Tuesday, February 2, 2016

My Basket of Goodies

Not that basket of goodies.

My Christmas basket of goodies!

I never got around to eating... sharing a large sampling of traditional Spanish Christmas sweets and cookies with everyone, so I went to my favourite shop, El Caramelo De Oro (The Golden Candy), and asked the owner Miguel if he still had any Christmas treats in the store. He had one gift basket with a great assortment.

I bought the assortment and have been researching, testing, and photographically documenting each and every item (wrapped and unwrapped).

I've been forcing myself to quickly sample (consume) it all, so I could share the results with you. Yes, in case you hadn't already been made aware (by me), I'm selfless.

(Click the images to see how big the basket is.)

MY OTHER BASKET.
FUNBAR: CHOCOLATE, HAZELNUT...
NOT A VERY TRADITIONAL-SOUNDING NAME, BUT SO GOOD.
ROSCO DE VINO Y ALMENDRA
(WINE AND ALMOND SPANISH SHORTBREAD RING)
MANTECADO DE ALMENDRA.
(ANOTHER VERSION OF SPANISH SHORTBREAD, WITH ALMONDS.)
MANTECADOS SABOR CANELA.
(LEMON-FLAVORED SPANISH SHORTBREAD.)
ANOTHER MELT-IN-YOUR-MOUTH SWEET.
(I CAN'T REMEMBER WHICH ONE.)
TURRON (NOUGAT).
TRUFADO AL LICOR WHISKEY.
(TRUFFLE-FILLED TURRÓN FLAVOURED WITH WHISKEY.)
HOJALDRE IS PUFF PASTRY.
THIS OBVIOUSLY IS NOT. HOWEVER, IT DID HAVE DELICIOUS FLAKY LAYERS.
CHOCOLATE-COVERED COCONUT BALLS (BOLAS DE COCO).
I'M EATING MY SECOND BALL RIGHT NOW.
THIS IS ALL THAT'S LEFT. WELL, EXCEPT FOR THE PRALINE IN
GREEN WRAPPER. WHICH SAN GERALDO JUST ATE...
AND THE TRUFADO CRUJIENTE IN BLUE WRAPPER, WHICH I JUST ATE...
OH, AND THE TURRON CRUJIENTE IN FRONT, WHICH I JUST ATE.
OK. THIS IS WHAT'S LEFT...

23 comments:

  1. I love that each bit is a mystery - glad you enjoyed it. I just found a bit of Christmas chocolate the other night that had been stashed away - like finding buried treasure as it got pushed behind something else in the cupboard. Next you will have to get an Easter goodie basket.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheapchick:
      Thanks for mentioning Easter. Maybe I'll get an early start on my research!

      Delete
  2. Baskets like the second sort don't last long in our office.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anna:
      In an office, that basket would have been emptied in a few minutes. On my desk at home, it lasted more than a day (more than even three, I think).

      Delete
  3. Wait, YOU just finished the Christmas basket?
    Where has it been hiding since December that it survived this long???

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, Bob. If you had read more carefully, you would have understood that I didn't get around to it during the holidays, so went back recently. Or -- on my own second reading -- maybe I didn't make that as clear as I thought I had. Either way, I was going to tell you to ask Carlos to explain it but then I freaked out because I thought we had passed into a parallel universe.

      Delete
  4. Well, good for you and I trust that you enjoyed them. I am still buying bags of cinnamon Christmas biscuits in Lidl's and they still have lots of chocolate coated marzipan bars too - I might buy some on our next shopping trip. Nothing like an out of season munch is there ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A Heron's View:
      There was NO marzipan in that basket. I guess I'll have to head back to the store. Should we start practicing our Easter snacking?

      Delete
    2. That's a great idea Mitchell. The strange thing is I can never find any unsold large eggs on the shelves when the event has passed.
      Years ago in the UK there used to be a delicious small egg with a soft
      chocolate filling - I think it was made by Rowantrees.

      Delete
    3. A Heron's View:
      We used to get Cadbury Cream Eggs, which I absolutely loved.

      Delete
  5. Now you've gone and made me hungry with all these treats.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Stephen:
      Don't worry. I've already satisfied your hunger by eating the entire basket myself (except for that one piece I allowed Jerry to take). You're welcome.

      Delete
  6. Mitchell, you are such a tease flashing all that chocolate in front of our faces!! Shameful....but TOTALLY understandable!!
    We just had our 'fix' of chocolate.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jim:
      Most of the stuff in the basket was not chocolate. The chocolates were my least favourite (which is unusual)... well, except for the coconut balls. I loved those.

      Delete
  7. Not being a sweet person (yeah, I know)... your basket of goodies didn't even tempt me... at least until you showed that lemon (cinnamon?) shortbread thingy. That's more my kinda thing. But really... that basket would sit on our table until it all mushed into one blob. Good for you for not letting anything go to waste. (waist?)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sharon:
      None of it went to my waist. I'm lucky that way. My favourite things in the basket were the things I think you'd like, the mantecados and polvorones.

      Delete
  8. Self control my man!

    Nope, I hear you. We have a chocolate menagerie of goodies all in one box called Moirs Pot of Gold. I always try to find that Pot of Gold at the end of the rainbow by sampling until I find it. Never do! How come?!

    Ron

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ron:
      Because you already HAVE the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!

      Delete
  9. Nice basket (not that one, although I am sure it is nice too) - too bad it is now empty. I love your reply about practicing for Easter snacking. I would love to get my hands on some good marzipan.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wilma:
      I had never really appreciated marzipan until moving here to Spain. There's always plenty around, too. I think I might need some today.

      Delete
  10. Wo w basket is wating for Easter goodies

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gosia:
      I like that idea. I think I need at least a couple months of practice.

      Delete
    2. True, true, Gosia :) Mitchell, just think how soon you will have Easter goodies to show us :)

      Delete

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