Fish soup over wood burning open fire

Even if you've been fishing for three hours and haven't gotten anything except poison ivy and sunburn, you're still better off than the worm! #FishingStory

One of my top favorite things to do in summer is cooking over open fire on warm nights. There is something so magical about it! Starry nights, nightingales, good company... Had quite a bit of those this year as well. Also finally managed to find a big pot for cooking over open fire. Turned out it wasn't as easy as I thought it would be in the beginning. With many summer nights spent around the fire, the aim to turn it into a more involving social culinary experience proved to be so worth it!
Fish soup - salmon, shrimp and other goodies with all mandatory traditions - a sup of vodka and immersion of roasting charcoal.

Pearl couscous with shrimp, fresh tomatoes and chives

"Couscous - the food so nice they named it twice!"

Today I am celebrating a little birthday! 4 years ago today I wrote my first blogpost. That was for the sake of sharing a recipe with some friends. That's when my little journey began and it got more and more intense along the way. Today I decided to treat myself to a dessert - something bright and colorful on the plate. Usually a birthday would call for a dessert. To me - seafood is the best dessert ever. I could have it for a starter, main course and dessert all at once.

Egg fettuccine with shrimp, fresh tomatoes, spinach and garlic

Shipping is a terrible thing to do to vegetables.  They probably get jet-lagged, just like people.  ~Elizabeth Berry

I am on vacation now with friends - visiting Mediterranean coast in Spain. And there are no such things as jet-lagged vegetables! They are simply grown here - always fresh and actually tasting like the real ones - just how they are supposed to be! To some people it may look funny, but when buying my tomatoes I love to smell them! To me that's how a perfect dish is born - starting with getting quality ingredients. Unfortunately today the weather wasn't treating us too well - a bit chilly and raining.

Lunch time asked for something light, but warm and comforting - like pasta with fresh local ingredients - tomatoes, spinach and of course seafood. With such a large selection it took me a while at the fishmonger's. There you can find almost anything your heart desires! Needless to say, I am looking at the Mediterranean sea as I am writing this - the source where most of that seafood came from. The rest came from the Atlantic ocean, which is also close by… 

Avocado stuffed with shrimp and sweet corn, topped with arugula

Vegetables are interesting, but lack a sense of purpose when accompanied by a good cut of meat. ~Fran Lebowitz

Come to think of it - this quote is off. Avocado is a fruit, but nevertheless, it definitely doesn't lack its purpose when accompanied with shrimp and sweet corn. One of the easiest snacks to make and in no time. Sounds dreamy - healthy, tasty, colorful and fast!