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SPONSORS' MEDIA: COPE Grupo HERALDO DE ARAGÓN Grupo INTERECONOMÍA Grupo PRISA Grupo ZETA HACHETTE FILIPACCHI UNIDAD EDITORIAL VOCENTO

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SPAIN GOURMETOUR 1

Summer FeaturesJosé Andrés on AsturiasThe NY Times called him “The boywonder of culinary Washington”,others call him a veritable tornadoof culinary energy, everybody knowshim to be as the US’s most promi-nent Spanish chef. The Asturiasborn cook talks to Bruce Schoenfeldabout his homeland, its prized tra-ditional cooking and how it is play-ing with modern gastronomic cul-ture to please even the most refinedtaste buds ......................................4

From Sea to Mountain in 5CheesesWine tours, restaurant tours andany number of gastronomic toursare becoming ever popular, so whynot a cheese tour? Join us as wetake you from the sea to the snow-capped mountain tops of Asturias in90 miles and 5 treats ..................12

Verdejo: The Long Wait forthe Great GrapeWine culture and tradition are athing to be prized, but every oncein a while we find wines that couldnot be as good as they are todaywithout the aid of technology. Wineexpert John Radford tells us thesecrets behind Rueda, producer ofsome of Spain’s and the world’s bestwhites ..........................................22

An Unusual MarriageChoosing a wine to match yourfood at a Japanese, Chinese, Thai orIndian restaurant can be a dauntingexperience. Tokyo-born and Madridbased sommelier Hiroshi Kobayashioffers some pointers on how to suc-cessfully marry Eastern and Westerntastes ...........................................30

Regular Features

Spain: Small Bites Our guide to aSpain close to home 2. Shoppingguide 36. Recipes Chef NinoRedruello of La Ancha restaurantand sommelier María José Huertasof La Terraza del Casino offer yousix delicious ideas and their choiceof what to ‘wash them down’ with38. Vistas 48.

When the heat of the summer hits us in Spain, many of us chooseto flee up to the green pastures and bracing sea along ournorthern coast. Asturias, one of Spain’s richest culinary havens, isone of the places worth considering. In our Summer features weoffer you an in-depth look at some of the region’s foodiehighlights. First, Bruce Schoenfeld interviews star chef José Andréson the food of Spain and his homeland. Second, we tour theregion finding some of its most prized cheeses.

From food we move to wine. Summer is the best of times forchilled whites, so we have wine expert John Radford tell us allabout some of Spain’s best, Verdejos from Rueda. Finally, to top itoff, we speak to Japanese sommelier Hiroshi Kobayashi on thealways tricky subject of finding a wine that will complement anAsian meal.

All this, plus recipes from our chef Nino Redruello, winemarriages and a New Orleans native on the Spanish influence inthe city’s prized cuisine. Buen provecho!

Cathy BoiracEditor in Chief

SPAIN GOURMETOUR SUMMER 2008

CONTENTS

2 SPAIN GOURMETOUR

LÓPEZ FIRST U.S.RETROSPECTIVEThe Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA), presents the firstretrospective at an Americanmuseum of the works ofcontemporary Spanish artistAntonio López García. Theexhibition, due to run until July 27, 2008 will featureapproximately 55 paintings,drawings, and sculptures by the celebrated artist of the realistschool, including nine works fromthe MFA’s collection and loansfrom European and Americanmuseums and private collections.The exhibition complements the major Spanish exhibition, El Greco to Velázquez: Art duringthe Reign of Philip III, whichdebuted at the MFA on April 20.Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.For more information please visitwww.mfa.org.

GOYAEXHIBITIONAT THENEWPRADOMadrid’s Museo del Prado hasorganized a majorexhibition devotedto Goya to coincidewith the 200thanniversary of Spain’s War of Independenceagainst Napoleon. Running untilJuly 13, “Goya in Times of War”presents more than 200 works –paintings, drawings and prints –and focuses on the last 25 years of his life, during which heevolved from the official Spanishcourt painter to a creator ofintricate and convoluted studieson human nature.Not to miss, also, is the museum’s new section. Architect Rafael Moneo’s projectto extend the museum around the area of the church of theJerónimos, including therestoration of the Old Cloister and the creation of new exhibitiongalleries was completed last Fall,and is the most important anddaring extension in nearly 200years of the Prado Museum’shistory.Museo del Prado, Madrid(Spain). For more information please visitwww.museodelprado.es.

MADE IN SPAIN,ON PBSMade in Spain, a 26-episodeSpanish cooking show hosted bythe award-winning and criticallyacclaimed chef José Andrés,debuted recently on PublicTelevision. In each 30-minuteepisode, José provides agastronomic and cultural tour ofone of Spain’s 17 vibrant regions,drawing on his larger-than-lifepersonality and unparalleledexpertise about Spain. Join José as he journeys from his home inWashington, DC to the excitinggastronomic regions of his nativecountry. Back in his own kitchenin the US, José will demonstratethat the flavors made in Spain can be easily recreated at home.For recipes, show highlights andmore information visitwww.josemadeinspain.es.

NEW SPANISHRESTAURANTSRestaurateur Peter Karpinski, ofthe Denver-based Sage RestaurantGroup, and Executive Chef JoseGarcés, Chicago native and ownerof two of the country’s mosttalked about Spanish restaurants,Amada and Tinto in Philadelphia,recently introduced Mercat a laPlanxa, a modern Catalan tapasrestaurant and bar at the historicBlackstone Hotel, 638 SouthMichigan Avenue (at the corner of East Balbo Avenue), Chicago,(312) 765-0524.In New York, Chef Jessica Floydshowcases modern Spanishcuisine at Islero, 247 East 50thStreet, (212) 752-1414 whereasRafael Mateo pairs favoriteSpanish tapas with outstandingwines at Pata Negra in the EastVillage, 345 East 12th Street,(212) 228-1696.

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SPANISH CHEFS ATSTARCHEFS.COMJuan Roca, Cándido López, JordiButrón and José Andrés as a hostare some of the Spanish chefspresenting at Starchefs.comInternational Chefs Congress, A Kitchen Without Boundaries,September 14 - 16, 2008, NewYork City. 60 of the world’s mostinfluential and innovative chefs,mixologists and sommelierspresent the latest techniques and culinary concepts to theirpeers. The underlying theme of this year’s Congress is theresponsibility of a Chef, with a specific focus on mentoring,sustainability, and community.For more information please visit:www.starchefs.com

WINES FROMSPAIN ATANNUAL FOOD &WINE MAGAZINECLASSIC Food and wine lovers at the 26thannual Food & Wine MagazineClassic in Aspen were sure not to miss the selection of far from ordinary Spanish wines,combined with tapas, under theWines from Spain Pavilion. Thiscelebrated epicurean event, one of the nation’s premier festivals,featured five Grand Tastings,where more than 300 vintners

showcased their top wines, andthe Classic Cook-Off. Seminarscovered the country’s latest gastrotrends. For more informationplease visitwww.foodandwine.com

SAN FERMÍNFIESTA!At high noon on July 6, theexploding txupinazo – a rocketfilled with fireworks – will markthe opening of the San Fermíncelebrations. No one is a strangerat the 200+ hour long partyduring which thousands ofSpaniards and foreigners revel,dance, pray and indulge in life’smost pleasurable excesses.For more information please visitwww.sanfermin.com

To submit news for this sectionplease email jguerra@mcx.es

José Andrés is both the most successful Spanish chef in America, and the best-known American chef in Spain.

From his home base of Washington, D.C., the Asturias-born Andrés, who trained under Ferran Adrià at El Bulli,

presides over an empire of seven area restaurants. That includes the noteworthy Minibar by José Andrés, a six-

seat enclave inside his Café Atlántico that offers ‘prix fixe’ immersion in ultra-modern cooking: Adrià-esque

creations with an American sensibility. For three years, too, his Spanish television show, “Vamos a Cocinar,”

JOSÉ ANDRÉS

Interview

brought his technical mastery and unbounded enthusiasm to an audience of millions on TVE. As a result, he is

routinely recognized on the streets of Madrid. His latest projects are an English-language show, “Made in Spain”

which debuted in March in more than 100 U.S. markets, and the restaurant and catering contract at the SLS

Hotel in Beverly Hills, which opens early this summer. Bruce Schoenfeld spoke with Andrés about new and

traditional Spanish cooking, the latest generation of Spanish star chefs, and his native Asturias.

SPAIN GOURMETOUR 7

just bad cooking, anunfortunate sauce that nevershould have been made – butthat didn’t discredit all ofnouvelle cuisine, and itshouldn’t have. You can’tjudge a cuisine by when it’spracticed badly. You judge itat its best.

Q: What has been the lastingimpact of the movement?

A: It helped to create a bigger movement. Amovement of farmers, cheese-makers, all kinds of artisans,just trying to find the bestpossible ingredients. Forexample, today we had aconversation about the bestSpanish omelet, and that isonly happening thanks to thetechno-emotional movementled by Adrià. I know it’s hardto see the connection there,but it’s true. One intensefocus on ingredients led to the other.

Q: I keep hearing from chefsand food journalists thatmolecular gastronomy hasrun its course, though to methe food seems as exciting as ever. What’s the state ofthe movement today? Haveyou sensed a backlash?

A: First of all, we don’t call it molecular, we call it“techno-emotional.” FerranAdrià calls it that, and he wasthe father of it, so I think hehas the right to put the nameto the baby. It’s true thatpeople have tried to discreditthis movement, saying thatnow everybody tries to cookweirdly without any logicbehind it. But that doesn’tundo the breakthroughs that have been made.

