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Time for Cava When the Clock Strikes 12
Once again, we are willing to sacrifice in the name of culinary research and substitute the traditional glass of Champagne for a copa de Cava this New Year’s Eve. On Nochevieja or old night, as New Year’s Eve is known in Spain, we will be armed with a glass of the local cava and a handful of […]
Port Wine Is A Great Excuse For A Tasting Party
Quick, how would you describe port wine in three words? Before hosting a port tasting party the other night, I would have said, “sweet, old-fashioned, and British” – and I would have been mostly wrong. The most fun way to learn about port is to drink it, so finish reading this article and gather together […]
From 3-Stars to Tiny Bars, Denia’s Many Menus
Three-hours on a high speed tram ride up the coast from Alicante brought us to the small, harbor town of Denia. With only 45,000 residents, exactly why Denia is overrun with great restaurants and tapas bars is still a mystery to me but one we were willing to try to solve. There are a few […]
Forget About Churros, We’ve Got Panettone
Churros and hot chocolate are a year-round Spanish classic in some parts of the country. But during the holidays we discovered it’s important to be flexible. That means letting go of the need to dip a deep-fried churros into a cup of dark chocolate thick enough to stand a spoon in; and make the switch […]
The Ending’s No Big Surprise and yet…
In many towns, sometime during the year a parade is held to commemorate the Reconquista, or the roughly 800-year battle between Christians and Moors. Many parades take on epic proportions of music, costumes, pageantry and religious tradition when the streets are lined with hours-long processions of performers, musicians, the official royalty of fiesta queens and […]
17 Bartender Tips To Make The Perfect Gin And Tonic
If you want to order a gin and tonic in Spain, first drop the “and” from the drink’s name (it’s known simply as a “gin tonic”) and then be prepared to answer two serious questions from the barkeep. First, what gin? Any respectable bar will have 10 to 50 bottles, or more, in stock. Second, […]
Who Cares If You Can’t Eat Just One?
Spain is a country loved by culinary cognoscente for its extraordinarily diverse range of classics and creativity. But in every restaurant and every casa, there remains one constant ingredient: olive oil. Core to the much-acclaimed Mediterranean diet, its use is so prevalent that olive oil’s healthy values seep into everything. But it was still a […]
Saffron: A Spanish Kitchen’s BFF
Of all the influences on Spain’s iconic culinary style, it was the Arab impact of bringing the spice azafrán or saffron known as “red gold” to the Spanish table that infuses Spanish cooking with its classic deep yellow color and slightly musky, rich taste. But for many American cooks like myself, saffron is still surrounded in a bit […]
Mariscada Boston-Style
It is just before Thanksgiving in Alicante and time for Monastrell’s annual Boston-style lobster and clam bake. Well maybe it’s more appropriate to call it Michelin chef María José San Román’s Boston clam bake. Either way, it was an event not to be missed had Jorge not come down with a major cold bug that […]
Señorios de Relleu Harvest Celebration
In the hills above the small town of Relleu, Señorios de Relleu is a family farm dedicated to AOVE (Aceite de Oliva Virgen EXTRA) olive oil production. With only 15,000 trees, it is not the biggest operation in the area, nor even the most award-winning olive oil in Spain. But the production of three blended styles from […]
