From “Ew, Shrimp” to Paella Night: My Spanish Food Glow-Up

When I first got here, I couldn’t peel a shrimp. Wouldn’t. Couldn’t. Too gross. Little antennae, little eyes, absolutely not. I ordered them, sure, but only if someone else did the dirty work.

Fast forward, and now I’m the one in the kitchen elbow-deep in mussels, scrubbing shells like it’s the most normal thing in the world. Fish? Bring it on. Whole, eyes still intact. I’ve baked, grilled, and pan-fried them. I even made pulpo a la gallega – Galician-style octopus. (Boiled, cut with scissors, sprinkled with paprika. Ten out of ten would recommend.)

This week, I’m leveling up with paella. I’ve put it off long enough, and there’s no excuse when you can buy saffron and fresh seafood at the neighborhood market like it’s no big deal. I’ll post those pics when I make it.

I’m venturing into cold soups too. Gazpacho will have to wait, because first up was ajo blanco – the garlicky, almondy cousin no one tells you about. Creamy, rich, and yes, ice-cold. Honestly, I was suspicious, but Spain does heat better than it does air-conditioning, so chilled garlic soup makes sense.

So here we are. I’ve gone from shrimp-squeamish to “sure, I’ll just simmer this squid real quick.” Spain changes you. Or maybe it just dares you to change yourself, one dish at a time.

Delicious mussels from Galecia. Unfortunately, the Mediterranean sea has been so hot that it has killed the ones from The Delta, where I live. They came out nicely, tho. A little white wine, bread, and you’re good to go.