For St Valentine's Day I would like to tell you of a wonderful Spanish tale of unrequited love.
On the western edge of the Maestrazgo Mountains is the fascinating town of Teruel. Because Valencia and the Mediterranean Sea are on the other side of the Maestrazgo range, Teruel has been a strategic location populated by Romans, Moors, El Cid, and the many political refugees.
Tragically much of the city was demolished during the Blizzard of 1937 in one of the most horrendous battles of the Spanish Civil War. But the town is resilient. Its stately Medejar Towers stand tall with their glistening ceramic tile inlays and patterned brickwork. The winding streets of the Old Quarter retain a haunting Moorish flavor.
It was along these narrow streets in the early days of the 13th Century, that a knight named Diego de Marcilla neared the end of a five year odyssey. He was exhausted from making the tortuous trek across the craggy mountains, yet he was filled with joy: His journey had earned him the right to marry his beloved, Isabel de Segura, and soon he would be in her arms. In fact, he heard wedding bells ringing as he approached his home town. He could hardly wait.
Diego and Isabel had been in love since they played together as little children. But when they matured into two young people deeply in love, Isabel's father, a wealthy merchant, was reluctant to bless their proposed union because Diego, as the second son of a noble family, did not have the funds necessary to maintain his daughter in the style to which she had grown accustomed.
Isabel's father finally relented on one condition: the two can marry when Diego proves his noble lineage as a valorous knight, and returns with enough wealth to give Isabel the life she deserves. "This all must be accomplished within exactly five years," he warned -- "no exceptions. At that time, if you meet the requirements," Isabel's father pledged to Diego, "you can have the hand of my daughter Isabel in marriage. But if you fail, I will see that my daughter marries well into a prominent noble family."
The five years have passed and Diego is returning to Teruel in the prime of his youth -- strong, handsome and wealthy. He is honored throughout the land for his courageous victories in many battles against the invading Moors. Confidently he awaits his reunion with his beloved.
But being an impulsive young man, he has not kept track of the time. The very day of his triumphant arrival in Teruel is the day the deadline has expired. Soon he learns from his friends that the wedding bells he hears are not for him and his beloved Isabel; they are for her marriage to another. Prudence and the enthusiasm of a very eligible (and noble) suitor prompted Isabel's father to delay not even one day before giving his daughter in marriage to Pedro Azagra, Lord of Albarracín. He had arranged a good marriage indeed.
Brave Diego was beside himself -- filled with mixed feelings of disappointment and rage. But he realizes that it is his error -- Isabel's father had kept his word. Crestfallen, he approaches his beloved Isabel and tearfully tells her he must leave her and the town of Teruel forever. All he asks for is a farewell kiss. But it was not to be, for Isabel cannot grant his wish (and her desire) since now she is wed to another man. The full force of what has happened confronts Diego, his heart literally bursts, and the brave knight crumples to the floor, dying of a broken heart.
Now the wedding chimes are tolling mournfully. The next day, as the grief stricken families and friends are processing with Diego's body to the church, a young woman, her face veiled, slips out from the file of mourners and silently approaches the fallen knight. She goes up to him and places a kiss on his cold mouth, the kiss that she had denied him in life. At that moment Isabel faints and expires in her lover's arms.
The place most visited in Teruel continues to be the place where the two lovers are buried side by side, their hands reaching out to one another. The monument, carved by Juan de Avalos is revered by lovers throughout Spain, indicating the enormous significance of the tradition that they died of love. The legend is based on fact. Juan Martinez de Marcilla was the actual name of Diego.
Happy St. Valentine's Day!
Tu amigo,
Don
Los Amantes de Teruel
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Spain Celebrates Victory Together
Americans have experienced some epic sporting victories over the years, from the “Miracle on Ice” hockey victory over Russia in 1980 to the Dream Team basketball victory in 1992 and the historic Women’s World Cup victory in 1999. And American fans celebrated with parades and parties. But those celebrations pale in comparison to the gatherings in Spain after the 2026 world soccer victory!