It reminds me of Franceduring the era of nouvellecuisine. You’d go into arestaurant and be servedboiled trout with a kiwisauce. And it was very bad,

Q: But are the excitingrestaurants in Spain today stillthe New Wave restaurants ofCatalonia and beyond? Or arethey the more traditionalrestaurants?

A: Well, people come back fromSpain now talking about both.And that’s how it should be.Listen, there’s always going to bea certain level of romanticism inthe places that serve you a greattomato from the farm, witholive oil and sherry vinegar. Ihave Jaleo here in Washington,and I believe we make some ofthe best paella outside Spain.But I also have Minibar, whichis new and creative and notsomething people have seenbefore. And people go to Jaleoand they go to Minibar, thesame people, and they loveboth. I have my moments thesame way. Sometimes I want amulti-course tasting menu, andsometimes I want a simplepiece of meat on a plate.

Q: What did El Bulli and theNew Wave do for Spain’simage?

A: Ferran has done more forSpain than any of the other bignames – including architects,musicians, film-makers,whatever. People talk about his cooking, people who havenever eaten his food andbarely even read an articleabout it, and they know himas a person who brokeboundaries, who createdthings nobody had everthought about doing. Notsince Picasso has someone, by only mentioning his name,meant so much. Adrià has that kind of association. Hehas helped people see Spain in a different way.

Remember that for 50 years,our borders were closed. Andonce they opened, Spain waslooking for those kind ofpeople who could tell theworld, “We are here.”

Text Bruce Schoenfeld/©ICEX

PhotosTomás Zarza/©ICEX

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It was a very important time,and he was there to do exactlythat. As much as has beenwritten about him, I believewe haven’t given him enoughrecognition for what he hasdone.

Thanks to Ferran, too, thecooking profession today inSpain is healthier than ever.Everyone wants to be a cookthese days!

Q: Spanish regional cookinghas never gained the attentionthat regional cuisines in Italyand France have. Is it just as valid? If it is, why are there so few regional Spanishrestaurants in the UnitedStates? Other than Basquerestaurants, I can’t think of any.

A: It’s very valid. Butcompared to France or Italy,Spain has been awakeningslowly. Spain is still trying tofind out exactly what Spanishcooking is. I believe that all

Spanish cooking is regionalcooking, and when you talkabout Spanish cooking, you’retalking about the sum of allthose regional cuisines. But it’shard. We’re not there yet.

In that sense, I think it’s waytoo early to be thinking aboutregional restaurants inAmerica. The concept ofSpanish cooking as a wholeisn’t mainstream yet. When ithappens, you’ll start seeingrestaurants dedicated tocertain regions, like the BasqueCountry and Catalonia andAndalusia. The restaurantsmay not be 100 percent fromthat region, but they will beinfluenced. Will we see a greatrice house with the cuisine ofValencia? You just wait!

Q: Who are the up-and-coming Spanish chefs?

A: These days, it seems thatanything that’s one year old isalready very old. We have a

tendency to cross people off,or bring new people to thespotlight way too quickly. To me, the future of Spanishcooking will be names thatyou already know. One ofthem is Dani García. He mayseem like an old pro, but we’retalking about a guy who isn’tyet 30 years old. He’s at Calima,in Marbella, and he’s one ofthese people who, 30 yearsfrom now, they’ll be honoringwith the Spanish flag.

And Quique Dacosta of El Poblet in Dénia, Alicante, I have no doubt that he will be inheriting the Ferran Adrià legacy. He has a tinyrestaurant, it’s not in Madrid,it’s not in Barcelona – butbecause it isn’t, that hasenabled him to do things thata young chef usually isn’t ableto do. He’s just incredible.

Another chef who I think will make a big mark is thechef de cuisine at Senzone inMadrid, Francisco Morales.

I had a meal there that wasastonishing in its simplicity.Sometimes it’s harder to makea simple meal than acomplicated one, so I believethis chef could be one ofthose names. He’s 26! He’sgoing to make it. And ifanyone in the world fromnow on wants to talk aboutfusion cooking, they need toeat at Kabuki in Madrid. I’venever seen anyone do thesimplicity of Japanese foodwith Spanish flavors like thisguy [Ricardo Sanz.] A pieceof fish, a potato, a little sauce– it’s the spirit of Japanesecooking, but reflectedthrough a Spanish concept of fish. You’ve never seenanything like it.

Finally, you can’t forgetAndoni. [Aduriz, of Mugaritz,near San Sebastián.] Yes,everyone knows his name, but I believe we’ve only seenthe beginning of the potentialof this guy.

SPAIN GOURMETOUR 9

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WHEN YOU TALK ABOUTSPANISH COOKING, YOU ARETALKING ABOUT THE SUM OFALL ITS REGIONAL CUISINES

Q: Your home region ofAsturias has always hadingredient-driven cooking. Is that changing?

A: It’s still ingredient-driven.That’s exactly right. And the reason is, we have greatseafood, we have greatmountains that produce greatlivestock. We are one of theregions in the world with themost quantities of cheese persquare footage, because wehave great pastures, and sogreat sheep and cows andgoats. So we have theingredients.

But we also have a total offive or six Michelin starredrestaurants, which I know is surprising. So it isn’t justingredients. Casa Gerardo isone of them, a perfect exampleof a place that is blendingtogether the new and the old.In this restaurant, you can eat the best fabada asturiana,which itself is the best bean

stew in the world. These beansliterally melt in your mouth. I mean, they fall apart! Theyhave no skin. Pedro andMarcos Morán, a father andson, have gone to justunbelievable levels to try toachieve the perfect bean. Notjust cooking it, but startingwith the seeds. Yet their fabadais a modern treatment of thistotally traditional dish. Theyuse the black sausage, thechorizo, yet they’ve been ableto bring it down so that it’s notso heavy, it’s actually verylight. I mean, I eat it and I almost cry.

Q: When you go home toAsturias, what’s the first thingyou want to eat?

A: Oh, spider crabs. If it’sOctober, November, I call myfriends, and they go to the sea,they go down in the water andget the crabs, and by the timeI’m parking, they’re on the

beach with the spider crabs.And we boil them in the seawater. I love to do that at arestaurant called El Rompeolasin Tazones. And the owner has an amazing selection ofChampagne. You have thespider crabs and theChampagne and nothing else.That’s all you need.

Q: Will you ever be able tocook real Asturian food in theUnited States?

A: You need the ingredients, of course. But the seeds areplanted. Once upon a time, we had only one kind ofPiquillo pepper here. Nowthere are, like, 20. I used totell people, “If you can’t getSpanish rice, use Italian rice.”Now there’s no problemfinding it. And we haveSerrano ham now, and Ibérico,and the Ibérico de Bellota iscoming. So it takes time, butit’s happening.

You know, I didn’t start out with high-end restaurants.Except for Minibar, I don’thave one now. I feed themasses. I mean, someone has to do it! But I’m starting to want to make exactly thekind of food I want to make,you know? And it’s becomingpossible. New York now has a good take on Spanishrestaurants. And Boston.Chicago. San Francisco. Littleby little, it’s happening. AnAsturian restaurant, that maytake a while. But I’m soexcited for the future.

Bruce Schoenfeld is the wineeditor of Travel + Leisuremagazine and a formercontributing editor of WineSpectator. He has been visitingSpain annually since 1987.

Spain Gourmetour thanks the Alfonso XIII hotel inSevilla for their help with the photo shoot.

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ONCE UPON A TIME, WE HAD ONLY ONE KIND OF PIQUILLO PEPPERHERE. NOW THERE ARE,LIKE, 20

From

toSEAThe region of Asturias, on the northern coast of Spain, is as small as it is full of culinary delights.

High on that list is cheese, for no less than a hundred different types, some of them among

Spain’s finest, are made there. Saul Aparicio samples the goods while he takes in the sights.

in 5 CheesesMOUNTAIN

Luis Carré/©ICEX

14 SPAIN GOURMETOUR

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Sandwiched between the Picosde Europa mountain range andthe Bay of Biscay, Asturias is atrue treasure trove of fine food.Blessed with evergreenpastures for grazing, one of therichest and most diversefishing grounds in the worldand with fertile land andplentiful rain, Asturias hasalways boasted some of thebest meat, fish, dairy andvegetables in Spain.

To this day, after having beenlucky enough to have dined in some of the finest eateries in Spain, one of my mostmemorable meals remains thedinner that was presented tome in the small coastal villageof Tazones by some fishermenfriends: freshly caught grilledmonkfish (or pixín as they callit in the regional dialect),followed by spidercrabs ornécoras, a hearty lobster stewand two generous helpings ofthe regional dish par excellence,a broad bean and pork stewcalled fabada. All of this washeddown with bottle upon bottle

of the sharp and refreshingstill cider that is drunkeverywhere in Asturias, andtopped off with arroz con leche,a citrusy, cinnamony ricepudding cooked for hourupon hour over low heat withthe creamy fresh milk of localcows. As you may have noticed,Asturias is not a place for lighteaters and Asturians’s passionfor fine food is only matchedby their tremendous appetites.

But if one type of gourmandshould be particularly drawnto Asturias, that is beyond a

doubt the cheese lover. Thereis no single region in Europethat has a larger ‘density ofcheeses’: over 100 differenttypes are made in a region no larger than the New YorkMetropolitan area. Blue, mature,fresh, cow, goat or sheepmilk… you name it, they haveit. This means that there areany number of routes that one can do around Asturiassampling different cheeses.Over the next few pages, I will propose a rural tour that, avoiding the cities,

will take you to the twogeographical features thatdefine the region: the sea andthe mountains.

