| Eating out no matter where you live can be a | | | | My husbands tray went up in the air and the food |
| gamble, particularly if you are not familiar with the | | | | with it! Collecting myself, I retrieved my tray and |
| local restaurants. Here in Spain and particularly in | | | | took it up to him, not saying a word. Once I had |
| the country districts, the food tends to be "rustic" | | | | calculated he was finished eating, I followed up |
| in content and style. | | | | with my now meagre meal of a cheese sandwich |
| Unlike the UK and other countries, here in Spain, | | | | and blubbered away what had happened. |
| lunch is the most important meal of the day. This | | | | The following day, we decide that enough was |
| can be somewhat confusing for the visitor as | | | | enough and maybe we should eat out. Going |
| they stroll into a restaurant, in the early evening, | | | | down into Aguilas on the coast for lunch, we |
| only to be confronted by empty tables. Is this | | | | looked at various places and noticed boards |
| restaurant not good, are they closed and do we | | | | outside restaurants offering "Menu de la Dia". |
| want to go through the uncomfortable experience | | | | The original concept gave the worker who was |
| of ordering in our somewhat poor Spanish? | | | | unable to go home, a hearty lunch, and |
| The answer is that come about 10pm the | | | | restaurants would be full of labourers, lorry |
| evening trade will start to arrive and as the | | | | drivers and anyone who needed fuel for the |
| warmer weather begins, then it is normal for | | | | afternoon. |
| diners to go out at midnight to eat, with the | | | | We liked the menu at a restaurant called the |
| children in tow! | | | | "Orient", nothing salubrious but inside it was busy, |
| When we bought our present home six years | | | | full of people having lunch. Always a good sign |
| ago, it was a country property that needed | | | | when the locals eat there, no matter which |
| upgrading. We eventually had the funds to have it | | | | country you are in. |
| renovated and so after various quotations, the | | | | We sat down, asked for "Menu de la Dia", and |
| builders arrived. The saga of that project will take | | | | were presented with a wonderful selection to |
| another day to relate! | | | | choose from. For the average price of 8 euros, |
| The house was duly gutted and we were living | | | | you got a four course meal, including, bread, |
| upstairs in two rooms whilst the chaos reigned | | | | choice of wine, water or beer. mixed salad to |
| below. One of the first things to go was the | | | | nibble, pasta and cold meat starters, succulent |
| kitchen, no great loss as it had one old electric | | | | main courses of "Perchuga" sliced chicken |
| socket from which I had been running two | | | | fillet,"Lomo de cerdo" pork fillet beautifully sliced |
| extension cables with fridge, freezer and all | | | | and cooked," Chuletas" chops of pork or lamb, |
| electrical goods connected! | | | | and not one but two or four depending on the |
| I had a freestanding cooker and oven, which ran | | | | meat. Choices of fish landed locally that morning in |
| on bottled gas and this, was duly relocated to an | | | | the port and to finish a "postre" a pudding! |
| outside covered terrace. Very much like the | | | | Over the following months, we toured to |
| army, I set up my mobile kitchen with as many | | | | different towns and restaurants having the "Menu |
| utensils as I could and with that true pioneer spirit, | | | | de la Dia" and almost as food critics, grading them |
| took on the challenge of outside catering. | | | | accordingly. Not only did it do our stomachs good |
| I come from a line of woman where defeat is | | | | but it helped our bank balance as well. |
| not an option, solutions only, and I happily coped | | | | The other thing that happened was we started to |
| with the rustic cooking; however, my | | | | see the benefit of eating our main meal during the |
| complacency was soon to be dealt a severe blow. | | | | day; having only a light snack in the evening. We |
| At this time of our life in Spain, we still ate as we | | | | actually felt better and started to lose weight but |
| had done in the UK. Therefore, it was that each | | | | more importantly we really know the Spanish |
| evening I prepared our meal, and by now to get | | | | food and it changed our diet completely. |
| the food upstairs was through an obstacle course! | | | | Nowadays I cook in my modern kitchen and we |
| Having solid tiled floors meant that any work to | | | | enjoy a really healthy lifestyle having given up |
| install new plumbing and electrics, all the floors had | | | | meat completely, and dine daily on a rich array of |
| to be drilled out and so it was. Carefully navigating | | | | salads, followed by one of the wonderful fish |
| a series of planks, I could carry the food trays | | | | selections we buy locally. |
| upstairs to our accommodation where we | | | | We still dine out occasionally for lunch and for any |
| enjoyed our meal. Not a problem you say, piece | | | | visitors coming, they love the atmosphere of |
| of cake, well yes except for the addition of no | | | | being included in a true Spanish experience. So the |
| electrics below which meant, no lights. | | | | next time in Spain when you want to know |
| We are talking November now and so with my | | | | where to eat, follow the locals and try the "Menu |
| flashlight I manoeuvred the criss cross of boards, | | | | de la Dia"! |
| but on this particular evening, I missed my footing. | | | | |