The 83^rd Academy Awards, the Oscars, took place this week and one of the most talked about couples to hit the red carpet was the Spanish actor and actress Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz.

This was their first public appearance since Penelope Cruz gave birth to their baby son, just a month ago, who they have announced is called Leonardo. The cameras were flashing left, right and centre to get a glimpse of one of Spain and Hollywood’s favourite celebrity couples, who looked happy to be in each other’s company. The paparazzi have also gone crazy about their outfits, which for Cruz was a stunning and figure-flattering red dress with Jimmy Choo shoes and for Bardem a smart Gucci suit.

But the couple weren’t just there to look glamorous; Bardem was in fact nominated for the Best Leading Actor award for his role as a criminal suffering from cancer and with two children to look after, in the Spanish language film Biutiful, which was filmed in Barcelona. He didn’t win, with the Oscar going instead to Colin Firth, but Bardem has previously received an Oscar in 2007, for his role in No Country for Old Men. Cruz was also an Oscar winner in 2008, for Best Supporting actress in the comedy Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

Despite the couple’s great success in the international world of film, the pair are notorious for keeping their private lives private. They married last July in a quiet ceremony in the Bahamas, away from prying eyes, and have also kept the details of their son’s birth to a minimum. In doing so, they’ve made themselves a couple that receive little bad press and are well respected professionally. Public appearances together like at this years Oscars are a real treat for their fans!

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Did you know that over 300 million people in the world speak Spanish as their first language?

It may seem hard to believe but, because Spanish is the official language of 20 different countries across the globe, it has a considerable influence on the world’s communication. Although statistics are difficult to calculate, is usually considered as being among the top three most spoken languages in the world.

The Spanish language derived from Latin, after the Roman influence on the Iberian Peninsula. Little by little the Spanish spoken in mainland Spain, known as Castilian Spanish, developed as a dialect and eventually became the country’s official language. Its global influence, however, is all down to the colonisation of the Americas by the Spanish in the 16^th century. When the Spanish first began to settle in South and Central America, they brought with them their language, as well as many important aspects of their culture. Gradually, the native languages of the indigenous people began to die out and therefore although they are no longer colonies of Spain, 19 countries in South America still use Spanish as their first language and are very much influenced by Latin culture.

Interestingly, there is also a high level of Spanish in other countries where it is not an official language, such as the Philippines, Morocco, and the Caribbean. The biggest case of this however would have to be in the United States, where there are more and more Spanish speakers every year. Due to the high rate of immigration from Mexico and other Latin American countries, the Spanish language has gradually began to have a bigger impact on the USA, particularly in the Southern states. Statistics suggest that around a quarter of the population of Texas and California are Spanish speakers, and there are estimated to be at least 45 million ‘hispanohablantes’ in the US today. The language has become more accepted, despite not being an official language, to the extent that there are now bilingual schools for the children of Spanish speaking immigrants and a high demand for Spanish language media. El Nuevo Herald is a popular Spanish language newspaper published daily in Miami, and was the first of its kind to work on the Internet too.

Its international growth and use in global organisations such as the United Nations, FIFA and Interpol has inspired many countries to implement the teaching of Spanish in schools and it is now the world’s second most studied language, after English.

So, if you’re feeling inspired to be part of this global community, start learning Spanish today!

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Karlos Arguiñano Urkiola is a popular Spanish chef, TV presenter and producer of his own cooking show: La cocina de Karlos Arguiñano (Karlos Arguiñano's kitchen). Karlos is famous for his practical cooking and presentation tips, cheesy jokes, amateur singing, and the catchphase "Rico, rico y con fundamento" ("Tasty, tasty and with nutritional value").

If you are in Spain, you can catch his show on Antena 3 at 20:15 Monday through Friday, which is just what I have been doing.

Tonight I am going to try my luck at an apparently easy and healthy recipe that I saw the other day on his show.

What are we making today? Cheesy Leek Crêpes with puree! I already bought my ingredients so I will let you know how they turn out tomorrow!

Okay, so I may know what you are thinking about... Leeks??? YUCK! I assure you that despite my dislike for leeks prepared in certain manners, if they are sauted nicely and mixed with other ingredients, they are great, add a nice crunch and are really healthy! Afterall, we all know that the Mediterranean diet is the healthiest in the world!

