Spain is synonymous with cured Jamon Iberico, olives and sharp Manchego cheese; but let’s not forget that it’s also the birthplace of a wide variety of sausages. Since the dawn of time, Spaniards have mastered the art of using, salt, spices and fresh air to preserve and cure their meats; and as centuries passed, their […]
Traditional Catalan Dish: Spanish Sausage, Spinach and Garbanzo Beans Read More »
A friend of ours Raymond Magourty (Raymondo) is working the 2009 harvest in Priorat, Catalunya for Celler Mas Doix, a prestigious wine producer located in the village of Poboleda whose Parker Points have elevated it in popularity. With his background in wine education, and ambition to learn more about the practicalities of wine-making, the winery
Today, we’re going to give you the perfect silver bullet for each and every meal. No more thinking. No more fretting whether or not your X wine pairs with the meal. No more wondering if you can afford a decent wine at an affordable price as a gift. The secret is Cava. With its racy
Spanish Cava: The Anytime, Anywhere, with Anyone, Wine Read More »
A friend of ours Raymond Magourty (Raymondo) is working the 2009 harvest in Priorat, Catalunya for Celler Mas Doix, a prestigious wine producer located in the villlage of Poboleda whose Parker Points have elevated it in popularity. With his background in wine education, and ambition to learn more about the practicalities of wine-making, the winery
Harvesting in the Priorat: Fermentation I – Maceration Techniques Read More »
A friend of ours Raymond Magourty (Raymondo) is working the 2009 harvest in Priorat, Catalunya for Celler Mas Doix, a prestigious wine producer located in the villlage of Poboleda who’s Parker Points have elevated it in popularity. With his background in wine education, and ambition to learn more about the practicalities of wine-making, the winery
Harvesting in the Priorat 2009: Differentiating Grape Varieties Read More »
In my two previous posts, we’ve explored Portugal’s most renown and cherished artisanal cheeses, learning the basic flavor profiles, as well as common Portuguese terms when buying and selecting cheese. (Read Part 1 and Part 2) Now it’s finally time to enjoy our delicious Portuguese cheese with some equally delicious Portuguese wine. For many of
Part 3: The Ultimate User’s Guide To Portuguese Cheese Read More »
Last week, we had the pleasure of enjoying some quality family time in the small mountainous town of Calonge, located north of Barcelona, southeast of Girona and not a stone’s throw from the sea. Perched on a terraced mountain at approximately 500 feet, our casa rural overlooked the dry bush valley, spotted with pine trees,
D.O. Emporda: A Mecca of Natural Beauty and Legendary Wine Stories Read More »
In Part 1 of “The Ultimate User’s Guide to Portuguese Cheese”, we covered the 2 self-created categories “A Lil’ Stinky But Smooth And Creamy and the “Not Too Soft, Not Too Hard And Not Too Stinky”. The last 2 categories highlight the “Hard, Rugged and Nutty” cheeses, as well as the “Refreshing”. However, you must
Part 2: The Ultimate User’s Guide To Portuguese Cheese Read More »
Like wine, cheese is an important and valued part of Portuguese cuisine and one that is typically overlooked by much of the world. Portugal boasts of various high-quality artisanal cheeses, which are primarily produced in the central mountainous and plateau regions using sheep’s and goat’s milk. The islands of the Azores are also famed cheese
Part 1: The Ultimate User’s Guide to Portuguese Cheese Read More »
Coming across Fondillón is a bit like meeting Samuel Taylor Coleridge‘s Ancient Mariner, buttonholing you with stories of ancient glories and disaster. You’re half fascinated and half disbelieving. Yet he starts pulling bits and pieces out of his pockets – there is the price list of leading Alicante wine merchants Maisonnave & Co. from the
Fondillón: A Very Unique Style of Sweet Spanish Wine from Alicante Read More »
Quite often, we receive requests from people visiting Barcelona, Madrid, Lisbon or Porto, as to which wineries they can visit by train, taxi or foot. Our responses have commonly been, “Good question! And to be quite honest, I don’t know!” Well, maybe Porto is the exception, as you have a plethora you can get to,
Barcelona: Which Wineries You Can Visit By Train Read More »
Regardless of where you are in the world, someone wants to know, “Are there vegetarian options available?.” When I first think about Portuguese cuisine, vegetarian or vegetables are definitely not what come to mind, while fish, meat and rice are more common. But as a foreigner, I am no expert. So I decided to take
Cozinha Portuguesa Vegetariana: Eating Vegetarian in Portugal Read More »
Bacalhau is Portuguese for dry, salted cod, and is referred to as Bacalao in Spain or Bacala in Italy. Today we take a look at it from a Portuguese perspective. Historically, Bacalhau was the staple for these three predominately Catholic countries during Lent, when meat was considered a forbidden food. And although the recipes have
Bacalhau: The Staple of Portuguese Cuisine Read More »
When I first saw the pointy hats, it was slightly unnerving. For most people, the associations are obvious. Thankfully pointy hat wearing in Jerez started way before the Klan was formed, so nothing to do with each other apart from the style of hat. The pointy hat brigade, as my colleague likes to call them, comes
The Pointy Hat Brigade: Holy Week in Southern Spain Read More »
If I say “D.O. Arribes“, what comes to mind? Most likely, very little, especially when considering that few Spaniards have even heard of this region. D.O Arribes is one of a handful of new D.O.s in the north central political region of Castilla y Leon, Spain, which has taken on a “quality wine region” status
D.O. Arribes: Where the Legendary Tormes and Duero River Meet Read More »
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