by Madison pollard
After nearly two years living abroad, I had visited about a fifteen Spanish cities, my list short of Cordoba. I threw my hands up and made the most budget-friendly AirBnB reservation, crossing my fingers it would be worth the trip. Every day since Los Patios, I feel so grateful for how that final weekend getaway …
Amsterdam is a seriously special city which I had taken too long to visit while living in Europe. The perfect opportunity arose when two of my best friends decided to visit me in Spain. Imagining the perfect week in the Mediterranean sun, kicking back with pintas, introducing them to the Andalucian views of mountains and …
I introduced art as a facet to my blog a couple of months ago as I launched The Mad Kitchen on Etsy as a means of pursuing my passion for lettering, typography and illustration in the business realm. Well, that wasn’t the start of my artwork in a professional environment. In 2014, I started working …
I visited Ronda when I was a child. I barely remembered it at all, given that it was almost twenty years ago and I was six years old. Still, I’m shocked. After returning this winter with Jeff, I realized it was one of the most memorable places I’ll ever visit and probably in my top …
I’m so thrilled to finally be getting to this post. Budapest was the last leg of our big Christmas trip. A couple of months have gone by and I’ve had time to let the memories steep and time to reflect on the menus I wish I’d ordered more from. Of Prague, Athens and Budapest, I …
I have been itching for a beautiful bowl from Cava Grill lately – I know, could I be any more of a millennial? However, we don’t have the Mediterranean restaurant chain in Spain. Just the ingredients! And as per usual, I’ve been trying to find new ways to incorporate veggies into my diet. I’ve been …
Athens is an interesting city to characterize. There’s no simple way to do it. We were the classic example of tourists who came from across the world to see the sight of history’s earliest democracy. A couple of young Americans, recently graduated with degrees in philosophy and political science. Picture perfect story line or what, …
Prague and Budapest had everything you could want in European destinations – stunning city centers, history, great food, varied restaurants, a busy buzz around town, diverse museums, an edgy side, friendly locals, easy transportation, a sense of safety and even an artsy side. Street art was visible in Prague, though this scene was not quite …
It has been two months since I opened my Etsy shop, TheMadKitchenShop and so far, the project has been a blast. While big successes, such as sales and attention take time, I’ve considered the knowledge gained to be a success. I’ve learned quite a bit about Etsy as an artist’s platform How to safely ship delicate pieces …
1. Falafel from Falafellas I can’t say enough good things about Falafellas. I had read about it prior to our visit on a couple of other blog posts and was intrigued immediately. The real thing lived up to the hype. Falafellas offers a small menu – two sizes of falafel wraps and two sizes of …
Damn, it feels good to be documenting the delights a new location for the first time in… eight months?? Has it really been that long since my last border-crossing travel? Well, I was back in the U.S. for awhile over the summer, working my butt off to get myself back to Spain for another year’s …
Often when I’m cooking at home in Spain I’m trying to use new ingredients that I haven’t had much of before in the US, or food that I miss from home. Chicken wings are occasionally available in Spanish restaurants, but nowhere near as frequent as American restaurants. Side note – I’m pretty certain that not …
Hola fellow foodies! I’m glad you’re here to be a part of what I’m about to do. I’m officially introducing a new facet to my blog which I am equally as passionate about as food and travel – ART. Most of my friends and family know this about me, as I have been drawing since …
Boxed pasta has a reputation for being a cheap and easy way to feed yourself at home, especially for the less gastronomically-inclined chefs. Usually we resort to red sauce from a jar with little to no complexity or handmade elements. My boyfriend and partner-in-culinary-crime, Jeff, is a vegetarian and I frequently find new small ways …
1. Pan con aceite y sal Spain-specific cuisine and eating styles have been eye opening for me as one who loves to cook and research food. All I know is, I never would have considered a piece of bread with olive oil and salt as breakfast before coming to Spain. Now, I can’t shut up …
Ahh, yes, one of my most lighthearted and easiest recipes. My keto-inclined best friend brought an $8 bag of pork rinds from Whole Foods to my house. Only to discover that this particular keto and diet-friendly product was essentially flavorless, she nearly discarded them. HELL. NO. Instead of getting got by Whole Foods, I decided …
Since I was home in Richmond, VA for the summer, a lot of friends have asked me how it is that I’ve come to live in Spain and what I’m doing there. I love talking about this because the fact is, you can do it too. Teaching English has opened the world up to me, …
Three incredible things: Jamaican jerk flavoring, pickling and crunchy fried pickles. All in one. This started as what my friends and I would refer to as a ‘stoner’ recipe, as it’s an unexpected (and seemingly downright bizarre) flavor combination, but it works when you have that craving for something salty and crunchy. I made this …
I recently learned how to make bechamel sauce, thus I have been concocting a ton of crazy macaroni and cheese combinations as cheese sauce is a very practical derivative and skill to have in the kitchen. Diverse for so many recipes, I’ve been working on quesos, drizzles for nachos and pasta sauces. I’ve narrowed down …