I had the smarts to marry into a Spanish family, which has made me the de facto provider of Spain travel advice for my friends and colleagues. And you know what? I don’t mind a bit. Especially when I can tell travel stories like these, about a mushroom-hunting trip I took with my in-laws to Soria last fall.

The story was originally written as a long-form travelogue. I had been in touch with an editor at Travel + Leisure about a different portion of our trip itinerary to Soria, a largely untouristed (at least by non-Spaniards) region in northern Spain. When they decided to go in a more food-focused direction for the issue, I offered this piece instead. I had to cut it in half to fit the format of their Experiences section, which was no small feat and did change the narrative. But the resulting story is still a personal favorite, both because it allows me to reflect on one of my more memorable trips, and because, as a travel writer, I’ve been able to see my work in a magazine as beautiful as T+L.

Travel writers and aspiring travel writers: I’ll be posting the original travelogue on my new travel blog in a few months, so you’ll be able to get a peek behind the curtain at how the story was modified for print. And don’t forget to hit me up if you need Spain travel advice.