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IRISH WINE SHOW

2007 Gold Star Award

Best Old World Red Wine

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CONTENTS

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 mostprominent Spanish chef. TheAsturias born cook talks to BruceSchoenfeld about his homeland, its prized traditional cooking andhow it is playing with moderngastronomic culture to please eventhe most refined taste buds............4

Step by Step ‘Tortilla’Few dishes are as unreservedlypopular in Spain as the classicSpanish omelette. As simple andtasty a treat as one could hope for, we have Madrid’s cookeryschool El Alambique give you astep-by-step guide .......................12

Verdejo: The Long Wait forthe Great GrapeWine culture and tradition are a thing to be prized, but every oncein a while we find wines that couldnot be as good as they are todaywithout the aid of technology. Wine expert John Radford tells us the secrets behind Rueda,producer of some of Spain’s and the world’s best whites ....................20

Weekend Break: Santander NibblesOnce the summer holiday retreat of the Spanish royalty, the small city of Santander boasts long, sandy beaches, surroundinggreenery, delicious traditional foodand a thriving tapas culture ........28

Regular FeaturesSpain: Small BitesOur guide to a Spain closeto home ........................................2

Shopping GuideFind Spanish products near you ......................................51

VistasJohn Carlin lets us know why topsommeliers pick white and HughArnold highlights the importance of food with a sense of place........38

RecipesChef Nino Redruello of La Ancharestaurant and sommelier María José Huertas of La Terraza delCasino offer you six delicious ideasand their choice of what to ‘washthem down’ with ........................40

When the heat of the summer hits us in Spain, many of uschoose to flee up to the green pastures and bracing sea along our northern coast. Asturias and Cantabria, two of Spain’s richestculinary havens, are some of the places worth considering. Inour Summer features we offer you an in-depth look at some ofthe region’s foodie highlights. First, Bruce Schoenfeld interviewsstar chef José Andrés on the food of Spain and his homeland.Second, we look at the town of Santander, capital of Cantabriaand a delightful foodie weekend retreat.

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 whites, Verdejos from Rueda. Finally,to top it off, we have a Madrid cooking teacher reveal the secretsto making a perfect Spanish omelette.

All this, plus recipes from our chef Nino Redruello, winemarriages, what John Carlin learnt on a tour of Spain’s 3Michelin star restaurants and much more. Buen provecho!

Cathy BoiracEditor in Chief

SPAIN GOURMETOUR SUMMER 2008

SMALL BITES Spain

IRELANDTHE PIG THATCROSSED THEATLANTICAfter years of being unavailable,Spain’s tasty Ibérico pork productshave become all the rage stateside.Gourmets here in Ireland can enjoythem too thanks to food importerEirespan, who recently launched twonew lines of Ibérico meats to Ireland:Espina Jamón Ibérico and EspinaChorizo Ibérico. More and more cult Spanish products are becomingavailable nationwide thanks to thisfood importer – look out for Spanishbrand Sol, which does a good range of serranos, chorizos, tortillas and tapas,and Spanish brand Espina, which doesa range of serranos, chorizos, smokedsalamis in multiples and independentstores. For more information, log onwww.eirespan.com or Emailinfo@eirespan.com

SWEET, SWEET SPAINRegular visitors to Spain will befamiliar with turrón, a sweet madewith almonds, honey and egg white,eaten year-round but especiallypopular round Christmas. Now lovers of this Spanish delicacy can find Delaviuda’s turrón– the world’s number one producer –in delicatessens across Irelandincluding Donnybrook Fair; Mortonsin Ranelagh; Wrights of Howth; The Butler’s Pantry; the ChocolateShop, Cork; The Food Fair,Dunshaughlin; and the Village GreenGrocer, Castlemartyr.

UKMORE SPANISHCULTURE IN THEHEART OF LONDONSupplementing the already importantcultural and Spanish course offeravailable at the Instituto Cervantes(which includes poetry readings,seminars, film screenings and muchmore), independent organisation the Bishopsgate Institute has come to offer a range of courses with a significant Spanish presence:Londoners can choose betweenstudying Spanish, tasting Spanishwines, learning about the passion and rhythms of Andalusia thanks to the “Flamenco and Sevillanas”courses or join the recently opened“Film studies: Spanish cinema” coursein which it will be possible to watchfilms by Almodóvar, Erice and Buñuel, among others. www.londres.cervantes.eswww.bishopsgate.org.uk

