I spent my first weekend with some friends at La Carlota, Cordoba. La Carlota is another town like Villanueva located about 20 minutes south of Cordoba. In other words, La Carlota is a warmer town compared to Villanueva due to its location. Just like most Spanish towns including Villanueva, La Carlota is surrounded by countryside. Within my first week I have realized how common it is for Spaniards to have a “parcela” or house in the countryside.
Most families spend their weekend at the countryside. In the countryside they pick olives, feed animals, and go for walks. Most of all, they get together and eat in the countryside on the weekends. I was able to enjoy a Sunday at the countryside with my friend and his family. Even though it was winter, the weather was warm enough for us to eat outside.
It was crazy for me to think that I would be eating outside during winter. We started off with tapas that included ham, cheese, olives, and chips. Most importantly, there was wine and beer. All gatherings in Spain always have alcohol. Then there were grilled sardines. The main dish was migas. Migas is a traditional plate that is usually consumed in the winter. The base of migas consists of fried bread. Additional ingredients that are included in the migas are chorizo (sausage), panceta (bacon), and garlic. The additional ingredients vary among the different regions of Spain. Migas is as traditional as the paella and used to be consumed mostly by people working out in the farms and fields. It was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon!