Montecados Spanish Cookie

Image via: Cocina

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Yields: 72 servings

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

2 1/3 cups shortening, melted

5 cups all purpose flour

Half ounce anise flavoring

1 ¼ cups sugar, white

Pinch of ground cinnamon

72 almonds, skin removed (optional)

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 120 degree Celsius.

2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, and sugar. Slowly add melted shortening and stir until well blended. Add anise and knead for 4-5 minutes.

3. Roll the mixture into inch balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Make sure to keep at least 2 inches distance between each ball.

4. Slowly put a blanched almond on top of each cookie and press down gently.

5. Bake for 30 minutes in a very slow oven. Let the cookies cool on a cookie sheet for 25-30 minutes before serving.

Overall, Montecados are easy to cook and taste as good as they look. They are so soft that they will literally crumble into your mouth. Light and delicate, words will not do justice to them. You will actually have to bake them to see why they are Spanish favorite.

For more desserts on Stagetecture, click here.

If you love the rich ancestry and tradition of Spanish decor, look no further for inspiring ideas to add to your home. Due to the cultural aspects, a Spanish style home décor is a popular choice for many. It’s a great way to get a rustic yet elegant feel to your home, together with rich, traditional furnishings that have a timeless appeal.

Image via: JAUREGUI Architecture Interiors Construction

Whether you are fascinated with Southwestern or old Spanish look, these tips will help you incorporate a warm, authentic feel that defiantly says “Spanish.”

Image via: Blackband Design

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Use of Colors

The Spanish style décor lays stress on warm, earthy colors. The use of deep reds and sunset oranges makes everything look dramatic. Turquoise green, bright accents of blue and, yellow are also common throughout Spanish style interiors. You can mix and match all these colors in furniture coverings, window treatments, art pieces, and wall paints to give a perfect Spanish feel to your home.

Furniture

When it’s about Spanish décor, it really doesn’t matter what type of furniture you use. The only thing important here is, it should be comfortable and casual, unless you are decorating a formal dining space. Do away with formality, and consider low-slung seating arrangements. A mix of chairs and floor pillows should do well. But make sure, the furniture is big enough for the entire family to lounge on.

Image via: Matthew Millman

Use of Greenery

Apart from cacti, large potted plants such as ficus and avocado are quite common in a Spanish style home. You can place several tall trees or plants in key areas such as entryway or within large rooms. It’s also a great idea to hang overflowing planters in windows and adorn outdoor patio with citrus plants.

Tiles

Image credit: Ambiance Photography

The use of tiles is an important aspect of Spanish homes. Even though, terra cotta is a popular choice, you can also use plaster or metal. Put them on floors, tabletops, and, backsplashes for that traditional Spanish look.

Family Pictures

Perhaps, this is one of the easiest ways to incorporate Spanish flavor to your home. Celebrate your family history with over-sized black and white framed pictures. Entryway or the foyer area is the perfect place to set the mood.

No matter where you live, these tips will help you recreate Spain in your home. Simply add bright colors, comfortable furniture, and, family pictures to get that Spanish feel you want.

For more home interiors ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

My husband and I love to travel offbeat and almost shocked our friends and families when we told them that we’d decided to go to Egypt and Morocco for our honeymoon! Everybody was expecting a romantic getaway to Europe or South East Asia. “You will get hurt in the political riots!”, my then to-be mother-in-law warned. But we went…and it was awesome!

After seeing a lot of ancient ruins in Egypt, we reached Morocco to realize how different the African continent can get in only a couple thousand miles! Morocco, in December, looks like a sunny Europe with green fields, long stretches of roads and cafes with French speaking patrons! Morocco was a French colony until 1956, when they attained independence and you’ll find the French and Spanish influences on language and cuisine.

Image via: Palindrome6996 on flickr

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Our first stop was Marrakech – this was my favorite city in Morocco! You can spend an entire day in the town square (called the Jemaa el-Fnaa Square) sipping on hot mint tea and looking at the different types of people that make up the market’s crowd. Also, don’t miss the Bahia Palace and the Menara.

Image via: Bjørn Giesenbauer on flickr

After spending 2 days in Marrakech, we headed for Fez, which has the largest medina in Morocco. A medina is a walled town, usually an old city from Arabic descent. The maze of lanes will give you a feel of what Arab cities used to look like about 500 years back! Check out the tanneries, buy some spices and Morocco’s special Argon oil and have a chilled out meal at Café Clock, owned and run by a British fellow.

