The dinner was great, though some improvisations had to be made, as my friend could not find Rape so she went to the Asian fish market here and got another type of fish head for her caldo. She also did not get piquillo peppers and so just stuffed regular marinated roasted red peppers (once you've had piquillos, there is no substitute!)
A small Spanish food market just opened up here in town and I am patronizing it like you wouldn't believe! The other day we bought butifarra and morcilla for the grill tonight!

Please report back here Esperanza, on tonight's episode, I won't get to see the show until Thursday, local time!

I wasn't able to watch tonight, either, since I was at a family gathering, so I'll be curious to hear if you thought it was better than last week's episode. I will try to watch on iTunes later this week.

Thanks Laduque , you reminded me about Morcilla . For some reason we haven't been cooking it lately but I have some in the fridge . We're holding a party in the apartment for the Fiesta Nacional on October 12th .. Ususally we end up with between 10 and 20 people so we're having to organise the Spanish feast , as well as decorating the apartment .. I'll post some photos hopefully .
Oh , and I watched some Youtube clips of Gwyneth Paltrow & friends and was really impressed ! So I'm definitly going to keep an eye out for any potential DVD release .
Looks like they all had a blast ( and no wonder ! ) Steve

I watched two show already and will give my opinion of it until I watch all of it but ....

... Mario walking into a church wearing orange shorts and orange walking shoes, come on Mario do you have to act like a tourist.

Bill

Didn't you know orange was Batali's signature color!

For those of you who live in New York City and are fans of the show "Spain...On the Road Again" and/or fans of Mario Batali, Mario is going to be promoting the cookbook that accompanies the show. The book, called "Spain...A Culinary Road Trip" was released a few days ago. Mario will be at Barneys in New York City on Wednesday, October 29 from 6 to 8 pm signing copies of the book. Apparently Freixenet will be serving wine and Barney's in-house restaurant will be serving "Spain-inspired Mario concocted appetizers from the book."

If anyone goes, be sure to tell us about it!

la historiadora

Thanks for the info. BUT!

I went to the Barney's website to find more information about this event and when I read:

"Mario Batali is dying to show you one of his new Ernst Benz collaboration timepieces."

I not going. I not interested in this stuff nor do I think the average working person would be welcome at this event and I rather be happy person by not going.

Bill

I was going to try to watch all the shows but after last night I finished watching it. This show is not about Spain. It is about four people and their egos.

The breaking point for me was when Mark and Gwyneth are in the Alhambra. Do they walk around the Alhambra? No and spend a 10 seconds talking about the interior details of the palace. They find a window with a view and then spend most of their time talking about if Gwyneth in the future would write a cook book. Does anyone really care if Gwyneth writes a cookbook? What interests you Gwyneth’s small talk or Alhambra because it more about Gwyneth in the program.

Did someone really think is would be interesting to watch two attractive women visiting a spa? Was it because the spa was in Spain and that would make it interesting topic for this show. Did someone think it would be interesting to watch and listen to people in a moving car talking about themselves? Or walk down a street or dirt path talking about themselves? Eating a meal and talking about themselves. I guess watching Spain zipping in the background while in the car means you are seeing Spain. They drive to Compostela, pull in front of the Cathedral and do not get out of the car. Would you do that, stay in the car?

It is a joy to watch Spain as a blur in the background then this show is for you!

I will admit there are very good part of the series. But they are few and my feeling if you took all the good part of the series it would make up only one hour. The rest is just pure junk and could take place anywhere in the world.

You might say I over reacting. But it gets better than that.

Last night it was Spain night on my TV. The travel channel show again Anthony Bourdain’s Spain show, then the Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern on Spain and the last hour I spent watching the Spain – the Road Again show. The hosts, Anthony and Andrew from the two show spent their time talking about Spain. Trying to convene to the viewer the pleasures of Spain and the passion they feel about this beautiful country. Does anyone feel the passion in cast of characters in Spain – On the Road Again? You even see more of Spain in their one hour shows of Anthony’s and Andrew’s shows than the hours I wasted with Spain – On the Road Again.

And who was the idiot to pick the theme song “On the Road Again” for the show. The song is not about Spain and it is not even Spanish. I even feel the visual quality of the program is not there. I find a little fuzzy, not sharp and or colorful, like Anthony’s show. I thought it was the station I was watching it was the problem. But have watch on three different stations, and this show was filmed a little fuzzy and the quality is like a Rick Steves show film a decade ago. They should have spent money on some have high definition cameras to film this some instead of spending money hyping it.

I was I could have the hours back in my life wasted watching one of the biggest let downs I have seen in a while. If there was a bull fight and the matador was “Spain – On the Road Again, I would be cheering for the bull to put this show to death and would paint a bull eye on the back of the matador before the fight starts.

Bill

So you didn't like it then .

you know, I happen to agree TOTALLY with Bill! When they were at the Alhambra I was thinking the exact same thing.
Instead of continuing this thread talking about how much this series is more about the 4 people and not Spain, let me mention that the PBS series José Andrés Made In Spain is truly wonderful! I just bought the DVD of the first season and it is spectacular. According to Wikipedia: José Ramón Andrés Puerta (b. 1969, Mieres, Asturias, Spain), known as José Andrés, is a Spanish chef often credited for bringing the small-plates concept to America. Early in his career, he trained under Ferran Adria at the famous El Bulli restaurant in Spain. From 2005 to 2007, Andrés produced and hosted "Vamos a cocinar," a popular food program on Television Española (TVE) Spanish national television. In 2008, Andrés launched his first American TV show, Made in Spain, a 26-part series for public television. Produced by Full Plate Media and sponsored by KQED-TV San Francisco. A companion book, Made in Spain: Spanish Dishes for the American Kitchen, will be published by Clarkson Potter in November 2008. Andrés is also a resident culinary expert for MSN Lifestyle.

José Andrés loves Spain, loves Spanish food and in my opinion, is a great ambassador for Spain. His enthusiasm is so refreshing. I love the show! Now the new season is on PBS, so I recommend you watch whenever you can. Skip On the Road Again and check out José Andrés if you want to SEE Spain!