Under a block of luxury apartments in Empuria, is Philippe’s Bar. It’s a lovely friendly little place run by Mirmou and his team. Tonight is gala night with music and dancing. The bar is frequented by Dutch and Spanish and a few English and Irish (namely us). Tonight we are served a five course meal for 25 euros including an aperitif, wine and live music.

It’s a laugh from the beginning. The organist warms up with a few well known numbers and then people are up and dancing. We watch in fascination as seemingly staid and somewhat boring looking people suddenly turn into animated, graceful and coordinated dancers.

Mirmou serves us a cocktail of Codorniu (one of the nicest Cava wines in Spain) and stops for a chat. He can’t speak much English but he speaks French (like most of the Spanish) and I chat away to him and catch up with all the news from the bar. When we first met him he would greet us with what sounded like “Allo Cheese-my”. We thought maybe it was a Catalan greeting – no. Maybe a Spanish greeting? – no. German or Dutch? – No. Turns out it was an English greeting he had picked up from a crowd of Londoners, who had thanked him with a friendly “Cheers Mate” as they left. So ever after we christened the place Cheesemi.

After a few more drinks we brave the dance floor and enjoy a dance. Then I am asked for another dance, and another, and another. By the end of the night I had many new admirers!

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

During the winter, the Tramontana wind comes across the Pyrénées and hits the region and has been known to blow for several days. This year it was so severe that a boat was lifted out of its moorings and onto the jetty. The word Tramontana comes from the Latin meaning “across the mountains”. During this cold snap we go to Philippe’s bar for the Goulash soup (see recipe). It’s spicy and delicious and served with fresh crusty bread. A good dish to warm us up before the sun comes back.

GOULASH SOUP RECIPE

Serves four

800g Stewing steak cut into 3cm pieces

1 large onion chopped into 2cm pieces

1tbsp olive oil

1 large clove of garlic crushed

1 tbsp plain flour

1 tbsp sweet smoked Paprika

500ml beef stock

400gm tin of chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp tomato purée

1 Red or green pepper chopped into thin strips about 4cm long

Salt and pepper

Sour cream or yoghurt

Parsley or paprika

Brown the beef in the hot olive oil then remove to another plate. Turn the heat down and add onion and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the garlic and put the meat back in. Stir in the flour and paprika and coat everything. Now put in the beef stock, stir everything and bring to a boil. Add the tinned tomatoes and tomato purée and season with salt and pepper. Bring back to a boil. Remove from the heat and cook in a preheated oven 160ºC/140º FAN for one and a half hours. Remove from the oven, add the peppers and put back in the oven for 45 minutes. Test to see if the meat is tender and then serve in bowls. Add a spoonful of sour cream or thick yoghurt on top and sprinkle with a little parsley or paprika.

Some recipes add diced potato along with the pepper, which you may prefer to do. This also makes the dish go further.

VRUISE CRUISE NEWS

Jude and Phil spend their last evening dining at the captains table and enjoy a wonderful supper.

• 

• 

• 

After the meal, Phil and Jude are presented with some leaving presents. Phil is not sure how to wear them.

They have had a wonderful cruise despite Phil’s emergency rescue and Jude’s sore feet. In the meantime, they have enjoyed all the captivating scenery throughout Norway and look forward to their return trip next year.

• 

• 

• 

RECIPE NEWS

Here’s some pictures of tried recipes (see previous posts for recipes)

Carl and Laura’s rotisserie chicken (before they ate it this time!)

And this is Cheryl’s white Sangria

Cheers!