The Kitchen of The Villagrans

Lunch has especial significance in Spain. It is the largest meal, usually comprised of at least three courses, and is eaten around 2:30 in the afternoon. I usually spend the rest of my afternoons snoozing it off. The food is delicious. A lot of the meats and some vegetables are fried and served, at least in my family, with a salad of cabbage and diced tomatoes.

Usually, Juan, my Spanish home-stay father, likes to prepare for lunch gespacho or Salmorejo for the first course. Today, he diced about three large tomatoes and put them in his well-used blender. He added a little milk, some garlic and a little onion, and the leftovers of yesterday's bread. Then, brrrrriiiiiiiiing, and everything was turned into a fine pink goop, something comparable in appearance to a strawberry milkshake. Then the Salmorejo was placed in the fridge to cool.

 And then, for the main course, we had some of the best shrimp I've ever eaten. The whole table was the scene of a head-cracking, shell-shucking, brain-slurping enjoyment.

The shrimp to be devoured.