Its strategic location, along the invaluable artery that connects Madrid with Aragon, Barcelona, and France, often means that travelers stop for a coffee and stretch their legs before continuing on their journey, or, on the contrary, they do so on their way home to eat, refuel, and face the 150 kilometers that still separate them from Madrid with renewed energy.
Medinaceli, a city well known to this globetrotter, who, despite having studied it extensively, never ceases to fascinate and, most importantly, surprise him.
But on this occasion, far from being influenced by its monumental picturesqueness or its legendary mysteries—among which are two enigmatic landmarks in the history of Spain, the whereabouts of the mythical Solomon's Table and the tomb of Almanzor, that extraordinary leader who was considered "the scourge of God" in those apocalyptic times around the dreaded Year 1000—the traveler, leaving behind the small memorial plaque commemorating the cursed American poet Ezra Pound "that the roosters still crow in Medinaceli," allows himself to be carried away by the seduction of the old alleys until he finds a place where he can satisfy his stomach's impetuous growls of protest.
And he finds it, near the strange, ghostly, and semi-ruined convent of Saint Roman, which, due to its unusual appearance, is said to have been an old synagogue, and the solitary medieval icehouse, although far, at least in the traveler's mind, from those other traditional establishments that still remain faithful to roast lamb, Castilian soup, and pickled trout.
The traveler, of course, has nothing against them, and having tasted their delicacies, feels no qualms about recommending them, but it so happens that, on this occasion, he feels compelled to try something new and knows, from hearsay, that here, at ‘The Heaven of Medinaceli', they have opted for something new: fantasy at the service of signature cuisine.
He positively knows that gastronomy, like travel, also pays homage to that mysterious Greek "Fatum," practiced by heroes like Ulysses and the Trojan Aeneas, which can be summed up simply in a genuine and redundant phrase: adventure is adventure. And both the traveler and his irrepressible stomach, although born immaculately innocent, were recruited early on for adventure by commanders like Homer, Kipling, Salgari, Verne, Cervantes, Machado, Bécquer, Villon, and Rabelais, whose invaluable instruction kept them sharp-eyed in the metaphorical barracks of the road.
The afternoon, although a storm threatens, is hot and the muggy atmosphere prompts the traveler to take advantage of the opportunity to satisfy his hunger and curiosity on the restaurant's terrace, where a gentle breeze, not entirely unpleasant, does to the napkins and tablecloth the same thing the New York subway grate does to Marilyn Monroe's famous white dress.
Cinematic eroticism aside, as daydreams are also a lifeblood, the traveler knows that signature cuisine, among other qualities, is characterized by an essential ritual in all marketing: presentation. So, even opting for a basic first course, such as a Russian salad—which they call "Russian heaven" there—the sight of it, encased in a crispy shell—similar, by the way, to the one imagined by the brilliant Botticelli for that singular work of beauty and symbolism, his "Birth of Venus"—seemed to give the dish a special flavor, possibly also due to the fresh, homemade mayonnaise lovingly made from old grandmother's recipes.
The second course, sandwiched between small spreads of a special sauce called "aperitivo sky," brought with it the flavor of Cantabrian hake, also crispy, battered with nacos (mashed potatoes), soy sauce, and honey with potatoes and guacamole, which enhanced the flavors, leaving the palate with dreams of heaven and earth.
Satisfied and with a good pot of coffee under his belt, the traveler headed for Madrid, while the strains of an old Willie Nelson classic anticipated more excitement to come: "On the road, again."
NOTICE: Both the text and the accompanying photographs are my exclusive intellectual property and are therefore subject to my copyright.
You can check out this post and your own profile on the map. Be part of the Worldmappin Community and join our Discord Channel to get in touch with other travelers, ask questions or just be updated on our latest features.
Thank-you
Congratulations, your post has been added to the TravelFeed Map! 🎉🥳🌴
Did you know you have your own profile map?
And every post has their own map too!
Want to have your post on the map too?
- Go to TravelFeed Map
- Click the create pin button
- Drag the marker to where your post should be. Zoom in if needed or use the search bar (top right).
- Copy and paste the generated code in your post (any Hive frontend)
- Or login with Hive Keychain or Hivesigner and click "create post" to post to Hive directly from TravelFeed
- Congrats, your post is now on the map!
PS: You can import your previous Pinmapple posts to the TravelFeed map.Opt Out
Thank-you very much
Vaya que llegaste al cielo, hermoso paseo y una gastronomía extraordinaria. Me traje una botella azul de agua, todavía la tengo por aquí. He tenido que mirar los post de atrás para adelante para ponerme al día, un recorrido muy grande, si lo viéramos en un mapa son unos cuantos kilómetros. Un abrazo
!LADY
!HUG
!BBH
!PIZZA
View or trade
LOHtokens.Use !LADY command to share LOH! More details available in this post.@sacra97, you successfully shared 0.1000 LOH with @juancar347 and you earned 0.1000 LOH as tips. (10/10 calls)
Thank-you very much
Es una ciudad que me agrada mucho y de parada obligatoria en muchos de mis desplazamientos, bien hacia Soria o bien más adelante, hacia otra tierra extraordinaria y repleta de contrastes, como es Aragón. No siempre puedo darme estos caprichos, pero en ocasiones, hay que dejarse llevar, porque incluso la gastronomía es también una aventura que merece la pena descubrir, pero sin olvidar, que en muchas ocasiones, me he tenido que conformar con un simple bocadillo, que, mira tú, sin remilgos, también me ha sabido a gloria. Gracias por tu visita y un abrazo de vuelta.
$PIZZA slices delivered:
(6/15) @sacra97 tipped @juancar347
Thank-you
Congratulations @juancar347! You received the biggest smile and some love from TravelFeed! Keep up the amazing blog. 😍 Your post was also chosen as top pick of the day and is now featured on the TravelFeed front page.
Thanks for using TravelFeed!
@for91days (TravelFeed team)
PS: Why not share your blog posts to your family and friends with the convenient sharing buttons on TravelFeed?
Thank-you very much
Medinaceli is a beautiful city, breathtaking views and appetizing meals.
!BBH
It is a very beautiful city, with a lot of charm, a lot of tradition, and a rich gastronomy.
Yeah, your post painted a clear picture of the city's heritage.
Congratulations @juancar347! You have completed the following achievement on the Hive blockchain And have been rewarded with New badge(s)
You can view your badges on your board and compare yourself to others in the Ranking
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word
STOPThanks