E&M: Our Reception

So the big day was yesterday.  We had dinner with around 40 guests at Alba Restaurante Español on Tomas Morato in Quezon City.  Here's our buffet spread (photos to follow, courtesy of my friend johnnydu):

Tapas (Appetisers):

Tabla de Embutidos-- various Spanish cold cuts

Pescado Vinaigretta-- raw fish marinated in a vinaigrette (basically a kinilaw)

Coca Mallorca-- Mallorcan pie, quite similar to a pizza

Champignon al Ajillo-- mushrooms in garlic sauce

Croquetas de Pollo-- fried chicken croquettes

Calamares y Rabas Fritas-- battered and deep-fried squid (with tentacles)

Albondigas-- Spanish-style meatballs

Sopa: Caldo de Mallorca-- soup of chorizos, morcillas, beans, and cabbage

Ensalada: Ensalada Catalunia--salad of lettuce, carrots, jamon serrano, and parmesan cheese

Pasta: Espaguetis dela Casa-- Alba's house spaguetti; sauce of tomatoes and fried chorizos, topped with parmesan cheese

Verdura (Vegetable Course): Berenjenas al Horno-- roasted eggplant baked with anchovies and three kinds of cheese

Paellas:

Paella Valenciana-- Valencian paella with pork, seafood, and vegetables

Paella de Pollo Finas Hierbas-- chicken paella with fine herbs

Platos (Main Courses):

Lengua Sevillana-- ox tongue with mushrooms and olives in a sherry brown sauce

Cochinillo Asado-- oven-roasted suckling pig

Tuhod y Batoc-- stewed ox kneecap and chuck in brown sauce

Caldereta de Cabrito-- goat stew in a tomato-based spicy sauce

Pollo al Ajillo-- chicken in garlic sauce

Pescado a la Vizcaina-- fish in a tomato-based sauce

Rosbif Español-- sliced roast beef with gravy

Postres (Desserts):

Canonigo-- soft meringue (like the whote part of a brazo de mercedes) with a custard sauce

Torta de Sta. Teresa-- torte with almonds and yema (candies egg yolk balls)

Lemon Squares-- tangy lemon pudding on a thin crust

Frutas-- watermelon and pineapple

Spice Trade

There was a time when spices were so expensive in Europe that they were more expensive than gold.  After centuries of subsisting on salt, herbs, and cheeses to flavour their food, Europeans couldn't get enough of exotic Eastern spices when these were introduced by Arab merchants.  This hunger eventually forced Europeans to find alternatives to the Arab spice monopoly, bringing in the Age of Exploration, the "discovery" of the New World and the Philippines, and eventually colonisation and all the problems it generated.

Fast-forward to today where mass production means spices are affordable by everyone and globalisation means they're potentially available everywhere.  Thanks to these economic forces of our day, here's what I got from my last Bay Area trip, and how I plan to use them:

7 Spices-- Arab spice mix, also known as bokharat; stews, rub for roasts

Berbere-- Ethiopian spice mix; stews, rub for roasts

Cayenne Pepper-- ground Mexican cayenne pepper (really a chilli powder); seasoning

Chile Arbol-- Mexican dried chile, hot; stews, sauces

Chile Chipotle-- Mexican dried chile, hot; stews, sauces

Chile Pasilla-- Mexican dried chile, mild; stews, sauces, for stuffing

Furikake-- Japanese condiment mix; rice topping

Jerk Spices-- Jamaican spice mix; rub for roasts

Kabsah Spices-- Arab spice mix; stews, stock base for rice

Ras El Hanout-- Arab spice mix, literally meaning "head of the shop"; stews, rub for roasts

Shichimi Togarashi-- Japanese seven-spice mix; seasoning, rice topping

Sumac-- ground Iranian sumac fruit; seasoning, stews, rice topping

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By the way, for the English nuts out there, here's a guide on the proper usage of chile, chili, and chilli:

Chile refers to the pod of the Capsicum genus of plants; e.g., habanero chile.

Chili refers to the Latin American or Southwestern dish made with meat and beans; e.g., chili con carne.

Chilli refers to the ground spice sold as a seasoning or in a mix; e.g., chilli powder.