LONDON SPANISHFILM FESTIVALThe Ciné Lumière of London was the venue of the fourth edition of theLondon Spanish Film Festival. Fromthe 6th to the 19th of June visitorswere able to enjoy the most recentSpanish productions in Spanish withEnglish subtitles. Some of the films in the programme, such as “La soledad”(Solitary fragments) or “La silla deFernando” (Fernando´s chair), werefollowed by a discussion session withthe director. Moreover, the festivalserved as a tribute to the late greatSpanish actor, writer and directorFernando Fernán Gómez.More information atwww.londonspanishfilmfestival.com

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BIG CHEESEHave you tasted the world’s strongestcheese? Spain’s Cabrales is a fiery blue cheese, made from the milk ofgoats, ewes and cows and aged inlimestone caves. Find it at Sheridan’sCheesemongers, 14-16 ChurchyardStreet, Galway; 11 South Anne Street,Dublin; and 7 Pembroke Lane,Ballsbridge, (€33 per kg), and enjoy it on a humble cracker or add it to apiquant cheese sauce with white wineand cream, served with asparagus orsteak. For more information log ontowww.sheridanscheesemongers.com

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SPAIN & THE WEBFLAMENCO’SBIGGEST DAY OUTFrom September 10th to October11th, 2008, Seville will host thefifteenth Bienal de Flamenco, possiblythe world’s most important Flamencofestival, held once every two years.This 15th edition will feature a total of 54 shows, 25 of which will premierein this event. This edition willcomprise eight different sections, suchas “Flamenco for kids” or “Classics of the XXI century”. Among the artistscoming to Seville we can find legendsof the genre such as Carmen Linares,José Mercé and Estrella Morente. For more information visit:www.bienal-flamenco.org

ALL ABOUT MY BLOGPreparing for the release of his newfilm “Broken Embraces”, Spain’s most internationally recognised film director, Pedro Almodóvar hasjoined the blogosphere by sharing his thoughts, photographs and videosat www.pedroalmodovar.es. Availablein Spanish, English and French.

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,”

Interview

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

routinely recognised 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.

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sauce. And it was very bad, just bad cooking, anunfortunate sauce that nevershould have been made –but that didn’t discredit all of nouvelle cuisine, and it shouldn’t have. You can’tjudge a cuisine by when it’s practiced badly. Youjudge it at its best.

Q: What has been the lasting impact of themovement?

A: It helped to create a bigger movement. Amovement of farmers,cheese-makers, all kinds ofartisans, just trying to findthe best possible ingredients.For example, today we had a conversation about thebest Spanish omelette, andthat is only happening thanksto the techno-emotionalmovement led by Adria. I know it’s hard to see theconnection there, but it’strue. One intense focus oningredients led to the other.

Q: I keep hearing from chefs and food journaliststhat molecular gastronomyhas run its course, though to me the food seems asexciting as ever. What’s the state of the movementtoday? Have you sensed a backlash?

A: First of all, we don’t call it molecular, we call it “techno-emotional.”Ferran Adrià calls it that,and he was the father of it, so I think he has the right to put the name to the baby. It’s true that people have tried todiscredit this movement,saying that now everybodytries to cook weirdly without any logic behind it. But that doesn’t undo 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 kiwi

Q: But are the excitingrestaurants in Spain today still the New Waverestaurants of Catalonia andbeyond? Or are they themore traditional restaurants?

A: Well, people come backfrom Spain now talking aboutboth. And that’s how it shouldbe. Listen, there’s always going to be a certain level of romanticism in the places that serve you a great tomatofrom the farm, with olive oiland sherry vinegar. I have Jaleo here in Washington, and I believe we make some of the best paella outsideSpain. But I also have Minibar,which is new and creative and not something peoplehave seen before. And peoplego to Jaleo and they go toMinibar, the same people, and they love both. I have my moments the same way.Sometimes I want a multi-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 for Spain than any of theother big names – includingarchitects, musicians, film-makers, whatever. People talk about his cooking,people who have never eatenhis food and barely even read an article about it, and theyknow him as a person whobroke boundaries, who createdthings nobody had everthought about doing. Notsince Picasso has someone, by only mentioning his name,meant so much. Adrià hasthat kind of association. Hehas helped people see Spainin 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.” It was a very important time, and hewas there to do exactly that.

Text Bruce Schoenfeld/©ICEX

PhotosTomás Zarza/©ICEX

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As much as has been written about him, I believewe haven’t given him enoughrecognition for what he has done.

Thanks to Ferran, too, the cooking profession todayin Spain is healthier thanever. Everyone wants to be a cook these days!

Q: Spanish regional cooking has never gainedthe attention that regionalcuisines in Italy and Francehave. Is it just as valid? If it is, why are there so fewregional Spanish restaurantsin the United States? Otherthan Basque restaurants, I can’t think of any.

