Pickle Deli Square
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Hi there! Pickle Deli Square is a collection of my experiences living, eating, and traveling the world. Currently an expat based in Valencia, on the Mediterranean coast of Spain.

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Tags

  • Andalucia 19
  • Argentina 5
  • Asturias 6
  • Auckland 5
  • Austin 2
  • Australia 11
  • Bangkok 3
  • Barcelona 12
  • Brazil 10
  • Buenos Aires 23
  • COVID19 124
  • California 93
  • Cambodia 8
  • Camino de Santiago 14
  • Canada 30
  • Cathay Pacific 1
  • Chaozhou 3
  • Chiang Mai 4
  • Chongqing 4
  • Colombia 7
  • Denmark 2
  • Economy Class 1
  • Finland 4
  • First impressions 1
  • France 5
  • Fujian 7
  • Galicia 19
  • Germany 51
  • Guangdong 10
  • Hakka 12
  • Harbin 9
  • Hong Kong 1
  • Iguazu 9
  • Istanbul 15
  • Italy 63
  • Kruger 6
  • Laos 13
  • London 12
  • Luang Prabang 5
  • Madrid 1
  • Marfa 8
  • Mc Donalds 18
  • Meizhou 7
  • Melbourne 9
  • Morocco 4
  • Netherlands 74
  • New England 1
  • New Orleans 6
  • New York 13
  • New Zealand 18
Pickle Deli Square Living, Eating, and Exploring the World Since 2009
Trip Report: San Diego United Club and SAN-IAD A320 United Economy "Minus"
Feb 11

Feb 11 Trip Report: San Diego United Club and SAN-IAD A320 United Economy "Minus"

Kai
Trip Report

A last minute rebook put me all the way in the back of Economy near the lavatories from San Diego to Washington-Dulles, but I still got my choice of breakfast, and I learned a new trick for watching movies and TV on my phone.

San Diego Indian Eats: Chennai Tiffins and Sitar
Feb 8

Feb 8 San Diego Indian Eats: Chennai Tiffins and Sitar

Kai
Food

Trying a variety of South Indian dishes at Chennai Tiffins, and visiting the Saturday-only dinner buffet at Sitar, hidden away in an otherwise closed and darkened food court.

San Diego Eats: Din Tai Fung has arrived!
Feb 7

Feb 7 San Diego Eats: Din Tai Fung has arrived!

Kai
Food

San Diego, and specifically, UTC makes it into the big leagues with the highly anticipated opening of the famous Taiwanese xiaolongbao restaurant.

San Diego Trending Eats: Urban Plates
Feb 5

Feb 5 San Diego Trending Eats: Urban Plates

Kai
Food

Seasonal dishes, a ton of vegetables prepared in different ways, real china and silverware, fast: I wish I lived near an outpost of this San Diego-based chain.

SF Trending Eats: Hawaiian at Trailblazer Tavern and Middle Eastern at Dyafa
Feb 3

Feb 3 SF Trending Eats: Hawaiian at Trailblazer Tavern and Middle Eastern at Dyafa

Kai
Food

Expanding our view of what “Hawaiian food” and “Middle Eastern food” can be, at two restaurants new to the San Francisco dining scene.

Trip Report: FRA-SFO and United Economy's Semi-Secret Vegetarian Menu
Jan 31

Jan 31 Trip Report: FRA-SFO and United Economy's Semi-Secret Vegetarian Menu

Kai
Trip Report

Entering the secret society of the vegetable curry option and the clandestine cheese sandwich, on United’s transatlantic Economy service.

Trip Report: Holiday Cheer in the Lufthansa Frankfurt Senator Lounge
Jan 30

Jan 30 Trip Report: Holiday Cheer in the Lufthansa Frankfurt Senator Lounge

Kai
Trip Report

Deck the halls with hazelnuts and candied peanuts! Lufthansa gets in the mood for winter’s holidays…

Lodging Review: Barceló Sants, Barcelona, the Space Odyssey Hotel
Jan 28

Jan 28 Lodging Review: Barceló Sants, Barcelona, the Space Odyssey Hotel

Kai
Lodging

Conveniently situated right on top of Barcelona Sants train station, the hotel is a great option for getting to Barcelona airport for a morning intercontinental flight. The space station decor put me in the mood for an intergalactic flight.

