Last April, I received an email in my inbox with "encuentro gastronómico" written in the subject line. A gastronomic encounter? A foodie adventure? I'm in.

Top Chef España was beginning their competition and needed American taste testers for the second episode of the Spanish TV series. I still have no idea why I was contacted or how they found my email, but I'd like to think that blogging has some perks... like television fame.

With friends Jessica of Curiosity Travels and Amy of Restless Fork Blog. Photo Courtesy of Jessica.

Again with Jessica and Amy. Photo courtesy of Jessica.

"So.. what's your favorite Spanish food?" Luke asked as we rounded the corner into Plaza Mayor.

I scoured my brain for a good answer... something interesting and authentic that wasn't too typical like paella. But I came up short.

"Um. I don't know," I said, before I could blurt out something stupid like "free tapas."

How do you not know, I asked myself.  You have been living in Spain for eight months and you don't have a favorite food?! Pull yourself together, Kelsey.

I guess it was a good idea for me to be on the Madrid Food Tour that night. Not only to eat a ton of delicious tapas, but to also learn a little more about this city that I currently call home.

Usually, I try to avoid playing tourist and I prefer exploring on my own, but this tour was something I had had my eye on for awhile. When my cousin Kristin was told last-minute that she'd be flying to Madrid for work, I was determined to make it happen for us.

So on a rainy Saturday night in March, Kristin and I joined a small group huddled under umbrellas to bar hop around Madrid on a Tapas, Taverns & History Tour.

We were immediately pulled into a quaint, old bar to set down the umbrellas and enjoy a glass (or two.. or three..) of vermouth during introductions by our tour guides Luke and James. I had probably walked past this bar hundreds of times before and never even thought to take a look inside - not knowing what I was missing.

Along with the vermouth, we wasted no time and started snacking on the traditional delicacies: cured Iberian ham, salted Marcona almonds, toasted bread with chopped tomatoes, Manchego cheeses, country olives, and more.

"So, if you're wondering what to do with these olive pits.." James said to the group as he took one from his mouth and tossed it on the floor. "It's tradition."

Many of the men laughed at this and joined in by throwing their pits under the bar, but Kristen and I hesitated. She had been collecting her pits in a napkin in her hand and said it just didn't feel right to throw it on the ground. But Luke soon noticed this, took the napkin from her hand and chucked it along with rest of the trash - well, if it's tradition!

I think I would've been content if our tour had ended there, but we were just getting started. We ventured out to the next destination while our guides did their best to keep us dry without skipping a single historical sight or interesting tidbit along the way.
Stomping through puddles in Plaze de Oriente, we found ourselves looking up at a statue of King Phillip IV on a rearing horse. It's based on a painting by Valezquez where the horse is standing on its back legs, explained our guides. In order to ensure that the bronze sculpture would balance, Galileo was called in to calculate the stability. He suggested to make the rear of the horse in solid bronze and the rest hollow. Surprisingly, the weight of the statue rests on its tail and hind legs.


We continued on, twisting and turning down glistening cobblestone streets and crammed into a tiny old wine cellar from the 1800s. With standing room only, we cozied up to the bar with the locals and tasted a few more tapas: enormous meatballs, anchovies in vinegar, spicy chorizo and my absolute favorite - queso de cabrales a la sidra.  This gourmet blue cheese from Northern Spain is blended with the signature cider from Astruias and generously spread across a slice of fresh bread. Each bite has an intense, tangy flavor that paired perfectly with the dry white wine chosen by the guides.



And as the night kept getting better, our next stop was La Casa Del Abuelo. While I'd like to keep some of the tour destinations secret, this one is too good not to share. The restaurant was founded in 1906 and still holds that old charm. They specialize in gambas al ajillo, a delicious shrimp dish that arrives sizzling in garlic and olive oil. Soak up the oil with some bread and wash it down with their signature sweet Alicante wine and you'll be hooked. While the wine may be a little too sweet for some people on its own, combining it with the salty shrimp is a perfect pair.


Another favorite dish was traditionally a poor man's food made from the wastes of the cow: Callos a la Madrileña. It's a hearty spanish stew of tripe, spicy chorizo, ham and chickpeas in a thick tomato sauce with a slight spicy kick.

To balance out your diet with some green, I recommend the freshly grilled asparagus with a generous squeeze of lemon.



