The Diamond Shopaholic & all else I love…

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The Diamond Shopaholic & all else I love…
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  • Tag: history

    • Pisto Manchego

      Posted at 12:11 am by EmmyAngela, on March 5, 2019

      Pisto Manchego, a hidden culinary gem!

      My family is originally from Spain, so I feel a strong bond with the country’s culture, especially at the table. If you think about it, gastronomy is a treasure, and home-cooked meals are true gems, hard to find these days. 

      Today I want to share with you a personal interest I have with a specific dish: Pisto Manchego. This is peasant food, uncomplicated but richly flavored. Pisto has been around for centuries, but with today’s food trends, the dish could easily be the new thing. 

      Here’s all you need to know about this healthy, vegetable-based dish, and all its possibilities. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. 

      So, Pisto Manchego is a vegetable dish. Zucchini, bell peppers, onion, and garlic are finely diced and sautéed in olive oil. They’re then incorporated with tomatoes to create a hard-to-beat, hearty stew, later enhanced with a pinch of cumin. Ideal as a side dish or as a light, vegan-friendly main course.

      Everyone makes Pisto Manchego differently. Every family in Spain follows their grandma’s recipe so, no pisto is alike. The main idea is to use any vegetable, ripe and ready to pick, from the back-yard orchard. 

      People in southern Spain, in Andalucía, often add potatoes and eggplant to their pisto. In the east, in the Province of Murcia, adding an egg to the mixture is common, which changes its texture. You’ll find people throwing tuna in there too, making it a whole meal!

      And there’s controversy too. Traditionalists will cook each vegetable separately to ensure every ingredient is au point; others will toss everything together in a hot pan; some will add finely diced tomatoes while others might just pour over ready-made tomato puree; purists will only use tomatoes and bell peppers while unconventional enthusiasts will even add bits of bacon. Decisions, decisions. 

      The dish is so simple that every step counts. You can taste the care put into it. It’s also a blank canvas that allows lots of creativity. The aim is always the same: Serve something delicious to the ones you love.  

      Now, how do you eat it? Well, it’s up to you. You can enjoy this dish both warm or cold with a pair of fried eggs on the side or a nice piece of sausage. Always have fresh slices of artisan bread at hand.

      The tangy tomatoes make this dish red wine friendly. Add pisto to your tapas repertoire and serve it in a traditional terracotta dish beside olives, cheese, cured hams, spicy potatoes and just enjoy the company. Talking about being a perfect host.

      Fun Fact! Both tomatoes and bell peppers, the main ingredients for this Spanish dish, come from the Americas and only arrived in Spain in the 16th century.

      My easy recipe:

      Ingredients:

      1 zucchini

      1 green pepper

      1 large eggplant (optional)

      1 red pepper

      2 to 3 cloves of garlic

      1/2 onion

      4 to 5 ripe tomatoes

      1 1/2 tsp. paprika ( I use sweet smoked paprika from Spain)

      1/2 tsp. cumin (optional)

      olive oil

      Salt and pepper to taste

      fresh parsley

      Finely chop the eggplant without removing the skin, chop the cloves of garlic, green pepper, red pepper, onion, and tomatoes.

      In a pan put a drizzle of virgin olive oil (I use extra virgin for more flavor). Slowly simmer (approx. 8 minutes) the pepper, onion, and garlic, add a little salt and pepper, remove them and drain well.

      In the same skillet, sauté the eggplant and zucchini, until soft, add the sauteed onions, peppers, garlic and the tomatoes with Paprika (I use pimenton de la vera dulce,) cook in low heat for approximately 10 minutes, leaving it to taste.

