Category: Spain

“The coast of light” - Andalusia Gourmet Experience

2/11/2016

With Tarifa was love at first sight: sunshine, energy, atmosphere, relaxed but not sleepy, active but not frenetic. And as soon as we started to explore the scenic area nearby, the feeling grew even deeper.
We ventured along the aptly named “Costa de la Luz” (Coast of light) northward, in a magnificent sequence of rolling hills covered with ridiculously green pastures where placid cattle spend a quite enviable existence under vigorous windmills: the whole scenery is remarkably Alpine, which sounds weird considering that we are a few hundred meters from the Atlantic Ocean. The whole horizon looks at the same time peaceful and surreal, like a human outpost in an alien although welcoming new planet.

Many times I went to a place just following the evocative charm of its name, like “Babilonia” in the Czech Republic (not as memorable as my school memories had suggested) or “Batman” in eastern Anatolia (the few local shepherds being unaware of the batcavesque potential of their rock dwellings). A road sign pointing to “Atlanterra” triggers images of muscular giants and pounding waves and fierce whalers and off we go: we cross the sleepy village of Zahara de los Atunes, and if “tunas” are in the name, it must mean something positive for our crave of a proper seafood lunch!
Again, that scary, bone-shattering suspicion of being in the right place at the wrong time: many inviting restaurants look at me behind closed shutters, I feel like Clint Eastwood´s Blondie in a deserted ranch of “The good, the Bad and the Ugly”.
Even a straw ball rolls towards me. Ennio Morricone plays his tunes. I sharpen my eyes towards the horizon, dazzled by the blast of light surging from the beach, and I spot the silhouette of a galleon: an hallucination, the ghost of the mythical 4th lost caravel of Christopher Columbus?

Getting closer, the ship turns out to be the signboard of “El Galeon”, a delightful beach restaurant (open!) where we indulge in what so far is the best meal I ever had in the Peninsula Iberica. A rich, colourful, delicious “arroz marinero” blessed with shrimps, octopus, tuna, cod, clams and mussels and served with the best side dish of the planet: professional courtesy and an unbeatable beach panorama.
They don´t call it “paella” since the term is rightfully reserved to the Valencia dish prepared with local and seasonal farmer´s vegetables, rabbit and chicken, served rigorously only for lunch. It is so good that we decide to return again in a few days for exactly the same dish, being as well a perfect break on the way to or from Jerez de la Frontera.

The abundant rice pan, deep fried (of course) “tortilla de langostinos”, sweet wine from Malaga and the aftermath of Soul café´s drinks in Tarifa invite to some afternoon hike from Los Caños de Meca towards the “faro de Trafalgar”: a windy beachhead dominated by a scenic lighthouse made famous by the naval engagement fought in 1805 by the Royal Navy against the combined fleets of the French and Spanish Navies during the Napoleonic wars.
The same waves once crossed by Lord Nelson´s “Victory” flagship slashing enemies hulls, are now the playground of dozens, hundreds of kite surfers looking like doped butterflies. Wind, sun, sand, a clear feeling of having reached the end of the world from where “those magnificent men on their sailing machines” ventured towards the light.

The magnificent coastal area around Tarifa offers a choice of delightful hikes: one of our favourite is a short walk to the gigantic sand dunes of Bolonia for a Saharan feeling and the 1st bath of the year (not bad for the beginning of February in Europe!), just in front of the Roman ruins of Baelo Claudia. The city was particularly thriving under Emperor Claudius (41-45 AD) thanks to the fish-salting facilities, from which the popular Roman delicacy, "garum" was distributed to the whole Roman Empire. This fish paste was prepared with heads, entrails and roe and used as gourmet cooking sauce, in particular if made from mackerel, while tuna was for second-rate product.
To our modern palate it might taste like a Monty Python´s larks' tongue or wrens' livers, but in the ancient Rome it was regarded as a top notch treat.

The king of local hikes is undoubtedly the 18-kms coastal trail of “Colada de la costa y del camino de Algeciras” in the Natural park of the Strait: a 5-hours endeavour rewarded by breath-taking views of Gibraltar rock and the Moroccan coast, the discovery of a line of WW2 bunkers and very unusual slabs of gigantic and almost vertical rock formations.
To complete a perfect day, finish your hike with the delicious tapas and a few chilled Cruz Campo “El Tapeo” in Tarifa, THE place to be in town.

