salamanca tapas bar, dublin.

A gem of a tapas restaurant in the centre of Dublin. Found on St. Andrew Street in Dublin 2, Salamanca serves up tempting tapas dishes from midday until late, every day. With a vibrant orange front, wrought iron lighting, handwritten chalk boards and lush greenery, the Spanish restaurant instantly grasps you with its Mediterranean charm. Inside it is deceptively spacious, as the friendly waiting staff take you past a well stocked wine bar to the rows of seating within. The interior continues the expected theme; think long candlesticks, wooden seating and large mirrors met with burnt orange walls and rich red trims.

spanish cookery class at l'atelier des chefs, london.

L'atelier des Chefs, translating as the chef's studio or workshop, is London cookery school which runs a plethora of culinary courses. From learning the secrets of baking bread to macaron masterclasses, their St Paul's and Oxford Street locations promise a fun event where you can learn new kitchen skills and make a few friends too. 

Their courses would make for perfect Mother's Day presents or birthday treats, with vouchers available too. I've been to all sorts of classes with my mum - from Tunisian cookery to cake pop decorating - although this time the London class was a bit far away from her Leicestershire home. I went along with my foodie pal Grace to sample their Spanish cookery class; 90 minutes of creating calamari, patatas bravas, traditional paella and croquetas. Challenge accepted!

camino, kings cross, london.

a few weekends ago i headed to london for a foodie weekend, which featured a long overdue trip to sticks n sushi after a day out at feast foodies festival. travelling down to london on friday night, i had to find somewhere near st pancras for a light bite to eat and catch up over a bottle of wine. camino ticked all the boxes; round the corner from kings cross, a well stocked bar and a tasty looking spanish menu. but how would it stack up?

chorizo, chicken and chickpea casserole.

in terms of cuisine, i tend to lean towards either asian inspired dishes or italian with my new found love for pasta making! in the search for something new, i found myself using the handy "cuisine type" option on bbc good food and clicking on... spanish! here i stumbled upon simon rimmer's chorizo, chicken and chickpea casserole and instantly had to try it. 

i did slightly tweak as i didn't use sherry in mine (and probably a bit more than just a splash of red wine) but on the whole i stuck to the recipe - which was delicious! i also halved to make three portions.