Xef Susie

That’s how they spell chef in Catalan.

I’ve been trying my hand at some traditional Catalan dishes. My masterpiece was Canelons, which Catalans traditionally eat on Sundays and holidays. I know why! It was a little complicated and I used every pot in my kitchen! It involves grinding together cooked chicken, pork, and beef to make the stuffing, cooking the pasta, assembling the cannellonis, and then making and covering them with bechamel sauce and finally with emmenthal cheese. I’d say it was worth it, though I won’t be making them again for a while! And I ate them for days…

Another traditional dish is trinxat. It’s a mash-up of cooked cabbage and potatoes with some sausage thrown in and bacon. I’ve never been a big fan of cabbage, but the combination of ingredients was quite good!

And I finally made my first Spanish tortilla (potato and onion omelette)! I had a little help, but it came out perfectly!

I also tried eating sea urchins for the first time. I was told that their flavor is very intense, sort of like eating the sea and that people either love them or hate them. I liked them. They tasted a bit like oysters with a similar slimy consistency, but with a stronger flavor. When in Rome!

I’m headed to Galicia next month, where the famous or infamous delicacy is goose barnacles. They look super gross, but I think I’ll try one for the hell of it. I’ll report back. Below is a photo of the goose barnacles, called percebes in Spain, and a link to an article if you’re interested.