Tag Archives: lifestyle spain

Caserio de San Benito

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Time for a change, instead of heading south to the coast, we drove north inland slightly, to the nearby ancient town of Antequera.  We enjoyed a morning of ambling through the streets, window shopping, coffee sipping, monument and church visiting.  Cobbled streets and beautiful architecture, adorned with traditional geraniums, overflowing from their terracotta pots, gives the town a deep Andalucian air.

We decided to delve a little deeper for our obligatory lunch stop, and came across the wonderful Caserio de San Benito just a flew more clicks up the main A45 heading north.

 

This delightful cortijo stands proud and welcoming, with courtyard filled with olive trees, and thrashing ground.  On entering the restaurant, you are taken back to a bygone era, the dining room is beautifully laid and boasts antiques and regalia of this agricultural area.

Welcoming staff greeted us, and recommended dishes.  The house white wine was perfectly chilled and served in a deliciously large measure. Warm bread, crackers and Ensaladilla Rusa was served while we chose the Menu del dia and were not disappointed.  Our main courses of lamb cooked on wood fire with garlic, and Secreto Iberico, were rich and tasty.  We shared a pud with two spoons, a decadent home made cherry cheesecake, YUM.  Two cafe solos were need to get us up and out of this wonderful place, we could’ve have sat there all afternoon.

We shall return, and no doubt take many guests from La Rosilla and recommend to others.

 

 

To have time …

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Oh my goodness, I really am sitting here with time to write .  The first time in many weeks, even months that I can think it´s now time to jot down, make note and remember why I´ve been so busy .  Not that I haven´t enjoyed the hectic, manic, crazy summer months we’ve had, but headless chicken springs to mind !

I relish the long summertime the children have off, I love being surrounded by them, grabbing the odd hour or day when we can dash off somewhere, and do Spanish summertime things, beaching, exploring, bbq´ing , entertaining, feria´ing.

Altea by bike.

Altea by bike.

This summer has seen my busiest yet at La Rosilla, I have met and cooked with people from all over the globe, I have catered for folks enjoying special occasions, family reunions, surprise parties and proposals´(she said yes), it´s so wonderful to create memory moments for us and them and learn about traditions from different places, always with one thing in

common, ´Food glorious food´.

Fine dining in Spain.

Fine dining.

 

What firsts have we done , what have we achieved ?

We met Alpacas, who took me for a walk .

I cooked for 150 people over 4 days from 4 different continents.

We went diving as a whole family, exploring the natural reefs of the Costa Blanca.

Slept on a deflating airbed for 2 weeks.

Guadalest.

Guadalest exploring

I gave cookery and culture days to travelers from Philippines, Australia, USA and Belgium.

La Rosilla Spanish Buffet

La Rosilla Spanish Buffet

Entertained like the Von´Trapp family 😉

We had guests hiring La Rosilla from Prague, Holland and England.

Flamenco La Rosilla. Homegrown entertainment.

Flamenco La Rosilla. Homegrown entertainment.

We hired bikes and explored the coastal paths.

Cooked in 11 different kitchens.

a Rosilla On location catering.

On location catering.

Lost 3 stone in weight. (5.2 Diet I thank you)

We hosted a cultural work exchange student.

La Rosilla, summertime ready .  Luxury villa rental.

La Rosilla, summertime ready

We moved out, moved back in, moved out, moved back in.

To write down what we´ve done, makes me feel like a child, on my first day back at school and the teacher saying ´What did you do in the holidays´and I would often and sit and think ´oh my what did I do ?

Well I know I burned the candle at both ends, felt at times I was going mad, ate some fabulous food and quaffed some wonderful wines, laughed, cried, ranted and raved, was surrounded in organised chaos most of the time, but by gosh it´s been a gud´un.

Thanks to one and all who have been part of it …

And now to regain composure, create new recipes, organise upcoming events,  plan my new kitchen, enjoy the cooler climes, build our new fire pit and return to the domestic goddess that I am 😉

 

 

Work Experience

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School said to me pick wherever you want as long as you have something to put into your personal statement for university about work experience. I personally am not the office sort, so having this opportunity to find somewhere to go for a week only meant one thing. As far away as possible. This is my first ever blog post but it is definitly important as i needed to share my experience with everyone.

Luckily I know the Drakes from back when me and Sasha were in primary school together. My name is Sophie and for the last week I ditched my routine english life to spend a week living the ”La Rosilla” lifestyle in spain, and I have had a ”fenomenal” time. 1062826_10200876464086798_1498215089_n

I have definitely put my language skills to the test when I accompanied Sasha to a fiesta for her friend’s birthday. There was roughly around 25 people there and only 2 spoke english. Me and Sasha. So for me that was definitely an experience. Poor Sasha became translator for the night. Although it was good to see how people my own age live life here and how their parties differ to mine back home.

I also went to a book club which will make my mother so proud. This I found very interesting as of course it was all Lyney’s friends and they were all english. I was able to look around somebody else house and see how all of these women have adapted their lifestyle to live in spain.

Something I will not be forgetting anytime soon was Lynsey bringing home a pigs trotter to ”flavour” her food. For me this was something very different but of course everything is a learning curve so I made the most of the experience though its something I could go without for a few more years :p Whilst ive been in spain I have had the opportunity to watch Lynsey make meals for people as of course this is her job, and I  have to say some of the recipes I have never even heard of but they turned out smelling and looking amazing, especially her carne con chocolate.1011882_628540143831408_1101451143_n

Lynsey took me to the Tanit beach yesterday for my final proper day. The sea was lovely and cool and the weather was boiling. unfortunately a result of my ignorance to the sun’s strength is chronic sunburn, I doubt ill be doing any quick movement for a long time, however I think it was completely worth it as I had a fantastic time.

Overall I have had an absolutely amazing time here in spain! I wish that the ”La Rosilla lifestyle” was my own. I can safely say out of everybody in my year at school ive had the best work experience by a mile and that everyone should be jealous of it.

Considering I only suffered from major sunburn and 16 mosquito bites I would say this trip has been a success!

little burnt

little burnt

I am so sad to be leaving but like I said, I have had an incredible time here and im not likely to be forgetting any of it. I have been made to feel like part of the family which I love and am so glad to of had this amazing experience.

xxx