Nurturing my inner... sparkle

When I tell you I'm not much of a soda drinker, you'll probably ask me why I'm writing about soda.  Well, heck, there are exceptions.

San Pellegrino Limonata is not just a soda.  In fact, it's not a soda at all.  It's is what happens when you take a lemon and add pure, Italian, age old, underground, natural sparkle.  (A little legend doesn't hurt it either.)

On my desk at work from
lunch. Saved for later.

This is what I have to say about it - I LOVE IT!  (And not just because it's from the Lombardy region of Italy.  That is coincidental and not how my last name is spelled anyway.)  The top of the can has a label over it.  To keep it clean and void of sticky yuckiness.  So if you need to just pop it open because you're dying of thirst and can't wait for a glass, you can feel confident that the fine people at San Pellegrino care about your protection from nasty germs and general traveling foulness.  (These are the people after all, who make the highest quality handbags, shoes and sports cars.  Of course they'd take a mere soda can to a new high-class level!)

I am utterly impressed by little things.
(Remember this when you're Christmas
shopping for me.)

Seeing as I saved my lunchtime soda for later, I had access to glassware.  And nice glassware at that.  I thought my lemon glass would be a great complement for my limonata soda.  (If you can ignore that the words on the glass are in French.  Eh, it's all European.  Good 'nuff.)

More special than you know.

Why do I like this sparkling beverage so much?  For starters, it's not just a common, syrupy soda.  It is a sparkling mineral water beverage.  Which means less sugar.  The taste is tart and clean.  As if you added freshly squeezed lemon juice directly to a glass of crisp, cold sparkling water.  Most refreshing.  And here's the back story on it: the type of water they use has naturally occurring carbonation.  It originates from deep below the surface and when it comes in contact with limestone and volcanic rock on the way up, key minerals are added which creates some of the bubbly reaction.  Rumor has it that in 1509, Leonardo da Vinci even went to the town of origin to sample this amazing, miraculous water.  Not sure if all that's really true, but that's a heck of a good story!

It also comes in aranciata (orange) as well.  In CT I can get it at the local grocery store.  (Thanks to all the eye-talians up there.)  So if you're interested, look there first.  Here, I haven't found it quite as readily yet.  I stumbled upon individual cans in a nearby deli and in the 6 oz bottles at Wegmans.  I'm on the hunt to find the six pack of cans still, but I have full confidence that someone sells it within a five mile radius of my condo.  I'll let you know when my treasure hunt is over.  (Or I'll just buy a bunch in CT and drive it over state lines!)

Nurturing my inner... tortilla de papas

Where did November go?  It's nearly over.  And I have not posted one thing for you.  (Some kind of lousy friend I am.)  You must be hungry.  Let's see if I can make up for my slackard ways with a great family recipe, from the Perez side, that I turned up the flavor volume on.  (To be honest, I think it's even better than my grandparent's version.  Shhhh.  Honor your elders.)

Spanish Tortilla

10 small red potatoes
1 medium leek, sliced
3 cloves are garlic, sliced
5 eggs, beaten
Fresh thyme
Olive oil
Butter
Salt
Munster cheese, sliced

Now, before you get mixed up, Spanish tortilla is different than a Mexican tortilla.  It's not something you use to wrap around other things.  It is the thing.  And the thing, is good.

My family sliced up raw potatoes and then fried them in vegetable oil.  I did it a little different.  So follow me.  Not them.  Focus on me...

Start by boiling 10 small red potatoes until fork tender.

Drained and dried.

Then, this is fun, you put the heel of your hand on them and smash them.

I didn't say pulverize. Just a light squish will do.

Place a little olive oil in the bottom of a pan on medium and add in the smashed potatoes.  (You don't need to drown them in oil.  Let 'em breathe!)

Can you hear that sizzle?

Flip when golden brown with a crispy exterior.  (My mom would use garlic powder at this point, but I prefer to add fresh ingredients instead.  That's coming up soon.)

Fried potatoes are yum even if you did nothing
more. But we're not done yet.

Take the potatoes out and set aside with a dusting of salt.  Put a little butter and olive oil into the bottom of the same pan and add the leeks and garlic.  Cook until soft.

Medium heat. Burnt garlic tastes awful,
so don't do it, man!

Add the fried potatoes back in to the pan in one layer on top of the leeks and garlic.  Throw in some fresh thyme.

Layer it up!

Pour in the beaten egg in over the potatoes and surround them all.

Get it all around the edges.

Cook it up until the edges are firm.  You'll want it solid enough for the next step... the flip!

Oh, we are getting there.

Place a flat dish on top of the pan.  A light in weight one, if you got it.  (My mom always used her Corning Corelle ware plate with mustard yellow butterfly pattern.  I need to get one just for this purpose.)  Flip the tortilla on to the dish, then slide it back into the pan to cook the other side.

Try not to slide it right onto the burners.
I've seen many a partial blunder in my life.

When the second side is also golden and the egg is cooked through, you're done!

Look at those tasty leeks. Nice pattern.
And crispy exterior!

The way we liked it as kids was to slice it into square pieces and serve on untoasted white bread with butter and American cheese - sandwich style.  (As if this needed more carbs.  But hey, kids can get away with that because of all the non stop running around like maniacs they do.)  I prefer to serve it in nice, fat wedges.

The perfect triangle.

My cheese of preference for this dish is Munster.  I put a not too thick slice on top and it melted perfectly.  Topped with a fresh bit of thyme and it becomes a portrait of a well-loved family member.

If my Papa had only thought to tell
my Nana to add leeks to the papas!

Such a simple dish.  Everyday, unpretentious food.  Can be breakfast, lunch or dinner!  Eat warm or cold.  Travels well.  Makes a great snack too.  You can change the herb or the cheese to add variety.

I'm glad I could share one of my childhood go to favorite foods with you.  I hope it becomes a new family favorite for you too.