Touch down andawayAsturias’s airport, our startingpoint for this tour, is locatedclose to third largest city in the region, the port of Avilés.Although the airport is but a mere 10 miles from our firstdestination, the beautifulfishing village of Cudillero, a short detour will run usthrough the farmlands of thecounty of Illas and the villageof San Jorge de La Peral whereone of Asturias’s most prizedcheeses is made. La Peralcheese is a blue cheese unlikeany other, and is a regularfeature among the top spots of Spanish cheese contests.

It is intense in flavor andaroma, very creamy andbuttery in texture, slightlypiquant, with a pleasant tingeof saltiness. Although the

Text Saul Aparicio/©ICEX

PhotosJuan Manuel Sanz/©ICEX

Carlos Navajas/©ICEX

SPAIN GOURMETOUR 15

sea as the backdrop for theplay. The whole town iscrisscrossed with small,cobbled alleyways in which wefind pretty houses, medievalchurches, the occasional localartisanry shop and some of thetown’s fisherman’s taverns,where the fresh catch of theday is slapped on a grill andenjoyed with liberal amountsof cider.

The surroundings of thispretty town are no lesscharming. The 330 ft cliffsaround the lighthouse-crowned Cape Vidio are asight to behold, as are themany beaches in thesurrounding area. The bracingAtlantic sea may be too coldfor some swimmers, but theseisolated beaches, sometimeshidden at the base of toweringcliffs, deserve a visit even so.In the opposite direction,moving inland, the hillsquickly climb upward. At thetop, we can find antique stonehuts used by cowherds duringthe summer season, when

taste is strong, it is notoverpowering. Firm yetspreadable, it is just as tastyon its own as it is as part of a recipe. Some in Asturiaseven blend it with a touch of cider into a paste, which is shared around the table to spread on crusty bread.

Down by the seaOne La Peral cheese undereach arm, we head southtowards the seaside town of Cudillero. Surely among the prettiest spots along theAsturias coast, Cudilleroremains a fishing town at heartdespite the influx of tourists in recent years. Much likeAsturias itself, the town islocated between the hills andthe sea, the colorfully paintedhouses creeping up from thebay where the port used to be located. The whole thingreminds one of a Romanamphitheater, the house frontstaking the place of seats, thetown square at the bottomserving as the stage and the

cattle was led to the hilltops insearch of the freshest pastures.

Of chickens andcheeseWhere there are cows there ismilk, and where there is milkthere is cheese. Cudillero,despite being built facing thesea, is also in the region whereanother of Asturias’ mostfamed and traditional cheesesis. In this occasion it is madeexclusively from cow milk,pasteurized before beingcurdled (although versionsmade with raw milk can alsobe found), and it bears thebizarre name of Afuega’l Pitu,meaning “choke the chicken”in the local language of Bable.This cheese is so fatty and richthat, legend has it,cheesemakers would feed asmall piece to a chicken inorder to test if it was ready: ifit was, the chicken would havetrouble swallowing it down.

The production area of thecheese contains over a dozen

municipalities, stretching fromthe coast to the base of theCantabrian mountain range,which all come together tocompete in quality every 17thof January in the town ofMorcín. At the yearly Afuega’lpitu cheese contest one canmarvel at the variety of ways inwhich this cheese is presented.Although the basic features ofthe cheese – such as type ofmilk, degree of maturity andsanitary conditions for makingit – are regulated through itsProtected Designation of Originstatus, different towns addtheir personal touch to make alocal version. Thus, up northin the towns of Grado, Praviaor Comellana the cheese iscone-shaped, whereas roundcheeses are favored furthersouth. To say nothing of thefact that some cheesemakersknead the curd and somedon’t, that some drain thecheese of whey in molds andsome in cotton sacks, or of thedifferent stages of maturity thecheese can come in.

La Peral

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of people live. Those in searchof peace and quiet in the willfind a wealth of farmhouses,cottages and lodges that havebeen reformed to house guests.

Urbanites can make the townof Cangas de Onís – an easydrive away from theproduction areas of these threecheeses – their base. Thetourist office of Cangas, in anycase, is a good place to start,offering as it does plentifulinformation on lodgings in the region.

18,000 years atCangas Cangas, nestled in the valleyformed by the Sella and Güeñarivers, has been populatedsince prehistoric times, andhas a wide variety ofinteresting landmarks datingback to the Upper Paleolithic.Especially worthy of mentionis the Buxu cave, where18,000 year old cave paintingscan be visited by a maximumof 25 people per day, so bookwell in advance.

We’ll be going upthe mountainwhen we’re doneThe next stage of our cheesetour awaits, so we leave theseaside behind us and climbup the Cantabrian mountainrange, one of Spain’s wildestregions and the site of a wealthof natural reserves. Directlysouth of Cudillero is Somiedo,a UNESCO-certified Biospherereserve which is home toendangered species such as the Eurasian brown bear.

Worthy detour as this is,though, our destination is the Picos de Europa, in theEastern half of the CantabrianRange. The Picos de Europaare a natural reserve too, theoldest in Spain, as a matter of fact. Founded in 1918, thePicos de Europa National Parkis also home to bears, wolves,eagles and otters, as it is toother protected species such as the bearded vulture, theIberian wild mountain goat,the Pyrenean chamois or theIberian ibex.

Within it is one of Spain’smost culturally resonantlandmarks, the sanctuary ofCovadonga, site of the firstvictory in the Reconquista, the fight of Christian kings of Iberia against the Islamicforces that had invaded thePeninsula in 711 and were topartly rule it for nearly eightcenturies. And almost directlyabove are the CovadongaLakes, which many claim areamongst Spain’s most beautifulnatural landmarks.

But its cheese that we’re afterand, beauty aside, this is theregion’s strongest point. Eachvalley in the mountains makesits own cheese, using varioustypes of milk, aging techniquesand natural additives, resultingin dozens upon dozens oftypes. Three of them, however,stand out above the rest: Los Beyos, Gamonedo andCabrales.

Rural housing abounds in thearea, which is scattered withvillages where only a handful

Afuega’l Pitu

SPAIN GOURMETOUR 17

The town began to gainimportance with the arrival of the Romans, but its time ofgreatest splendor was probablyin the Middle Ages. It is fromthat period that the stunningbridge over the Sella riverdates, despite being called the Puente Romano (RomanBridge), because it was builtover the original Romanstructure. Also from thatperiod are the Romanesquechurches in the area, builtbetween the 7th and 11thcenturies.

Another Middle Agedconstruction ‘re-vamped’ bylater dwellers is the Monasteryof San Pedro de Villanueva,originally built in the 12thCentury and expandedrepeatedly until the 17th. The monastery is now one of the hotels in the state-runParadores network –historically relevant landmarksthat have been transformedinto quality hotels – andfeatures 4-star lodging and a restaurant in which to enjoythe traditional local cuisine.

But the best moment to enjoythe region’s cheese withoutleaving Cangas is mid-October,when the Picos de Europacheese contest is held. Dairiesfrom all over the mountainstake their produce to Cangas,competing to find the bestcheese in the whole mountainrange. The three stars of theevent are Gamonedo, LosBeyos and Cabrales cheese,probably the most well-known, prized and delicioustypes of cheese in the region.

The cheese ofCangasThe former is the local favorite,because Gamonedo cheese ismade in the area around Cangasde Onís and the nearby village of Onís, and has been for manycenturies. One of the mostcurious written references in thepast dates from the 17th century,when a local nobleman wrote aletter of protest to the King ofSpain because ‘lowlanders’ weretaking their horses up to the

mountain pastures and notleaving enough fodder for thecows, sheep and goats, whichwas having an impact onGamonedo production.

The outside of Gamonedo ispeculiar to say the least. Darkgrey blends with the ochretones developed during thesmoking stage of production,and blue, green and red spotsdot the surface. The inside iscreamy white, except for thearea next to the rind, wherethe mold seeps in and tinges it blueish-green. It has small,irregular holes and isdeliciously crumbly. Lively and spicy in taste, with asubtle smokiness to boot, thischeese is a firm favorite ofmost Spanish cheese lovers.

The CanyonCheeseAt Cangas, the road splits twoways. In one direction we findthe Canyon or Desfiladero ofLos Beyos, a steep cut in themountains made by the riverSella which gives name to this

Afuega’l Pitu with pimentón

area’s cheese. Los Beyos cheeseis only made in a handful ofvillages and towns around thelittle village of Amieva (roughly10 miles away from Cangas), a region of outstanding beautyand better pastures. The cheesecan be made either from ewe,goat or cow milk, but alwayswith just one type. In actualfact, most of the productioncomes from cow milk, withthe particularity that there isalways a mix of the previousevening’s milking and the next morning’s.

Los Beyos cheese has a thin,yellow and very rough rind.The inside is pale yellow if it ismade with cow milk, and whitewhen it’s goat or ewe. Theconsistence of the paste withinvaries greatly depending on itsmaturity, but never has holes(which would indicate aproblem during curdling): it is always dense and compact,but more mature cheeses arechalkier and flintier at first bitethan younger ones. Two chewslater, though, the texture is

nothing if not creamy andbuttery. Mature cheeses arestronger and more pungent in taste, younger ones smootheryet less complex, and both havea tangy and balanced finish.

Visitors should note that, on the first Saturday of June,Amieva hosts a Los Beyoscheese exhibit, where visitorscan sample manufactured and artisan cheeses alike.

