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Paella at a Spanish-themed dinner brings back treasured memories.

Tapas are small plates of food to accompany your drinks, like patatas bravas (roasted potatoes) with spicy aioli, tomato rubbed on toasted bread topped with an anchovy and smoky chorizo with peppers.

Paella at a Spanish-themed dinner brings back treasured memories.

Tapas are small plates of food to accompany your drinks, like patatas bravas (roasted potatoes) with spicy aioli, tomato rubbed on toasted bread topped with an anchovy and smoky chorizo with peppers.

I took my first trip to Spain in 2016. I landed in Barcelona for a vacation with my adult children for a week, then alone in Madrid for two days of museum bliss. The longest part of the journey began when my husband and four friends arrived to tour the Andalusian region together. I was excited for the range of food I wanted to experience: the Catalonian cuisine in Barcelona, the sophisticated foods of the capital, Madrid, and the seafood, olives and wine of Andalucía.

Barcelona did not disappoint. It was here that I discovered tapas bars — places that served small plates of food to accompany your drinks. Patatas bravas (roasted potatoes) with spicy aioli, tomato rubbed on toasted bread topped with an anchovy, and smoky chorizo with peppers, all washed down with a lively vermouth made me feel very much a part of the culture.

Madrid was also wonderful. I spent my daytime hours in the museums, savoring the art on my own schedule. The Prado is rightfully famous for its enormous collection, and I paced myself with café con leche at the museum’s café. In the evenings, I dined alone, chatting up fellow diners and enjoying the music and dancing in the main square near my hotel.

My friend organized the Andalusian portion of our trip and found a place to rent in Jerez near relatives she had living there. I had seen photos of the house before leaving the States. It seemed impressive, but our place in Barcelona was far less than advertised so my expectations were low. I traveled by train from Madrid to Jerez, arriving a few hours ahead of the others, who were flying into Seville and coming by a rental car.

My cab from the train station pulled up to an unremarkable building crammed in with others, in typical European fashion. I rang the bell outside a gate, peering into the dark vestibule at a massive wooden door. A tall, well dressed, handsome man opened the door.

Jose Maria introduced himself as the owner and ushered me inside. I was glad I was behind him as he led me inside, so he did not see my jaw drop. The wide marble hallway was laid with Persian carpets. Massive oil paintings and tapestries hung from walls that rose two stories. We skirted an indoor pool with a fountain, surrounded by lush tropical plants. Classical music played softly in the background. I wondered if I had entered an alternative universe, or a movie set.

He showed me the two bedrooms on this level and the garden with its outdoor kitchen, a study in Spanish tile work and color. We climbed up wide marble stairs to the second floor where doors to rooms lined the halls and the surrounding balcony allowed you to enjoy views of the courtyard below. More bedrooms, with gorgeous bathtubs and wardrobes, a dining room with a massive table and three French doors, and a cheerful, well-appointed yellow and blue kitchen.

We entered the living room, and in front of the fireplace, some snacks were laid on a silver tray. Jose Maria offered me a glass of sherry and as we sipped and nibbled, he shared the history of the house. General Sanchez Mira, who was the governor of Cuba when it was part of the Spanish crown, built the “palace” in the 18th century. Jose Maria, an architect, bought and restored the property, and rents it to groups from time to time.

Another man entered the room, and Jose Maria introduced me to Carlos, the caregiver on site who would help us during our stay. Jose Maria left for the evening; Carlos bowed and retreated upstairs. I could not wait for our contingent to come and see this! When they finally arrived, we giddily toasted to the auspicious beginning of our journey.

Breakfast was served in the dining room, with Carlos carrying in fresh bread each morning. My husband Eric and I made a beeline into town and found both the farmers market and a seafood market that kept us supplied during our stay. Jerez is known as the birthplace of sherry and given its proximity to the Atlantic coast, seafood that is spectacularly fresh. We returned to the house with exquisite produce, smelly cheeses, smoky sausage, and unusual seafood.

A nice routine developed. Market shopping in the morning, midday touring other towns, and a requisite tapas bar visit. A rest at the house before prepping and eating dinner, then head out to find live music in the evening.

My favorite travel experiences have been when I can stay in one place for a while. Our guidebook listed Jerez as a town “good for a half-day visit” but I heartily disagree. It was perfect for experiencing the day-to-day life in Spain.

When our host learned we enjoyed cooking at the house, he offered us a cooking lesson. We happily agreed. Jose Maria would guide the making of paella, a quintessential Spanish dish, and Carlos would share the secret of his famous gazpacho. He gave us a list of ingredients and we set out to provision for our class.

We learned the key to gazpacho was simple: use really good tomatoes. Chop a cucumber, peppers, and a bit of onion. Add tomatoes, olive oil and vinegar and puree in a blender, strain and serve. It was delicious. In my travels through the rest of Spain, I ate gazpacho made with other fresh vegetables or fruit as well, different and good!

The star of the evening was the paella, a rice dish that originated in the Valencia area. Other regions in Spain developed their own versions based on local ingredients available to them. The recipe we made that night was also a simple one: garlic, onion, peppers, chicken, chorizo, rice, saffron, paprika and tomato. Use good chicken stock.

We shared the meal at the table with Jose Maria, his daughter, and some of my friend’s relatives. I passed around my journal asking guests to share their thoughts on the evening. The entries are priceless, including one from a young guest who wrote about “getting lost in this GIANT house.” Many congratulated us on our first paella.

Memories of that trip flooded back as we made paella here last night, as part of a Spanish-themed dinner for 16. We started with tapas in the yard and engaged our friends to help make the paella on the grill, a multi-step process and good entertainment for the crowd. When the paella was ready, we moved to the long table on the porch, opening the seated portion of the meal with green gazpacho and a toast to one another. A salad followed the paella, then “drinking chocolate” (thick hot chocolate spiced with chili, cinnamon and brandy) and brown-butter almond cakes for dessert. One special guest rounded out the evening playing piano for us. A perfect night, once again.

1 large tomato, seeded and chopped

2 C. medium grain rice (Bomba or Arborio)

1 t. paprika or Spanish smoked paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

2 oz. green beans or peas

1 sweet red pepper, diced or in strips

1-2 lemons, sliced in thin rounds or wedges

Soak a good pinch of the saffron threads in a little warm water about 10 minutes. Set aside.

In a paella pan or large heavy frying pan, warm 2 T. oil. Add chicken and cook until brown and almost done. Remove from pan. Add chorizo and brown, removing when done along with the chicken. Set the meat aside.

Add remaining oil and warm over medium high heat. Add onion, lower heat to medium, and stir until softened. Add garlic, stir 2 minutes, then add tomato and cook another 2 minutes.

Add rice and stir to coat, then add saffron and soaking water, and 4 cups of the stock, turning heat to medium high. Add the paprika and some salt and pepper. Taste and add more seasoning if needed.

Stir in the chorizo, beans or peas, and red pepper. Arrange the chicken on top, bring to a simmer, and then lower the heat to gently cook the rice, adding more stock, a little at a time, as needed. When rice is almost done, add the last bit of stock, and arrange the shrimp or mussels on top. Cover the pan to steam the seafood and finish the rice, about 5 minutes. When done, line the outer edge of the pan with lemons and sprinkle the top with parsley and capers before serving.

Rose Hollander has been a caterer, Idyll Farms chef and cooking instructor who helped initiate the kitchen classroom at the Children’s House. She completed her chef certification at the Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland.

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