The Internet has given us all kinds of new vocabularies. But “strikhedonia” might be one of my favorite Internet words I’ve found recently.
Really, it’s a bigger question of “live laugh love”-adjacent Internet visuals. It’s like those Pinterest pins of a cute outfit or pretty scenery that ultimately lead to nowhere -- to a content farm, an abandoned Tumblr from 2014. They’re literally made for a search algorithm, and serve no greater purpose.
In any event: someone, somewhere, came up with the concept of strikhedonia as a nameable thing, named it, and somehow it became an algorithm’s “travel word.” Really, it’s a word of no nation.
SO LET’S READ ABOUT SNACK FOODS AND TRAINS
We watched “Before Midnight” recently and it refreshed a yearning to go to Greece. Timely to come across this mouthwatering piece on secluded Greek islands.
Appropriate for some second-monitor, holiday music soundtracked, soothe time: traveling Switzerland in the snow by train.
Speaking of trains, this is a very funny piece about the Virgin Hyperloop.
SPANISH BEAN SOUP FOR THOSE OF US WHO’D RATHER BE WEARING SWEATERS
Say what you want about Tampa, but Tampa Food is really good.
Broadly speaking, Tampa Food is a mix of borrowed culinary traditions of Italian, Cuban, Spanish immigrants (to name a few) of the late 1800s. You can throw a stone in West Tampa and hit about 5 different Cuban sandwich spots, each of which would be someone’s favorite.
It’s a place where ropa vieja, cafe con leche, deviled crabs are on menus. It’s also the OG home of Hooters, so, you know, high-low.
In trying times, you gotta go back to the flavors and tastes you grew up with. I don’t share heritage with what I know as Tampa Food (unless you count The Fox & Hounds in Brandon, Florida, where I recall enjoying some fish & chips as a small child). But it is the reference point for comfort food for my brain and taste buds. Spanish Bean Soup is one of those undeniable comfort food pleasures that takes a bit of time if you’ve got it, but is worth the effort, full stop.
INGREDIENTS:
2 cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
¼ lb.. salt pork or bacon, diced
1 tbsp. olive oil
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup of water
8 oz. chorizo (I personally prefer the Quijote brand I get at Publix, it has paprika casings), removed from casings and sliced up
1 smoked ham hock
1 yellow onion, chopped
3ish garlic cloves, diced
2-3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
A couple of cups of greens, like collard or kale, depending on your preference (IMO, mustard greens are too strong here)
Dash of paprika
Pinch of saffron
Salt & Pepper
WHAT TO DO:
Add beans to your biggest pot with a lid (or Dutch oven), adding 4 cups of water and the ham hock. Cook for about 45 minutes over low heat.
While the beans are simmering, fry the salt pork (or bacon) in a separate, big, high-sided skillet. Add the onion, salt & pepper, and cook until soft, then garlic until fragrant (but not burnt). Add oil and chorizo and cook until the edges start to brown.
Pour in the chicken stock & 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Add the greens, paprika, saffron, and s&p. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook for about 30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Cook on a very low simmer, partially covered, for at least another 30-45 minutes -- it will get better/thicker as it stews.