Casual observations and edible thoughts.....

The Fresa

this is Jesus, you can see him from everywhere in the city. Seems like SS is a bit of a retirement spot, about 80% of people on any given street, at any given time, are retirees. Figure that being such a tranquil place (during winter) and with a big Hezoos watching over why not? Actually, I get the feeling that it is a little audacious being young and white around this time of year, like - what the hell are you here for? it is not even summer yet! Yep, tranquil place, except for the multiple construction sites, and the drivers; take your life in your hands crossing the road. Three kinds of drivers:
1 - dangerously inept: SS has tight roads with complex lane markings, some people fizzle out and stop, just come to a halt while they figure out what the hell is going on with the markings.
2 - Crazy fast: Typically in flash cars, these people disregard common sense in the hope of getting as far away as possible from group 1 drivers.
3 - Scooters: No shit, you will just be minding your own business, and all of a sudden a division of scooters will come hooning around the corner - two stroke engines screaming like banshees - and you'll think "f$ck, im in Mad Max or something". Run or make a stand.

Check this out for instance. This cop just gets out of his car and starts causing mayhem in this busy T junction. I thought is was because these two cars had stopped in the middle of it and started loading the boot with bags and suitcases. But no, after a while of causing a nuisance they just pottered off. Still have no idea what the cop was doing. I was just pondering traffic and laughing about it as I approached this intersection. Why? Because as I was walking along, in a straight line, at a constant pace, this woman crashed into the back of me. Fully bowled into me. Thing was we were going in the same direction! How does that even happen? Bang! After I crossed this road I was walking down the street, same pace, same straight line of path, totally even everything. This guy coming the other way, he cant decide which way to go around me. He motions left, then hesitates, right, left, right. He is like an attacker trying to beat a defender. Ronaldo or something. At the last minute I move left around him just as this blasted bus shoots past at an incredible pace, the wind nearly bowls me over and the mirror just whistled past my ear. Scared the shit out of me. I crossed at the next lights and for some reason a car screeched and beeped horn, I have no idea why, but my nerves were shot, totally wrecked. I hurried home and locked my door.

Meet Rodriguez. He is from Mexico, and he is a genuine salad dodger. If you don't know what that is, use your imagination! Top bloke, young and learning. I love watching him cook because he gets the most distressed look on his face, like he knows everything is going wrong but he doesn't know why or how to fix it. Seriously pained anguished expression. Funny thing is it always comes out good. Way to go bro! Oh, I took my camera to work so I can show you what goes on INSIDE ARZAK....

This is the Primeras section, about half Arzak's brigade. I know it looks busy but actually they aren't doing shit all. And yes, I have to wear a silly hat. Stupid hat makes my head look like Frenched roast turkey leg. Speaking of French, here is a little segway about my two companions from the legion of cheese. Er, housemates that is. Jorgi and Charles. French.
They been nagging me to have like a social dinner on mondays, as it is the only night we share off. I managed to wiggle out of it last week, but after I saw what Jorgi eat for lunch yesterday I thought maybe a serve of compassion wouldn't go astray. What did he eat?
Well, it was quick, that is good. Ha. It was frozen spinach - comes in a block, precooked. He jammed it in the micro for a bit, then garnished it with some ham, chopped it all together, then took some thing which was like a seafood stick, like super super processed something - I was not brave enough to ask, and chopped that into it. It pains me to recall it. Nevertheless, he demolished it with great relish. So, I went and got some prawns, some nice salmonettas, some beers, a bottle of Txakoli, few herbs and stuff; thinking "yeah, good times, food, bevvies, laughs, good times...." Ha, bastards. Rocked up with a loaf of bread and some potatoes. Turns out they are a very peculiar breed of people that I rarely meet, and that mystify me a little. That is to say, they can't cook......
Their plan was to make a D'afenoise. Well, actually, the plan was for me to make it. Uh uh. No go.
Not only did they not bring any beers, they wouldn't drink mine either, something about homework. How old are you guys, really?
Anyhoo, I digress, next week they assure me will be better. Got that right frog eaters!

Arzak had a new kitchen installed in 2005, and they had the walls done like this - it is an interpretation of fish scales. 

This is my little universe. Or was.
The three pots are for the chocolate well, spheres I guess.
See that fork handle sticking up from the container to the left of the hotplate? Keep that in mind, you'll see..... The little pot with the vials in it are for the 'Fractal' - that is another story!
The pot in the middle has a powdery substance that turns liquid around 200 Celsius. It is my new charge, I have to dip stuff in it, and it scares the shit out of me. Got some of it on my thumb this eve. Good news is that it doesn't hurt because it is so hot it just destroys your nerves on contact, you just hear it sizzling your skin like crackling. But when the pain does arrive, and it does, it takes a little bit of time to pass. Ouch.

So this is the 'Fresa'
The round things are these hot jelly spheres full of melted chocolate. The red sauce is 'Fresa Caldo' - Strawberry sauce, the Green thing is mint & spinach I/C and the coloured shenanigans is chiffonade flower petals. Probably Arzak's most popular desert.
I ate one the other night. Interesting. I was eating it, and some part of my brain was jilted into action. Something happened in my head, but it was too subtle to grasp, I only have a memory of it but i'm not sure how real it was. Like fog - you can feel it and see it but if you try to grab it you have nothing. So subtle. You see, the flavours are very fresh and vibrant, and the spinach in the icecream is very grassy, and as I was eating it I was fully cognisant that I was in a kitchen, looking at a spoon that just came from my mouth, but there was a separate me almost, as if I were split into two. The other me had zoomed back into time and was back at my dad's house as a young kid mowing the lawn, and my mouth was the grass catcher, and I was eating the most succulent, divine, grassy compost I could ever imagine. And then the other me had a thought - man this is hard going, the grass must be a little bit damp. In my mouth something had changed - the icecream had acted on the melted chocolate, and solidified it. It was all chewy. And then it was all over, and I didn't even realise such a subtle shift in my perception of reality had occurred. It only gradually came to my awareness over the next hour or so. That is how subtle. Nice one Arzak, you got me. Everyone knows that channeling memories is one of the powers that cuisine can harness, just watch the ending to Pixar's animated film 'Ratatouille', but this was truly a master stroke. Kudos.
P.s today I found out what the flowers we use to garnish the Fresa are called - Pensamientos. Can you guess what the translation is? Go on, it's right in front of you, just think......
'Thoughts'