iTrip Falls Flat On Face

I've been very pleased with my purchase of a video ipod. They've finally got the form factor right, especially versus those enormous bricks that were the previous generations. What a ball and chain! Sure my RCA mp3 player was huge but it was also 40Gb and a lot cheaper than the much smaller capacity and portly ipod available at the time. Anyway, the video ipod has met all expectations despite being an Apple product. I still think the nano is the perfect size for such a player but you can't get away with that size AND play video so the video ipod is a good compromise. After listening to it for a week at work and sometimes at home, I wanted to listen to it in the car. The head unit in the car has an auxiliary input (thoughtfully placed on the *back* inside the dash) but that is presently taken by my ham radio (which I admit doesn't see much use). Rather than running a splitter from behind the dash to the glovebox or maybe up through the center console, a quick and dirty solution was to pick up the Griffin iTrip FM transmitter. You can get them at just about any store that has a stinking heap of Apple accessories. Just follow your nose. I came across it at CompUSA and IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL, I HAD TO BUY IT!

I tried it out this afternoon in the car. By default it comes in LX mode, which is only described as stereo mode on the iTrip packaging. I thought, "Great! I'll plug this in and turn to 88.1 FM and be on my way!". I ended up searching through dozens of channels trying to find one I could actually hear the music on. When I finally found one that worked, I had to turn the volume up to TWICE the normal "loud" volume just to get the static whispers of a human voice out of the speakers. I was ready to return the device, especially after reading the Amazon reviews of it, but went back out to try DX mode, which is mono. Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, that mode works decently enough in the car that I will keep the device. Stereo sound doesn't matter so much with the road noise and the volume needed to be turned up only two hairs past normal. All in all, I think it will work fine for trips, in rental cars, etc. However it is not a permanent solution for ipod listening in the car. Off comes the dash again!

Possible Stews For The Next Barcelona Dinner

Guisado Mediterraneo (Mediterranean Fish Stew):
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, chopped
1 celery stick, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled & chopped
4 large garlic cloves, minced
4 anchovy fillets, rinsed & chopped
8 medium ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded & chopped
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
3 cups water
4 fish fillets
Salt & pepper

PREPARATION
1) Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-low heat and add onions, celery and carrot.
2) Cook, whilst stirring, until thoroughly tender - about 10-15 minutes.
3) Stir in the anchovies and tomatoes and cook for about 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down and the mixture is aromatic. Stir often.
4) Stir in the wine, raise the heat and bring to a boil for 5 minutes, stirring often.
5) Add the water and lower heat to simmer.
6) Add salt to taste and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring often.
7) Stir in fish and optional saffron and simmer uncovered for another 15 minutes. The fish should be cooked through. Add pepper and adjust salt.


Zarzuela de Mariscos a la Catalana (Traditional Catalan Fish Stew)

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound fresh squid, cleaned and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
Spanish brandy
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 cups clam juice or seafood stock
1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 pound fresh sea bass fillets, sliced into 1/2-inch slices
1/2 pound angler fish fillets, sliced into 1/2-inch slices
1/2 pound scampi, peeled
1 dozen clams, scrubbed
1 dozen mussels, scrubbed and debearded
1 recipe Picada (see recipe from above)
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
Loaf crusty bread

PREPARATION
In a large Dutch oven, over medium heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until wilted. Season the squid with salt and pepper. Add to the onions and saute for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat, add the brandy and carefully flame. Shake the pan back and forth several times until the flame dies out. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with the wine. Add the clam juice and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Season the shrimp, fish and scampi with salt and pepper. Add the clams, mussels, scampi, shrimp and fish fillets to the pot, cover and cook for about 10 minutes, or until all of the shells have opened and the shrimp/scampi is fully cooked, (**they will turn pink and there tails will curl completely in). Stir in the picada sauce. Remove from the heat and ladle into serving bowls. Garnish with parsley and serve with crusty bread.

Picada Sauce Recipe (for above)

INGREDIENTS
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/4 cup blanched almonds, roasted
1/4 cup blanched hazelnuts, roasted
1 slice fried bread
1 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

PREPARATION
Using a mortar and pestle or a spice mill or a food processor, grind the garlic, nuts and bread together. Add the parsley and mash until incorporated. Add in enough oil to the mixture to form a thick paste, about 1/4 cup. Season with salt and pepper. Use in the fish stew