XATÓ, special Catalan dish!

Masia Cal Pastoret 

The other day I went to a "xatonada" with the local women's organisation here: "Grup Dones, Torredembarra". Xató is typical from the  "Penedès" area. They have even contests of whom makes the best xató!! Very serious matter...It can be quite a war between villages!! This was the best I have ever had I must say and the tortillas were very good.

We were around 40 women who gathered in an old restaurant "Cal Pastoret" to enjoy this very special Catalan dish. It consists of Escarolsallad dressed with Romesco-sauce, Bacallà (salted cod), red peppers. black and green olives and different kind of tortillas with spinach, artichokes, onions, white beans and mushroms.

 Together with that, they served grilled farmers bread that you soak with garlic, fresh tomatoe, oliveoil and salt. Delicious!! Sometimes with Serrano-ham.

 We also had very nice red wine from nearby Falset. And of course some tempting desserts...

 
For me it is a very warm feeling to be in this group of women and my Catalan is improving!!

Cal Pastoret is an old farmhouse

It was a very nice day with nice friends and the sun was shining both indoors and outdoors!!

It is fantastic to be part of a new life and a new culture...

SWEA Barcelona Årsmöte och middag!

 

Årsmötet med middag inleddes med nya ordförande Anna Krossling

som öppnade genom att slå an takten!

Sedan följde middagen på Restaurang Pomarada.

Maten var utsökt: Bl.a Bacallà med karamelliserad tomat & lök

samt till efterrätt profiterols med grädde och varm chokladsås...Mmmmm!

 Nina Yunkers Maina och Yvonne såg glada ut som vanligt!

 Såklart blev det en liten rolig historia också...

Maten var god och stämningen hög. Vi hade också ett

mycket intressant föredrag av Marianne Ström som

berättade om Le Marais-kvarteret i Paris

Marianne visade bilder och vi fick en inblick i denna fascinerande

stadsdel.

Marianne är  Swea i SWEA Paris såklart!!

Tack allihop för en mycket trevlig tillställning!

Paella and Line Dance at Cal Cameu!

Now it was a looong time since I wrote anything! Today is the day I begin again with a lovely day at a
rural house called Cal Cameu about 30 minutes from Torredembarra. It is owned by Judy, my good
friend and companion of Line Dance.

We had a Paella at her house (and what a paella cooked by Pilar!). Our gang is a bunch of very nice people and I am very happy to be part of it!! Here you see Judy and I:

We were 26 people,  husbands, wifes and children also making part of the fiesta. First of all it was
a fantastic sun shining day and a fantastic wind, blowing away all the clouds. When we arrived at the house
it was a breathtaking view. The house is built in a rustic style with all comfort:

Everybody helped to bring wood to the fire, to prepare tables and drink vermouth to keep the wind
away. Pilar, our companion-cook, really knew how to make paella and for 26 people!! Here she is at work:

It was a seafood paella and first all the shrimps, calamares and vegetables and then all the rest of ingredients followed to be fried. Then the rice was poured in:. 3 kilos! followed by the stock: 9 liters!
Here Tony and other Linedancers are at work helping Pili:

Now the tempting smell was flying over the garden and Frank came to see whether it was ready.

Mmmm, I think he was a little hungry. The "aperitivo" had stimulated the apetite..

READY! Looking delicious! Everybody in the house and to the table:

Here Rosalia (a relative of Frank) and her husband Salvador enjoy the food and company.

Then came coffee with "avec",  and a looooot of cakes and goodies. Wow! I think  I had whipped cream coming out of the ears. Mmmmm - I AM a cookymonster... Satisfied and happy the dance could begin out in the garden. Frank prefers to look at the people dancing..:

Pere and Belén also enjoy watching us dance...very amused it seems!

It IS really great fun to dance Line Dance. Have you tried sometimes? My friend Angels is a real prof!!!

Well, so after a lovely, funny, nice day with Frank and good friends, we said goodbye and went home.
Judy and a friend Marie here saying goodbye!!

Thanks all friends who had bought, prepared and cooked everything. And thank you Tony and Belén for your arrangement of the whole thing and THANK YOU  JUDY FOR HAVING US ALL WILD LINE DANCERS IN YOUR HOUSE!!

This was one of this days I will remember with joy and warmth!

Line dance party in Altafulla

Oh, what a lunch! Our Line dance club celebrated the 4 years anniversary at Hotel Gran Claustre in our neigbouring village Altafulla. 31 persons and the most delicius lunch.

 
It began with Cavadrink by the pool..some would have liked it to be IN the pool!!


After having enjoyed the food the dance began. Here Belén in action.

What a style…2 generations..son Bernie and his father Jordi.

Our monitors and Tonis sister.
 
Dancing for 4 hours afer a 3 courses lunch…Well, well this is what keep
us young (and beautiful..) I guess.
THANK YOU Belén and Toni and all fantastic friends!! What a nice day we had!

THE WHOLE GANG!!