Madridman is here, and just today I could see a big banner advertising the inminent open of the ¿first? Starbucks coffee of Spain!!

It will be just under Palace hotel, the Planet Hollywood is at the right. I don´t know what is the cause of the Sturbucks fame, so I will try to find the answer to my doubt.

Bye!!

Hi Replay, last week we were talking about this new American chain in Spain... just make a search and you'll see what I am talking about...
Nuria

Ooooh boy! I just had a thought! Does this Starbucks have muffins?!? Like real, soft blueberry or banana-nut muffins? I could kill for one of these... I don't care about the coffee. I never liked American watered-down coffee anyways and only started drinking coffee here in Spain. Con leche or a cortado and I'm a happy pup. But MUFFINS!!! Just the thought gets my mouth watering. You can buy frozen ones at the Taste of America, but I want fresh ones. Ooh, Cinnamon-Apple... I'd kill for a sugary cinnamon apple muffin.

Is it open now? Oooh, Ana and I feel like going for a paseo so we're going to go check it out now. It's a gorgeous Sunday afternoon here in Madrid - a bit chilly, but blue sky). We got married in the Palace (back when I had a job and money) so it'll be nice to go see Neptune again even if it's not open yet...

Muffins! Ohboyohboy!

-Russ

It's not open yet. It just says coming soon with no date or anything. No muffins for me.

waaaaahhhhhh....

We took a walk through the Botanical Garden though which was nice. I've been here 2 years and my wife's been here 14 years and it was the first time for the both us. Spring has sprung, yay!

-Russ

starbucks in madrid...hahaha.....what i mean is the town is so full of wonderful cafes where you can secure the greatest cup of coffee for under a euro.....as for muffins, ever heard of magdalenas?
i know everyone here is not a spaniard so maybe that will help. starbucks latte = $3 to $4 US
cafe con leche local ambient cafe = 1 euro
bag of magdalenas caseras = 1,40 euro

btw i saw one opening next to VIPS on ortega y gasset near calle velazquez (Plaza de Salamanca area) please support your local cafes much better..

I've eaten zillions of magdalenas, they have nothing to do with a muffin except maybe their shape. The worst thing about magdalenas is they have the color of corn-muffins, but are made with wheat. Ugh. What I would do for a hot corn-muffin with butter right now. MMMMMMM.

I don't have an oven, by the way, so don't suggest making them. I would, if I could. Along with brownies, chocolate chip and oatmeal cookies, and more. Actually, I made fresh chocolate chip cookies this past Christmas for my wife and in-laws (we were spending the week at their house.) They all tried a bite, said "that's nice, let's save them for breakfast." BREAKFAST?!? WHAT?!? They're HOT from the oven now! Eat them NOW. Oof.

-Russ

My husband (who ADORES chocolate chip cookies!) just laughed and laughed at your post, LiM--not that there's anything WRONG with chocolate chip cookies for breakfast, of course--but really, who could resist WARM ones?

I'm thinking about your muffin dilemma--it seems to me there's a business possibility there--a little storefront, banana-chip and lemon-poppyseed muffins (for breakfast only)--mmm!! Madrileños would drop those churros like...hot churros!

Well, maybe not.

Hey LiM,

The "little culinary cultural shock" that you suffered last X-mas reminds me a little bit of my surprise when in Ohio, and for the first time, I was offered ice-cream for dessert a day in either January or February when it had been snowing for like a month and a half!

It's true, generally speaking, ice-cream for Spaniards usually means warm weather, and we only eat sweets like cookies for breakfast or at 'merienda' time.

BTW, while on the subject, I was also quite surprised to see people eating the uncooked dough of the chocolate chip cookies, and many people baking their own bread (very few people do it here these days). Also serving cake and ice-cream together was quite a new thing for me (until the arrival of American restaurants here), and the diferent shapes and flavors of doughnuts (here we only had Donuts back then) and my favourite thing....those cans of frozen natural orange juice, Hhmmmm!!!

LiM --

TALK TO ME! I make a mean loaf a bananna bread (with the mini chocolate chips to boot) every now and then. I have my whole Spanish family hooked on it. I have also made orange muffins. Maybe not quite as huge as the typical American coffee house ones...but all modesty aside, just as good.

Since I just got back from the states, I brought a couple of packs of brownie mix for my sister in laws to make (they are always bugging me to make them). I know...PACKAGED brownie mix. Oh well. I tried making them from scratch here, but the consistency did not come out the same. I guess I have to experiment a bit more with the oven, local ingredients and measurement conversions. :p

I also brought back a couple of boxes of Jiffy corn muffin mix. Not as good as made from scratch, but will suffice when you need a quick fix.

I have made the chocolate chip cookies here, but they didn´t turn out right. I think it was due to the baking sheets. I used the Airbake sheets that someone gave me as a wedding shower gift...not the traditional baking sheets. Not that Airbake will mean much to you being a man without an oven (not a sexist remark! :p ). If any bakers out there know the secret to those Airbake sheets, please let me know!

PIM - Chocolate chip cookie dough is the best. There even exists an ice cream flavor of choco chip cookie dough. Frankly I think that´s a bit overboard...but there are some fans out there!

My mom did the bread baking thing when she had the whim to purchase a bread maker. That lasted ohhh about a month after which she got tired of cleaning the darned machine!

I much prefer any homebaked product over any product sold in any coffee shop including the giant cookies in Starbucks or the Magdalenas "in bags" ughhhh!

Hi Chica

So, all those people you are walking with at the weekend will be expecting special treats along the way from you? Is it wise to advertise your expertise in these departments? Or are you just looking to make new friends?

Jo