The final treatThe other road out of Cangastakes us to where our finaltreat, Cabrales cheese, awaits.The road snakes its wayeastward between mountainsand along forests until wereach the village of Arenas deCabrales. On the way, we havepassed other towns where thecheese is made – such asInguanzo, Carreña or Canales– but Arenas bears a surprise,of which more later.

First, a description of what ispossibly Spain’s most famousblue cheese. Cabrales is a

18 SPAIN GOURMETOUR

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Gamonedo

cylinder shaped cheese, 4 to 8lb. in weight, with an intenselypungent, sticky yellow rind.The inside is creamy white,intensely streaked with blueveins and with irregular holes.Strong in taste, though not so much as the smell wouldmake one suspect, spicy, sharpand creamy, one taste will

hook any cheese lover forever.Eaten on its own, on bread,with apples or used in a sauce(sirloin steak with Cabralessauce is a popular dish in theregion), Cabrales is a treat toremember.

One word of advice, though:Cabrales’s popularity has led tothe appearance of many poorer

SPAIN GOURMETOUR 19

imitations, so if you are goingto buy some, make sure thatthe Protected Designation ofOrigin – or PDO – seal(featuring the words“Denominación de OrigenProtegida Cabrales”, in Spanish,surrounding a maple leaf) is onthe cheese. The Designationguarantees that the cheese was

made in the region, followingthe proper methods and withmilk from the vicinity.

Since the secret of thesecheese is the way in which it is matured in caves (see box),after trying it you may beintrigued as to what they looklike. This is why we are atArenas, where the Regulating

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There is much to do in the region of Cudillero apart from seeing the sights and enjoying its beaches.Local companies, for instance, offer a variety of guided tours on horseback. Most treks last one dayor less, but even a week-long trek along the Xacobean Route (the traditional pilgrimage to theresting place of the Apostles James in Santiago de Compostela, Galicia) is available. Another optionis to take out to sea: boat rental, scuba diving, fishing or simple guided tours are offered by locallyowned companies.For more information contact the Cudillero Tourist Office: www.cudillero.org; +34 985 591 452

In the Picos de Europa Mountains there is also something for everyone. The whole national park is aparadise for trekkers and mountaineers, and a variety of cycling routes are also highlyrecommended. Some of the best trout and salmon fishing in Europe can be found in the Cares andSella rivers. The most adventurous can enjoy paragliding and rafting, and there is also a number ofinteresting caves for those interested in Speleology.

The Sella river is the site of one of the world’s most popular canoe races in the world. Every August,hundreds compete to be the first to reach Ribadesella, on the coast, leaving from Arriondas, nearthe mountains. Even with no race on, visitors can enjoy the experience, since guided descents areavailable year round.For more information, contact the Cangas de Onís Tourist Office:www.cangasdeonis.com; +34 985 848 005

For a full listing of the tourist offices and tourism companies registered with the regional government,visit: www.infoasturias.com

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Los Beyos

20 SPAIN GOURMETOUR

Council of the PDO has anexhibition cave and smallcheesemaking facility where you can be shownthe whole process, from the story of the shepherds,cowherds and goatherds,past the production of thecheese and all the way tothe caverns. And to top itall off, a free sampling ofcheese and cider. Now isn’tthat just the ticket to endthe trip?

Saul Aparicio is a Madrid-based freelance writer andtranslator, whose articles andcontributions have appearedin different media outlets inSpain, the UK and TheNetherlands. He is also partof the editorial team of SpainGourmetour

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Asturias Airport, located close to the city of Avilés and roughly in the middle of the region has directdomestic flights to Madrid and Barcelona, as well as Alicante, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Palma deMallorca, Seville, Tenerife and Valencia. International flights into Asturias are available from Germany,Austria, Belgium, France, The Netherlands, Italy, the United Kingdom and Switzerland.

By car, the major highways into the region are the N-634 and N-632 coming from Galicia, to thewest, and the A-66 coming from Madrid.

Train services from Madrid, Barcelona and Bilbao link Asturias with those three international airports.

Visit www.infoasturias.com for more detailed information

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SPAIN GOURMETOUR 21

Cabrales is made with a mix of cow, goat and ewe milk, except for the winter months (when only cowmilk is available), which is curdled very gently and over a long period of time, sometimes as long asthree hours. The resulting curd is slightly sour and is finely chopped once the whey has been drained.It is placed, unpressed, in small cylindrical molds, and turned over four times in 2 days, so that it losesthe remaining whey and becomes naturally pressed. This done, one side is salted and, after 12 hours,turned over to salt the other. Following this, the cheeses are ‘aired out’ for a fortnight, before beingplaced in the place where the magic happens: natural limestone caves with high levels of humiditywhich favor the growth of Penicillium molds. The cheeses stay in these caves, at a temperature of47ºF to 54ºF and a relative humidity as high as 90%, for at least 2 months and as long as 5.

CABRALES: THE LONG ROAD TO THE CAVES

Made from a mix of local raw cow milk and the cream of ewe milk, La Peral cheese is curdled for amere 45 minutes before being cast into cylindrical moulds, drained of whey for 10 hours and then,finally, salted and matured. The cheese is matured for two months, during which time bluish-greenveins streak the creamy yellow paste within.

LA PERAL:THE PROCESS

THERE IS MORE THAN JUST ONE AFUEGA

Two main varieties of this cheese are made, white and red, the latter being seasoned with pimentón,a Spanish type of paprika. The former has a rough, thick rind and a creamy white interior, whereasthe latter has a smoother and thinner orange rind. Both types, in turn, are available in different stagesof maturity: the spreadable fresco is matured for as little as 5 days, whereas mature cheeses, socrumbly that they are almost impossible to cut, can be aged for as long as two months.

Gamonedo cheese is made with three types of milk (goat, ewe and cow), sometimes on their ownand sometimes mixing two or three types, and generally unpasteurised, depending on thecheesemaker. After curdling the milk for no more than an hour at high temperatures (75ºF to 86ºF),the cheese is drained in large molds (a whole Gamonedo can weigh as much as 5 pounds), saltedand dried, then smoked before maturing. The cheeses are aged for at least 3 months in natural caves,sometimes covered in fern leaves as protection. In this time, the rind develops the mold which givesthe rind a very peculiar mix of colors.

MAKING GAMONEDO: CONTROLLED CREATIVITY

Traditionally, unpasteurised milk was curdled at a fairly cool temperature (39ºF to 47ºF), alwaysoutdoors. In the winter, the milk was placed next to the kitchen, and in the summer, some of the creamwas removed to prevent it from going sour. Then the whey was drained manually, spooned out bypatient cheesemakers, and the remains were manually pressed and shaped into small molds, wherethey lost, the remaining whey before being salted, dried and smoked. The cheeses were thenmatured in an horreo (a small, outdoor elevated construction where Asturians kept their foods in thetimes before refrigerators) for a period between three weeks and three months. Although somefarmers still make their cheese this way, manufacturers now control the temperature instead of lettingnature decide. That aside, the process is much the same.

LOS BEYOS:TRADITIONAL CHEESEMAKING METHODS

5 Cheeses

Spain’s reputation for making

world-class white wines is on the

march, and one of the regions

fuelling increased enthusiasm is

the D.O. Rueda, in Castile-León.

John Radford is an aficionado.

RUED

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24 SPAIN GOURMETOUR

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Twenty years ago. Nava delRey. The offices of Álvarez yDíez on my first visit to Rueda.I’m in a tasting room hungwith diplomas, shields andmedals celebrating the prizeswon by the bodega’s wines, andthe winemaker is proudlyshowing off his latest solera-aged Rueda Dorada which is,admittedly, excellent. RuedaPálido is a Fino-style wine,and Rueda Dorada is anOloroso-style, and I have toconfess that I loved them. Sodid the tasting panels whichhad awarded all those gongs.As to the world outside, well,shall we say, the enthusiasmwas more muted... Or non-existent.

Fifteen years ago. The sametasting room in the samebodega. The walls have beencleared of gongs, the solerashave been sold off, the oldwinemaker has retired, thebodega’s portfolio has changedradically under newownership, and the thrust

is towards young, fresh, drywhites with lipsmackingacidity and a delicious, herbyfruit. This is the Verdejo grapein full throat. But so it waswith the Pálido and theDorada. What happened?

A long hard roadout of the ‘solera’The Verdejo is a tricky grape.The very moment that thebunch is picked from the vine,the juice, still inside theindividual berries, begins to oxidize. In the days whengrowers loaded their grapesinto trailers under the morningsun, towed them to thebodegas with their putteringtractors, perhaps stopping off for an early almuerzo at thecafeteria on the way, the juiceof the grapes was so oxidizedby the time it arrived at thepresses that it was really onlyfit for turning into solerawines, where oxidation is a positive advantage.

Fast forward to 2007, and modern winemakingtechniques. Most bodegas nowpick from midnight to sunrise,the pickers wearing lamps ontheir heads like coal-miners,loading the grapes into trailerswhich have been previouslyfilled with inert gas (Nitrogenor Carbon Dioxide) so that theair never gets near the skins.The grapes are rushed to thebodega where they are put intoa chiller (also filled with inertgas) to bring them down to fermentation temperature(about 60ºF) before beingpassed to the press. Frompicking to fermentationneither grape nor juice comesinto contact with air, and thishas been the secret of theVerdejo in Rueda: wonderfullyfresh, clean herby fruit and a deliciously crisp finish.

