Spot-On: Review - Spanish Road Trip

I'v been watching the show avidly, but you know how much I love Spain, and any view of it is candy to my eyes--even when cluttered with celebs. I've been lusting after the book, but now you make me wonder... I like Batali, and Paltrow has proven herself throughout the show not to be what I think of as a typical celeb idiot. The 3 Americans have treated Spain respectfully throughout the show and depict the Spain known to and loved by those who have lived there. They don't paint it over with American notions.

Toledo isn't far from Madrid. When I lived there, I worked M-F, and Saturdays, I considered Toledo good for a day trip. Go to the highway and hitch a ride, enjoy late morning through late afternoon in Toledo--being sure to eat some marzipan!--then go back to the highway to hitch a ride back to Madrid and arrive late evening for supper at home. There's much to enjoy in the area between Madrid and Toledo, and Batali et al have the advantage of their own car to stop and go as they like! Illescas looks to the ordinary passer-by like another tiny nothing agricultural village in La Mancha, but the El Greco frescos in its church are extraordinary!

Pisto manchego is such a very characteristic dish of L Mancha; there are probaby more recips than cooks born there! I'm glad to see you choose plum tomatoes for your ersio; it's the kind most used in Spain. I'm surprised by the choice of a Japnese eggplant rather than the larger one favored in Spain, and not to see any zucchini in your recipe. Nearly all versions I've eaten in Toledo, Daimiel, Ciudad Real and other Manchego towns as well as in Madrid have included green peppers. While living in a young women's residence in Madrid where we did out own cooking, one of my housemates was a medical student from Ciudad Real who made it for lunch nearluy every day. Her versions changed according to what she got at the market and her mood, but the tomatoes, zucchini and eggplant were always there.

I think I'd still want to take a look at the book before deciding whether or not it was worth paying for. Or whether it was worthy of being given to a person who has never been to Spain and needs a good introduction.

But you're right, I'd far rather see a paella surrounded by Spanish people than by American celebs--much as I like Batali.

Dorine,
The pisto recipe is Batali's. As for the book, it just didn't meet my expectations, which doesn't mean it was bad.

I'm glad you read it and reviewed it before I read it. I am not a big fan of TV chefs although I've tried several of Batalis recipes and had some success after adapting them. That being said, I think I prefer to go to more reliable Spanish sources than an Italian aficionado of Spanish foods and a movie star. I'll stick with my Spanish restaurateur-friend here who shares an occasional recipe with me.

Donna,
I think Batali is probably a geuinely talented chef and it may be that his Spanish roots are deeper than his Italian roots. But the man irritates me.

I agree, Kevin. He's talented but his arrogance turns me off.

There's something about him that turns me off too. I'm not even sure what it is. He is very talented. I also think a lot of his recipes are unrealistic for the "average" person and while I love to cook, I am very basic in the fact that I don't like to spend a lot of time in the kitchen (basically because of medical issues that limit my time standing and moving) so most of his stuff is pretty unrealistic for me. I like "real" food and love to cook foods that look and taste like you spent forever preparing but really didn't! BTW... I'm always checking your stuff.... you're right up my alley as a fellow "foodie"!

Thanks for posting this to Gather Recipe Review! I'm not a fan of Mario Batali, but I love recipes.