Ah, Christmas time! It’s that magical season – I mean a week of madness filled with laughter, joy, and enough food to feed an entire village. It’s a calorie-loaded wonderland that tempts even the most disciplined among us… and by the end of it all, we’re usually crawling around like we’ve swallowed an entire turkey – cuz we sort of did, actually.
…And you know that void between Christmas and New Year’s when you don’t even know what day it is, and your body is running on leftovers, pringles, cookies, and alcohol? Well, when I’m writing this it’s the 31st of December, and tonight we still need to survive a gathering… at an all-you-can-eat Sushi buffet. 🥴 Yes, I’m regretting my life choices at the moment – it was my suggestion, what was I even thinking?

I’m not that “oooh 1st of January I’m on a diet” type of person – …. nah, I am. – but at this point I find myself dreaming of a salad with a side of water. Honestly, by the time January rolls around, I feel like I need a detox that consists of nothing but lettuce. 

Aaanyways…

I hope you all had a fabulous holiday season filled with love, laughter, and of course, amazing food! I just thought of coming up here and sharing a sneak peek of what was on my table during the holidays… This year I mixed a bit of Hungary with Spain – I went all in, from gulyás soup to pulpo a la gallega to kókuszgolyó.
I’m planning on sharing most of the recipes here on the blog with you – sooner or later, anyway – … but if there’s something you really like and you need the recipe ASAP just let me know in the comments below, and I will see what I can do!
…and at the end of this massive food porn Imma leave you with my go-to salad recipe aswell, I promise!

I will allow you to take the first look at the winner of “the Bird of the Year” category

Appetizers – Pintxos – Tapas

Let’s start with the classic Spanish meat and cheese section
jamón + lomo + manchego cheese + breadsticks + strawberry jam with fresh thyme

gulas + prawns + avocado

jamón + gulas + quail egg

salmon + cream cheese

jamón + manchego cheese + paté

sobaos + paté mixed with blue cheese

mixed croquetas:

jamón + queso
pulpo a la gallega
blue cheese
Okay, confession time: I bought these frozen and then deep-fried them on the spot… but… BUT! I swear to baby Jesus who’s just been born: one of the best croquetas I’ve ever eaten. Gracias, Mercadona!

Main Dishes

In a half Spanish – half Hungarian household I had to put a bit of Hungary on the table too, so here is one of the many culinary gems from my home country: gulyás soup

…an inside look at my previously adored bird carcass

pulpo a la gallega

huevos rotos con gulas + jamón

zamburiñas

langostinos

Dessert

… cuz there is always space for some sweets, right? Right.
Besides all the turrón and mantecados I mentioned in my previous post we also had…

basque cheesecake

coconut + apple pie bites

alfajores

Imma leave this close-up here for you, cuz look at this layer of dulce de leche…

cheers to 2024

Well, there you have it, guys! Another holiday season filled with delicious food, laughter, and a little bit of chaos in my kitchen…. this Christmas was definitely something to remember… – especially because it was the first one in Barcelona ❤️ 💃

Bring it on 2025 – Happy New Year!

… here’s to the need for a little healthy reset – with my go-to salad that I promised earlier 🥗

• lettuce
• cherry tomato
• pomegranate seeds
• spring onion
• feta cheese
• half avocado
• tuna

I love how the flavors are blending together in this salad. The salty from the feta cheese and the tuna mixes amazingly well with the sweetness the pomegranate brings into the bowl. Then on the side, you get the oniony crunch and the creaminess of the avocado.

So, let’s keep the good times rolling in 2025, but for now… maybe with a bit more lettuce on the side!

See you at the next one,

Noémi

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