Our hosts hand everyone a Cruzcampo – the beer of choice in Sevilla – as we arrive. On the stove is a delicious, home cooked meal of many courses. Of course, the bread and picos (small bread sticks) come out first alongside platters of jamón.
But, what everyone is waiting for is the main course. In my case, this consisted of homemade tortilla de patatas alongside delicious braised pork cheeks and homemade french fries from a deep fryer (a common kitchen appliance in Spain): a very typical Spaniard meal. Our chef and host, who goes by Mamá, has been living – and cooking – in Sevilla for her entire life. She has lived in her compact home, which she shares with her husband, Papá, for 53 years. The house has two floors, with all of the bedrooms on top. The bottom floor has a hangout area in a room to the right when you walk through the door, with the dining room directly to the left and a kitchen behind the dining room where Mamá works her magic.
Art fills the walls, most of which is religious or painted by their very talented professional artist son Chemat. Dinner takes place around the coffee table, which is not uncommon for dinner in Sevilla. As everyone settles down on chairs and the couch for dinner, a lively conversation starts up while Mamá brings out the food. Tales of years past and recent events fill the air surrounded by laughter and happiness.
Dinner will start and end late, as is common practice in Sevilla. Maybe there is a TV playing in the background as the chef in the kitchen plates the food and brings it out course by course. After dessert, the conversation will continue for at least another half hour before it is time to call it a night. It is not unusual to have guests or family members that do not live in the house over for dinner to fill the seats around the table and bring new stories from their days. Home cooked dinner in Sevilla is a wonderful and joyous experience.
