Gentle reader, you may remember this post from last year, where I  chronicled a Valencian paella in some of its glory. To be honest, last year the paella took me by surprise, but this year was a different story. I was prepared! From bringing my own meat-free lunch to wearing clothes that were destined to be washed immediately upon my return to home, I knew a little more about what to expect and enjoyed myself immensely!
This paella event is a neighborhood experience, and there are many, many people who come to cook paella, enjoy some time with friends, fireworks, and music, and enjoy being outside most of the day. Our group arrived early, brought plenty of supplies, and had the paella cooking in short order. Other groups brought tables, chairs, and even cooking carts to make the day a little more relaxing.
Not terribly surprising, a band ended up arriving and playing music for most of the afternoon, which added a nice carnival-esque air of excitement. While it was a little chilly, there was plenty of warmth while friends cooked, laughed, and celebrated springtime in this paella cookout!
The haze you see here is not because of all the paella fires. This is from the mascletá that occurs every day at 2:00 during Las Fallas.
That’s one good looking paella!
Sadly, with all of the meat, I wasn’t able to try it, but it did receive rave reviews from the folks who had it!
That looks delicious and it sounds like it was such a fun day! So glad you love your new life over there and I cant wait to see you! XXL ooooohhhhhhhh
It was a total blast! I had such a good time! Yes, you will be seeing that, soon! xxoo
What fun! I think this is a great life for you. Doug and I are on the Big Island of Hawaii for 5 weeks and are enjoying it! Check out his Facebook page for pictures!
Hi, Carolyn, yes, this was a whole lot of fun! I saw the pictures that were posted on FB, and it looks like you had an extremely good time, too! Now that Fallas is over and the city is returning to its normal pace, I will admit that it is nice to be able to sleep without interruptions from constant fireworks. Miss you both… love you! -c