Rocky drinking from a natural spring 2017

Yesterday, our friends Eileen and Kieran drove us to El Parque Natural de Redes so we could explore La Ruta de Albas (The Route of the Dawn), considered one of the top 23 trails in Asturias by some. This gorgeous path follows the Alba River and features waterfalls of varying sizes around almost every corner. Our hike definitely lived up to the accolades! The trail started on the outskirts of the quaint town of Sobrescobio which was so picturesque that we declared the route a favorite before we even got to the trailhead. We were greeted at the beginning by a jovial, old guy selling bags of hazlenuts and walking sticks to help raise money for trail maintenance. His smile and friendly chatter had us all smiling immediately.

Sobrescobio is located in the southeast section of Asturias at the eastern limit of the Nalon mineral basin and is a town of just under 900 inhabitants. Many of the original farm houses there have been preserved or renovated and stand alongside newer constrruction giving the town a unique charm, a layering of the old and new, ancient and modern.

Right before we reached the trailhead, we passed a natural spring or well where one of the town residents was filling up his water bottle. As tempting as it was to do the same, I couldn’t help but remember a similar spring that we encountered on a trail in the Quiros Valley in 2017. At the time, I was hosting my first Spain Yoga & Hiking Retreat and we were on the very first hike of our trip. Our Spanish hiking guide filled up his water bottle when we approached the spring and Rocky lined up to do the same. Having traveled quite a bit in South America where we are warned against drinking anything but bottled water, I hestitated to do the same. A few of us more cautious types also warned Rocky against it but he was all in with the experience. After all, our guide had just filled his own bottle and was enthusiastically tipping his head back and enjoying a cold fresh drink. Who could blame Rocky for dumping his now lukewarm filtered water from the hotel and refilling his bottle with the icy-cold spring water? It did look deliciously refreshing on a hot day!

Unfortunately for Rocky, that turned out to be an “I told you so moment,” that took a full week to recover from fully. No need to elaborate. You can use your imagination! Yesterday when Kieran suggested we fill our water bottles at the spring, Rocky and I looked at each other and laughed, remembering our first trip. We both said simultaneously, “No way!”  But… never say never! Perhaps when we’ve lived here for a number of years, our gut microbiome will have adapted and we will also able to drink with gusto from the mountain streams. My Spanish teacher Cristina recently taught me the Spanish equivalent to “Never Say Never,” which interestingly references water: “Nunca digas, de este agua no beberé” or literally, “Never say, I will not drink this water!”

What are your “Never Say Never” moments? As a pescatarian, I can’t imagine I’ll ever willingly eat Callos a la Asturiana, a classic Spanish stew made with beef tripe. In fact, when I was a student at La Universidad Complutense de Madrid for a year in 1978, I went hiking with some friends who promised to bring a picnic lunch to share. After many hours of hiking we sat down for lunch and out came two cans of callos! As hungry as I was, I could not bring myself to even take a bite. I feel the same way about Nudillos de Cerdo, pigs knuckles, although both are considered delcacies here.

Luckily for me, there are more Spanish specialites that I love, than not. Last Friday, Rocky and I took a Spanish cooking class at Umami, a cooking school in Gijon, with ten of our friends from Spanish language classes. Cocinero (Chef) Fran, started us off with Salmorejo, a cold, Gazpacho-like tomato soup that is perfect on a hot summer day. Salmorejo, which originates from Andalucia in southern Spain, combines fresh tomatoes, bread, extra virgin olive oil and garlic. Garnished with a butterflied shrimp, a deep-fried basil leaf and for some, a crispy piece of Jamon iberico (ham), it was as beautiful as it was delcious.

The second course was Pulpo Rustido Con Espuma de Patata, which was sauteed octopus on a potato puree. Some of you may remember that pulpo used to be one of my favorite foods. That was, until I saw the movie, My Octopus Teacher. After watching the touching documentary-style movie about a deep sea diver and his obsession or love for an octopus, I could not bring myself to eat octopus anymore. I kept envisioning the sweet underwater hug between the octopus and the diver. Jeez, how could I eat it after that? I said, “never again!” But…never say never, right?

Fran had us sauteeing octopus which was going to be served on potato puree blended to a creamy consistency with rich truffles.  The dish looked and smelled divine. Talk about tempting me!  Knowing my existential octopus struggle, my friends in class spun a story about how the octopus was on the last of its eight legs when it was caught and her dying wish was to be appreciated for her delicousness. How could I say no?  I’m still not going to order it at a restaurant, but if it lands on a plate in front of me, I will always be hard pressed not to grab a fork. You can bet I’m going to avoid watching any similar movies that might come out like My Sister the Squid or The Clan of the Clams, though. I don’t want to have to give up all of my favorites!

