Saturday, January 4, 2014

I Call My Sugar Candy

San Geraldo had a doctor's appointment Friday (one of his big feet has been sore), so we rented a car and ran errands together afterward. While I waited for San Geraldo at the medical center, the Three Kings arrived in the lobby. Monday is Three Kings Day. Sunday: Parades of the Three Kings ("Cavalcadas de Los Tres Reyes") all over Spain.

The Three Kings (and friends), hospital scrubs peaking out from beneath their robes, had candy for everyone and gift-wrapped toys for the kids. As you know, I've been out of chocolate for a few days. So, I was very happy when Baltasar (Spanish spelling) filled my hand with candy. Yes, I took candy from a stranger. And nothing happened! 


I'M PRETTY SURE THIS WAS MELCHOR (SPANISH SPELLING).
STRANGE.  PAPA NOEL SENT AN ELF TO HELP OUT.
(AND NOT A VERY HAPPY ELF...)
A VERY CHARMING BALTASAR, AFTER GIVING ME MY CANDY.
I LIKE THE GUMMY ONES.

After I finished my candy, we headed to the garden center (to exchange the pots we purchased a few weeks ago — that I so carefully measured — for two of the correct size; click here for a refresher). We then headed to a store called Iceland, an international importer where San Geraldo can find all different kinds of frozen berries. I found sweet memories of my sister Dale, in a Cadbury Dairy Milk Fruit & Nut bar — her favorite (only when it came to Cadbury). I had the option to buy one big bar or four smaller, individually packaged bars. I bought the individually packaged bars because that would mean I wouldn't consume the chocolate quite so quickly. I'd only eat one bar at a time, saving the still-wrapped bars for later. It made perfect sense. It didn't work. Gone in a heartbeat! But my mental state has been improving. It must be the chocolate.

JUST HOME... ONE ALREADY DOWN, THREE TO GO.
(AND THEY WENT IN LESS THAN 5 MINUTES).

San Geraldo continues to bake his holiday breads. I think he's got one more batch (three loaves) of cranberry-orange bread and he'll be done. But maybe not. He did some substitutions on his latest batch of date spice bread and it was even better than the first three batches. He had Medjool dates this time. They didn't chop in the food processor; they puréed. So he added raisins for a bit of texture. The rich flavor of the Medjools combined with the firmness of the raisins. Heaven. Like Big Maybelle (listen to the music below), "I got a sweet tooth for my sweetheart."


BIG MAYBELLE HAD TO BE SINGING ABOUT SAN GERALDO.

20 comments:

  1. Perhaps I should send San Geraldo the recipes for my Copacabana cookies and Tropical Love muffins? Oh, and the triple chocolate jumble cookies with cherries...I'd be willing to trade for his bread recipes. =D
    I'm glad things are improving for you Mitchell, and loved (okay LOVED) the music!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jacquelineand....
      He'll give you the bread recipes for free. Your recipes in our house would be deadly... especially anything "triple chocolate"!

      Delete
  2. You're getting places too! From sunny Spain to Iceland ;-)
    Getting candy from a King, or queen, has never happened to me. I think its a nice treat for people waiting in hospital.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Peter:
      I loved it... Don't know if the dietitians in the building would agree!

      Delete
  3. I love customs involving the Three Kings. My husband and all his brothers and sisters had the name of Baldizsár as their third name, after Maria.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kristi:
      I remember you mentioning this last year. I love their spelling of the name. I'm going to the parade this evening and hope to share photos of their namesake.

      Delete
  4. He must be the 'Candy Man' then! San Geraldo that is!
    I really like that tradition.....nice that the staff get involved too!
    Can you remember the chocolate now Mitch?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ahhhhh, thanks for the music :) You come up with the greatest stuff.
    Glad to hear you're feeling better -- love the tres reyes stuff.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Judy:
      More Tres Reyes to come. My obsession with lyrics is finally coming to some sort of use. Say a word, and I start singing a song around it!

      Delete
  6. You are seriously making me want to visit Spain! I am so digging the traditions there. You have a wonderful way of describing them.

    And yes, I would have plowed through all four bars as well. Hmmm, I should run down to the British food store here in Ames and see if they have them. Decisions, Decisions.

    Best,
    Robert

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Robert:
      Our first two years in Sevilla were an amazing introduction into Spanish culture. I definitely recommend it. As for Cadbury Dairy Milk... obviously, I recommend that too.

      Delete
  7. The only time we had Cadbury was at Easter ... Cadbury eggs.... I think my daughter still carries on the tradition with her kids... and granddaughter. I have most of a chocolate bar that Bill gave me for Christmas... still in the fridge. Guess I don't have much of a sweet tooth... but I love traditions like the 3 Kings, Halloween candy, candy canes and chocolate bunnies! Hmmm... maybe I better see if they have the 3 Kings cakes (with the plastic baby Jesus to break your teeth on) at the local grocery.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sharon:
      I did like the Cadbury eggs, too. Ooh, I so want a roscon de reyes, but probably not a good thing to wave under San Geraldo's nose. (I even have 2€ coupon from El Corte Inglés...)

      Delete
  8. When are you guys opening your bed and breakfast? Please pencil me onto your schedule.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Stephen:
      Oh, we've already been down that road... and went broke. Now there's no more money to lose. Check out this post from way back: http://mitchellismoving.blogspot.com.es/2011/02/wealthy-viola-hotel-in-palm-springs-and.html

      Delete
  9. I am continually fascinated and amazed at the customs you convey. This sounds rather sweet. As usual, I think "I can not imagine anyone doing this here in the States" as someone would take umbrage.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Spo:
      I'm looking forward to this year's parade. The one is Sevilla is huge. Afterwards, the hard candies crunch under your feet and you have to wash your shoes when you get home. It would definitely not be allowed in the States. I had bumps on my head from being hit with the flying candies. The second year... I wore a hat!

      Delete
  10. Cadbury's Fruit and Nut bars are my favorite. On my bucket list to try San Geraldo's baking. xox

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nubian:
      The banana bread, the most "normal" to our experience, has been the most unusual and popular one to our Spanish friends. But, with Canary Island bananas, it's completely different. My favorite, however, is the date spice bread... except when I'm eating the cranberry-orange bread. Have fun!

      Delete

Please visit www.movingwithmitchell.com if you would like to comment or stay up to date. I stopped posting here and reproduced all previous posts, as well, 25 September 2018. Thanks!!!