Market time

There are several weekly markets at Costa catering to all imaginable needs. Arroy de la Miel's markets are held on Wednesdays and Fridays and in Fuengirola the demand meets supply on Saturdays and Tuesdays.

The market in Fuengirola is the largest one. On Tuesdays the goods are the same that can be found at all the other markets as well (from lace underwear in fluorescent colours to nuts and knockoff Guccis) but on Saturdays the fería ground located halfway between the train stations of Fuengirola and Los Boliches is taken over by a massive flea market.

There's pretty much anything anyone could ask for. A couple of years ago the authorities clamped down on the goings on that had gotten out of hand and now everything on sale must be segundo mano, second hand. The prospect of being fined hasn't put off all of the hawking Herndandezes though.

There are also several stalls by a variety of expat-run charities which means there's no shortage of English books. And not just the Barbara Cartland- variety: but there's often a chance to find some cookery book bargains too. 

And there are bags galore. Some less...

... and some more genuine.

This is also a god place to find those Moroccan straw bags that I love so much. Saves a trip to the other side of the sea, you see!

There are tools catering both to the needs of handyman of today and serial killers of the Middle Ages.

And avid interior decorators are in for some treats too...

...as even the humbler tastes are catered for. Too bad The Gentleman failed to fall for the charm of these Posh and Becks- style thrones for the poolside...

And as is appropriate for the fería season, there are the traditional dresses.

And seeing how we are the Costa del Golf...

For a blogger like me, collecting staging equipment with the enthusiasm of a squirrel getting ready for another Ice Age this place is heaven. There are all sorts of rare treats: such as genuine 18th century Bohemian crystal from 21st century China (and judging by the sweet, rhubarb-like smell I detected lingering at the gates there just might be a chance to source a herb particularly popular among the horticultural societies of Jamaica and Holland...)

I myself am still trying to justify the purchase of an Oriental tea pot (a mere metre in height...). Though it would look nice next to the Egyptian rug, Moroccan lanterns and Turkish cushions...

I did find something though so stay tuned - they're coming to a blog near you!

It's easy to lose oneself (not to mention the time and money) at the market, but haggling (especially with the non-Spanish vendors located further away from the gate) is recommended. Though I myself am legendarily poor at that life skill. Once at a market I was having some T-shirts printed and the negotiations of the final price were in full swing. The seller agreed to drop the price down to 25 shekels. And what did this street-smart world-traveller do? Insisted on paying 30...

Scandinavian style

You know that mystical place where elephants go to die (or Florida for Jews in certain American jokes)? That is what this house is for Scandinavian design. For someone who grew up around pale coloured birch wood, minimalism and clean lines the Scandinavian design has lost some of its charm. Not so for our Gentleman.

Since there are lots of other Scandinavians around here, it's also available in here. Though, Stockmann's - our local department store in Helsinki - shipping service has been well and truly satisfied with their loyal customer. In Fuengirola there's a shop specialized in Finnish design, and thanks to them we now have a 2-meter Marimekko cow occupying our kitchen wall.

Soon after the house was purchased we had a visit from an English electrician who could not believe his eyes. He just stood in the doorway, flabbergasted. "Are we still in Spain?" he wanted to confirm. Oh yes, we are.

But there's a ton of good to be said about the Nordics. Such as democracy, the welfare and gender equality. And knäckebröd- that crisp, thin bread full of grainy goodness! As our stock is running low, I made some myself.

Especially the Swedish kind is amazing and Östermalm market is a great place for sourcing some of the best varieties. In Fuengirola and Los Boliches where majority of the Finns live, you can also find speciality shops for those in dire need of Finnish foodstuffs. "Mustard, rye bread, coffee-you name it. We bring it all with us from Finland," confided once a retired Finnish couple we met in Granada. These days you can even get rye bread here.

In Arroyo de la Miel there are more Swedes, which is also reflected on the selection in the local supermercados. They sell Kopperberg cider and Kalles Kaviar, a salty cod roe-paste I lovelovelove! And it works well with these. More grown-up and sophisticated palates will be happy to know these work well with soups and dips, such as taramasalata.

Since The Gentleman prefers blondes (as you can see), I used some of that whole meal flour in these , lying around in the cupboard. But feel free to use just rye flour, the way I did for the heart-shaped ones on the left. The colour, however, won't get as dark as the one on shop-bought knäckebröd. Perhaps I should try substituting the salt in the dough with soy sauce...?

Feel free to get crazy with the spices and seeds, too. Poppy seed, flax seed, sesame seed, sunflower seed... Anything you like, as much as you like.

3.5 dl rye flour 

1 dl whole meal flour

1.5 dl water

1 tbsp oil

1.5 tbsp cumin seeds*)  +

2 heaped tbsp pumpkin seeds
(or 2 heaped tbsp pumpkin seeds
+ 2 heaped tbsp sunflower seeds) 

Mix the ingredients to a smooth dough. Roll in into a thin sheet on a lightly floured surface (as thin as you can) and cut into desired shapes. If making round, canapé-sized ones, this recipe makes appr. 48. The strips (depending on the size) you get about 20.

Prick with a cocktail stick before baking. Bake at 250° for appr. 7 minutes until brown and crisp.

In the honour of Valentine's Day you could also bake them like this...

*) I did mean to use caraway seeds, but too many things got lost in the translation... See, in Finnish caraway is kumina. And cumin is jeera. Enough to confuse minds greater than mine. Should you want to use caraway seeds, 1.5 tsp will do... Don't get me wrong- even with cumin seeds they are still very good. With a slightly Mexican tang to them...

Arts and crafts in Fuengirola

My sister's kids can, at best, be rather a charming pair. But they're not ready to be taken out in public yet. They are missing the art of sugar coating. These rascals tell it like it is and quickly yank one's feet back on the ground- should one ever start getting ideas of herself or the excellence of her skills, be it arts and crafts, cooking or sense of humour.

And lest I get all big-headed about my own handiness, I'll share with you a couple of pictures from Fuengirola over the festive period.  Someone really pushed the boat out with these figurines- carved out of sand. 

Puts my childhood's attempts at sand castles to serious shame...

We never could quite decipher the purpose of the plastic pints. Though I suppose the sand donkey needs its tipple too...?

(There's something sinister about that angel figure. Is it just me or does it look like Paul O'Grady...?)

Sandy sucklings.

Winter à la Andalusia

The light here, as is evident from the pictures, is still cold, but the sun is warm.

Off-season Costa is so very quiet. The beaches are empty. The boats are hibernating. The abandoned water slides barely remember the screams of delight so audible in the July heat.

The carousel horses on the promenade in Fuengirola, too, look lonely as they wait for the new riders to  hop onboard. 

There's something so very Parisian about carousels; reminiscent of a world gone by. Or perhaps my desperately romantic psyche has conditioned me to see wistful longing everywhere I go...?

That sinking feeling eating its way through your soul can, of course, be a sign of something else- such as hunger. So, off to the lunch it was!

The road took us to a familiar restaurant close to Fuengirola town centre, at the corner of the square in front of the Church Nuestra Señora del Rosario Coronada. Their menu comprises of both cold and hot portions, raciones,  (some with more contemporary and even Asian twist- I can recommend their duck with mandarin sauce and oxtail- wontons! ) and daily specials. Today's special was Revuelto de Esparragos con Gambas: scrambled eggs with green asparagus tossed in with fried potatos and king prawns. This would be a good way to use those Sunday lunch leftover roasties. If we ever had any... 

This I'll have to try soon!

The wine was delicious (and cheap!) These days Albariño seems to be our answer to all the problems world throws our way...!