Chapter 16: Valencia Kitchen Club
Club Cocina--in English "Kitchen Club"
01.10.2023 - 01.10.2023 90 °F
View From Barcelona on Cunard on paulej4's travel map.
"Valencia"
Sunday, October 1, 2023
The sentence that hooked me: "Soak up picturesque scenes of Valencia en route to Algirós Market, where you'll meet your expert chef for a spot of shopping." Two for one: "picturesque scenes" for Paul and "your expert chef for a spot of shopping" for B4.
For context, I have, offered far in advance, pre-reserved through Cunard, a $125 per person, four-hour, moderate activity level activity dubbed "Club Cocina Experience." Here is the narrative that, after the sentence above, hooked me: "This new market follows the latest fresh-food trends and is perfect for acquiring the fresh ingredients needed for your Valencian culinary journey. Then in the kitchen of Valencia Club Cocina don your apron, roll up your sleeves, and prepare delicious sangria to commence your cooking lesson. Delving into traditional recipes, you'll uncover all the tricks and secrets for spectacular Spanish paella, Spanish omelette and more. Afterwards, sit down and enjoy the fruits of your labour."
However, Cunard later let us know, "Algirós Market will be closed on Sundays. As a result, the panoramic drive will be extended to replace this section of the Shore Experience. We thank you for understanding." Can B4 cook without the spot of shopping for ingredients? As a person who despises shopping, I ought to be happy. But I'm not.
In the final analysis, however, it is not often that the gods of travel bestow such a mutually satisfying offering. For B4: "don your apron," "cooking lesson," "tricks and secrets." For Paul: "sangria," "paella," "sit down."
I know i have made it very clear that i am over tours with lines and trinket shops. Paul told me last night that he picked this just for me because it is a cooking class and he knew i would enjoy it. Well, one can't hear that and then say 'i'd rather not go' - and he is right, a cooking class is right up my alley. This was great fun. I always looked at Paella sort of like an omelet, any of last nights left overs can find their way to an omelet, so i assume with a Paella. Today i learned that only certain things go into a paella and anything else render it 'rice with stuff'. You don't mix seafood and meat, the preparation is completely different. Who knew. I've already checked amazon for the right rice and a paella dish. I may just give it a try at home. I've made paella a few times but used William Sonoma's paella starter kit. Am i ready to step up to the real thing? I learned a few other tricks this morning. Parchment paper, a kitchen staple, to make it fit into the pan and mold to it, crumple it up and run it under water. Then squeeze out the water and put the white parchment paper in the pan. Another thing i will try. The Spanish omelet is cooked very thick, like a cake. to turn it over, the chef put a lid over the pan, turned the pan upside down and then slide the omelet from the lid back into the pan. Another thing to try.
Paul enjoyed a bit of Sangria before 10am this morning! It was the concept of cooking all morning that drove me to it.
We made a whole meal, Spanish omelet as an appetizer, chicken paella (they said for these classes they leave out rabbit, for which i am thankful), a spongecake with vanilla ice cream for dessert.
Paul can no longer tell me he cannot and does not cook! For a guy whose best dish is raisen bran crunch with skim milk, he did pretty good. I'll have you know that I also cook Papa Murphy's Take 'N Bake Pizza to perfection. Most of the time anyway.
Of course, there is also Valencia itself.
And, should you wish to invest, there is this.
Our last night aboard Queen Elizabeth is, as is always the case with cruises, is bittersweet. New friends are left, as it were, in your wake. We exchange contact information with Lisa and Mike and Jo and Mary. In the process, the most amazing thing occurs.
When you meet people on cruises, you know them by their first name, "Hi, we are Beryl and Paul," we say. We don't say Raff and Russell. We just don't. But when we exchange contact information with hours remaining after two weeks, last names become apparent. When Mary's last name becomes known--it is unique--Lisa and Mike ask, "Oh my, that's an unusual name. Do you by any chance know..." and they mention a young woman with whom they are friendly through dance in Pittsburgh. "That's our niece," Mary and Joe say together.
The story that follows is one that was shared between the six of us and was remarkable, poignant and, well, unlikely. We laughed and listened and asked and answered, wishing to know more but, as the minutes ticked by and two needed to dance and two needed to pack and two needed to finish their bananas foster; well, our time had expired. We know we'll be in touch with our Meal Mates. Maybe even all plan another cruise.