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Surf´n´Turf in Tarifa - Andalusia Gourmet Experience

2/9/2016

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With my eyes closed, “the day after”, I still see the blast of friendly light from the Atlantic when we approach the beach of Tarifa: the ocean shines like liquefied steel, the wind blows endlessly for the exhilarating joy of dozens of surfers riding the waves like scooters and looking with (I assume) deep envy at the centaurs zipping by, pulled by their kites.
The shore is barren, no sign of sunbeds and of the usual paraphernalia of facilities catering the lobsterized skins of the north European pensioners flocking the Mediterranean coast nearby like tired migrating birds.

As soon as I mentioned the name of this southernmost corner of Europe, an old friend replied “ah, Tarifa, our youthful myth… is it true that every hour a ship loaded with “smoke” arrives from Morocco”? Well, actually the elegant and quite futuristic ferries arrive at regular intervals and they smoke a bit, but most probably the cultural reference of at least 2 generations of a certain alternative Italian sub-culture does not lie in pistons or propellers: maybe it is just a coincidence, but while strolling on the endless empty beach we stumbled across a small plastic envelope containing a piece of “surfer´s bud ”, which we politely left in the sand.

And judging by the number of Italian pizzerias and restaurants in the maze of alleys of the city center, I am sure that many a visitor decided to spend their post-adolescence years in this sunny Riviera. We enter “BarAonda”, a friendly-looking bar just off the shabby remain of a bunker – fort and we even the taps of the day are suspiciously Italian “parmigiana de berenjena” (aubergine parmigiana style) and “carpaccio”, and we indulge in a few Alhambra beers which we judge to be quite stronger than the omnipresent Cruzcampo.
There are plenty of ways to spot tourists from locals, like the single eyebrow of Spanish men and the “too many colors” of their ladies´ clothes, however the funniest is their look of dismay and confusion while looking for a place, any place, to eat at the normal non-Spanish hours.
They frenetically check their watches and stare at the closed shutters of the many restaurants laying elbow to elbow, covered inviting seafood menus and piles of empty chairs, and think “what the hack, it is 1 pm and there is no chance for lunch? Not yet, or not any more?” Understanding the concept of “siesta” sounds easy to say, but a few times we passed in front of a restaurant packed with people having lunch at 5 pm, then (maybe) opening for dinner from 10 pm or not opening at all, trying to get a beer in the afternoon when all the bars close down like in an improvised profane Ramadan.

The choice of the tapas bar is as usual dictated by the vibe of the place, and “La Antigua” turns out to be a cosy spot for filled jalapenos (deep fried, as everywhere, it defies my understanding the stubborn habit of getting some fresh and tasty ingredients, and drown them in burning oil), “twister de langostinos” (a shrimp roll looking like a Nosferatus´ finger) and some delicious mini-choritos served swimming in orange honey.
We migrate to the liveliest pub in town, “Soul Café” (which will become our favourite hang out for the Friday nights live gigs), where everyone spends a noisy and alcohol-fuelled night in this ancient Moorish court with live music and dj sets. Time to crash in the bed, still with the blaze of the ocean under my eyelids.

The first food we see in the morning in Tarifa are baskets full of super-fresh sea urchins sold at street corners, but it´s a bit too early for an orange spoonful. We prefer a local bakery already showing clear, sweet signs of vicinity with Morocco in the sheer amount of honey and almonds used for the colourful cookies.
For a light and tasty lunch, just pick up a lively bar outside of the Moorish city walls, where prices are even more affordable and the mood is totally local. Our favourite by (very) far is “El Tapeo”, which every day offers a different selection of 10 tapas including excellent octopus salad , magnificent grilled squids, green peppers filled with tortillas, crunchy breaded fish fillets and more delights, with the best topping: a very friendly service and lively atmosphere.
Only locals fills the noisy room and the street tables of this perfect late lunch spot where we regularly eat for less than 5 € each including 2 beers and 3 delicious tapas. So far, among the best food we had in Spain.

It is beautiful to see how different generations and social classes melt in these bars, old ladies sipping a white wine elbow to elbow with wannabe hipsters and surfers while overfed children roam around chased by overfed mamas and happy-looking dogs.
Later on, you can soak the afternoon sun and listen to some good music in the courtyard of “El Murciano”, head for a stroll or some scenic jogging along the wooden beach path and relax in “Café del Mar” to watch the world go by, play with sparrows and listen to quality chill-out music. Just a warning: after the second “caña” of Cruz Campo, San Miguel or Estrella Galicia beer, you won´t leave your chair or couch for any reason in the world.