A good deal of the credit forthe major resurgence of Ruedaas a world-class white winemust go to ‘Paco’ Hurtado de Amezaga, current head of

the family at the Rioja Houseof Marqués de Riscal. Hedidn’t like the oaky style oftraditional white Rioja, or the‘squeaky clean’ style of the‘modern’ wines (this was in the 1970s before the ‘newwave’ took off in Rioja) and herecognized the potential of theVerdejo – a great grape simplywaiting for technology to catch up with it. This was in 1978 and there was still an enormous amount of workto be done, but the Riscalname encouraged the worldoutside to try the wines and,bit by bit, the world decidedthat it liked them.

The pioneerMarquisRiscal also pioneered theplanting of Sauvignon Blanc in Rueda, which has taken ona life of its own. I once hosteda tasting in Rueda of the winesof Palacio de Bornos, withRicardo Sanz, and we tasted

Text John Radford/©ICEX

PhotosJuan Manuel Sanz/©ICEX

Fernando Madariaga/©ICEX

26 SPAIN GOURMETOUR

his Verdejo and Sauvignonside by side. The consensus ofthose present came down onthe side of the Verdejo which,at the cellar door, was slightlycheaper than the Sauvignon.Why? “Because”, said Ricardo,“I can sell a wine called‘Sauvignon’ in every country ofthe world. And when they likeit, I can say ‘now would youlike to try my Verdejo?’ If thathad been my first question,no-one would have knownwhat I was talking about.”

Perhaps the most classic of the traditional style Rueda is made by Ángel Rodríguez

Vidal from his Martinsanchovineyard. The originalMartinsancho vineyard is hardly an acre, with vineswhich go back to the 17thcentury: Phylloxera has neverbeen here. Ángel graftscuttings from the vineyard on to his main, 25 acre plotand makes the wine in thetraditional style: fermented in glass and stored in giantoak casks, which he rebuildshimself every five years. The wine is sublime – if youcan find it.

From Bordeaux toRuedaIn due course the regionattracted the attention ofFrench winemakers, DidierBelondrade and his wifeBrigitte Lurton. They boughtan ancient labyrinth of cellarsin Nava del Rey in 1994, andbuilt a new winery in La Seca,about 20km to the east, in2000. In spite of theirBordeaux background (herfamily owns 11 châteaux) theyelected to make a ‘Burgundian’style of wine, barrel-fermentedin French oak. The result,

simply called Belondrade yLurton, captures the freshnessof the Verdejo whilst addingthe complexity of the oak. Thewinery, now helmed by Didier,continues to be a regularmedal-winner.

The initial winemaking planat Belondrade was devised by Brigitte’s cousin JacquesLurton, and four years later he and his brother Françoisestablished a bodega of theirown – Hermanos Lurton – in Villafranca de Duero. TheLurton brothers are well-known as flying winemakersall over Europe and South

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Didier Belondrade, of Belondrade y Lurton

SPAIN GOURMETOUR 27

America, and their ownventure benefits from thisaccumulated experience. Theirflagship wine, Cuesta de Oro,is also fermented in newFrench oak.

Locals of noteCastelo de Medina inVillaverde de Medina wasestablished in 1995, vineyardsplanted in 1990 with all thelatest viticultural equipment,including drip irrigation. The250 acre vineyard is 60/40Verdejo and Sauvignon, andthe flagship wine, CasteloNoble is barrel-fermentedfrom 85% Verdejo.Interestingly, their Castelo de la Dehesa is one of thebest-value wines from Rueda.

Dos Victorias is afascinating project, foundedin 1996 by two youngwomen, both called Victoria(to be precise Victoria‘Mariví’ Pariente and Victoria‘Vikki’ Benavides) who metwhilst studying at university.Mariví’s family owned a smallpatch of vineyards, and theyset about making a modern-style barrel-fermentedVerdejo named after Marivi’sfather – José Pariente –which is now recognized as one of the best of its kindin the region. The Victoriashave now decided to go theirseparate ways, VikkiBenavides focusing on thereds, and Mariví Parientecontinuing the good work on the whites which bear her father’s name.

Naia is a small (40 acres)

operation founded in 2002 by the owner of a bodega inGalicia, a wine journalist andan American wine importer, to exploit old Verdejo vineswhich are planted, ungrafted,in sandy soils in the village ofLa Seca, which is emerging asone of the best areas for theVerdejo. The flagship wine,Naiades, is a regular medal-winner, but then, so are therest of its wines. The foundersobviously had a very clearvision of what they wanted to achieve, and they are doingso spectacularly.

The newcomerwith the old vinesOne of the newest bodegas inRueda has some of the oldestvines. Ossian, in Nieva,founded in 2005, has only 20acres but the vines are 150years old, planted long beforethe Phylloxera struck Spain,and insulated from itsapproaches by sandy andstony soils. One of thepartners in the venture, JavierZaccagnini, is also a partnerwith the legendary MarianoGarcía in Bodegas Aalto (D.O.Ribera del Duero). In common

with many of the ‘new wave’producers they aim for a‘Burgundian’ style, with barrel-ageing on the lees. The qualityis exemplary, and although it’sa good deal more expensivethan most Rueda Verdejo, itrepresents excellent value formoney.

Other new projects havebeen fuelled by establishedcompanies from outsideRueda: Aura was founded in2000 by what is now DomecqBodegas; Emina (1995) is partof the Matarromera Group(Ribera del Duero); Viña Bajoz(D.O. Toro) moved in in 2002;

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Victoria Pariente, of José Pariente

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Buil & Giné (D.O.Q. Priorat)in 1997; Caserío de Dueñas in 2000 (Hijos de AntonioBarceló Group – D.O.Ca.Rioja, D.O. Ribera del Duero);La Colección in 2005 (D.O.Ca.Rioja, D.O. Ribera del Duero);Osborne in 2000 (DO. Jerez);and Pagos del Rey in 2004, toname but a few. With this levelof confidence, investment andmarketing going on, Ruedaseems to be on a roll, and a roll which is gatheringmomentum.

A final wordThe final word goes to LuisHurtado de Amézaga,winemaker at Marqués deRiscal: “People are plantingmore and more Verdejo as the market grows, and the bestgrapes from the oldest vineson the old terraces of the river

Duero command 1 a kilo(roughly 1.5 €), which is a lot for Spain – and astonishingfor white wines. New plantingson less appropriate soils fetchlower prices, but the marketseems to be demandingquality, and is willing to payfor it.”

So, is Rueda now the classicwhite wine of Spain? Settleback and dip into that peachy-apricot nose, those herbyhoneysuckle scents, thatgentle, aromatic palate whichwarms with fruit but remainscompletely dry on the finish...I’m not sure. I may have tohave another glass.

John Radford is freelance writer,broadcaster, lecturer, speaker andactor with a special interest in food,wine and travel and an informedinterest in Spain.

Javi

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Young Japanese sommelier Hiroshi

Kobayashi has come a long way since he

first tasted a glass of Rioja in Tokyo: half

the globe, in fact. Today, he is an authority

when it comes to the always tricky matter of

recommending a wine that will complement

an Asian dish. Ian Cowley reports

An unconventional

Text Ian Cowley/©ICEX

PhotosPablo Neustadt/©ICEX

IllustrationsJavier Zabala

MARRIAGE

32 SPAIN GOURMETOUR

seasons grape harvesting in the Ribera de Duero region the young wine aficionadoeventually installed himself in Burgos. "I didn't want to be swayed by regional bias and although both Rioja and Ribera are great wines, I though I'd get a more neutralopinion from people livingsomewhere in between." Fromthere he began working in a local restaurant affiliated to El Chaflán in Madrid where he became acquainted withPaco Berciano.

The capitalbeckonsNow, having teamed up withup-and-coming young chef

in Tokyo. "I didn't really likewine, and indeed it's seen assomething a bit special inJapan. Up until about eight or ten years ago it wasn't reallyeven drunk." But eventually hewould come to try some of theremains of a bottle of Siglofrom La Rioja that a regularcustomer would occasionallyleave behind on the table. Atfirst he wasn't so sure, butafter letting the wine 'breathe'for a couple of hours he foundsomething magical hadhappened to it and so thequest to discover more aboutwhat Spain had to offer in theway of the grape began.

This initial encounter withRioja eventually led to his firstvisit to Spain, and after three

Tucked away down a cobbledback street in the heart ofMadrid's trendy Chuecadistrict lies one of Spain's bestkept secrets; and I'm not justreferring to the magnificentcuisine of critically-acclaimedrestaurant Asiana – haunt oflocal celebrities such as actressPaz Vega and Oscar-winningdirector Alejandro Amenábar.For deep within this upmarkethome furnishings boutiquewhich at night doubles as oneof the Spanish capital's finestand most intimate eateries, I find Hiroshi Kobayashi – theestablishment's unassumingTokyo-born sommelier.

At just 30, Hiroshi alreadycounts many years experiencein the trade. He has worked

alongside top chef Juan PabloFelipe in Madrid's Michelin-starred restaurant El Chaflán.The pair were introducedthrough wine merchant andconnoisseur Paco Berciano –undoubtedly Hiroshi's greatestinfluence – who, from his basein Burgos works closely withworld-renowned oenologistand creator of some of Spain'stop vinos de pago or terroirwines, Telmo Rodríguez.

A love born inwineBut what attracted Hiroshi toSpain in the first place? Hisaffection for wine began togerminate when he worked for Spanish restaurant Parador

34 SPAIN GOURMETOUR

Jaime Renedo at Asiana heprovides a well stocked bodega,uniting labels from all ofSpain's wine producingregions, including some of the less well knownDenominations of Origin(D.O.), such as the relativelynew D.O. Manchuela, nearCuenca, in Central Spain and compiled of around 60%national product.

