Dear readers,

Because last week I wrote about the immense diversity of Spanish cuisine, I’d like to take the next few weeks to focus specifically on some of the most interesting regions in Spanish cuisine. As we give you some quick facts on each of these regions, we’re also going to provide you with an easy and quick at home recipe. Please let us know if there’s any particular region you’re interested in learning about, and we’ll definitely incorporate it into our series.

This week: Galicia!

Galicia, otherwise considered as part of Spain’s “Pais Verde” or “Green Spain,” is located in the extreme northwestern corner of Spain (analogous to Oregon of the USA). Galicia’s west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean while the north coast is on the Cantabric Sea. It is a cold, wet climate, with rugged terrain and over 700 miles of rocky coastlines. Small family farms of an acre or two exist growing vegetables; however, many families live from what fishermen catch. The people of Galicia are descendants of Celtic people, whose myths, legends and belief in the mystic are strong even today.

Galicians (or Gallegos, as they are called in Spanish) are not rich people and because of the rugged landscape and rough weather, they use every bit of what they grow or catch, including using shells as fertilizer for the soil.

All sorts of fish are caught and eaten in Galicia, including gooseneck barnacles, called percebes (one of my personal favorites, also found in Asturias, though they are very dangerous to collect. Check out this incredible video from Jose Andres, a famous Spanish Chef   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPYv6Rt8Ktw ), oysters or ostras, scallops or vieiras, mussels or mejillones, clams or almejas, razor shell clams called navajas and heart clams (berberechos) to name a few.

Because scallops are a relatively easy dish to prepare (for those of you who are home-cooking enthusiasts), scallops are the featured recipe today. Vieiras, or sea scallops, are abundant on the shores of Galicia (in fact, pilgrims on the Way of St. James, who make the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, wear their shells).

First, a mixture is made of onion, parsley and breadcrumbs. Then, the scallop, still in its own shell is covered with the mixture and baked. Finally, it is served in its own shell.

And now the recipe!

Ingredients: (Perfect for 3 people)

- 6 scallops

- 1 clove of garlic

- 1 large onion

- ½ a cup of white wine (go authentically Galician, and use an Albarino from the DO Rias Baixas)

- 2 spoons of fried tomato

- 1 spoon of chopped parsley

- 2 spoons of breadcrumbs

- 1 spoon of sweet paprika

- 5 spoons of olive oil salt pepper

Preparation:

Open the scallops, remove the blackish ribbon inside and wash them to remove any sand. At the same time, peel and chop the onion and the garlic and cook them in a frying pan with extra virgin olive oil. Then add the paprika and the wine. When it has reduced a little, add the fried tomato and season. Finally, brown the scallops in their shells in the oven, covered with the fried vegetables. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and parsley. Pour on the dish a little dash of oil and serve.

Please enjoy this week’s featured recipe, and let us know how it turns out. Next week we’re going to be diving into Aragon Cuisine. An interesting fact from this region of Spain is that it’s the birthplace of Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes, born March 30^th, 1746 in the town of Fuendetodos – current population of 170! Over 25,000 people visit this small town each year to pay homage to Goya- rather amazing if you think about it!

Entender es Disfrutar!

-Josh

Buenas noches everyone:

Tonight I would like to write about my love for Spanish cuisine and its great diversity, but first I would like to send a warm welcome to new readers and also a big thank you to those who have been following since day uno! I’d also like to take this opportunity to report some upcoming events. Please share them with your friends if you’re unable to attend. The major Spanish Vines events for the next three months:

February 26^th & 27^th, 2010 New York City Wine Expo:

Location: Jacob K. Javits Convention Center 655 West 34th Street, New York, NY

When: Friday, February 27, 2009 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Saturday, February 28, 2009 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Ticket Information: http://www.wine-expos.com/Wine/NY/Tickets/MenuSelection.asp?SHID=132476780.29512933

We’re going to be presenting the following wines:

-  Cinco Joses 40 year “Old Vines” Garnacha, a recent ‘Best Buy’ from Wine Enthusiast Magazine for under $10!

-  La Ninota, an incredible blend from one of the most expensive wine regions in the world, DOQ Priorat…what a wine for the money!

-  Senorio de Rubios Albarino, an incredibly refreshing white wine true to the terroir of DO Rias Baixas…Don’t miss out on this one!

