My Dad was a Foodie…

Where did the word foodie come from?

I don’t know when food lovers started calling themselves foodies. But something tells me that my dad was way ahead of his time. My dad was definitely a foodie..

In fact, food was such a huge part of our lives that there aren’t that many foods that don’t remind me of growing up. We lived here and there, in different countries and ate at different tables, but we always shared  incredible love of food.

Dad could describe in a few words the smells and taste of what he wanted to eat. He was an amazing but messy cook. It took hours to clean the kitchen after Dad was done cooking. So funny.

My dad traveled a lot on business and liked to bring us something from all the different countries he visited. He brought home sweets, cookies, nuts, and cheeses. The list goes on and on.

Whenever he went to the market, he always seemed to get carried away and buy more than we could eat. He would buy a hundred oranges instead of maybe twelve oranges.

One of the dearest memories of my dad was when he took us to the beach. He found a restaurant owned by a grumpy gentleman from Madrid. It was a Spanish-styled building with red brick roof that almost looked like a house instead of a restaurant. This place was unique.  It served the best Churros and Horchatas: sweet, creamy and so tasty.

For those of us who grew up in Latin America or Spain, when we think of Churros, we must pair them with a heavy creamy and delicious hot chocolate. But when I think of Churros, I think of that beautiful white house by the ocean, I think  of Horchatas and of course, I think about my dad.

Horchata de Almendras

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 3 cups blanched almonds
• 1 cup sugar
• 8 cups warm water
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a blender; blend until smooth.  (It’s a good idea to always hold a clean folded kitchen towel over the lid of the blender, this prevents spills)

Pour almond mixture through a strainer into a pitcher or jug.  Add more sugar if necessary.  Refrigerate a couple of hours. Stir before pouring into glasses.