In Madrid alone, over 2 million ecstatic fans filled the streets, giving a hero’s welcome to the returning champions. We were astonished to see videos of a vast sea of fans at La Plaza de Cibeles, singing together in one voice, faces glowing with the joy of victory. In a country that often experiences regional tensions, it was incredible to see the entire population coming together with national pride.
Fútbol (soccer) is bordering on a national religion in Spain, with teams participating in intense rivalries between clubs. Some matches are so legendary they even have names, like El Clásico or El Derby. But when the national team played in the big tournament, these rivalries disappeared. On the national team, members of the legendary clubs of La Liga, like FC Barcelona and Atlético Madrid, played side by side.
We talked with a friend in Valencia who told us the streets were empty during the matches, as families and friends gathered in bars and homes to cheer on La Roja. The crowds shouted in unified passion, bonding with strangers as they celebrated goals or commiserated about bad calls.
We were able to experience some of Spain’s communal joy with a watch party that we organized at the Virginia Beer Company in our hometown of Williamsburg, VA. We shared a free spread of simple tapas with the crowd, from Marcona almonds and picos breadsticks to anchovy stuffed olives and quicos crunchy corn. We even hand-sliced a Jamón Ibérico, with hungry fans devouring the ham faster than we could slice.
The crowd grew to over a hundred people, and we were excited to see a group of a dozen Spanish fans leading the cheers. They were young adults working at Busch Gardens for the summer, and their enthusiasm was infectious. They even inspired the Williamsburg locals to sing “¡OLÉ, OLÉ OLÉ OLÉ!” at full volume. The excellent glasses of beer did not hurt the enthusiasm!
As the final whistle blew in overtime, the entire crowd exploded, led by the Spanish fans. They waved huge red and yellow flags, sang victory songs and literally jumped for joy as a group! One guy ran over and grabbed what was left of the jamón, holding it high in the air like it was a religious icon, then kissed it to celebrate the victory. Another fan grabbed a porrón pitcher that we’d brought and poured a long stream of beer in his mouth. For a moment, it felt like we were at a bar in Madrid or Sevilla, sharing the thrill of victory with the people of Spain.
In life, stereotypes are sometimes positive and real. Spaniards do love jamón with an intensity bordering on obsession. They do come together and connect, creating community wherever they are. It was thrilling to share their passion and excitement; it was an event that we’ll always remember.
¡Hola! I'm Jonathan Harris, one of the owners of La Tienda. I love sharing insights about Spain's amazing food culture. Learn more >
30th Anniversary Spotlight: "Don Don" and His Love of Spain
Our father Don Harris was affectionately called "Don Don" (Mr. Don) by some of our Spanish friends. Such a familiar honorific was so perfect for dad, a man who created so many warm personal bonds with his Spanish friends that he naturally earned their love and respect.
From the day we founded La Tienda 30 years ago, Don valued relationships above all else, more than great food or business success. He was energized by the strong connection he created with our Spanish partners, from Abel Rodriguez, the Cordoban purveyor of Ibérico ham, to Carmen Gutiérrez-Colosía, a generous and welcoming sherry wine maker.
Don loved Spain for its sense of community, a culture where family, and especially children, are treasured. He was by no means a gourmand, preferring simpler pleasures: a great loaf of bread, a slice of tortilla de patatas, and his favorite, a plate of piping hot croquetas de jamón. Don passed peacefully in 2024, but his legacy of welcoming and connection lives on through La Tienda.
Here are a few of Don's very favorite foods from Spain, I hope you enjoy them too!
Jonathan - La Tienda
What Are Real Spanish Tapas?
America is in love with tapas. Or at least the word tapas is used at all kinds of restaurants across the country. In the U.S., this usually means sharing a variety of small plates with fellow diners around a restaurant table so everyone gets to try each dish. While I personally love dining this way, it can be pretty far from the true Spanish tapas tradition.
