Ask anyone, “What does Spain mean to you?” And they will quickly respond, “bullfighting, flamenco and tapas”. Spain’s overcoat is woven in tradition, and it is proud of that heritage – as it should be. Since the sunset of the Franco era, Spain has catapulted into the present-day without losing sight of centuries of tradition. […]
Tradition Meets Modernity: New Ideas for Old Tapas (Part I: Gazpacho) Read More »
When we first moved to Spain, many moons ago, we arrived green and naive. We never jumped on Wikipedia to research the plight and suffering of the downtrodden citizens under General Franco, nor did we study the diverse and regionally specific foods and wines savored throughout the peninsula. We were ignorant of the various languages
To Kiss or Not to Kiss: Top 10 Tips for Greeting Fellow Europeans Read More »
A few days ago, we mentioned that we were attending the II International Conference on Organic Viticulture, Sustainability and Climate Change (EcoSostenibleWine 2010) being held just south of Barcelona in Vilafranca de Penedes. The aim of the conference was to disseminate information on the latest technology in sustainability, organic procedures, and means to reduce the
Sustainability in Winemaking is a Philosophy, Not a Religion Read More »
If you’ve lived in Spain for any stretch of time, you’ve most likely become mildly addicted to their vast array of oranges, clementines, and mandarins available in the cold, wet winter months. Sitting regally in our blue glazed fruit bowl is a small mountain of round orbs, packed with enough juice to satisfy the deepest
Ultimate Guide to Spanish Oranges: The Delicious Backbone of the Mimosa Read More »
Recently, the northeastern Spanish region of Catalonia (or Catalunya) voted to ban bullfighting; which consequently, provoked me to write an article. Since moving to Spain in 2005, I have attempted to understand the “corrida de toros” – the bullfight. I have tried to learn as much as possible, both the pro and con; and yes,
Spanish Bullfighting: The Romance, the Drama and the Traditional Recipes Read More »
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
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 »
Recently, a friend of ours Raymond Magourty, was given the opportunity to work the harvest for a Mas Doix, a prestigious wine producer in the town of Poboleda who’s recent Parker Points have elevated it in popularity, is located in the Priorat. With his background in wine, and desire to learn more about about the
Harvesting in the Priorat 2009: Wine Tourists, Wine Festivals and Grape Picking 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 »
A few years back, while staying at the Perxe casa rural in La Molina, we were privy to taste our very first Montsant olive oil made from the Arbequine olive. Sitting at a large wooden table with a loaf of bread, we dipped into the brilliant light jade colored oil, and as we brought the
The Spanish Arbequina Olive from DO Montsant: Storing, Serving and Tasting Olive Oil 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 »
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 »
