Category Archives: Axarquia

Apr16

Spring has sprung !

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Spring has sprung !

My goodness it was a long time coming, after what has seemed an age of rain, wind and storms and cooler than average temperatures, we woke up at the weekend to blue skies and sunshine.

We enjoyed breakfast alfresco, and drinks and canapés with friends before a long leisurely sunday lunch.

We even got up to Sierra Nevada, to ski before they ended their season.  The constant rain fall gave us plenty of fresh white snow, and the clear skies created the perfect skiing day.  Tired bodies and rosie cheeks were sign of good day had by all, a short 2 hour journey from La Rosilla, we were home for supper and sipping a relaxing glass of red.

Normal service resumed ! Por Fin ! 🙂

Now the annual pre-summer preparations must start in earnest at La Rosilla, weeding, olive grove maintenance, pruning and burning and then the white paint-a-thon for outside.  Windows are flung open wide to let the air flow through our casa to dry everything out and let the fresh air in.

The mountains are full of wild flowers, orchids, sweet peas, garlics and borage, bees are happy gatehring their pollen and birds busy making nests and singing their hearts out.

 

I’ve put my hiking boots back on, and trying once more to up my game, get fit and strong to do another leg of The Camino de Santiago in June, this year I’m going to do the Finisterre and Muxia route, along the coastal paths to the the end of the world ;). It’s definitely breathtaking in more ways then one, climbing and hiking the Montes de Malaga, but I’m so grateful I live in this stunning part of the world, and these routes are on more doorstep, ever changing through the seasons and at this time of year in their prime.

Primavera (Spring) lovely to see you x

 

 

 

Feb16

Poco hecho, for me !

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Poco hecho, for me !

How do you like your steak cooked? I won’t judge, well maybe only a little 😉 Are you from the cremated side or just off mooing? For me, it’s rare or poco hecho as they call it here in Spain, plump, rested and juicy.

It took me years to master the perfect steak, always looked and seemed so easy, I think it boiled down to the quality of the meat and spending just a little more to get well-aged beef, and not being afraid to crank up the heat under my griddle pan, and smoke the house out for a few minutes.  Now yes I can cook one, and I love it simply with fresh asparagus and oven roasted tomatoes, salt flakes and a good grinding of black pepper, enjoyed with a rich full-bodied red, or my favourite, a powerful, well rounded Oloroso sherry.

There is one restaurant not too far from us though, whose steaks are legendary, and if the opportunity arises and I’m feeling in the need for a meat-fest and my OH is paying 😉 I’m there.  El Charco is a family run restaurant in a small village, Los Romanes in the Axarquia, that looks down over the stunning Lake Vinuela.  This venta does typical Spanish and Andaluz dishes very well, and the steaks are to die for.  Cooked in a wood oven, served on the hottest terracotta platters, served to choice, perfectly every time.  Fresh sauces to accompany them mine always a blue cheese, OH’s peppercorn.

Fillet steak rare. Poco Hecho Fillet steak

Starters too are always en point, last nights special was ‘Sopa de Ajo‘  Garlic soup, with asparagus and poached egg, soothing for the soul, and laced with aphrodisiac properties.

Sopa de ajo

As long as both lovers consume the earthy cloves the magical powers of romance manifest, that was all good as I just knew that my OH would have Gambas Ajillo, hot, bubbling, garlic prawns.  Valentines was going great guns, and bless the restaurant they presented each lady with a Red Carnation (not my favourite) and the men got a look in too, with a miniature DICK sorry DYC and some choccies.

Valentines gift.

So going Out, Out on a school night was a win, and we were tucked up in bed with a cuppa at 10.30pm, seems the garlic had worn off, and our resolutions of knowing when to stop on the alcohol front, were working and they say romance isn’t dead 😉 !!