Comida, comida, comida!!!!

Today, all I want to talk about is food.  Anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE FOOD.  My body doesn't always love food, but I certainly do, and I love trying new things and experiencing culture through food.  Spain is no exception.  The food culture here is drastically different than in the United States.  First of all, the eating schedule will throw your stomach for a loop.

Exhibit A: typical day in the life of a Spaniard
8:00-10:00 (anywhere in there) - Wake up, eat breakfast
2:00 or 3:00 - lunch *this is usually the biggest meal of the day
2:00-5:00 - Siesta time *during this time, almost all stores in the city are closed, and people go home to have lunch, take a nap, hang out with their family, etc.  It's amazing at times, and utterly frustrating at others
9:00 or 10:00 - Dinner
12:00-2:00 - Bed time

Now, you've probably heard the word "tapas" thrown around a lot when it comes to Spanish food.  Tapas are not what you think they are.  In the US, going to a tapas restaurant means you are going to order several small plates of different things for everyone to share.  In Spain, tapas are the small plates of food that you get (for free) when you order drinks.  So, if you go to a restaurant and order a glass of wine or a beer, you're also going to receive some kind of tapas.  Typical tapas include olives, bread with ham (the ham is AMAZING...I'll get to that later), or a dish that's a cross between french fries and breakfast potatoes.  You don't get to choose what kind of tapas you receive, but if you like all those things, you'll more than likely be happy with what you get!  Unfortunately, I don't like olives, which are a staple food here, so I miss out on the free food sometimes, but that's alright.  These restaurants also have other "tapas" that you can order if you're willing to pay for them.

Olives are EVERYWHERE here.  Everywhere.  I am not exaggerating.  The other staple food in Spain?  Jamón.  Ham.  It's not like ham in the United States.  It's more similar to prosciutto in that it's very thinly cut and is a little salty.  It's also absolutely delicious, and it's in everything.  They don't even consider it a meat sometimes.  I've heard stories of vegetarians asking for no meat in a dish, and then when it comes, they see ham in it.  When they asked the waiter about it, the response they got was somewhere along the lines of, "It's only ham."  Moral of the story?  It's extremely difficult to be a vegetarian here.  The good news?  Bread and cheese is also hugely popular, so if you don't mind sticking to carbs and cheese, you should be good to go :)

Now, I'll address the question: "How is your tummy doing with the change in diet?"  Fortunately, I live with a pregnant host mom who has to eat very well, and I reap the benefits of that!  It's wonderful.  We eat salads galore, homemade garlic hummus (NOM my favorite) and lots of fruit.  Eggs are also a common occurrence, served with other things.  There's very little bread in the apartment, and very few sweets (no worries...we have a few cookies lying around :) ).  Of course, not everyone in my program has been as fortunate as I have been.  A couple of my friends have a host mom who cooks fried fish for almost every meal.  I love fried fish on occasion, but not enough to eat it every day.  Now, to address the water here.  I was told to be careful drinking the water from another country.  Lies.  The tap water here is outstanding.  It tastes better than the bottled water I've bought here.  Madrid may be struggling in other areas, but they're doing something right when it comes to their water.

I eat most of my meals at my apartment with my host mom (it's delicious, healthy, and free...and it's a great time to practice my Spanish...what more could you ask for??), but my friends and I frequently explore Madrid and end up sitting down for a snack.  I now present you with various photos of the wonderful food that I've decided to spend money on in my time here:

At Mallorca - a pasteleria (pastry shop) here that also has wine, cheese, little sandwiches, a chocolates bar...this is what my heaven is going to look like if I get there

Casual coffee with Bailey's at Cafe del Oriente right near Palacio Real

Classic dessert here: picatoste....fried bread coated in butter and sugar, and served with a mug of melted chocolate. Mmmm

Duck with apple compote and balsamic reduction sauce...yum.  At a restaurant in Cadiz with all the girls and J.P!

And this would be the dessert after the duck....I don't even remember what it was, but it was amazing.

I FOUND DOUBLE STUFFED OREOS AND PEANUT BUTTER!!!!  It may have cost me over 5 euro (~$7) for this small thing of peanut butter, but it was so worth it!