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One of my favourite meals to cook on the KK is paella. Especially since moving to our new house, which has an induction cooktop. Steel paella pans are never perfectly flat, so induction cooking is a pain. And then there is the mess. Cooking a paella outdoors, over fire, is one of life’s great pleasures. And that’s all traditional paella was- a rice dish cooked over fire in a pan. Having spent some time in Valencia, I’m well versed in traditional paella- and often make a traditional inspired dish with chicken, green beans and sliced Roma tomatoes. At other times- I go maximalist. Tonight, with my parents visiting from interstate, was maximalist. Chorizo, chicken thighs, baby calamari, prawns and mussels with Roma tomato, saffron, spicy smoked and sweet pimenton, fresh rosemary from the garden and green beans on top. My friends always complain that I say that each iteration of a dish was the best ever. They have a point. Nevertheless this was the best paella ever- smoky, spicy, redolent of the aromas of fresh seafood and herbs, the bitter crunch of the soccsrat from the bottom of the pan. Sharpened up with a healthy squeeze of fresh lemon over the top. Heaven.

one of the last cool evenings to do cold smoking.. maldon salt cultured french butter salmon

Well, I dodged the proverbial bullet—at least the 32% one for 90 days. I will still get hit with a 10% at the end of this month, which still hurts, but I won't be losing money and need to reevaluate everything. ARGH.