Cheesy Leek Crêpes with puree

(serves approx. 4 people)

Ingredients for the filling and puree:

• 4 leeks
• 250 grams of fresh pumpkin (a little over half a pound)
• 1 potato
• 100 grams of cheese (about a 1/4 of a pound - cut in 8 strips)
• Water
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Parsley for presentation

Ingredients for the Crêpes:

• 1/2 liter of milk (2.11 cups)
• 2 eggs
• 200 grams of all purpose flour (a little under half a pound, about 2 cups)
• a small spoonful of butter
• Olive Oil
• Salt
• diced parsley

Preparation:

First you need to prepare the pumpkin and potatoe puree. Peel and chop up the pumpkin and the potato. Cook for about 15-18 minutes in a small saucepan with water and salt until tender. Beat with a hand blender, strain, and set aside.

Next, clean and chop the leeks. Saute in a frying pan on medium heat with a small amount of olive oil and salt. Cover the pan so that the vegetables sweat (soften in their own juice without browning). Strain and set aside.

To prepare the crêpe batter, in a tall container suitable for the hand blender, add the flour, milk, butter, eggs, dash of salt and parsley. Beat all the ingredients together well and let stand.

In a non-stick frying pan, heat up a dash of olive oil on medium heat. Cook the first crêpe and discard it. To make crêpes, pour in the batter and extend it by moving the frying pan until a thin layer of batter is covering the whole bottom of the pan. When bubbles appear meaning that the first side is done, carefully lift an edge of the crêpe with a fork and then use your fingers (BE CAREFUL NOT TO BURN YOURSELF) to flip the crêpe over. The second side will cook very quickly. Repeat the process but be sure not to stack the cook crêpes on top of eachother because if they are warm they will stick.

In each crêpe, towards once side, add a bit of poached leek and a strips of cheese. Roll the crêpe up and fry it lightly (until browned) on each side in a frying pan with a good amount of olive oil (extra virgin is not necessary for this step).

Presentation: Pour some of the pumpkin puree in the center of the plate, place two crêpes and decorate with a sprig of parsley.

¡Voila! ¡Qué aproveche! (enjoy your meal)

Check out other Spanish recipes at don Quijote

UPDATE: I changed the name of this dish because technically the pumpkin is only used to make the puree, but is not actually part of the crêpe!

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It's St Valentine’s day, known as Día de San Valentín in Spanish, and the Spaniards will be celebrating in the traditional ways, with cards, presents and flowers for the ones they love. It is also a popular tradition throughout the Spanish speaking countries of South and Central America too, although customs and traditions vary from place to place. In Central America the day is known as Día el Amor y la Amistad, as cards are also exchanged between close friends as well as lovers, in Chile it is known as Día de los Enamorados, and in Colombia they won’t be celebrating anything at all until September, when they have their day, instead of 14^th February.

If you want to impress your loved one with some romantic Spanish phrases, here’s a few to try out:

Te quiero – I love you
Te amo – I love you (stronger)
Me gustas (mucho) – I like you (a lot)
Sólo puedo pensar en ti – All I can think of is you
Me vuelves loco/a – You drive me crazy
Tienes una sonrisa muy bonita – You have a very pretty smile
Besáme – Kiss me
Cariño – Darling, honey
Besos – Kisses (friendly)
Besitos – Kisses (more romantic)
Un abrazo – A hug
Guapo/a – Handsome/beautiful
Eres el amor de mi vida – You’re the love of my life
Estoy enamorado/a de ti – I’m in love with you

(Remember to use appropriate endings i.e. –o or –a depending on whether you’re talking to a boy or girl!)

Don’t worry though if you don’t yet have someone to share the day with. These chat up lines in Spanish will help you find a latino lover in no time!

¿Crees en el amor a primera vista o me tengo que acercar otra vez? – Do you believe in love at first sight or shall I walk past again?
Eres tan dulce que vas a dejar el azúcar fuera de circulación – You’re so sweet you’re going to put sugar out of business
Si la belleza fuera delito, yo te hubiera dado cadena perpetua – If beauty were a crime, you’d get a life sentence in prison.

Or perhaps a more traditional question is more your thing…

¿Quieres bailar? – Do you want to dance?
¿Puedo invitarte a una copa? – Can I buy you a drink?

So however you’ll be spending Valentine’s Day this year, you have all the Spanish vocab you’ll need!

