Tortilla-palooza

I realize that this probably makes no sense to anyone but Americans but I couldn't help naming my first tortilla competition “Tortilla-palooza.” I can only imagine the puzzled looks on my Spanish friends' faces as they read the SMS message I sent out the morning of the event: Tortilla-palooza esta noche a las ocho. It isn't really meant to be a competition but more of a celebration of this great Spanish dish of eggs and potatoes. I talk about tortillas all the time and everyone has their own interpretation. This event should shape up to be a mix between The Galloping Gourmet and The Ultimate Fighting Competition.

I should probably get a job cooking for a huge family since shopping for food and preparing it has become one of my favorite things to do here in Spain. I went to the Ruzafa Market and was able to buy food in the quantities that earn respect for you in this place: three kilos of potatoes, two kilos of onions, two kilos of various sausages, a huge bag of olives, two dozen eggs, and four loaves of bread. I would say that I have become rather adept at shopping in the market. It's not like rocket science but I'd like to see a rocket scientist try to out-maneuver some little Spanish grandmother in line at the butcher. The old ladies here would make mincemeat out of those braniacs from NASA. I may not be able to name all twelve planets in our solar system, but at least I can keep from getting punked in line by an 83 year old Spanish woman.

I made my first video while making my tortilla. I have a lot to learn about making videos as you can see from the final product. I missed a few key points in the instruction, partly because I forgot ans partly because my camera woman was MIA. I'll try to do better the next time around. My friend Adrian also made a tortilla. He favors using a lot more egg in his dish and he doesn't use onion. He says that if you use onion then it isn't a tortilla de patatas but a tortilla de patatas con cebollay. I would expect nothing less than gastronomical tyranny from a Valenciano. He told me that he actually learned how make a tortilla properly only when he was in Italy studying in the Erasmus program. He had a housemate from Asturias who instructed him on the Northern Spain method of making a tortilla. He uses even more oil to cook the potatoes than I do. His tortilla was almost a disaster after his first turn but I helped him fix it and the dish came out really well. I was afraid that I might usurp the local boy. I actually told everyone that it wasn't a competition but I was gald to hear that several people preferred his tortilla to mine. I am magnanimous in defeat if I have had enough to eat and drink.

This is my first attempt at making a video with my new camera. I used Windows Movie Maker to edit although I didn’t do much as you can see. I hate having to learn a new program through trial and a hell of a lot of errors. My next video will be more professional and more entertaining—I promise.