Poolside Paella on the Fourth of July

Rebecca takes a tiny taste to see if rice is done

Rebecca and Gustavo recently returned from a wonderful adventure in Spain, and with all things Spain still on the brain, they decided to "grill" paella in their new paella pan for our July 4th celebration Monday.

I had the task of trying to scrub the pan clean, using nothing abrasive.

While not the usual fare for the Fourth of July, we easily accommodated this bit of culinary multi-culturalism that did not reflect our usual picnic-themed traditions for celebrating Independence Day. My husband likes anything that resembles a casserole and I am always up for a new food experience. However, we were eating outdoors, in a park-like setting, which was part of my usual childhood celebration and eating outside in the backyard always feels picnic-ish to me.

Furthermore, even though I don't list paella in my top ten favorite foods, this occasion to enjoy paella cooked on the fire from a charcoal Weber grill, served directly from a steaming pan set in the center of the patio table, along with the ambiance of dining in the fresh (if a bit steamy) outdoor air (with overhead fans humming, a fountain burbling and with a view of a sparkling  pool) provided us with a wonderful (blog-worthy) meal that is representative of the sort of over-the-top-foodie-hospitality we have come to expect when we visit our favorite Florida couple! Whew! I think that was the longest sentence I have ever written.

And, not to be minimized, a pitcher or two of sangria (pictured below) helped to provide a festive air to our Spanish/American celebration.

In a nod to the holiday we were celebrating, Rebecca also made a low-fat, crustless, Splenda cheesecake, topped with berries, a healthy choice for dessert and also low-carb--kind of a farce, after all the rice and sangria.

Waiting for paella--with a thick old towel used for a hot pad.