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Doing a job or internship in Spain is a great way to practice your Spanish in a real Spanish-speaking environment. Your CV (curriculum) and cover letter (carta de presentación) are key to helping you get the job that you want, so here are a few tips on how to put them together and some vocabulary that you might find useful:

Datos personales

The first section of your CV should be 'Datos Personales' (Personal Information). It’s best to include:

• Nombre: Name
• Dirección: Address
• Teléfono: Telephone
• E-mail: Email address
• Fecha y lugar de nacimiento: Date and place of birth
• Nacionalidad: Nationality

You could also include whether you have a 'carnet de conducir' (driver’s licence) and your estado civil (marital status).

It is also common in Spain to include a professional looking passport photo on your CV.

Formación académica

The next section is 'Formación académica' (Education). Write the qualification you received, the institution, the city and country, as well as the dates when you were studying there.

Afterwards you can also add a section on 'Formación complementaria' (Complementary training) for other qualifications you may have, although don’t include computer skills or languages as these will come later.

Experiencia profesional

Next is 'Experiencia profesional' (Work Experience). List the dates, the job you did, the company and the location.

In the 'Informática' (IT skills) section state what you can use and how competent you are.

Similarly, under the heading 'Idiomas' (Languages) you can state each language that you know and your level, i.e. básico (basic), intermedio (intermediate) or avanzado (advanced). You can learn more about Spanish language levels here. It’s also worth putting your 'lengua materna' (mother tongue).

Datos de interés

The final section is 'Otros datos de interés' (Additional Information), where you can put down anything you think is interesting to the employer but doesn’t fit into any other category. Don’t write too much though, as the whole CV should ideally fit onto one A4 page.

Write a cover letter

An important accompaniment to the CV is the cover letter (carta de presentación).

Start your letter with 'Estimados Señores', remembering to put the date and your address at the top of the letter. There are also other options for starting a letter, depending on how formal you want to be.

You should start by stating exactly which post you are applying for and how you found out about it in the first paragraph.

Next move on to explaining why you would like to work for the company or organisation and what assets and skills you think you have that would make you good at the job. Express interest in having an interview or further contact with the employer and state your availability for work.

There are various ways to end a letter in Spanish, but a good one to use is 'Les saluda atentamente', on a separate line, then sign and print your name underneath.

For more ideas for your cover letter and some great business vocab on how to sell yourself, take a look at our Spanish courses designed for professionals.

¡Buena suerte!

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My time abroad has been full of surprises, and this week I’ve seen something I never thought I’d see here in Spain – snow! It has to be said, there really wasn’t very much of it and it soon disappeared, but nevertheless it was a bit of a shock to someone who associates Spain with hot sunny weather!

The reality is however, that especially here in the north of Spain, temperatures can get very chilly at this time of year and have been especially bitter this winter. I’d like to say "I’m English, I’m used to this kind of weather" but actually I’m not! Being told by the flashing pharmacy signs that it's minus six degrees

on my way to work is definitely not the norm and I’ve had to invest in some warmer clothes to get me through these harsh temperatures without coming down with pneumonia. Many regions of the country have been on alert for cold weather and snow during the past couple of weeks, and it looks like the most northerly parts may have more to come.

The bad weather has been causing several problems: traffic has had to slow down in some parts, particularly Catalonia, due to the ice and thick fog, the harvest of fruits and vegetables has decreased and the capital Madrid has had to be on guard with its Plan Nevada, its system of using machinery to deal with the snow and ice to keep the city running as normal.

The only advantage of this freezing weather is that a great ski season is guaranteed. Not only does Spain have ski resorts in the Pyrenees, but also in the snowy mountains surrounding Madrid, Salamanca and Segovia, as well as in Cantabria and even the Sierra Nevada which is in the Southern province of Andalusia! Who’d have thought it was possible in a country renowned for its hot holiday weather?

Thankfully for those of us who aren’t lucky enough to be making the most of the snowy slopes, it seems that the weather should be improving, with many of the snowflakes on the weather maps turning gradually into sunshine and temperatures reaching double figures once again. Hurray!

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You may be asking, "What is saffron?"

Saffron is an important spice used in Mediterranean cuisine. It comes from a certain species of flower which bears just three stigmas which are dried and used to season and color food. Think about Spanish paella and its rich beautiful yellow color, you may already be guessing, yes SAFFRON plays an important role in this world famous Spanish dish. Saffron is also the most expensive spice in the world by weight, it is native to Southwest Asia, but is an important product of the La Mancha region in Spain.