First of all, tapas are by definition always Spanish food. There is no such thing as Asian or Mexican tapas, just as there is no Spanish sushi or burritos. The world has other great small plates traditions, from Middle Eastern mezze to Chinese dim sum and Italian aperitivo. There's no reason to use the word tapas for these other admittedly delicious styles of eating. Plus, Spain has a wealth of delectable foods, from Galician seafood to Andalucian jamón, and there's no need to add flavors from far afield.
Secondly, tapas is just as much an activity as an eating style. Barcelona and Madrid have streets lined with dozens of tapas bars, each specializing in a particular tapa. My friends and I love stopping by a tapas bar, ordering a drink and enjoying their signature tapa while standing around a tall table. We could order grilled mushrooms topped with shrimp and a small beer in one place, then a pincho moruno pork skewer and a cup of wine in the next, never staying longer than fifteen or twenty minutes at each location. All the while, each of the bars is filled with patrons talking, sharing stories and enjoying each other's company.
This casual camaraderie and connection over tasty bites of food is the third signature of Spanish tapas. Unlike a restaurant meal, a tapas crawl is full of surprises, unexpected flavors and impromptu conversations with friends and strangers along the way. An evening of tapas has a loose informality that encourages new discoveries and shared experiences.
So, enjoy that "tapa" of a Thai spring roll or an Angus slider at a U.S. restaurant. But remember that true Spanish tapas is a whole experience, a time of camaraderie and adventure while enjoying delicious bites of Spain's incredible foods at each stop along the way.
¡Hola! I'm Jonathan Harris, one of the owners of La Tienda. I love sharing insights about Spain's amazing food culture. Learn more >
2 Comments
Buenos dias, Don! Your story of how La Tienda evolved is inspirational! Wish I had thought of it! I was so excited when I discovered La Tienda 7-8 years ago! I have identified with your history and love of Spain ever since and love to read your articles about the out-of-the-way places and the wonderful Spanish people. I began my love affair with Spain and its people in 1965 too, studying with a program from Mary Baldwin College. At that time the only college programs were Dartmouth, Smith, Middlebury and Mary Baldwin, so we were quite a novelty – they could spot us anywhere! We each lived with a family and were totally immersed in the culture and daily life for over a year. My Spanish family told their friends that I was “mas espanola que una espanola, y que tenia el alma espanol!” After college I came very close to marrying a Spanish lawyer. It took me a long time to readjust to my world in the U.S. because I missed Spain so much.I went on to teach Spanish for several years and have returned to Spain about every other year for the last 40 to see my best friend from college who still lives in Madrid. Our husbands and kids became good friends and over the years we have explored those out-of-the-way places you write about. Two of my favorites are Cuenca and Patones. I have been collecting pottery from every region in Spain since college, and I LOVE to cook Spanish food! So I definitely need your products! I used to try to bring back jamon, manchego, etc. but that got to be impossible. My college friend who lives in Madrid, is from South Boston, VA, and she got all the food for a huge fundraiser there from your store in Williamsburg! It was easier than trying to bring it over! Best to you and your family! Keep up the good work!!Ann Gillenwater
Response:
Dear Ann,
What an absorbing story you tell! We are obviously"soul mates" and must get together — what fun that would be. Come to Williamsburg — we have a store in a centuries old potter studio.
Of course I love Cuenca. We experienced a profound Semana Santa there this year. I will have to check out Patones next year. Thank you for your suggestion.
Tell me about traditional pottery/ceramics. I might want to expand beyond Talavera/El Puente del Arzobispo in Toledo. We have tried some from Granada but it was very heavy and coarse in execution.
Have you checked out my book: The Heart of Spain? It is full of reminiscences and personal snapshots. I think you would love it.
Do come see us.
Abrazos,
Don
Just found your sidebar with a bookful of stories from Spain; can’t wait to read them all. Thank you for reminding me of this glorious country!
Response:
I am glad you liked what I wrote. You can get a whole bookful of my essays and pictures. It is called Heart of Spain. I think you will like it a lot.
Don