One glance at Asiana's highlyelaborate menu sets the tastebuds fizzing – an appetizer of scallop ceviche in tigermilk,followed by tuna tataki or yuba(tofu skin) 'pastry' filled withsweet miso and honey. Forsecond course there'sVicentina-style cod with wildcolmenilla mushrooms (morels)and black truffles or a pluma(a part of the loin) of Ibéricopork curry with mango puréeand yogurt. This is fusion foodat its finest.

Keep it crispBut just how does one begin to attempt to marry suchhighly-complex flavors withwine? Initially, Hiroshi thought

he had the answer: "burbujas(bubbles)" he says, a crispCava seemingly an ideal way towash down the exotic flavorswithout causing conflict. Andit is indeed a widespread beliefthat sparkling wine is one ofthe best forms of accompanyingsuch rarefied flavors as sushi.Cava giant Freixenet hasrecently created a new drink to marry solely with sushi,although it's in fact a whitewine called Oroya composed of 60% Airen, 30% Macabeoand 10% Muscat grapes fromLa Mancha.

But Hiroshi has begun tolook at different ways ofmatching this 'exotic' food to the range of Spanish winesat his disposal. Perhaps aManzanilla would work withthe tuna tataki (he likensManzanilla's slightly saltycharacter to that of Sake) orwhat about a Bobal varietalwine from D.O. Manchuelawith the Yuba pastry? Perhapsa dry white from the CatalanPenedés region with the codand a light, modern Rioja toenjoy with the pork curry?

Kobe beefcompanionIt seems that Spain isproducing greater quantities of these lighter reds as globalculinary tastes become morerefined – the aforementionedvinos de pago – high qualityterroir wines made with grapesfrom a specific vineyard suchas some of Telmo Rodríguez'screations. Hiroshi extols thevirtues of a well-roundedtannin-rich Rioja or Ribera to complement the weightyflavors of a chuletón (T-bonesteak), but what about thesomewhat lighter JapaneseKobe beef? The subtle textureand reduced fat content asksfor something slightly moredelicate to sip with thisculinary delight, and againHiroshi suggests somethinglighter, a "Burgundy-style Rioja made from Syrah."

The question ofsushiBut back to sushi, and if thedifficulty of marrying the ricevinegar with wine persists,

what about removing the ricealtogether and trying sashimialone with a Pinot Noir? Andmoving on from sushi, whatwould the sommelier suggestdrinking with some of Asia'sother signature dishes? WithPeking duck for example hewould offer a slightly acidicRosado from Navarra tocomplement the sweetness of the marinade. And Indiancurry, so often seen asimpossible to marry withwine? "What about trying itwith Syrah?" he says – avariety now grown a good deal in South East Spain.

Perhaps one of the dishesthat unites Spain and Japan ispulpo (octopus). A true comingtogether of Eastern andWestern cultures as it is a delicacy that is consumed a great deal in both countries.The obvious choice toaccompany pulpo would be a white Galician Albariñowine, from the Rías BaixasDO, but what about trying itwith the Sake-like Manzanillainstead, suggests Hiroshi?Indeed, as with the tuna tataki

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SPAIN GOURMETOUR 35

from Asiana's menu, maybe a refreshing glass of coolJapanese Sake is the idealaccompaniment to a Spanishdeconstructed pulpo á feira.

So having gone full circle, as we're now marryingJapanese wine to Spanishfood, it seems only fitting toask Hiroshi what he sees forthe future of wine in hiscountry of birth. "Spanishfood is fashionable right nowin Japan and internationally as well," he says. "So I see noreason why Spanish wine can'tbe too." Indeed, the Japanesesommelier is convinced thatwine from Spain is joiningIbérico ham as a firm Asianfavorite and, as he provesdaily, marriage between thenewly-created vinos de pagoof Spain and the exotic flavorsof fusion cuisine may well beunconventional but also quitedelicious.

Ian Cowley is a Madrid-basedBritish journalist. He contributespieces on Spain to a variety ofpublications and broadcasters.

HIROSHI KOBAYASHIHAS BEGUN TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT WAYS OF MATCHING EXOTICFOOD TO SPANISHWINES

BOSTONCardullo's GourmetShoppe6 Brattle St. Cambridge, MA 02138-3711Tel.: 617 491 8888 / 800 491 8288

Formaggio Kitchen Inc.244 Huron Ave. Cambridge, MA 02138Tel.: 617 354 4750

www.cardullos.com

Guido's Fresh Marketplace1010 South Street Pittsfield, MA 01201

Tel.: 413 442 9912

www.guidosfreshmarketplace.com

Trader Joe's117 Kendrick Street Needham, MA 02494

Tel.: 781 433 0234

For other locations visit:

www.traderjoes.com

CHICAGOConvito Cafe & MarketPlaza del Lago

1515 Sheridan Road Wilmette, IL 60091

www.convitoitaliano.com

Fox & Obel Food Market401 E. Illinois StreetChicago, IL60611

Tel: 312 410 7301

www.fox-obel.com

Find Spanish productsnear you

ONLINE SHOPPING

www.tienda.comwww.casaoliver.comwww.deliciasdeespana.comwww.zingermans.comwww.igourmet.comwww.ingredientsgourmet.com

SHOP

PING

GUIDE

SPAIN GOURMETOUR 37SPAIN GOURMETOUR 37

NEW YORKBalducci’s155 Ave. West 66th St. (Broadway & Amsterdam)

New York, NY 10023

Tel.: 212 653 8320

For other locations visit:

www.suttongourmet.com

Citarella2135 Broadway (75th St.)

New York, NY 10023

Tel.: 212 874 0383

For other locations visit:

www.citarella.com

Dean & Deluca1150 Madison Ave.

New York, NY 10028

Tel.: 212 717 0800

For other locations visit:

www.deandeluca.com

Despaña408 Broome Street

New York, NY 10013

Tel.: 212 219 5050

www.despananyc.com

E.A.T.1064 Madison Avenue

New York, NY 10028

Tel.: 212 772 0022

www.elizabar.com/eat

Fairway2127 Broadway (74th St.)

New York, NY 10023

Tel.: 212 595 1888

For other locations visit:

www.fairwaymarket.com

Grace’s Marketplace1237 Third Avenue (71st St.)

New York, NY 10021

Tel.: 212 737 0600

www.gracesmarketplace.com

Murray’s Cheese257 Bleecker Street

New York, NY 10014-4102

Tel.: 212 243 3289

For other locations visit:

www.murrayscheese.com

The Amish Market130 Cedar Street

New York, NY 10006

Tel.: 212 571 4232

And other locations

The Garden of Eden310 3rd Avenue (23rd & 24th)

New York, NY 10010

Tel.: 212 228 4681

www.gardenofedengourmet.com

The Gourmet Garage453 Broome (Mercer)

New York, NY 10012

Tel.: 212 941 5850

For other locations visit:

www.gourmetgarage.com

The Vinegar Factory431 East 91st St (1st & York)

New York, NY 10128-6801

Tel.: 212 987 0885

www.elismanhattan.com

Trader Joe’s142 East 14th Street

New York, NY 10003

Tel. : 212 529 4612

For other locations visit:

www.traderjoes.com

Whole FoodsTime Warner Center

10 Columbus Circle

New York, NY 10019

Tel.: 212 823 9600

For other locations visit:

www.wholefoods.com

Zabar’s2245 Broadway (80th St.)

New York, NY 10024

Tel.: 212 787 2000

www.zabars.com

SAN FRANCISCOCheese Plus2001 Polk St. (Pacific Ave.)

San Francisco, CA 94109

www.cheeseplus.com

Dean & Deluca607 South St. Helena Highway

St. Helena, CA 94574

Tel.: 707 967 9980

www.deandeluca.com

Oakville Grocery2801 Leavenworth

The Cannery at Del Monte Square

San Francisco, CA 94133

Tel.: 415 614 1600

For other locations visit:

www.oakvillegrocery.com

The Spanish Table1814 San Pablo Ave

Berkeley, CA 94702

Tel.: 510 548 1383

For other locations visit:

www.spanishtable.com

Village MarketOne Ferry Building # 29,

San Francisco, CA 94105

www.villagemarketsf.com

SEATTLEDe Laurenti Specialty Food & Wine1435 1st Ave

Seattle, WA 98101

Tel.: 206 622 0141

www.delaurenti.com

Metropolitan Market1908 Queen Anne Ave N

Seattle, WA 98109

Tel.: 206 284 2530

For other locations visit:

www.metropolitan-market.com

The Spanish Table1426 Western Ave

Seattle, WA 98101

Tel.: 206 682 2827

www.spanishtable.com

SHOP

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Tomás Zarza/©ICEX

Photo assistants:

César Carmeno,

Vanessa Ábalos

and Miguel Suárez

La Ancha, C/Zorrilla, 7. Madrid. Tel: +34 914 298 186

La Ancha II, C/Príncipe de Vergara, 204. Madrid. Tel: +34 914 298 186

Las Tortillas de Gabino, C/ Rafael Calvo, 20. Madrid. Tel: +34 913197 505 www.lastortillasdegabino.com

Advance booking essential in all three. LasTortillas also offers cooking courses

SPAIN GOURMETOUR 39

Nino Redruello is among the most important exponents of the fine tradition of Basque cuisine

in Madrid. Born and raised in the restaurant business under the tutelage of his eponymous

uncle, he took charge of the family restaurant, La Ancha, in early 2007. Before that, Nino spent

many years working his way up in the restaurant before opening Las Tortillas de Gabino,

his own venture, together with his brother. Las Tortillas took Madrid by storm, offering

adventurous takes on the classic Spanish omelet by complementing it with octopus, squid ink

or cod and Porrusalda (a Basque leek cream) and a menu filled with updated classics.