And the best part is that all wines being featured at the Wine Expo will be available for purchase at Garnet Wine & Liquors! This is our first NYC retailer carrying our stellar line up and I am thrilled!

Location: 929 Lexington Avenue New York, NY

Number: (212) 772-3211

Hours: Open Mon-Sat 9am-9pm; Sun 12pm-6pm

March 4^th, 5^th, 6^th, & 7^th, 2010 BB&T Charleston Wine & Food Festival:

Location: Marion Square in downtown Charleston, SC

When & Ticket Information: Please take a look at following link for more in depth information http://charlestonwineandfood.com/new/index.php/events/

We’re going to be presenting the following wines:

-  Cinco Joses

-  La Ninota

-  Senorio de Rubios

-  Spanish Vines Tempranillo, the flagship of the Spanish Vines brand, consistently an award winning wine, truly representative of ‘Old Vines’ Tempranillo

-  Spanish Vines Crianza, the latest addition to the Spanish Vines brand…what concentration of black fruit with such an austere and bold mouthful, and what a bargain for such a remarkable experience!

-  La Loca sparkling, one the top favorites of last year’s festival. What a fun wine to sit back and throw back with family and friends- but be careful! Drink too much, and you might get a little loca!

Although theses wines are located at a number of retail locations throughout Charleston and Mt. Pleasant, we want to make things as easy for you as possible. Therefore, we’re running a special promotion where all featured wines will be available at the below Piggly Wiggly location:

Location: 981 Riviera Drive, Mt Pleasant, SC

They are our exclusive retailer for the weekend of the Charleston Wine & Food festival. And don’t worry; we’ll have little takeaway cards with detailed information on our wines as well as the address of this Piggly Wiggly location.

April 22^nd, 23^rd, & 24^th, 2010 Charlotte Wine & Food Festival:

Location: Please click the following link for more in depth information and location and event descriptions: http://www.charlottewineandfood.org/weekend-events.html

Ticket Information: Please click the below link for more in depth information: https://cwfw.ejoinme.org/MyEvents/CharlotteWineFoodWeekendBigBottlesBlues/Registration/tabid/194004/Default.aspx

We’re going to have samples of the same wines as the Charleston Wine & Food Festival so please be sure not to miss out! Also, retailer information will be available closer to the date of these events.

For more day-to-day activities, please follow me at www.facebook.com/spanishvines or www.twitter.com/spanishvines . I’ve got some wine dinners and wine tastings across the Carolinas, Georgia, Virginia, and New York coming up over the few weeks that are separate from what I’ve laid out above. I’ll be taking a lot of video footage of my travels which will be launched with the all new Spanish Vines website at the beginning of March!

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Now, let’s get down to what this blog is all about: the constantly evolving topic of Spanish gastronomy, specifically related to cuisine. What do you think of when you think about Spanish cuisine? Tortilla, paella, or manchego cheese? Jamon and paprika? Meats such as rabbit, lamb and ox, olives, fabada? Did you think of any of these? I’d love to see your comments if you did!

My interest in Spanish cuisine has been growing for many years. In the December 2004 issue of Wine Spectator the executive editor of the magazine, Thomas Matthews, wrote an impressive (and long- twelve pages!) story on chef Ferran Adria. The article was entitled “Ferran Adria and the Cusine of Tomorrow – A Spanish chef is changing the way the world thinks about dining,” and the piece stuck with me because at the time I was at the ripe old age of 18 years old, just about to embark on my journey throughout Spain.

Matthews wrote:

“His most eloquent statements, however, are his exquisite and provocative dishes. They are technical marvels, visual works of art, as rich with humor and cultural references as they are with exotic ingredients and shocking flavors. Adria invented ethereal foams flavored with fruits, vegetables, and wood smoke. Liquids are hot on top, cold on the bottom. A cold powder dissolves in chicken broth and adds the earthy flavor of foie gras.”

Today Ferran Adria remains one the of the world’s most famous and sought-after chefs. New to the culinary spotlight is Asturian chef, Jose Andres, who is an internationally-recognized culinary innovator best known for bringing both traditional and avant-garde Spanish fare to America.  It makes me so happy to see Spanish cuisine, a true love and passion of mine, climb in popularity over the past few years and surpass the notion that all Spain has to offer is the common tortilla Espanola.

