What's cooking this week?

Another cooking demonstration by Carlos for the amas de casa, this time 3 main course dishes are on the menu.

Only the freshest basic ingredients are used.

Canelones with an asparagus and red pepper filling...

...covered with a bechamel celery sauce and topped with grated parmesan cheese.

Hake with a prawn and mushroom filling...

...absolutely mouth watering!

And finally mushroom croquettes. Delicious.

To see more photos and to get the recipes of the 3 dishes mentioned above, in English and Spanish, go to the blog of the amas de casa of Torre del Compte, (Asociación "Lo Portal" de Torre del Compte), by clicking on the link HERE.

Easter Monday

At 9:00am we met and went to La Fresneda to buy the meat then into Alcañiz first for breakfast at La Oficina and then shopping. La Oficina is a great name for a bar/restaurant. If you are there and someone calls you, you can honestly say, "I'm at the office", while you tuck into your bacon, eggs and chips for breakfast!


This was our first visit to Rosi and Pablo's masia near to Valdealgorfa. Pablo has been restoring it over the last year and it was perfect for the events of the day.


We were to have the traditional meal of roast peppers and aubergines with artichokes, lamb cutlets and chops with sausages.

For starters there were plates of olives, crisps, fuet, carved ham...

...and cheeses.

Meanwhile, outside on the BBQ, Pablo and Manolo were looking after the meat.

To follow, there were strawberries and a brazo de gitano - a long swiss roll - and this one had a cream filling for one half and chocolate for the other.

After the meal, a pleasant walk in the countryside...

...collecting wild flowers on the way.

Another great Easter Monday!

Fayre time!

The preparation for the fayre began a couple of weeks ago when one of the products to be sold was made.


A lot of stirring was needed once the ingredients had been added - a couple of hours in fact.


After a couple of days to allow it to set, it was then ready to cut into blocks...

...and then cut into smaller blocks. Have you guessed what it is yet?

Soap.
Several more hours were spent wrapping it ready to be sold.

Other products were made yesterday afternoon. Delicious donuts...

...and scrumptious casquettas.

It took several hours to make the full quantity.

Another part of the preparation a week earlier was to clean the school playground - a mammoth task but many hands made it relatively straightforward.

The plants were chosen for the plant stall a couple of days ago...

and then the morning finally arrived - the plants were sold, the pastas sold out, the soap was very popular...

...and Margaret did a roaring trade selling natural essences.

A lot of work went into this but everyone enjoyed it and the results will swell the funds of the Amas de Casa of Torre del Compte for the forthcoming year.

To see the short video of the fayre on YouTube, click HERE.


And then just to finish off the celebration of St George's day, a meal in the evening with friends.

The film presentation.

It's that time of year again when we give a presentation in English to a group of Spanish students.(Note: this photo was taken before the other members of the group arrived).

That means it was time to dust-off a couple of our many unused suits and for me to wear a tie!


This year the presentation was about "films" which again was structured around a team quiz...

...and at the end, everyone got a Cadbury's creme egg! Well, it is almost Easter.

It's iris, poppy and blossom on the street time!

It's been a glorious week and that has really brought the flowers on.


The irises which we brought with us have burst into flower - they have their own special bed!


Meanwhile, the poppies, which grow wild by the side of the road with other weeds, have started to flower...

...and in Alcañiz, the trees down the high road are in blossom.

It all looks very promising.

Hyacinths and weeds!

Up the camino today the weeds are in full flower...

...and the grape hyacinths are in bloom.

Even this grass is flowering!

Isn't spring wonderful?

Margaret's birthday party!

A very fruity sangría had been prepared,...

...the meat had been stuffed and cooked along with baked apples,...

...even the lilies had bloomed...

...so that everyone could have a great time...

...at Margaret's birthday party.