At La Ancha, placed alongside the Spanish Parliament and a favorite haunt of many a Spanish

politician he has continued to serve the classic fare that made it famous (its lentil soup is a

legend in Madrid), paying exacting attention to the quality of the produce and dotting the menu

with more modern creations of his own, such as a yogurt ice cream with fig cream.

SPAIN GOURMETOUR 39

REC PESSUMMER Photos

Toya Legido/©ICEX

40 SPAIN GOURMETOUR40 SPAIN GOURMETOUR

SANTOÑAANCHOVIES,MELON ANDPISTACHIOS (Melón con anchoasde Santoña ypistachos)

1. Dice the melon.

2. Place an anchovy on eachpiece.

3. Run a skewer through.

4. Sprinkled the choppedpistachios and lemon zest on top.

SERVES 4

PREPARATION TIME

10 min

DIFFICULTY

Very Easy

INGREDIENTS

1/4 lb of melon (preferablySpanish melon, aka Melón deLa Mancha or Piel de Sapomelon)

4 Santoña anchovies

A handful of green pistachios,peeled and finely chopped

Grated lemon zest

TEN MINUTE TAPA

SPAIN GOURMETOUR 41

HAKE IN GREEN SAUCEWITH CLAMS(Merluza en salsaverde)

TRADITIONAL 1. In order to make a fishstock, roughly chop the onion,the carrot and the leek. Placein a pan, add the fish bonesand cover with water. Simmerfor half an hour, spooning outany foam. Strain out the stock.

2. Crush or finely chop thegarlic.

3. Place a frying pan over lowheat. Add a large spoonful ofolive oil. Fry the garlic 30seconds, until it is cooked butnot golden.

4. Add the flour, cook for fiveminutes, stirring continuously.

5. Add the wine, simmer untilonly half is left.

6. Place the hake in the pan, skindown. Cook for 4-6 minutes.Gently move the pan while it iscooking so that the hake doesnot stick while the jelly in theskin thickens the sauce.

7. Add stock until half the hake is covered. Simmer fish,turning over once, until it isnearly cooked (cooking timemay vary depending on the size of the pieces of hake).

8. Add the clams, parsley and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil again. Once the clamshave opened take off the heatand serve.

SERVES 4

PREPARATION TIME

40 min

DIFFICULTY

medium

INGREDIENTS

2 lb. hake, with skin and bones

2 cloves garlic

1 fl oz. white wine

1 heaped tsp flour

Parsley

12 clams

Extra Virgin olive oil

1 leek, 1 onion and 1 carrot for the stock

42 SPAIN GOURMETOUR

1. The night before cooking,place the fabes in a bowlful ofwarm water to soak.

2. Place fabes, ham, chorizo,morcilla and panceta in a largepan. Cover with cold water.Place over low heat and simmergently.

3. When the beans are half cooked (75 minutes). Crack theknuckle bone and put it in. Ifnot, take it out of the pot, chopit up and put it back in.

4. After another 60 minutes(though time might varydepending on the beans), addthe grelos and cabbage. Cookfor a further 10 minutes (oruntil fabes are soft and smooth).

5. Add salt to taste and serve.

SERVES 4

PREPARATION TIME

2 hour

DIFFICULTY

Medium

REGIONAL(ASTURIAS)

POTATO CHIPOMELET WITH‘SALMOREJO’(Tortilla de patataschip con salmorejo)

SERVES 4

PREPARATION TIME

25 min

DIFFICULTY

Easy

INGREDIENTS

For the salmorejo:

1 clove garlic

1tbsp. Sherry vinegar

1/4 lb bread, without crust

1/2 lb ripe tomatos, peeled and chopped

2 fl. Oz. Extra Virgin Olive oil

Salt

For the omelet:

2 eggs

1 yolk

Onion confit

1 bag potato chips (unflavored, 2 oz.).

Salt

VEGETARIAN

ASTURIAN BEAN POT(Pote Asturiano)

NGREDIENTS

1 ham knuckle bone

1/4 lb grelos (turnip stalks andleaves)

1/4 lb green cabbage leaves

2 oz. raw/ cooking chorizo (preferably Asturias chorizo)

2 oz. morcilla (Boudin or blackpudding. Use Asturias type-made with onion, not rice)

1 oz. Ibérico ham (unsliced, inone piece. Alternatively, useSerrano ham)

1 oz. panceta (Spanishpancetta or unsmoked bacon.Not sliced)

1/2 lb fabes (white broadbeans).

SPAIN GOURMETOUR 43

‘SALMOREJO’

1. Using a mortar and pestle,mash the garlic with the vine-gar and a pinch of salt.

2. Place in a food processor.Add the bread, process. Thenadd the tomatos, process.

3. Keep on processing at lowspeed, adding the olive oilslowly so that it thickens

4. Refrigerate.

OMELET

1. To make a confit, peel and chop an onion. Place in a small pan, cover in oliveoil and simmer very gentlyuntil soft. Confit will keep for many days - simplyrefrigerate in a jar. It is greatwith grilled meat, chicken or fish.

2. In a bowl, beat the eggsand the egg yolk. Add apinch of salt.

3. Mix in a spoonful of confit and the chips.

4. Place a small, non-stickfrying pan (6 in. diameter)over strong heat. Add aspoonful of olive oil.

5. When hot, pour the mixin. Cook until the bottom has set.

6. Place a plate over thefrying pan, then flip it overonto the plate. Slide theomelet back into the pan,uncooked side down.

7. Cook until bottom is set,but not so much that theinside won’t be juicy.

8. Serve with a little jug of salmorejo on the side.

44 SPAIN GOURMETOUR

ZUCCHINI,MUSHROOMAND AFUEGA’LPITU FRITTERS (Buñuelos de queso Afuega’l Pitu con setas)

1. Fry the garlic in olive oiluntil golden. Take out garlic.

2. Sautée the mushrooms inthe garlic-infused oil.

3. When cooked, add soysauce and stock. Simmer until almost dry.

FINGER FOOD

4. Slice the zucchini into thinstrips. Scald them in boilingwater. Let cool and arrangeinto crosses on an oven dish.

5. Place a square of Afuega’l Pitu cheese and some of themushrooms in the middle.Wrap the zucchini over thecheese and mushrooms, andspear it closed with a toothpick.

SERVES 4

PREPARATION TIME

30 min

DIFFICULTY

Medium

INGREDIENTS

3.5 oz. mushrooms (pick and mix according to taste and season)

2 cloves garlic

Soy sauce (2tsp)

1/2 cup meat or vegetable stock

2 oz. Afuega’l Pitu cheese

4 oz. zucchini

Salt

Flour

6. Add salt, roll in flour and fry in abundant hot oil untilgolden.

7. Drain excess oil with kitchen paper. If you wish to prepare them in advance,simply place in oven dish, re-heat in an oven and pullout toothpicks before serving.

SPAIN GOURMETOUR 45

1. Make caramel with 3 tbsp of the sugar, by placing in a pan over medium heat until it melts and turns light amberin color. Pour into a mold with care (caramel isdangerously hot).

SERVES 4

PREPARATION TIME

50 min

DIFFICULTY

Medium

INGREDIENTS

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1 stick cinnamon

6 egg yolks

1 whole egg

1/2 pint whipping cream

1 spoonful Brandy

Icing sugar

Grated lime zest and lemon verbena (optional)

‘TOCINO DECIELO’

DESSERT

2. Boil the water, the remainingsugar and cinnamon until transparent and fully mixed. In the meantime, beat the eggand egg yolks together.

3. Take out the cinnamon, mix the egg and egg yolks in.

4. Run the mix through a sieve into the mold.

5. Steam-cook or cook in adouble boiler until set (approx30 mins., depending on themold). Let cool.

6. Take out of mold. To do so,heat mold a little so the caramelmelts and unsticks from mold.

7. Mix the cream with a spoonful of brandy and icingsugar to taste. Whip until stiff.

8. Serve a piece of tocino de cielowith some whipped cream, andsprinkle grated lime zest on top.Decorate the plate with lemonverbena leaves.

46 SPAIN GOURMETOUR

WINEMARRIAGE

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SANTOÑA ANCHOVIES,MELON AND PISTACHIOSWine MANZANILLA PASADA PASTRANAOrigin D.O. Jerez-Manzanilla de SanlúcarWinery Bodegas Hidalgo-La GitanaDescription Intense golden yellow in color. Extremelyaromatic – hits the nose with the smells of a salty breeze, raw almonds and greenolives. Subtle despite its solid structure in the mouth, in which the initial aromasdominate. The long, intense finish is stillsalty and even nuttier.Why this wine?This wine blends very harmoniously withthe dish, since the nuttiness complementsand enriches the taste of pistachios and its dryness fits the anchovy. Betweenmouthfuls, its freshness blends with the melon’s, cleaning the palate.