The saffron produced in La Mancha is high quality, sold by the thread, and fetches up to 3,000 euros per kilo. It is a beautiful red-gold and produces a rich color when used in cooking. It takes 250,000 saffron flower blooms to make just one kilo of this fragrant spice from the flowers' stigmas which are tiny filaments that collect pollen for the plant.

So what is the catch? Spain is a world famous exporter of saffron, but the numbers just aren't matching up. In 2010, Spain exported 190,000 kilos of saffron, yet according to local data, only 1,500 kilos were harvested in Spain. However, only 0.8% of the "Spanish" saffron harvest sold last year was actually grown in La Mancha.

It looks like there is some labeling problems going on.

It kind of reminds me of the time I searched the supermarket in Seattle in quest of a decent variety of non-peeled seafood (an impossible task I discovered) and scanning the spices for saffron to make my sister paella. I bought the overpriced saffron and bad selection of seafood and embarked on my feat to introduce my family to Spanish cuisine. I remember when I threw in the saffron, I was amazed by the fact that the beautiful yellow color that the saffron should emit just didn't come out. I put in more and more and more saffron, but never quite got that yellow color... Needless to say, my Seattle Paella had nothing to do with my Salamanca Paella :)

According to the farmers union ASAJA, over 90% of the exports are fraudulent. At least according to other countries' exporting standards. The industry is very profitable, earning over 47 million euros last year. However, it is a very expensive crop to grow, which is probably why some of the abnormal tactics have been implemented.

So if Spain doesn't produce all the saffron it exports, where does all this "Made in Spain" saffron come from? It seems the variation in numbers has to do with a loophole in Spanish laws, which does not make it illegal for companies to buy saffron from other countries such as Iran, Morocco and Greece and package it as a Spanish product. It is quite misleading, especially since Spanish saffron is known to be of very high quality.

Iranian saffron is a profitable option for Spanish exporters, their saffron crop is nearly half the price. However, the intensive methods used there to mass produce the product undermine the quality of the saffron. Some Iranian companies have also jumped on board to take advantage of these lax labeling laws by opening up in Spain and labeling their product as "made in Spain".

According to the Industry Ministry, a new regulation is being considered that would require producers to indicate where the saffron was grown. This would be a big improvement in current regulations, bringing Spain up to date with the International Organization of Standardization guidelines. This would, in fact, protect consumers from paying inflated costs to purchase the prestigious Spanish saffron, but it would definitely hurt the exporters whose production cannot satisfy demand.

The imports from other countries are not the only cause of the export vs. local harvest discrepencies. The Independent, a British newspaper, reported recently that 40%-90% of exported Spanish saffron was made up of other parts of the plant, not the sought after stigma. One sample found cardamom sold as saffron, which is actually a different spice.

So how to tell if you have been duped? The first thing you should do is smell your saffron. Does it smell nice or unpleasant? That is your first clue, real saffron should smell pleasant and it should take awhile to dye your food an intense yellow. Another good indicator is, of course, if your saffron bears the official "La Mancha" label.

Fraud has been going on for quite awhile. Although the director of La Mancha Farming and Livestock council acknowledges that fraud is committed, but not in La Mancha. Valencia and Murcia are likely culprits, since they do not actually grow saffron but do export it.

The ASAJA proposes tariffs to try to deter this deceiving tactic which is affecting their reputation. José María Fresneda (ASAJA) assures that their priority is to protect the farmers who do grow high quality saffron, a key ingredient in making paella "to die for".

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LOVE IS IN THE AIR IN SALAMANCA!!!!!

More than 500 businesses are teaming up in Salamanca to convert Salamanca into the "City of Love" from the 6th of February through the 14th.

The initiative is designed to attract the attention of lovers around the world in the hopes that they will choose the beautiful city of Salamanca to celebrate Valentine´s Day.

Participating businesses will fill their store windows with heart shaped balloons and offer unique discounts and special promotions. Additionally, there will be a drawing for 5 "grand prizes", among them a trip for two to Paris. There will also be comedy shows as well as other events available throughout the city.

Hotels are offering exclusive packages of accommodation + meals + spas, or whatever other selling point they may have at very competitive prices in hopes of attracting both Salamancans and tourists alike.

