Figs baked in a style typical of Menorca. Barcelona, July 5, 2012. © Jeff Koehler.

Churros. Only missing the hot, thick drinking chocolate to dip them into.

June 2012 © Jeff Koehler.

In Spain, an espresso with condensed milk is called a café bombón (bonbon) or else a biberón (baby bottle). On hot days like today, serve it with ice.

An afternoon vermut—literally vermouth, but meaning a vermouth, or glass of wine, with a nibble or two, in this case some hand-sliced jamón ibérico and olives from Jaén.(The vermouth is the incomparable Martínez Lacuesta, from Haro, La Rioja, which manages to be both bitter and sweet.)

This week, as the guest blogger for Chronicle Books, I wrote about one of my favorite recipes in my new Morocco  book, a Rif Mountain omelet with wild mushrooms. You can find the piece — and the recipe — here. Enjoy!

I have begun sorting images for the The Country Cooking of Spain, and I am reminded of the long and often lonely journey it is to write and shoot a book of this scope. 20 chapters, 250 recipes, 80-plus sidebars, and the images… there will be hundreds. And that means thousands to go trough, edit, sort, crop. Today I came upon this one, from Aragón, in March 2009–2009!–in the first trip taken specifically for work on the book.

 

 

Morocco: A Culinary Journey had a lovely shout out in the May issue of Travel + Leisure. The book is out in a few weeks… pre-order it now!

For that end of the summer or Labor Day party drink look no further than sangria. And look no further than this piece I wrote on preparing Spain’s iconic drink for two sophisticated, naturally sweetened versions of it. Included are two recipes — for red wine sangria and also one for white wine. I guarantee that you will be squeezing the last drops of liquid from the fruit.

An excellent and spot-on review in Publishers Weekly, the venerable American trade magazine magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and agents.

Rice, Pasta, Couscous: The Heart of the Mediterranean Kitchen
Jeff Koehler. Chronicle, $29.95 (226p) ISBN 9780811862974
Cookbook author Koehler (La Paella) takes readers on a culinary tour of the Mediterranean in this inspired collection of starchy dishes from Italy, Spain, Algeria, Malta, Morocco, and elsewhere. More than a one-off collection of token recipes, Koehler digs deep, offering insight into the importance of rice, pasta and couscous in regional cuisines through lengthy tales of his years immersed in Mediterranean kitchens and restaurants. Liberally seasoned with photos of local characters as well as finished dishes, the book falls into a comfortable valley between travelogue and cookbook. Koehler’s patient, detailed instructions and color commentary are transporting, whether he’s discussing his favorite cabbage rolls, found in Dubrovnik; the tomato pilaf he discovered during a trip to Istanbul; or a recipe he squired away from Countess Rosetta Clara Cavalli d’Oliviola in Vermicelli, Italy (for Whiskey Risotto with Rosemary). Though classics like Paella and Ravioli are included, the emphasis is on lesser-known but equally satisfying dishes like Pappardelle with Duck Ragu and Tunisian Lamb Couscous with Meatballs. Though far from the definitive work on rice, pasta and couscous, this makes a palate-rousing roundup for hose with a taste for travel. (Nov.)