      When ready to serve, I usually add a fried egg in the center of the pan and let it set. (optional)

      Now you know, veggies can be exciting! Make your own Pisto Manchego and share your recipe with me. And don’t forget to browse around Diamonshopaholic.com for my views on jewelry, travel, food and more. Happy cooking!

      | 0 Comments Tagged #cuisine, #diamondshopaholic, #eggplant, #Food, #foodblog, #foodporn, #pepper, #pimenton, #pimentondelavera, #pisto, #pistomanchego, #spain, #spaincuisine, #spanishfood, #travel, #vegan, #vegetarian, cooking, diamonds, history
    • Magical Birthstones and Their History

      Posted at 8:56 pm by EmmyAngela, on January 30, 2019

      The History of the Birthstone: The story of the birthstones were created from the book of Exodus. There is a much deeper meaning behind their origin: every birthstone represents one of the 12th tribes of Israel. People believe that the stones have a special power and also provide protection, good health, and luck. All the rich stones associate with a specific birth month and have their own ancient histories. Birthstones are gemstones which signify the twelve months of the year. You can get these gorgeous pieces in many jewelry shops; they are a lovely gift for family and friends. You can also get lots of information about your personality from these birthstones. Below is given for you an explanation of the twelve birthstones rich and original powers:

      January – Garnet: This is the rich red colored birthstone of January. The Garnet symbolizes peace, trust, prosperity, friendship, and good health. This January birthstone is perfect to start the year with.

      Garnet

      February – Amethyst: The mineral stone: Amethysts represent the cold month of February and are derived from lavender and deep violet colors; they are also sometimes available in red.  This stone is related to the making of courage, stability, and peace. It provides extra warmth during this month.

      Amethyst

      March – Aquamarine: The March birthstone Aquamarine is normally seen in a beautiful pale blue color. The stone is meant to improve the health of the lucky person born in March.

      Aquamarine

      April – Diamond: Diamonds are the hardest material in the world – they last forever. The April birthstone is represented by the popular white diamond; people are lucky to be born in this month. The white diamond is very common to everyone and mostly used to express love.

      Diamond

      May – Emerald: The birthstone of May is the gorgeous emerald, a popular symbol of love and rebirth. The stone has a deep rich green color – it is very popular with rich and famous people!

      Emerald

      June – Pearl: Pearl, Moonstone, and Alexandrite gems make up the first multi-birthstone month, June. The all-time popular pearl represents knowledge for the users and is also able to balance a person’s karma.

      Pearl

      July – Ruby: The mineral stone Ruby represents the month of July. The stone looks very beautiful with its red glow, representing vibrant energy and passion. It can also bring success and love to the wearer.

      Ruby

      August – Peridot: This birthstone represents the wonderful month of August! Peridots come in an olive green color with varying shades. They can increase the assertiveness and confidence level of the person.

      Peridot

      September – Sapphire: It is a precious mineral stone which signifies the month of September and contains a deep rich blue color. The Sapphire stone is a symbol of trust. It provides loyalty, wisdom, and nobility, which supports to encourage self-discipline and concentration.

      Sapphire

      October – Tourmaline & Opal: Both these stones represents October with boundless possibilities. The Opal stone is available in an attractive shade of blue. Every Opal stone looks unique with a mixture of amazing colors.  The Tourmaline is available in very appealing rainbow colors which are highly rare amongst minerals.

      Tourmaline

      November – Topaz & Citrine: The month of November is represented by these two beautiful birthstones. Topaz and Citrine birthstones are mostly known to the people for calming energies and getting warmer. Topaz is a stunning yellow-brown stone which is stated in the bible. 

      Citrine

      December – Tanzanite, Zircon, & Turquoise: The month of December has signified these three attractive stones and from them, Tanzanite is the newly discovered stone. The oldest rock on the earth is Zircon. Turquoise is the most beautiful stone which is unmatched in its unique blue color.

      Tanzanite

      Please feel free to visit:

      Gabriel & Co. fine jewelry
      | 0 Comments Tagged #today, amethyst, April, Aquamarine, August, Birthstone, Citrine, December, diamond, Emerald, February, Garnet, history, January, July, June, March, May, October, Pearl, Peridot, Ruby, Sapphire, September, Tanzanite, Topaz, Tourmaline
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