We finished off the tour with chocolate crepes and sat down with a few pitchers of sangria to digest before calling it a night.

My stomach was full of delicious foods, but also aching from laughter. Of course I enjoyed tasting everything and learning about Spanish history, but James and Luke's quick wit and good conversation really made the tour something special. Kristin and I both agreed that this was a wonderful way to spend an evening in Madrid.

I really wish I had decided to take this tour much sooner to learn about the city, its history and discover the best dishes in Spain.

So, what did I choose as my favorite Spanish food? Well, that's a whole 'nother blog post…

Have YOU ever tried a food tour? If so, how was the experience? Comment below!

For more information about Madrid Food Tour and the many different tours and tastings they offer, check out their website. I'm dying to make it to one of their wine events! And if you want to start drooling, follow their posts on instagram.

Lauren, MFT's owner and author of the blog Spanish Sabores, hosted my Tapas, Taverns, & History Tour in exchange for this post. As always, all opinions are entirely my own.

Happy Spring everyone! It seemed that spring had arrived about three weeks early in Madrid: people out on the terraces with tapas and wine, picnics strewn across the parks, even shorts and sandals seemed acceptable! Then I went to Morocco for the weekend and when I came back, it was gone.

You take a picture of an awesome travel moment (or select a previous one), upload it onto the site, write a short message, sign your name through the touchscreen or trackpad, and send!

Tucked away on a narrow street, south of La Latina and west of Lavapies, there is a place. It barely fits the category of "restaurant." Monday through Friday its metal doors are closed and strewn with graffiti. But on the weekends, it comes alive.

El Capricho Extremeño is THE place to go for cheap tostas on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. While there are no menus, no waiters, and no place to sit, it serves up some of the best open-faced sandwiches in Madrid.
On some Saturdays, you'll be able to enter calmly and examine the sandwiches before telling the old, smiling man behind the counter what you want. If you're lucky, you'll even be able to order a beer to drink at the bar with your food. The tostas are not always the same each day, but at most times you can choose from an assortment - each one with a generous serving of toppings over ciabatta bread.

The usual options are pulpo de Gallega (Galician Octopus), tortilla de patatas (Spanish omelette), bacalao con pimientos (cod with peppers, olives and pickles) ensaladilla russa (potato salad with veggies and chicken/ham), smoked salmon, toasted brie with raspberry marmalade, and of course Jamón Serrano (the very famous Spanish ham!).
El Capricho Extremeño can be found on Calle de Carlos Arniches, 30.
The tostas are either €2.50 or €3 each.

I'm lying on the floor of a cabin in the mountains. Stretched out on my back, palms facing upward, feet hip distance apart and toes splaying outward.. just as the teacher had instructed.
Before I knew it, we were back to Yoga Nidra for the second night. By this point, I was given a little more background and understood that Yoga Nidra is a form of deep, conscious relaxation. While you are not meant to sleep, your body and mind should reach a state of subtle euphoria.

I had another deep sleep that night and awoke Sunday excited for the morning yoga session and even more excited for the breakfast to follow.

Sunday was filled with more hiking and beautiful views of snowcapped mountains. We had a little yoga playtime outside before some partner meditation. Like I said before, mediation is not something I'm extremely comfortable with, so meditation with a partner makes it even more difficult. I recognize that I'm not a very touchy-feely, affectionate person. (When I first started yoga, I cringed when I saw the teacher coming to adjust me. And I would tense up during the savasana massage. Now, I basically beg them to assist me and help reach the pose I may not be capable of on my own.) So meditating while embracing someone else or staring into their eyes was just a little awkward for me.

After various group meditation exercises, we went back to the cabin for our last meal together before heading home to Madrid. We talked about that afternoon's meditation and what we need to work on personally. Whether it be giving, receiving, comforting someone or feeling comfortable yourself, you should accept who/how you are, but also recognize how you can improve. While I hated the partner meditation at the time, this conversation afterwards definitely made it worth it and will be something I'll reflect on for awhile.

The whole weekend actually followed this same theme within yoga, meditation and life (and my Spanish abilities!): accept who you are and where you are, but be open to change and improvement. Overall, the retreat just re-awakened my love of yoga and reminded me that I deserve to treat my mind and body to special experiences like this one.

For more info on Yogamente and Teresa's yoga retreats, visit their website and Facebook page.