Two Stories: A City that Believes in Itself - My First Paella

Wednesday, November 16, 2022

Valencia, Spain

We took a cab from the pier to Russafa Market. We passed a breathtaking row of museums and concert halls along a river. Our cab driver identified them for us and stopped so we could take pictures from the cab. The Oceanogràfic, the Hemisfèric, the Science Museum, the opera house, and more. This area is called the City of Arts and Sciences Monuments. Hey, Anchorage: This is what a city that believes in itself looks like.

We arrived at our destination early. (We didn’t know how long it would take to get a cab. It took no time.) There was a little neighborhood cafe there, so we stopped for caffe latte and some delicious pastries. Two lattes, two pastries, for under $5 total. The cafe was populated by small groups of two to four women, apparently from the neighborhood. They were all seated outside, enjoying the mild weather. 

We walked around a bit and enjoyed the uniquely Spanish architecture - the little “Juliet” balconies with wrought-iron grills and the box windows. (I don’t seem to have a photo of the box windows at the moment.)

A modern interpretation of the grills and box windows

I love the ornamentation along the roofline

I was also impressed by the wide bike lanes. They were separate from the pedestrian walkways and they were physically separated from the lanes for motor vehicles.

We soon met our tour guides from My First Paella and 15 other tourists who would learn all about paella with us. This tour turned out to be one of the most delightful tours we have ever experienced. Our large group, plus guides, entered the local market (this was not the main market of Valencia) and we split up into two groups. Our guides explained the ingredients that would be purchased. Ken and I were in the “seafood class” and our guide purchased shrimp, jumbo shrimp, cuttlefish, tiny clams, and mussels. We also purchased some fresh vegetables, cheese, and ham. The “meat class” bought chicken, rabbit, snails, beans, tomatoes and rosemary.

After walking briskly for about 10 minutes, we arrived at the cooking school. The kitchen was clean and bright and well-appointed. The dining area was casual and modern. All the design choices were thoughtful and effective.

The making of the paella was fairly complicated. To help us get ready, we were served sangria, made with — can you guess? — Valencia oranges! And tapas!

Chef José patiently explained each step, including the “why” behind the step. He explained the pans. He explained the paprika. He explained the saffron. He explained the cuttlefish. We all had a chance to help cook.

(The following photos are not in the correct order.)

When the paella was finally done both classes sat down to a memorable lunch. The food was fresh and delicious. The alcohol kept coming - sangria, white wine with the seafood paella, shots of some kind of licorice-flavored drink, and muscatel with dessert. Dessert was a very light, plain cake and Valencia orange slices sprinkled with cinnamon (such a wonderful way to eat oranges). It all felt very authentic. 

Today’s color is saffron.