Case 01. Part 02
I feel like anything I write about you won’t do you justice. It was definitely memorable.
I learned from my experience yesterday at Goya’s that Spanish people are not here to make you feel more comfortable. The waiters where cutting. They take their time to come serve you and when they do, you better know what you want. In one word I would say entitled. They believe they are serving the best quality food you will ever taste. And this was not just in this particular restaurant. Oh no, I have seen this anywhere in Valencia where there is food being served.
An example of this – last night I asked the waiter if we could get the Croquetas (deep fried battered sometimes balls, other times long battered sticks filled with yummy things), an hors d’oeuvre, to be brought with our mains. His response was that’s not how we do things here.
He then said to me a Paella for 2 is not enough for 3. So we ordered a second dish called Rice in the Oven. It had pork ribs, pancetta, chickpeas, and blood sausage. Something that called my attention was that all the meat pieces in both this rice and the paella we had preordered where huge. Needless to say, there weren’t that many.
The food came around the advised time, which was about 40 to 50 minutes. They gave us a glorious bread basket only to look in dismay when I asked for butter. Which was also lovely.
One of the guests with whom I was sharing the paella had previously manifested slight apprehension towards eating rabbit last night. None of us even thought about that once the Paella was in front of us. I did wonder for about a second which one was it and then it was gone.
The Paella is a rather dry rice. It’s flavors work cohesively. Like a symphony. It made me smile in delight and want to have more of it. It left me wanting to try the other variations and give, the moist “Melosos” kind, a chance.
This dish is more than ingredients chucked together. Paella is to Valencia what a mother is to a family. It nourishes, it brings together and with it the traditions from the past.
It is meant to be eaten in the large dish it is cooked in. It was created by the mamas that were feeding the peasants working the rice fields back in the day. The area near these fields is rich in snails and rabbits. Hence the meat selection.
Looking back on the pictures from last night made me think how much I enjoyed this moment with my family. A time I’ll treasure because of the meaning I give to try this amazing dish authentically and being able to share it with those that I love.
Learning about it makes me think of future generations, of Valencian people and what would happen in a world that went vegan. Is not an easy task having a cruelty free diet! You can’t just wipe out traditions and cultures.
Thank you for this incredible experience Valencia. Goya Gallery you have been exceptional in every way. Even when after serving everyone else’s dessert the waiter whispered in my ear there were no pieces left of the option I had ordered.
I couldn’t hide in my face the shock I felt by his timing. He looked at me nonchalantly, mumbled something and walked away only to rush back 5 seconds later with the dessert saying laughingly “my mistake”!
…It wasn’t that good.