A Day in Vitoria-Gasteiz!

This was my first day trip outside of Gorliz flying solo. My host father luckily had to go into Bilbao to buy some things so he dropped me off at the bus station. “Un ticket para Vitoria por favor!” (I had rehearsed that once or twice). I took a short 45 minute ride to the green capital of Europe 2012: Vitoria. What the bus ride lacked in culture (comparing it to my bus and combi riding days in Africa full of African music, chickens at my feet, and people trying to sell me things at every stop) it made up for in ease and comfort.

            My only goals were to see the contemporary art museum, walk around, and take pictures; nothing too difficult. I had printed a map with a highlighted path of how to get to the tourist office for some real maps. I stepped off the bus and of course I was already lost. I ended up just walking until I found signs for “oficina de turismo”. Over an hour after getting maps and just wondering around trying to find the popular cathedrals, etc. I realized I had the map facing the wrong way and I wasn’t even looking at what I thought I was. But hey, I just wanted to see the city so it didn’t matter much to me.

            After wondering around for a few hours, going to the Atrium: a contemporary art museum, going into a few little shops and a beautiful church, I wanted to try my Spanish and order some pinxtos at a bar! I walk in and see my fav: tortilla de patata but this one had cheese and ham inside! The guys that were talking at the bar all stare at me. I point saying, “Cuantos… cues….?” The bartender laughs, “Yeah, cuanto cuesta.” From then on he explained everything in English and I responded in English. “How much does this cost?” I had practiced that a million times! Oh well, I got an amazing tortilla de patata at Mallory’s and the guy even gave me a huge slice, I think he may have felt bad for me or something. With bread and a drink it only costs 3.50 Euros!

            Right next door I was eyeing this ice cream place called HUMMM. It was empty… less people to embarrass myself in front of maybe? I went in and ordered this yummy gelato, one scoop of Oreo and one of dolce de leche. I used my little bit of Spanish and a lot of pointing. Me and the young girl working there ended up laughing as I said, “No hablo espanol muy bien” and she explained in Spanish that she doesn’t know any English. I liked that better than the bartender just automatically talking to me in English. I’d rather struggle with the Spanish. That night when I returned home I even tried looking to see if HUMMM has other locations near Gorliz… it doesn’t look like it, but I’ll be on the lookout. It was worth the calories for sure!

Picture taken from HUMMM's website 

Where to for my next weekend getaway? Pamplona for San Fermin to watch the running of the bulls! 

How to make Tortilla de Patata!

Tortilla de Patata is a Spanish potato omelet. It was actually the first Spanish food I ate while in Spain. Go into any restaurant or bar and they will probably have one. It is a very popular pinxtos (The basque name for tapas, pronounced peenchos). It might seem more like a breakfast food but they eat it for a snack or for lunch or dinner. They are also made with meats and cheeses put into the middle, but for now I am mastering the basic Tortilla de Patata. With only a few ingredients that you most likely have at home.. give it a try!


These are pictures from when I made two small tortilla de patatas at home with my host father and sister.


My host father explained that he takes one potato per person plus 2 potatoes. So if you're making this for a family of 5, you should use 7 potatoes. If you're just making it for yourself or maybe one other person, you could still make extra and save it for the next day. Here, it is common to eat the left overs the next day on a sandwich!

Ingredients: 

6 potatoes

6 or 7 eggs (I think we ended up using 7)

half a large onion

1/4 - 1/2 cup of milk

olive oil

salt

1. Peel potatoes

2. Chop up potatoes!

You can just chop it into small-ish chunks if you'd like. My host father says his family chops it up more in random pieces like in the picture below. 

3. Heat a pan of olive oil over high heat.

Test to make sure it is hot enough by adding one piece of potato and making sure it bubbles

4. Add potatoes to the pan

Lower heat slighty

Stir every couple of minutes for even cooking

                                                                                                                                5. After the potatoes are half way done, add half a diced onion       (After about 5 or 6 minutes of cooking)

6. Cook for another 5-6 minutes or until potatoes are completely cooked and just starting to brown

7. While the potatoes are cooking...

Mix 6 or 7 eggs (about same amount as potatoes used)

Add a good splash of milk

Whisk together for a few minutes until there is no separation

Add a little salt

8. Take potatoes out of pan and drain oil

Place on paper towel to remove access oil

9. Add potatoes into the egg mixture 

10. mix together slowly making sure you don't mash up all the potatoes.

11. Heat pan and add a little olive oil

We used a smaller pan and made two because they're easier to flip (so I suggest doing this)

You could also use one large pan instead

12. If using small pans like we did, add half the mixture to the pan, then decrease the heat to low-medium

13. Cover and cook

Keep an eye on it... you want it to be more than half way cooked through so you're able to flip it onto a plate.. but the top should still be raw egg and you don't want the bottom to be burnt

About 8-12 minutes maybe

14. Now is the tricky part... The Flip!

I took a video of my host father doing it so you could see what to do. 

Flip the omelet onto a plate

Turn up the heat and add more oil to the pan

Slowly return the omelet to the pan, raw egg side down of course

15. Cook for just another 1-2 minutes and its done!

This one was mine! YUM!

Ta-dah!! Tortilla de Patata, a Spanish omelet! Give it a try and let me know how it turns out!