Oh and how can I forget the stop we made at Ifrane, on our way from Marrakech to Fez?! Ifrane is a small city that hosts a top of the line university, attended by the richest kids in the Arab world! The city is dotted with cafes and gardens and transports you to the feeling of sitting in any quaint town in France. This is the only place in Morocco where we were sold goods based on a printed price – everywhere else in Morocco, you just have to trust what the store owner quotes!

Image via: Khowaga1 on flickr

From Fez, a quick trip to Volubilis showed us ancient Roman ruins that are over 2000 years old. And from here, we headed to Rabat, the capital of Morocco. A part of the king’s palace grounds is open to public and it is grand! Talk to anyone in Morocco and you will feel the love and gratefulness that people have for their king. King Mohammed VI is popular for his progressive views and fairness in justice. He is responsible for giving better opportunities to women and increasing the level of education in the country. Chat up with a local to feel the warmth!

Finally, how can you visit Morocco and not visit Casablanca! The city that was made popular by the romantic 1942 American classic lies by the seashore and is Morocco’s largest city. Go partying here! We also visited the Hassan II mosque – the largest mosque in the country, 7th largest in the world and one of the very few ones that allow women inside. It’s not so much for religion that you should go in, but for its brilliant architecture. Outside, the mosque looks out at the Atlantic Ocean. Stone and marble floors and columns, carved wood ceilings, titanium, bronze and granite finishes make this mosque a marvel to look at from inside. It even has a retractable roof that can be opened up on good days!

Image via: TravellingAlps

Morocco was a surprise for both my husband and me. The lovely sights, the excellent infrastructure, the good governance and the delectable food won us over. Did I tell you to try a ‘tagine’? It’s a Moroccan delicacy and if you have planned a trip to this wonderful country, do not leave without trying it!

For more travel ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

When you think of Spanish style homes, what are some of the design elements that immediately come to mind? Tile floors? Dark wood? Crosses hanging on the walls? Indeed, when it comes to the traditional elements of Spanish décor, a lot of it is directly influenced by the Roman era, including Catholicism and the architectural approach to designing that many Catholic churches have displayed throughout the years.

Image via: Ron Rosenzweig

Are you thinking about bringing some “Spanish flavor” into your own home?

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If so, we have included five signature style elements that will definitely leave quite the impression:

Stucco walls.

There’s a pretty good chance that when people think of a Spanish home, the first thing that will come to their mind is the stucco walls. It’s basically a fine kind of plaster that is used to cover walls. Once it dries, it is then painted over with a neutral color such as off-white or beige. Aside from being used on walls, you can also find it on kitchen hoods and even as the border for fireplaces.

Tile.

Whether it’s the kitchen, the bathroom or even the hallways leading to various rooms in the home, one beautiful thing about the Spanish style of tile is that it tends to look very decorative. Although you can certainly go with a solid color, it is more traditional to opt for a pattern such as a Garbo, Moroccan or Syrian kind of look.

Image: Geoff Captain Studios

Arches.

What’s one of the things that Catholic churches are known for? Their really high arches, right? The same thing applies to the structure of a Spanish style home. If you don’t want to totally reconstruct your house, you might want to speak with a contractor about how you can create the appearance of a high arch in one of the doorways in your home, or even some of the windows in a particular room.

“Hideaway alcoves”.

If you’re not familiar with what an alcove is, it’s basically a lot like a breakfast nook that can be placed into any part of your home. They’re really ideal in a wall that is connected to a wide open space (like maybe a living room or bonus room). So, if you want to sneak away (but not too far away) to listen to someone of your favorite music or to do some journaling while contemplating big life questions such as “What is God?”, a hideaway cove is an ideal place to do it.

Dark wood and rich fabrics.

Do you want to simply add a couple of Spanish style elements to your home without doing anything too drastic? If so, another classic look is to purchase dark wood furniture (such as pieces made out of cherry, walnut or rosewood) for your kitchen table or beds. You can also opt for a sofa or set of chairs made from the same dark wood; just make sure that it’s upholstered with really rich fabrics such as woven brocade or deep-colored velvet. It won’t be an inexpensive addition, but the quality of this kind of furniture is definitely a wise investment that can be passed down to generations for years to come.

For more architectural ideas on Stagetecture, click here.