It has been raining for a while here in Seattle now... You are restless because you are having one of those Spain dreams you often have this time of the year: You are on the Costa del Sol or the Costa Brava, and you are lounging at a beachside restaurant, your toes knead the warm soft sand, and you are intoxicated by the heat, the Mediterranean Sea….and the cool dry sherry wine. You want to prolong the afternoon, so you decide to splurge on a paella - a dish to match the moment. After a half-hour of enjoying tapas (appetizers) and fino (dry sherry), the paella arrives. While it reposes on your table, allowing the various flavors to mingle, you admire it. Resting in the large, round shallow pan from which it gets its name are prawns, squid, chicken, clams, mussels and legumes in a bed of golden rice. - Infusing all is the exquisite aroma of saffron. Then, just as you and your friends prepare to indulge, the dream begins to fade…OH NO! What to do? |