Spanish cuisine, just like so many cultural aspects of the country- human physical characteristics, the style of music, the region’s dialect, the wine, the architecture- are effected so greatly by region. Here is a list of regions in Spain that are known for at least a few unique dishes each : Madrid, Catalonia, La Rioja, Extremadura,
Andulasia, Aragón, Murcia, Valencia, Balearic Islands, Basque Country, Navarra,  and Galicia.

Can you see how someone could get lost for years, just eating and drinking their way throughout this incredibly diverse country? Every time I go back to Spain I always try to avoid eating the same dish twice, though sometimes I’m just unable to resist! I’ll never be able to satisfy my craving, or should I say love, for Jamon Iberico.

I would love to hear of your gastronomic experiences related to Spain, especially if was a positive experience at a tapas restaurant in the USA or in Spain. Please share your stories!

Finally, for this week’s tip: Go to a Spanish restaurant in your hometown, wherever it is that you live. (Email me your city if you’re at a loss, and I’ll be happy to do a little research for you). Go with a friend or even a group of friends. Have some Spanish wine, and just have a great time! Then I’d love for you to post your experience as a comment to this blog or on our Facebook page.  Please enrich us!

Also, please don’t forget about the events listed at the beginning of this blog. I’d love to see you and once again, thanks for spending a little time with me this Monday evening!

Entender es Disfrutar!

~Josh

Dear Readers,

Last week I wrote about Ernest Hemingway and his love for Spain, especially bull-fighting. This week I want to focus on this quintessential Spanish cultural event and my experiences with bull-fighting.

Although I’ve never been to the famous encierro, or Running of the Bulls, in Pamplona, I have been to many bull fights all throughout Spain as well as in Colombia, South America. A bull fight is quite a shocking experience the first time you attend, but after several fights you begin to realize the cultural significance behind them- especially because of the passionate locals in attendance and the family traditions of the toreros. Because of all of the emotions, I have always thought that going to a bullfight is a portrait photographer’s heaven. Looking at all of the passionate faces of both the young and the old is something I’ll never forget.

I want to focus this blog specifically on the encierro, or The Running Of The Bulls. It is the single most characteristic event of the Fiesta of San Fermin in Pamplona, which is within the region of Navarra. The Running of the Bulls takes place in July and gives the Fiesta world-wide fame. The encierro consists largely of young men (although women may also run) who run in front of the bulls and lead them into the Plaza de Toros. The run usually lasts from two to three minutes. The length is about half a mile and participants do not have to sign up anywhere to take part; you just enter into the run at your street of choice and have as much fun as you can stand!

The encierro began as part of the process of moving bulls from the edge of Pamplona to the bullring. During the mid 1800s, runners began to join the herd on their journey. Now it is a world famous event attended by both Spaniards and internationals alike.

Many runners who gather at the bottom of Santo Domingo, the start of the run, crowd together and sing a homily to the image of San Fermin, is placed in a niche on the wall decorated with the scarves of the peñas. The song goes like this:

“A San Fermín pedimos, por ser nuestro patrón, nos guíe en el encierro dándonos su bendición.”

(”We ask San Fermín, as our Patron, to guide us through the Bull Run and give us his blessing.”)

A rocket goes off at the moment the bulls are let out into the street. A second rocket goes off to let everyone know that all the bulls are now in the street. Then the bull running starts! A third rocket goes off to signal that all the bulls have arrived inside the ring and a fourth and final rocket is sent off when all the bulls have been safely led into their pens.

After reading several blogs of people who attended the Run, the best strategy I found on how to run is to start off slowly when the bulls are still a good distance behind, and as they draw nearer start running as fast as you can. Before they get too close, hang in near them for a short time, and then get out of the way as cleanly as possible. Be careful not to cross the paths of other runners. Look for a gap in the fence to slip through or jump over, or a space against the wall of the street.

Each section of the run has its own particular characteristics, and every year many runners choose to run the same section. For example, in Santo Domingo the run is very fast and risky while at the corner of Mercaderes, in Estafeta the path is much slower and clearer.

I might attend the encierro this year just to experience one of the most widely celebrated Spanish festivals in the world. However,  in the meantime I’ll keep writing this blog from New York City.