Trip Report: Salamanca to Valencia, with a stop at Renfe's Sala Club lounge at Madrid Atocha train station
Jan 24

Jan 24 Trip Report: Salamanca to Valencia, with a stop at Renfe's Sala Club lounge at Madrid Atocha train station

Kai
Trip Report

For once, I had enough time before my train trip in AVE Preferente (first) class to visit the Sala Club lounge.

"Jamonturismo" in Guijuelo: Tour of one of Spain's largest Jamón and sausage factories
Jan 21

Jan 21 "Jamonturismo" in Guijuelo: Tour of one of Spain's largest Jamón and sausage factories

Kai
Spain, Food

Learning about producing Spanish jamón, chorizo, and other cured meats, and then tasting them all!

Fried Pig Face (and other food adventures) in Salamanca
Jan 17

Jan 17 Fried Pig Face (and other food adventures) in Salamanca

Kai
Spain, Food

Tasting the treats in the city known for tapas and meat of all kinds.

Trip Report: Valencia to Salamanca by Train
Jan 14

Jan 14 Trip Report: Valencia to Salamanca by Train

Kai
Trip Report

The trip to Salamanca from Valencia involved two trains with a connection in Madrid, but good food, an unexpected reunion with a friend, and nice views of the “plains of Spain” en route to Salamanca made for an enjoyable travel day.

My favorite empanadas along the Camino Inglés
Jan 10

Jan 10 My favorite empanadas along the Camino Inglés

Kai
Spain, Food

Pizza pie-sized empanadas are typical of Galicia, and the fillings, featuring seafood like tuna, baby cuttlefish in black ink, and bay scallops, elevated these humble pastries to a higher level.

Camino de Santiago (Inglés) Day 5 End: Finally, Santiago de Compostela!
Jan 7

Jan 7 Camino de Santiago (Inglés) Day 5 End: Finally, Santiago de Compostela!

Kai
Spain, Travel, Food

Reaching the end of the Camino…

Camino de Santiago (Inglés) Day 5 Walk: 16.1km (10 miles) from Sigüeiro to Santiago
Jan 2

Jan 2 Camino de Santiago (Inglés) Day 5 Walk: 16.1km (10 miles) from Sigüeiro to Santiago

Kai
Spain, Travel

The last day was the day I got lost for the first time on the Camino.

 

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Rolling out dough for butternut squash manitou 馒头. Now swipe for final product!
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#nánguāmántou #butternutsquash #yasukochifamilyfarms #csafarmbox #mantou #steamedbuns #chinesefood #chinesepastry #cookingathome #onmytable #quara
Paella valenciana... y californiana 🤣 In the absence of a paella pan, cast iron makes a pretty great socarrat (crispy rice layer)!
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#localingredients #paellavalenciana #paella #chicken #sugarsnappeas #beans #romatomato #gratedtomato #rosema
Garrafón peeled and ready for paella valenciana 🥘 #gradient #ombre .
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#paella #paellavalenciana #garrafón #beans #legumes #f52grams #miseenplace #cookingathome #onmytable #onmyplate #epicurious #cntraveller #cnntravel #valencia
Feria de Abril 💃 Can any more kids fit on this wagon? 😄
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#feriadeabril2019 #feriadeabril #feriadesevilla #sevilla #andalucia #festivalsofspain #cnntravel #bbctravel #cntraveller #travelandleisure #travelblog #latergram
Feria de Abril 💃 (This year in May.)
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#feriadeabril2019 #feriadeabril #sevilla #andalucia #cnntravel #bbctravel #travelandleisure #flamenca #flamenco #polkadots #travelblog #festivalsofspain
👀Birds eye view of Fallas, dancing in the street #tbt .
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#valenciafallas #fallas #fallas2019 #falleros #falleras #valenciaspain #unescointangibleculturalheritage #bbctravel #cnntravel #cntraveller #travelandleisure #torresdequart #dancinginth
😱So laborious! Shell-on shrimp 🦐, butterflied, topped with a hemisphere of minced shrimp, decorated with slivered almonds, and then fried. 🙏 Thanks to those in the kitchen who made these tasty morsels for me...🤤
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#chinesefood #shaanxi #x