Pedro Sáez, president of the Salamanca Business Association (AESCO) and the General Secretary Emilio Checa explained that the initiative is intended to consolidate the industry and fight dropping sales of February, traditionally one of the slowest months of the year. Additionally, this initiative has never really been done before, uniting businesses around the city to work together to promote sales. It could eventually grow into an actual Salamanca festival over the next several years, encouraging people to go out and enjoy Valentine´s Day.

60,000 balloons and Special Offer Guides will be distributed throughout Salamanca. The humor gala will take place on Feb. 14 in the Congress Palace.

200,000 entry forms will be available to sign up for trips, dinners, free hotel stays, and sportswear from the Salamanca Football team. Additionally, as mentioned previously, 5 lucky winners will take home the Grand Prizes. The drawing will be held on the 18th of February.

All this talk of offers got me looking, and the first offer I stumbled upon seems quite convincing! A one night stay in a 16th century castle approximately 15 km from Salamanca, with free chocolates and Spanish Cava, a romantic dinner with violin music and a breakfast buffet with late check out (2 pm)... all for 180€! If you throw in some extra money you can upgrade to a nicer room and include a Spa circuit, massages, or even a ride in a hot air balloon!

I am thinking about surprising my husband!

The only thing missing as far as I can tell is a website where one can view all the offers and special deals. If I find it, I will let you know, stay tuned!

Come spend Valentine´s day with us in Salamanca!

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The news is slowly leaking out, and we wanted to make sure our readers heard the news:

PENELOPE CRUZ AND JAVIER BARDEM ARE PARENTS TO A BABY BOY!

According to reports, Pe (as Penelope is called) gave birth on January 25, 2011 in Los Angeles to a bouncing baby boy, the same day that Javier Bardem heard the news about his Oscar Nomination for Biutiful.

It took a couple of days to get out, as Pe has been notoriously private about her private life, famously marrying Bardem in a secret ceremony in the Bahamas in July of 2010. In fact, the couple is so private that the exact date of the birth and gender of the baby is still a bit up in the air, several online news sources have conflicting stories.

Penelope had reportedly gone to the US around Christmas time to prepare for the birth. According to Hola magazine the decision to have the baby in the US was in order to gain dual US-Spanish nationality. She was admitted to the exclusive Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and gave birth on Tuesday, according to Spanish newspaper El Pais.

don Quijote welcomes the most famous baby Spaniard in the world!

Congrats!

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Members of the Chumbilbilca community near Cusco in Peru have marked Christmas Day by taking part in a series of public bare-knuckled fights to settle scores ahead of the New Year.

The annual tradition, known as Takanakuy, aims to air pent-up grievances and apparently strengthens community relationships.

The event is mediated by refererees and, it is claimed, rarely results in serious injuries.

Hard feelings set aside, the day is wrapped up with a celebratory dance.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-12084478

Peruvians battle it out in fighting festival
Dec. 27 - Peruvians dance and fight at a traditional festival designed to wipe the slate clean of personal problems. It starts with dancing and religious processions on Christmas Day. But instead of exchanging gifts participants then trade blows.

Members of the Chumbilbilca community, near Cusco, Peru, have taken to one-on-one brawls in an annual tradition to settle the score in mutual disputes ahead of the New Year.

The celebration saw men, women and children participating in the fighting festival, known as Takanakuy, which aims to air grievances and vent personal problems that might have built up over the year.

Takanakuy combines the native words 'takay', fight and 'nakuy', mutual and is celebrated yearly here in what community members say strengthens relationships.

The fights are watched over by local authorities and referees mediate the bare-knuckled fights designed to allow people to let off steam from personal or economic problems.

Despite the blows, serious injuries rarely come out of the festival. Fighters usually just suffer a few bumps and bruises.

Most of the time, the sparring ends with hugs and smiles among friends. Hard feelings set aside, the day wrapped up with a celebratory dance.

Peruvian villagers have been doing their best to clear the air before the start of the new year – by fighting.

People in Chumbilbilca, near Cusco, brawled in an annual custom aimed at settling scores and venting any personal problems that have built up over 2010.

Men, women and children take part in the festival, known as Takanakuy, and locals say the tradition helps strengthen ties.

The bare-knuckle fights rarely lead to serious injuries and the day ends with a celebratory dance.

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