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"BODEGAS y TABANCOS" Andalusia Gourmet Tour 2016

2/4/2016

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The word "sherry“ always brought to my mind images of old English ladies clad in blankets sipping an ultra-sweet alcoholic nectar while out of their Edwardian windows, a Wuthering Heights thunderstorm rages.
After visiting Jerez the la Frontera, the birthplace of this noble fortified wine, the indelible memory will be quite opposite: lively music bars and cosy cobblestone streets packed with a relaxed youth enjoying small (don´t forget it contains up 16 percent alcohol content... ) glasses of chilled wines with all possible shades of colours and flavours.
Finding your way through the many varieties is metaphorically as complicated, and at the same enjoyable if you are not in a hurry, as understanding the intricate maze of streets of the convoluted medieval city center.
Downtown Jerez hosts more sherry “bodegas” (wineries) than you can handle in even a week of furious and fanatic tasting, from the giant global enterprises with flamboyant visitor centres and cathedral-like halls lined with tens of thousands of barrels, to picturesque “tabanco” bars.

The choice depends on your interest in wines and your general style of travelling: beginners and cruise-holiday fans will enjoy the red tourist train of Gonzales Byass and its ubiquitous “Tio Pepe” silhouette, while a Bodegas Fundador Pedro Domecq grants a slightly deeper understanding of sherry culture thanks to a small museum and the usual cornucopia of giant barrels signed by international celebrities and dedicated to blue-blooded including the last king of Italy.
Founded in 1730, this winery is located in the heart of the medieval quarter and it is the oldest in town, embellished by shady patios and lush gardens around charming historic cellars, the most notable of which being the mighty “bodega mezquita” or "mosque winery": an overwhelmingly colossal and at the same time elegant storage hall built in 1974.
Originally called “La Gran Bodega", it contains all types of soleraje produced by Fundador in over 40.000 barrels with 600 litres each, meaning a stunning 2.4 million litres of sherry and countless daily refills with the solera system. Thanks to the hundreds of single and double horseshoe arches typical of Moorish medieval architecture and to its extraordinary dimensions (over 25.0000 sqm or 4 football pitches), the cellar was quickly nicknamed “the mosque” and truly reminded me of the famous mosque-cathedral of Cordoba, an experience in itself.

For the true wine lovers, we warmly recommend Emilio Lustau, winner of many international awards for “Best Spanish Wine Producer” and “Best Sherry Producer”.
Mr Juan Mateos Arizón, who accompanied me in an exclusive private visit to the elegant, atmospheric cellars and offered a complete wine tasting, greets me with these magic words: “here we make great wines, not gadgets for tourists”. Music for my ears. The creator of their extensive range of true oenological gems is the oenologist Mr Manuel Lozano, holder of the title of “Best Fortified Winemaker” for 6 consecutive years, a true authority in the field, and we will soon discover why.
The beginning of a sherry career is quite easy: the local Palomino and Pedro Ximenez grapes cultivated in a scenic region bordered by the Quadalquivir river and the Atlantic Ocean are turned into still white wines and aged for 2 years by the local producers, called “almacenista”, and then sold to the major exporting sherry producers.
The origins of bodega Lustau are exactly there: Mr Ruiz-Berdejo in 1896 started to make wines in his spare time as almacenista, until his son-in-law, Mr Emilio Lustau Ortega, in 1940 moved the bodega into the present buildings which formed part of the ancient Moorish city walls. Inside these shady vaults, the complex system of “Solera y Criaderas” and the expert addition of extra alcohol turns winemaking into art.

Wines of different levels of aging rest inside endless rows of oak barrels adjusted in 3 levels: the wine ready for bottling is taken from the lower range of barrels (the “solera”), and is replaced by hand at regular intervals with wine from the row immediately above, known as “first criadera” and so on with the upper level. According to the amount of alcohol added to the wine, the type of ageing can be “biological”, when the wine is covered by a natural veil of yeast (the typical “flor”) encouraged by the damp coastal climate preventing the contact with the air, or “oxidative” when the action of the air generates different levels of oxidation and consequent colour, taste, aroma.
The most prominent characteristic of the dry sherry wines (which are by far the most appreciated by the locals) is the sharp contrast between a promise of intense, even excessive sweetness suggested by the delicate aroma, and the remarkably bone-dry, almost sharp taste, especially if drank without food pairing: an experience which many beginners might find unpleasant, turning them to easier wines or to the sweet variations, which are reserved almost exclusively to tourists and for export markets.

