had yet to find any such bread makers in Valencia.

While Valencia is dotted with bakeries, it suffers as does the rest of Spain from a shortage of what I would categorize as really good bread. Happily I discovered serendipitously a bakery just off the Plaza de la Reina that makes a large variety of artesano breads and pastries. Among their offerings are a Pan de Gallego made from wheat (trigo in Spanish) grown in Galicia, the region in northwestern Spain, and Espelta Ecologico made from organic spelt.

One friend of mine who is a bit of a bread connoisseur said after sampling the PanPan Gallego baguette, “Wow I haven’t had bread like that since……well, since I was in Paris.” Tall praise for PanPan. The counters overflowing with breads can be accessed all day during the week and on Saturday mornings, and PanPan could not be more convenient as it is right around the corner from the Plaza. PanPan Atelier, La Paz 1, 46003 Valencia; www.panpan.es; open Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 9:00 pm, Saturday from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm.

Christmas Time and Local Artisans in Valencia Spain

The Christmas markets of Germany and France are not to be found in Spain, but every city in Spain has its own versions of holiday lights, markets and celebrations. Valencia is a beautiful city and one that is particularly so when lit up at night. In addition to the regular bustling markets held throughout the city on any given day, Valencia hosts an artisan market during December in Plaza de la Reina next to the cathedral. Here you can find a variety of beautiful handcrafted goods made in the Valencia region.

Los Oliveros makes a range of items from native olive wood – a golden and brown hardwood. You can find ornaments, kitchen utensils, bowls, rings, and more made from this beautiful wood by self-taught artisans who have been creating these olive wood goods for almost twenty years. 

Mandala Shoes uses vegetable–tanned leather to make a line of shoes and accessories.The shoes are made with natural leather, cork, and some natural rubber on the soles. Leather workers since 1900, the La Mano family now handcrafts these goods including offering custom-sized shoes. They also sell a natural leather care product containing lanolin, beeswax and jojoba oil. In keeping with their environmental commitment, their production waste materials are used as natural fertilizer.

La Casa de la Luna Media is a cooperative making herbal body care products and natural medicinals from organic herbs in the Castellon area of Spain about one hour north of Valencia city.

You will also find silversmiths, leatherworkers, ceramicists, fan-makers, and much more in the artisan market. This is a fantastic place to find locally made products at excellent prices.

If you are not in Valencia during December you can find local craftspeople year round through the Centro de Artesania Comunitat Valencia, Calle del Hospital, 7, 46001 Valencia.

Natural Remedies in Valencia - Farmacia Ribera

If you are in Valencia and find yourself in need of natural medicines, the Farmacia Ribera is a full service pharmacy specializing in natural medicines right in the heart of Valencia two blocks from the train station. They stock many well known European brands of homeopathic and natural medicines including HEEL, Weleda, Schussler, Bach, and many more. 

Farmacia Ribera has knowledgeable staff (but if you don’t speak Spanish have your request written down), eager to help you. If they don’t have something in stock they can order it and have it within one to three days. Open every day this is a gold mine for the traveler needing natural remedies. Farmacia Ribera, c/ Ribera 12, 46002 Valencia; Tel: 963 511 358; Email: farmaciaribera@gmail.com; Web: www.farmaciaribera.com; open 9:00 am to 10:00 pm Monday to Sunday!

New Second-Hand English Bookstore in Valencia

A great new used book store has opened in Valencia a block behind the Plaza de la Reina. KandA Books is named for its friendly owners Kelly and Andy, world travelers who wanted to live in a climate warmer than their native Scotland, and run a business that was helpful not hurtful to the environment.

KandA Books is a small store offering a good selection of mostly English language second-hand books (they also have a small selection of French, Spanish and German titles). They sell outright, but also offer a book exchange program, further encouraging recycling, where they will give you a book credit of 40% of what they think they can sell your book(s) for to be used towards your next purchase.

If you can’t get to the store easily, you can search through all their titles to see if they have what piques your interest at the KandA Web site. When shopping, take note, they only take cash. KandA Books, c/ Tapineria 18, Valencia; Tel: 639 740 746; open every day from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm. 

For other stores in Valencia selling English books see the earlier Traveling Naturally post, Bookstores in Valencia.

Halloween in Spain

As you might guess, Halloween is not a traditional Spanish holiday and has only started to be celebrated in the past few years. It differs wildly from Halloween in the United States. For starters, there are not gargantuan bags of candies being sold in stores as trick-or-treating is not part of the holiday in Spain. The focus is on costumes, making noise, partying and being with other people – the basic recipe for most festivities in Spain. Many clubs and bars will feature special Halloween events, people have private parties and some stores will offer special treats for customers. Street strolling and goggling is the most common activity.

Plazas can be packed with people, so if you are crowd phobic, Halloween may not be the best night for late night wandering – and late it is as people start to go home between 2:00 and 5:00 am. The traffic photo here was taken at 2:30am on Halloween “night” – imagine sound effects as well with shouting, honking and music. This is the busiest this particular street sees at any time of day.

Needless to the say, the day after makes for some pretty smelly and dirty streets as all sorts of bodily fluids are “shared” with the pavement, as well as discarded party remnants, as you will see in the photos.

If you love to dress-up and party, then Halloween in Spain is for you. If not, make sure you have ear-plugs in your suitcase.

Bargain Hunting In Valencia Spain

For those travelers who can’t pass up a good bargain or market, then plan your trip to Valencia around the Tuesday morning market on Calle Jerusalem, a bustling, shuffle-walking street market crammed with non-food vendors. While everything is quite inexpensive at this market, shoppers looking for second hand clothes and textiles should head to the south end of the market where there are multiple stalls selling items for between 1-3 euros each. Most of these vendors are shouting “Uno euro, uno euro” repeatedly and loudly to draw in shoppers. Go prepared with change and small bills as making change is not done happily especially for one or two items.

My favorite table at this market is piled with beautiful old pillowcases and table linens where I can find divine linen, cotton and damask pillowcases for one euro each – about 1/20th or 1/50th of what they would cost new- - and they feel a million times softer than new.

You will find Calle Jerusalem two blocks west of the Valencia Nord train station. Vendors close up between 1:00 and 2:00pm.