Michelle and I talked about Pintxos from our recent experiences in Barcelona and so she made a few. Of course, Michelle did not just do a simple one, she had to take it to the next level and beyond - just because that’s her, and that’s what makes her what she is, and she is quite good at it. If anything, our time there experiencing all of it, gave me a point of origin or reference from which I can now stand on firmer ground. It's like when I was in Bangkok in a Thai kitchen with twelve women cooking, watching one of them make a spice blend in a mortar and pestle right in front of me and tasting it------that has been my point of reference when making spice blends for anything that resembles a Thai curry dish. I have a newfound appreciation for pintxo's, and just as equally, the spirit with which they are made, served, and eaten. Having a Spanish guide sitting right in front of me, eating and drinking with us, talking about his culture and his food was the way to go, it really answered a lot of questions for me. What I especially loved was that we went to a local place where there were no tourists except us. In fact, that night we went to three local tapas places where there were only locals.
Its called, "looking for the holy grail"-------we use this term in our own way-----it's when you are able to find and learn something great, and now you can take this concept and go a hundred ways with it.