How to Be a Vegetarian in Spain’s Foodie Capital

It’s not easy being a vegetarian foodie in Spain. Or at least, it’s not all that fun. In terms of veg options, most restaurants feature the same players: Tortilla, pimientos padrones, salmorejo (minus the ham), salad with goat cheese, a grilled veggie plate. These dishes are all perfectly yummy, but after the twentieth time eatingContinue reading “How to Be a Vegetarian in Spain’s Foodie Capital”

Beer & Waffles in Charming Ghent & Bruges

For quaint beauty and village-like atmospheres with the vibrancy of much larger cities, the Belgian towns of Ghent and Bruges really take the proverbial cake. In this case, the proverbial cake is a waffle. Ghent is so charming that I’ve visited it twice since I’ve lived in Europe (because I am a sucker for charm).Continue reading “Beer & Waffles in Charming Ghent & Bruges”

Moorish History, Flamenco and Recycled Glass in Granada

This past week, Mr. Dame in Spain and I motored down south to meet up with visiting family. (We didn’t manage to escape the gray drizzle that seems to have blanketed all of Spain for the past week). We arrived very late at night, GPS was no help at all, and I was not aContinue reading “Moorish History, Flamenco and Recycled Glass in Granada”

Dinner with Strangers

Recently I’ve become taken with the idea of hosting dinner parties for a bunch of strangers. There’s a new movement in “social dining.” Think AirBnB, but for dinner parties. For instance, if you’re traveling to say, Rome, instead of eating at a restaurant one night, you’d pay to go to a Roman’s apartment, eat aContinue reading “Dinner with Strangers”

How a Spanish Onion Pulled Me Out of My Restaurant Funk

I’ve been a little down on restaurants in Spain lately. Maybe it was spending two weeks in Paris, where you’d have to try really, really hard to eat something that isn’t delicious. Or maybe it was the two-night trip north through Bilbao and Pamplona where the omnipresence of pinxtos (thought by many Spaniards to beContinue reading “How a Spanish Onion Pulled Me Out of My Restaurant Funk”

My Favorite Vegetarian Thanksgiving Dishes

I’ve been a vegetarian for many Thanksgivings now and I truly never miss the turkey. We’re hosting Thanksgiving this year in Madrid, and I’d prefer doing an all-veg feast, but Mr. Dame in Spain, who has increased his meat consumption five-fold since moving to The Land of Ham, wouldn’t stand for it. So he basicallyContinue reading “My Favorite Vegetarian Thanksgiving Dishes”

Five Favorites from La Rioja

Back when the weather was nice and warm, I took two separate trips to visit Spain’s main wine region, La Rioja. For the first trip, I set out from Madrid, along with three other girls and a little dog and stayed at a cute little hotel in tiny, charming Elciego. While it is in theContinue reading “Five Favorites from La Rioja”

The Case of the Cloistered Nun Cookies

More than a year ago I was with a group of friends talking about our upcoming move to Madrid when one friend exclaimed “You must find these amazing cookies made by nuns” and proceeded to tell me a story about her quest to find these special cookies during a trip to Madrid.  It ended wellContinue reading “The Case of the Cloistered Nun Cookies”

Why Do Americans Refrigerate Eggs?

I remember the first time I went to the grocery store in Yemen. I was surprised by a number of things: That there was no cheese section, that there was a separate place to pay for bread and produce, and that I was followed around by a gaggle of curious boys. But I was mostContinue reading “Why Do Americans Refrigerate Eggs?”