Kimberley Silverthorne
Bio
Freelance writer based in the UK after 20 years in Spain. I write about the fascinating festivals and culinary delights of Spain at Food and Fiesta and the woes of food education around the world (among other things) at A Plot to Hatch.
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Stories (20)
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The Life-Changing Power of Urban Farming.
The stereotype many of us have of cities being soulless concrete jungles dominated by skyscrapers and highways, and colonies of bustling humans shuttling around in poison-emitting vehicles disconnected from the natural world, thinking about tomorrow and the next dollar while feeling stressed and burned out, has been subtly, almost imperceptibly, shifting before our very eyes.
By Kimberley Silverthorneabout a year ago in Earth
ST JAMES AND OTHER CURIOUS LEGENDS OF THE CAMINO
The year is 1211 and the pilgrim has been walking for months, enduring all weather and three painful pairs of thin leather sandals. He’s on his final pair now and the last piece of dried meat and stale bread in his pouch is going to be a celebratory meal tomorrow when, at long last, he reaches his destination. The thick impenetrable forests, the mountains full of wolves and bears, the thieves and bandits, and the numerous fellow pilgrims wasting away in hospices will soon be forgotten as he beholds a glorious sight, a magnificent symbol of the miracles of God and His apostle St James — the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela — about to be consecrated by King Alfonso IX himself!
By Kimberley Silverthorneabout a year ago in History
Tierra Meiga — Witches’ Land
Galicia, Spain's most north-western region, doesn’t carry the famed badge of “tierra meiga” for nothing — besides being the land of miraculous creatures and mystical beings, its long tradition of witchcraft, spells and magic continues to fascinate locals and tourists alike. Witchcraft was yet another means of explaining the unexplainable; living in a world where common every day occurrences have yet to be explained scientifically must have been confusing and terrifying and assigning reasons to events, however bizarre and unreasonable they may be, is part of our human heritage.
By Kimberley Silverthorneabout a year ago in Horror
The Road to Agafia. Top Story - October 2024.
A taxi dropped her off at a Shell petrol station on a ring road 17 km outside Moscow. She stepped out onto the dirty squelchy snow that was turning into puddles and looked up at the soggy early morning clouds.
By Kimberley Silverthorneabout a year ago in Fiction
The One Rule. Runner-up in Spooky Micro Challenge.
There was only one rule – don’t open the door. Yet here he stood, with a flame flickering in the draught that slithered through the frozen stones. It cast a dancing yellow halo around the markings engraved deep within the panelling.
By Kimberley Silverthorneabout a year ago in Horror
The Fallas Festival of Valencia
My first introduction to Spain in the late 90s was getting off the train at Barcelona and immediately having my wallet lifted from my coat pocket. The city was dusty and the hostel where I was staying, dirty and shady. Needless to say, I wasn’t impressed and my sour mood reflected badly on the city. I decided to move on. My second impression of Spain was Valencia in the throes of its Fallas Festival. And wow, it was just what I needed! The whole town seemed to be throwing one long crazy party. There was noise, smoke, giant weird-looking caricatured sculptures, and lots of street food. This was ‘Spanish fiesta’ at its most superlative.
By Kimberley Silverthorne3 years ago in Feast
5 Iconic Dishes of Spain and Their Origins
After my last, rather heavy, article on the Civil War, I thought I’d lighten it up a bit with a post on the history of some of Spain’s most iconic dishes. So much of Spain’s cuisine is world famous, but how many of us know where the foods originated? The history of Spanish cuisine is as interesting as the history of the country, and both go back a long way.
By Kimberley Silverthorne3 years ago in Feast