HAKE IN GREEN SAUCEWITH CLAMSWine OSSIANVarietals VerdejoOrigin Vinos de la Tierra de Castilla y LeónWinery Ossian Vides y VinosDescription Straw yellow with tinges of green.Complex and intense on the nose, withherby, balsamic and fine toasted notesrising above the initial fruitiness (applesand pears). Fresh, classy and with acertain density, the initial fruit gives way to a long, elegant and herby finish.Why this wine? For this classic Spanish dish I havechosen a rather peculiar Verdejo fromRueda. Fruitier and herbier than most,with a hint of sharpness and bitterness on the finish that is typical of Verdejos, it is as tasty and aromatic as the dishitself. Its herbiness is an especially strongasset in the blend with the sauce.

ASTURIAN BEAN POTWine SOT LEFRIEC Varietals Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon,CariñenaOrigin D.O. PenedésWinery Alemany i CorrióDescriptionSo opaque and dark red in color that I would describe it as mahogany. Thisintensely aromatic wine yieldsblackberries and prunes, licorice,chocolate and toasted notes. Beefy, tastyand fruity, with a solid structure, a velvetypassage through the mouth and a juicy,long finish. Decanting is recommended.Why this wine?This hearty, potent dish calls for anequally hearty, potent wine. With its fullbody, robust taste and sober tannins thewine holds well and adds a touch ofsharpness that clears the taste budsbetween spoonfuls.

SPAIN GOURMETOUR 47

Award- winning sommelier María José Huertas has developed her whole career at Michelin-starred Madrid restaurant La Terraza del Casino. She was among the first female sommeliers to leave the official school in the Madrid Chamber of Commerce and join one of the toprestaurants in the Spanish capital, where she has now spent ten years finding the best wines to accompany the creative cuisine of head chef and Ferran Adrià protegé Paco Roncero.

"When you begin to 'marry' wines to food", María José says, "you soon find that, for every dish,there tends to be at least four or five wines that are a particularly good match. You choose thoseaccording to the tastes, textures and aromas of the dish, finding wines that will not drown any of the subtleties out and will bring a little something extra to the mix that will make it special. Butthe only way to get it just right is to find out about the personal taste and preferences of the client,so that you'll make the perfect selection out of the wines that initially come to mind. I thereforelike to chat a little about the favorite wines of a client before I suggest one for the meal. Since I can't quiz you readers, in my choices here I have favored wines that I find particularly interestingmyself and that are, on occasion, a little daring".

La Terraza del Casino, C/ Alcalá 15-3 E. Madridlaterraza@casinodemadrid.eswww.casinodemadrid.es

YOUR SOMMELIER IS… MARÍA JOSÉ HUERTAS

Amador Toril/©ICEX

POTATO CHIP OMELETWITH ‘SALMOREJO’Wine AGUSTÍ TORELLO GRAN RVAVarietals Macabeo, Parellada, Xarel·loOrigin D.O. CavaWinery Agustí TorellóDescriptionGolden color with green highlights andfine bubbles. Elegant and intense aromas,with ripe apples and pears, toasted breadand butter dominating. After a fresh onentry in the mouth, the aromas of fruitsseemingly ‘expand’ until the toasted,subtly oaky finish gains the upper hand.Delightfully well blended bubbles. Why this wine?The complication in pairing this dish to a wine is in the salmorejo, which hassome vinegar and garlic, strong flavorsthat could drown out the subtleties of awine. A well-structured, aged Cava suchas this both complements the tastyrichness of the omelet and doesn’t keelover to the taste of the salmorejo, windingits taste through it.

ZUCCHINI, MUSHROOMAND AFUEGA’L PITUFRITTERSWine LA CALMAVarietals Chenin BlancOrigin D.O. PenedésWinery Can Ràfols dels CausDescription Sunny, almost golden in color. Complexaromatically: aniseed, toast, spices, vanillaand herbs rise over a background ofapples. Silky, and fruity, with a pleasantbalsamic finish.Why this wine?For this dish, in which the cheese is the star ingredient, I chose this wine in a flash. It has a great complexity and quite a full body for a white, so it won’t bedrowned out by the cheese and bring newaromas to the mix while it freshens themouth between bites.

‘TOCINO DE CIELO’Wine OLIVARESVarietals MonastrellOrigin D.O. JumillaWinery Bodegas OlivaresDescriptionThis wine has a very attractive dark cherry color, and a similarly attractivearomatic charge: candied berries, blackolive, spices, vanilla and chocolate allscream for attention when you put yournose to the glass. One sip reveals apowerful fruitiness, a good balancebetween sweetness and sharpness, gentletannins and an especially pleasant finish.Why this wine?This sweet red, due to its tannins andwell-judged sharpness will balance theintense sweetness of the dish. Instead of a harmony between dish and wine, I havechosen to find a contrast that will give the mix more poise.

48 SPAIN GOURMETOUR

My earliest childhood memoriesof food were that of myLouisiana French upbringing.Every food we consumed wasinflicted with French verbage,as our culinary lexiconreflected our French ancestryand relatively ignored many of the cultures that helpedcreate our cuisine of NewOrleans and south Louisiana.

You may imagine mysurprise as, in a trip to Spain, I took what I thought to be myfirst bite of morcilla de arroz, asausage made of blood, onion,spices and rice. The flavor andthe texture was not at all likethe rich boudin noir that I hadcome to love in Lyon, France,but it was actually a replica of many of the famed boudinsfrom my neck of the woods inNew Iberia, Louisiana. It wasthe first bite of my culinaryawakening to the foods of my native New Orleans and its environs.

We learned in grade schoolthat Spain had once ownedLouisiana. What we didn’tlearn was that in 1778 theKing of Spain sent thousandsof Isleños – Islanders from theCanary Islands – to inhabit,farm, fish and protect this newcolony in the name of Spain.My grade school failed to teach me about the Spanishcommunities that brought withthem a great food tradition topass on to future generationsof Louisianans. I knew of theNúñez, Prieto, Fernández andPérez families and knew thatthey had Spanish names but I had no idea that theirancestors had helped to form one of the richestculinary cultures on earth.

Not until that first bite ofmorcilla de arroz in 1999, did I begin to grasp the impactthese early settlers had had onour food culture. So, I beganto subconsciously questionmany of the things that I hadhistorically deemed LouisianaFrench. The early Spanishsettlers were masters at canningand preserving what theyfarmed, as was evident by whatI witnessed with the cannedPiquillo peppers and othervegetables found throughoutSpain. This practice is stillcarried on in many of theheavily Spanish influencedregions of Louisiana.

Rice is a staple of anyone’sdiet here in New Orleans, and is the most recognizablecomponent of our Jambalaya.That too was brought here by the earliest Spanish settlers. I had always known of paellabut never grasped thecorrelation to Louisiana’scooking or the impact it wouldhave on me hundreds of yearsafter it arrived in this newcolony. Wouldn’t you knowthat the jambalaya capital ofLouisiana is Gonzales, a littletown between New Orleansand Baton Rouge and alsohome to an Isleños settlement?

In southern Spain I enjoyedthe finest citrus ever; neverbefore had I had citrus that rivaled our local lemons,grapefruit and oranges ofPlaquemines and Saint BernardParishes located in extremesoutheastern Louisiana. This area was once home toyet another Isleños community.Coincidence? I suspect not.

I could in fact go on and on building the case that

the foundations of one of our greatest national treasures was constructed by the earlySpanish settlers. But my pointis not to preach as much as itis to encourage you to go anddiscover a piece of yourself in Spain today.

The Spanish chef of todayhas become idolized by many;however I’d dare to say theyare idolized for the wrongreasons. We chefs around the world can’t help but to be inspired by the whimsicalnature of new Spanishcooking. But I was even moretaken by those who toil for thesake of preservation withoutregard for fame or fortune. It is those who still fire-roastthe peppers for Pimentón de la Vera (a Spanish type of paprika), the beautiful ladywho struggles to find theproper spring milk to makethe finest Valdeón Cheese, or the artisan olive growerwho is still crushing his twelvevarieties of olives the sameway his great grand parentsdid – full of pride – that trulyimpress me. Don’t misunderstand me whenI say fine dining can be hadthe world over, but it’s peasantcooking that truly defines agreat cuisine. We may findgreat restaurants and trendsthe world over, but only inSpain will you find it steepedwith the proper proportions of both passion and soul.

Acclaimed chef John Besh hasset the benchmark for fine diningin New Orleans -with the foursuccessful restaurants-Restaurant August, Besh Steak,Lüke and La Provence.

Editor-in-chiefCathy Boirac

Editorial coordinationEtnín C.B.Saúl Aparicio HillIria González Panizo

JournalistsSaúl AparicioIan CowleyJose GuerraJohn RadfordBruce Schoenfeld

Design and Art DirectionEstudio Manuel Estrada

Photo ArchiveMabel Manso

CoverJavier Zabala

Colour SeparationsRastercolor

AdvertisingAll MediterráneaContact: Thilo Ullmann-ZahnTel: 518 587 94 09thiloullmann@allmediterranea.comSPAIN: CedisaContact: Esmeralda CapelTel: (+34) 913 080 644

PrintersR. R. Donnelley

NIPO705 08 041 6

ISSN: 0214-2937

PublisherICEXState Secretariat for Trade and Tourismspaingourmetour@icex.es

The opinions expressed by the authors of the articles are not necessarily sharedby the Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade(ICEX), which cannot be held responsiblefor any omissions or errors in the text.

For more information on Spanishproducts contact: Spanish CommercialOffice Tel. 1212 661 4959 Email:nuevayork@mcx.es and for moreinformation on tourism to Spain see:www.spain.info

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VIST

ASACCLAIMED NEW ORLEANS CHEF JOHN BESH FINDS THE SPANISH INFLUENCES IN HIS HOMETOWN’S COOKING

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