The pungent aroma and mildly acid taste of pale straw-coloured “Fino” is very peculiar and, to be fair, should better appreciated chilled at 7-9° and paired with fish dishes and seafood. “Fino” is by far the most popular of varieties all among the locals, straight or diluted with lemonade to make 'rebujito' at ferias, while the elusive “Manzanilla” is aged only in Sanlúcar de Barrameda and retains a hint of sea aroma due to the proximity of the ocean: a specific feature which is quite remarkable in Lustau´s “Puerto Fino”, deserving a dish of oysters to be fully appreciated.
“Amontillado” starts its life as Fino or Manzanilla with 3 years of biological aging, then the subsequent oxidation donates a deeper amber colour and richer and nuttier aromas. Served slightly chilled at 13-14° with dried fruits, consomme´, white meats, artichokes, truffles, is a perfect match for spicy Asian cuisine.
“Palo Cortado” also undergoes both types of ageing for 12 to 15 years, and its great complexity would deserve a chapter in itself, since many producers proudly maintain that its origin is mysterious and basically can not be produced under control: “”it just happens” starting out as a Fino, but the flor yeast fails to develop. Less popular and rarer than the other variations, it offers the richness in the mouth of an Oloroso with the delicate aromas of an Amontillado, recommended with red meats and dried fruits.
My personal favourite among the dry sherries is “Oloroso”, which acquires its caramel colour and intense aroma through years of ageing in barrel and natural air oxidation. Paired with jamon Iberico, stew, game dishes or aged sheep cheese, it can easily accompany your whole evening in a lively bar from pungent aperitif to refreshing digestive.
Lustau´s “Oloroso Imperatriz Eugenia” was established in 1921 to commemorate the visit to Jerez of the last Empress of France and is rightfully rated among the best in the world.

Entering the realm of sweet sherry means crossing the threshold between a youthful music bar and a cosy patisserie: “cream” is a blend of dry Oloroso with very sweet “Pedro Ximenez” wine, reserved almost exclusively to export and best appreciated as a chilled aperitif with ice and a slice of orange. In some bars you can find something called “vermouth” poured out of unmarked bottles, and I had the clear feeling it came from mixing all the leftovers from any bottle around, a reminder of the epic hysteric crisis scene in “Sideways”.
At the sweetest end of sherry family we find 2 wines made from peculiar grape varieties: “Moscatel” blessed by a remarkable floral aromas with citrus notes, a perfect match for fruit-based desserts; and “Pedro Ximenez”, whose grapes are laid out in the sun until they practically turn into raisins, generating a very rich, for someone excessively sweet nectar recommended with foie gras and creamy desserts.

After accumulating such an extensive knowledge of the history and technique of sherry-making, it is time to enjoy a proper “tabanco”, a traditional sherry bar whose name is a blend of “estanco” (a state controlled shop) and “Tabaco”, which became popular alongside the establishments themselves in the 17th century. Among the few of them left, “El Pasaje” is a true Jerez institution: a temple of informal and lively enjoyment of more and less known brands together with basic tapas (we recommend their cured meat and cheese platter paired with “Oloroso”) and above all regular flamenco performances on Saturday.

Oh, the fine art of marking the orders on the wooden board of a messy “tabanco” with a chalk butt and constantly adding and cancelling with a wet fist and overwriting and spilling beer and cleaning chorizo grease and rewriting E = mc2 instead of Fino glasses count and forgetting who ordered what and asking you with a smile over and over again what you actually ordered and at the end is fine to watch and nobody cheats because prices are so ridiculously low that you spend the whole evening with 6 tapas and a dozen glasses for 20 € and a great flamenco concert with unpayable pathos,
OLE ´ !