Speaking of NYC, here are some Spanish Vines events updates:

Tonight the region of Navarra is hosting an event at the W Hotel named “The Kingdom of Navarra.” They’re featuring Seventeen Wine & Olive Oil Stations Showcasing the Region, as well as 
the first 3D Screening of the Running with the Bulls (“Encierro”)
& Pintxos (tapas) by Michelin Star Navarran Chef
David Yarnoz, “Restaurante El Molino de Urdániz.” I’ll be taking some video footage and keeping you posted via Twitter. Please follow me at www.twitter.com/spanishvines to get my updates! I’ll look at this “encierro” as a warm up to July…

And for the tip of the week: use only Himalayan Salt- it’s the purest and most healthy salt on Earth. Check out this video for a reference… http://products.mercola.com/himalayan-salt/

I’ve been using only Himalayan Salt for 3 months now and definitely notice a difference in my well-being.

Entender es Disfrutar!

-Josh

Dear Readers,

This week I was enjoying a couple of glasses of Spanish Vines Tempranillo with some of my close friends and we began to talk about Americans with major affinities for Spain. Quickly the writer Ernest Hemingway became the dominant subject of conversation. So I read an article entitled “Hemingway’s Last Birthday in Andalucia” by Owen Thomas on www.andalucia.com and this week I dedicate today’s blog to an amazing American-born writer that had quite a love for Spain: Mr. Hemingway.

Ernest Hemingway, a Nobel and Pulitzer prize-winning novelist, correspondent and essayist, is very closely associated with Spain. Hemingway not only captured the many complexities of Spain in a way that enchanted the world, but he wholeheartedly celebrated all Spanish lifestyle and culture.

Born near Chicago on 21 July, 1899, Hemingway first traveled to Spain in 1923 to experience bullfighting per the advice of Modernist writer Gertrude Stein. There he experienced the fervor of Feria de San Fermin in Pamplona, and witnessed the encierro or “the running of the bulls.” It is said that Hemingway’s writings of the event made San Fermín the internationally renowned festival that it is today. The trip began his fascination with bullfighting, which he captured in his novel, Death in the Afternoon.

Hemingway frequently visited Andalacia, the second largest of seventeen autonomous communities in Spain. He traveled there in 1959 to write about bullfighting for Life Magazine, specifically mano a mano , a series of bullfights which pin two great matadors against each other. Hemingway spent his 60^th and last birthday in Spain as well, and tickets were found in his home after he died for the bullfights in Pamplona.

Here is a youtube clip that further explores Hemingway’s relation to Spain and to bullfighting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj6SswHz48I

The reason I wanted to mention Ernest Hemingway is because we both share an affinity for Spain. While my affection most greatly lies with Spanish wine and his with bullfighting, it goes to show that Spain has such a wonderful and rich culture that can extend to all types of people. Writers, wine lovers, entrepreneurs, anyone- Spain offers something for all.

Lastly, I have a recipe for you try. This recipe is a personal favorite- authentic Spanish mussels as made by my host-mother in Spain:

Mussels ingredients:

(For 4 main courses or 6 – 8 starters

)

-2 ½ kg mussels
              -2 large onions

-4 garlic cloves
                -1 tin of chopped tomatoes (450g)

-1 glass of white wine
     -1 tbsp each of paprika, oregano
, black pepper

-2 bay leaves
                     -olive oil

-crusty bread

Preparation:

First find a large pan with a lid. Heat some olive oil in the pan and add the onions and garlic and let them fry gentle for about 20 minutes. 

Meanwhile clean the mussels. Remove the beards and clean the outside of the shells – some people like to scrape the shells to get them spotless, but I don’t think you need to go to overboard. Throw out any that are broken or that don’t close when you touch them.

Once the onions have been frying for 20 minutes add all the other ingredients except the mussels and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and gently boil for about 10 or 15 minutes to let all the flavors come out.

Turn the heat back up, add the mussels and cover. Leave to boil for about 5 minutes until the shells open. Serve in large bowls with plenty of fresh crusty bread to soak up the wonderful sauce.

As mentioned above you could make a white wine and lemon sauce. After frying the onions and garlic add a glass of white wine and the juice of 1 or 2 lemons, bring to the boil and add the mussels. Enjoy!

Entender es Disfrutar,

Josh