Gluten Free Foodies
Celebrate the foods that you can eat!
The Unlikely Spaniard Cooks Up Paella At Your Event!
September 19th, 2012 at Wed, 19th, 2012 at 10:00 am by Lisa - Gluten Free Foodie
I must admit it ... I am passionate about Paella!
It truly is my favorite meal to make and eat!
There is just something about the process of making the meal
outside over a hot wood burning fire pit.
If you don't have a fire pit you can use a propane Paella burner.
It isn't just about an awesome meal with friends and family ... it is a fiesta!
I love adding the layers of the Paella and chatting with friends
over a glass of Grenache or Tempranillo and tapas while the Paella is cooking, approximately 2 hours.
Depending on the type of Paella you make, Vegetarian or with meat, I usually add the vegetables and meat - pork or chicken and Spanish chorizo first to coat and season the pan. Once the ingredients are incorporated I add the rice. I let the rice get a little crusty, picking up the caramelized, sticky bits from the meat and vegetable coating.
Now here is the point where most "Paella-afficiandos" differ ...
I add the saffron broth after the rice - without stirring!
The way I learned to make Paella is to never stir it because this cooks the flavor into the rice and makes for a crunchy and sticky texture to the meal. When there is just a bit of the broth left, I add the seafood - muscles, langoustine or prawns and clams.
It really is easy and fun to make but for some people it is best left to the Paella experts.
Well if you have never made Paella but want to have a Paella Party you are in luck!
The Unlikely Spaniard is a catering company that specializes in Paella Events throughout Washington.
Well, this brings me to this past weekend.
I had the pleasure of meeting Preston Todd - The Unlikely Spaniard.
We enjoyed a brief chat about our passion for Paella!
We chatted about the various techniques to make Paella.
Preston went to Spain and it sounds like he learned from the best over 3 years of training!
The Unlikely Spaniard is family owned and operated business. I met Preston and his beautiful family - teenage daughters and nephew this past weekend while they were operating their booth at the Taste of Lynnwood on Bainbridge Island. The kids enjoy helping out with the service and social media side of the business. They are all very professional and lovely.
Preston says that they cater private and corporate events throughout Washington State.
I asked Preston how he became so passionate about Paella. Preston is from Montana and his wife is Peruvian with a passion for all things Spanish! He told me that when he and his wife lived in the U District they rented a room to a visiting Professor named Azucea from Spain. She would stay with them for 3 months every year for 13 years. Over the years they traveled to Spain and Preston learned, slowly how to become a "Paellero" - a Paella Chef!
Since the very beginning of their friendship they are now more like family visiting yearly.
Their families' passion for Paella has turned into a very delicious business!
"Paella is a religion! A lot of people make Paella differently ... I love it!
I'm from Montana and that is why I am
The Unlikely Spaniard!" - Preston Todd
I am so glad that I had a chance to meet Preston and his family.
The Paella was awesome!
I highly recommend The Unlikely Spaniard for your next event!
Check out their website to see everything that they can
make for your perfect Paella Event!
I can only imagine how good their flan and tapas must be!
Look at their website for their menu.
For more information contact via email Preston Todd, or call 206 384 3166 to cater your events.
You can also follow The Unlikely Spaniard on Facebook and twitter @PaellabyPreston.
Salud!
Lisa
Lisa - Gluten Free Foodie Learning to live Gluten Free is a challenge. Gathering with like minded people while exchanging ideas, life experiences and gluten free food is more interesting! So I created, Gluten Free Foodies, to support people with Celiac Disease, Gluten Intolerant and other Food Sensitive people by gathering at events and celebrating the foods that we can eat! Do you have a Gluten Free question you want the answer to? Feel free to send me an email at glutenfreefoodies@gmail.com Original blog - GlutenFreeFoodies.co After all, didn't Erma Bombeck once say ... "I am not a glutton, I am an explorer of food."
More articles by Lisa - Gluten Free Foodie >
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