Sketches of Spain
November 12, 2008 by Food Dude
Filed under News/Discussion
I’ve been thinking about Spain quite a bit lately. It started with a(nother) careful listening to Sketches of Spain, by Miles Davis. Today I noticed my Tivo had picked up another episode of a fairly new program. Mario Batali and PBS have been doing a series of shows called “Spain… On The Road Again”. The premise is simple: Mario, Gwyneth Paltro, Mark Bittman, and Claudia Bassols drive around Spain, sometimes together, sometimes split in two groups. They drive, they hike, they eat, and eat some more. I love Gwyneth, so started watching the show a month ago. Episodes have ranged from eh, to ohmygodisowanttobethererightnow! Tonight I watched an episode about Barcelona, and a meal with Michael Stipe at Inopia, a restaurant I ate at last time I was in there. The meal they had looked truly fantastic.
This is the type of show where the food could get lost in the celebrity, but they don’t let that happen. Though they are interesting people, the show doesn’t really stray into that territory. Instead, food takes center stage, and if you have high-definition television, it’s hard not to drool. Photography is beautiful, and the expressions on the cast’s faces as they sample local products do most of the talking.
Back to the Inopia meal. From the website,
Gwyneth, Mario and Michael Stipe enjoy an out-of-this-world meal of tapas at Inopia in Barcelona. Watching the episode, you might not be able to grasp the amount of tapas they ate: a long ceramic dish of olives-delicious little malagueñas-is brought out first. Then a boda (literally a wedding) of anchovies, both salt-cured and vinegar-cured. Pan con tomate, of course. Then icy-cold bacalao on crunchy bread (pan de aire, which translates as “bread of air”) with olive paste. Next, perfect wedges of green but sweet tomato with tuna belly and scallions. And then jamón, seared tuna, fried gambas (shrimp), tiny fried mullets (“this is my favorite, because I have to work,” says Michael), and anchovies infused with lemon, dredged in flour, and fried. Gwyneth says she’s full and I tell her she’s only started to see the edge of full. We’re not done yet, not even close. Out come baby cuttlefish cooked a la plancha; croquettas de jamón made with Ibérico ham; eggplant with cane sugar; patatas bravas; spiced lamb brochettes; torta Cañarejal cheese; pineapple with lime zest and molasses; strawberries with black pepper and sherry vinegar caramel; finally, small glasses of homemade red peach wine. Michael perfectly renames it: “I’m going to call this place Utopia.”
It’s on Sunday at 5:00pm, KOPB. Frequently worth the time.
I’m not sure, Dude.
I was watching this last Sunday when the crew was in the hotel designed by Frank Gehry. Batali and Paltro were hanging out at breakfast talking about meeting the architect. It was possibly the most boring conversation I’ve ever listened to. It went something like this:
Paltro: It was great meeting Frank Gehry.
Batali: Yeah, he was a nice guy.
Paltro: Fascinating.
Batali: Yeah
Paltro: What are you eating?
Batali: Eggs and ham
Paltro: Hmm
Batali: What are you eating?
Paltro: Yogurt.
Batali: Does it taste like a barn?
Paltro: Yep.
Batali: Eggs and ham are good.
Paltro: Hmm
I wanted to gouge my eyes out. Yet, I was oddly transfixed. Seems to much of a “had to be there to really understand” type of thing. Not to mention, they’re totally trying to bite Anthony Bourdain’s (et.al.) style. But, yeah, Spain sure is pretty. And Micheal Stipe could totally put on a few pounds.
I like the banter between Bassols and Bittman much more than Paltrow and Batali.
Bittman has this charming curmudgeonly NYer persona and it contrasts with Bassols sunny nature. American pragmatism vs European romanticism…or something.
The best bit I caught on Sunday was where Bassols proclaimed that you could drink/consume a bottle of olive oil every day and not get fat. Bittman said no, it was about the calories consumed. Bassols replied, “NO! It’s not about calories. It’s about good fat.” Bittman of course had some dry NYer reply.
P Alan, as I said, some episodes are better than others. It also helps if you’ve spent time where they are hanging out. I don’t agree that they are trying to copy Bourdain though; his style is completely different.
I agree with FD, Bourdain is more edgey, not too mention funny. But correct on the breakfast scene, it was a little, OK, let’s do something else now. The show has made me have Spain on the brain as well. I have been to Europe three times but not to Spain and now want to plan a trip, which is exactly their purpose.
Thanks also for the run down on the food at Inopia, it just was insane how many dishes kept coming and I didn’t always catch what they were.
I have enjoyed parts of this show as well. I must admit, I can’t stand Paltrow. She ruins this show for me with some of her comments. In one episode she blasts Batoli for drinking milk..calling it cow mucus and he goes on to point out to her that the cheese she ate earlier came from that same mucus! But the food does look amazing and I’m ready to pack my bags for Spain. The episode when Bassols & Bittman visit Chef Juan Mari Arzak was a highlight for me.
Watching it now in the middle of the night. I’ve seen a few episodes and it’s part of my current fascination with Spain. I haven’t liked Gwynneth before, but find her tolerable on the show. Very entertaining, and watching Batali cook and put together meals on any countryside he’s put in is fun.
Also part of the fascination with Espagna: Made in Spain with José Andrés. Also on PBS. Such an enthusiastic guy! His mentor is Ferran Adrià of El Bulli, but he’s well respected in his own right. The show I saw in September about the black-footed Ibérico pigs had me drooling!
I was so excited to see Mario on the road again and in the company of Gwyneth Paltrow…until I watched the show. Deadly dull conversations. Mario tries desperately to hold the tempo up, but is sucked down by Gwyneth–who either should have some botox for that permanent frown and whiny look, or perk up and realize: somebody is watching you, you aren’t just droning on to a paid companion.
I like Gwyneth a lot–but evidently she needs direction to really shine.
Don’t care for Mark Bittman, who seems to find something negative and caustic to say about everything.
They should have put Claudia and Mario together. They have passion, energy and a sense of humor.
Good idea, terrible execution.
More Anthony Bourdain!
Easily the most self-absorbed 1/2 hour of television I’ve watched in a long while (during an election year, even). Spain looks nice though.
Favorite line from last night, as Gwen + Mario cruise the back streets in their Benz (I’m gonna paraphrase here):
Gwen: Wouldn’t it be nice if you could just by a nice apartment in this little town and just walk along the beach and head to the cafe for lunch and that is it, that’s your life
Mario: Ah yes, the simplicity of it all, it would be paradise.
DO IT ALREADY THEN!!! Get your self righteous mugs off my TV, by your fab apartment. Don’t think anyone would miss them except their publicists.
But damn, Spain sure looks nice.
“More Anthony Bourdain!”
Yeah, because HE’s not a one-trick pony or anything.