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MALAGA DELIGHTS - Andalusia Gourmet Tour 2016

2/2/2016

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Landing in Malaga in a sunny, warm January afternoon quickly melts away my early morning memories of a gloomy, frozen central European airport : a short train ride (punctual and cheap with friendly staff, good start) and we dip into the atmosphere of downtown like an impatient dolphin just escaped from a cold fishbowl.
All the shops are closed for the usual long “siesta” but nevertheless everything looks so lively and welcoming that it is hard to imagine how the streets will look like with the late evening “movida”.
The perfect way to tune-in with the Mediterranean climate is a relaxing bath in the lovely “Hammam El Andalus”, a modern establishment which carefully and elegantly recreates the intimate delights of “Baños Árabes”: far from a tourist trap (actually over 70% of the clients are locals), the elegant pools and steam baths feel like a world apart and the 2 hours of the delightful treatment pass simply too fast. We can finally experience first-hand the blissful atmosphere of the ancient baths, heritage of Roman and Moorish habits, which constituted both a secluded and discreet meeting point and the ritual religious ablution in the heart of the Alcazar.

Every street corner can offer an improvised flamenco guitar show so we let the instinct guide us in the maze of attractive streets winding around the shining avenue Calle Marqués de Larios, where we spot the (very) pink and very cute “Café´Lepanto”, which we immediately elect as tomorrow´s breakfast spot, the pastries are simply irresistible!
We decide to indulge in the Arabic reminiscence of the ancient Moorish kingdoms with a tasting dinner at “Mosaico” restaurant, topped by an unusual “pastela” chicken pie decorated with (overwhelmingly) abundant amount of cinnamon and sugar...mmhhh… “interesting”. The young crowds start to fill the street and the restaurants at 10 pm but, blame the early morning wake-up call, we decide to save our energies for next day´s exploration of the Alcazaba, the city´s most important landmark.

The Alcazaba is the best-preserved Moorish fortress palace in Spain: constructed on the ruins of a Roman fortification in the 8th century by the first Emir of Cordoba, its original purpose was as a defence against pirates, thanks to its commanding position with views over the city and all the way to Africa.
The imposing walled city retains a distinct feel from its more famous, younger neighbours, the Alcazar of Sevilla and the Alhambra of Granada build three centuries afterwards. Most notably, a much lower amount of tourists, which guarantee a quite intimate and peaceful visit, strolling around shady gardens, cuddled by the constant flow of water thanks to an ingenious system of gutters and pipes and enjoying magnificent views over the harbour and the flamboyant baroque Cathedral.

The main food market "Atarazanas" is a masterpiece starting from its elegant glass and cast iron building, completely renovated in 2010: crossing the ancient Moorish gate is like entering an enchanted realm of exotic flavours, a kaleidoscope of familiar although surprising colours and shapes: giant bowls of „zuvvapa iberica“ and chorizo drenched in orange fat, Noah arks overflowing all kinds of olives and pickled vegetables, the whole Atlantic and Mediterranean sea stranded on lively stalls where expert hands manage fish with the deadly elegance of a ninja.
Unlike other famous markets like “La Boquería” in Barcelona or “Mercado de San Miguel” in Madrid which became a gastronomical showcase, Atarazanas market still retains an authentic and low-key local verve.

Grazing tapas along the many stalls is undoubtedly the best way to enjoy this unique bazar of taste and perfumes: we started at the “Marisqueria El Yerno”, tempted by the juicy and spicy “pincho de gambas a la plancha” (prawns skewers) with the chef´s secret smoked peppers powder, grilled calamari, “boquerones al limón“ (anchovies with lemon), “pulpo” (octopus salad), “jibia” (cuttlefish), delicate “vieiras” (scallops), super-fresh oysters and razor clams “navajas”. The best advice is to follow your instinct, check where and what the locals eat and, if you are attracted by the look of some dish, just point it out at the waiter, get a tasting “tapa” or a full “ración” and start chatting with everyone around in all possible languages. Tapas are inexpensive (around 1 to 5 Euros), so plenty of options for an affordable and memorable self-driven culinary journey.

According to the Spanish culinary bonton, eating paella for dinner sounds as sinful as sipping a cappuccino after lunch for an Italian, so indulge in your paella before leaving this heaven with your third or fourth “copa” of crisp Cruzcampo or Alhambra beer and a last sip of Málaga fortified wine, a nectar created by marrying Moscatel and Pedro Ximénez grapes.
We will re-plan our staying in Spain just to have one more go in this place, but now time to head towards the heart of Andalusian white villages and the “Frontera” !