The third course was a fried corn torta topped with Cabrales cheese, which is a hearty blue cheese from Asturias, and a cooked apple compote. The combination of the sweet compote on the tangy cheese was surprisingly yummy given that I usually prefer a bit milder cheese. Thinking again about our first trip to Asturias, I remembered ducking into a dark, cavernous, meson (a bar/ restaurant) in Oviedo on our first night in Spain. Rocky and I had just watched an awesome rock concert featuring a band which could have been described as the Spanish equivalent of Queen. The entirely unexpected concert took place in the outdoor plaza of a Cathedral during a downpour. Being from Seattle, where umbrellas are usually thought to be only for the weak, we had not thought to bring anything but rain jackets. Although thoroughly soaked, we were excited to finally be in Spain and anxious to check off some of our list of must-try foods and drinks. Rocky had read about this very special blue cheese called Cabrales that is matured inside caves in Asturias. The cave-grown process results in molds developing inside the cheese that give it an oily consistency and a very intense flavor.

What better way to start our visit than with an Asturian cheese platter and a glass of wine?  We ordered our cena, usually a light evening snack, and let our eyes acclimate to the inside of the meson. The meson walls were thick, ancient stone and seemed to transport us back in time. The tables were heavy, dark wood with wrought iron chairs and added to the feeling of timelessness I felt being there. There were a few other people at the bar but we felt like we had the place mostly to ourselves.

When the waitress approached our table with the cheese platter, we were surprised at the color of the Cabrales. It was so moldy, that it was black and the smell was overwhelming, but not in a good way. Definitely not what we were expecting! We each tried a tiny bit but did not enjoy the flavor. There may have been some gagging and I know there was lots of laughing. I would not have been surprised if the waitresses were peeking out at us from the back room, mocking the wimpy Americans. Old Cabrales, we have discovered is an aquired taste! Thankfully, Cabrales is enjoyed in much younger states as well, where the taste and smell are not nearly as “fuerte” or strong.

The final course on Friday was Arroz Negro Cremoso de Chipirones y Mahonesa de Azafran ( Black Rice with Squid and Saffron Mayonnaise). Cocinero Fran showed us how to make a fish stock to which we added small packets of squid ink. We were surprised to find out that squid ink is available in the freezer section of the grocery store in Spain!  Peppers, onions, and garlic were sauteed in a large frying pan to which we added rice and the fish broth with squid ink. In the meantime, we cleaned the fresh squid, easily removing the spines, and the guts by just pulling them out with our fingers. The squid was chopped and added to the rice and broth along with the squid tentacles. Fran then showed us how to whip up a homemade mayo with saffron that we used to garnish the squid and rice dish after it cooked. The result was amazing with the bright yellow mayo dotting the black rice. One bite and I was once again transported back to 2017. Have you noticed how certain tastes and smells can take you back in time?

This time I remembered sharing a memorable meal with our friend, Candy, during the few days we had in Oviedo prior to the first retreat. It was her first retreat with me and her first time in Spain. She asked us to do the ordering and said she would eat whatever we ordered. I’m pretty sure she will never do that again!  She has never let us forget that we ordered squid in its ink! For some reason she did not find the black rice and squid appetizing although she did take a few tentative bites before throwing in her napkin and declaring herself, “full!” Rocky and I happily gobbled up her share! Next week, Candy is coming to Gijon for a few days to visit us before we all travel to Bordeaux for the Wine & Poses Retreat in Bergerac, France. We promised her there will be no squid in its ink on the menu while she is here.

“Chef” Fran garnishing the Black Rice and Squid with Mayo

Food, wine, hiking, practicing Spanish and exploring fill our days now. Our bellies are full and are hearts our happy. There are very few things we will not try, at least once. Traveling has taught us to be more open minded, adventurous and curious. Nunca digas, de este agua no beberé. Someday, we may even drink the water right from the spring!

From the author: 

Want to read more about Cabrales Cheese?  https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queso_de_Cabrales

Curious about La Ruta de Alba? https://asturias.com/ruta-del-alba/

Want to figure out your own “Never Say Never” list? Consider going on retreat with us! Traveling internationally is not only educational but it can change your life! http://www.globalyogatrips.com