A: It’s very valid. Butcompared to France or Italy,Spain has been awakeningslowly. Spain is still trying to find out exactly whatSpanish cooking is. I believethat all Spanish cooking isregional cooking, and whenyou talk about Spanish

cooking, you’re talking aboutthe sum of all those regionalcuisines. But it’s hard. We’renot there yet.

In that sense, I think it’sway too early to be thinkingabout regional restaurants in the U.S., for instance. Theconcept of Spanish cookingas a whole isn’t mainstreamyet. When it happens, you’llstart seeing restaurantsdedicated to certain regions,like the Basque Country and Catalonia and Andalusia.The restaurants may not be 100 percent from thatregion, but they will beinfluenced. Will we see a great rice house with the cuisine of Valencia? You just wait!

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

A: These days, it seems thatanything that’s one year old is already very old. We have a tendency to cross peopleoff, or bring new people to

the spotlight way tooquickly. To me, the future of Spanish cooking will be names that you alreadyknow. One of them is DaniGarcía. He may seem like an old pro, but we’re talkingabout a guy who isn’t yet 30 years old. He’s at Calima,in Marbella, and he’s one of these people who, 30years from now, they’ll be honouring with theSpanish 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 that a young chef usually isn’t able to do. He’s justincredible.

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 tomake a 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 to eat at Kabuki in Madrid.I’ve never seen anyone dothe simplicity of Japanesefood with Spanish flavourslike this guy (Ricardo Sanz.)A piece of fish, a potato, a little sauce – it’s the spiritof Japanese cooking, butreflected through a Spanishconcept of fish. You’ve neverseen anything like it.

Finally, you can’t forgetAndoni. [Ed. note: Aduriz, of

Mugaritz, near San Sebastián. See

Spain Gourmetour Spring 2008] Yes,everyone knows his name,but I believe we’ve only seenthe beginning of the potentialof this guy.

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

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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 great livestock. We are one of the regions in the worldwith the most quantities of cheese per square footage,because we have greatpastures, and so great sheepand cows and goats. So wehave the ingredients.

But we also have a total of five or six Michelin starredrestaurants, which I know is surprising. So it isn’t justingredients. Casa Gerardo is one of them, a perfectexample of a place that isblending together the newand the old. In this restaurant,you can eat the best fabadaasturiana, which itself is thebest bean stew in the world.

These beans literally melt in your mouth. I mean, they fall apart! They have no skin.Pedro and Marcos Morán, a father and son, have gone to just unbelievable levels to try to achieve the perfectbean. Not just cooking it, but starting with the seeds.Yet their fabada is a moderntreatment of this totallytraditional dish. They use the black sausage, thechorizo, yet they’ve been able to bring it down so thatit’s not so heavy, it’s actuallyvery light. 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 my friends, and they go tothe sea, they go down in thewater and get the crabs, andby the time I’m parking,they’re on the beach with

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

Q: Will you ever be able to cook real Asturian food in the United 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 Bellotais coming. So it takes time, but it’s happening.

You know, I didn’t start

out with high-endrestaurants. Except forMinibar, I don’t have onenow. I feed the masses. I mean, someone has to do it! But I’m starting to want tomake exactly the kind of foodI want to make, you know?And it’s becoming possible.New York now has a goodtake on Spanish restaurants.And Boston. Chicago. SanFrancisco. Little by little, it’s happening. An Asturianrestaurant, that may take awhile. But I’m so excited forthe 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 theAlfonso XIII hotel in Sevillafor their help with the photoshoot.

ONCE UPON A TIME, WE HAD ONLY ONE KIND OFPIQUILLO PEPPER HERE.NOW THERE ARE, LIKE, 20

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Ask any Spaniard what his or

her favourite food is, or indeed

what they regard as their

country's national dish, and

the words tortilla de patatas

(Spanish omelette) will more

than likely pop up. Ask them

again how they would prepare

the ubiquitous tortilla, ever

present in bars, restaurants and

homes across Spain and you

will rarely get the same answer

twice. Ian Cowley consults an

expert.

Ubiquitous

Text Ian Cowley/©ICEX

PhotosTayo Acuña/©ICEX

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At first glance, tortilla españolaappears incredibly simple –potatoes, eggs, salt, olive oiland the optional onion arethe basic ingredients thatwhen cooked together makeup this culinary treat. Butscratch away at the surface,and a whole world ofuncertainties surrounding the tortilla's preparationunfolds. A burning issue in Spain and a discussion

as common as the merits ofReal Madrid versus Barcelona is the seemingly eternalquestion: should the tortillabe prepared with or withoutonion? And the doubts don'tend there. What quantity ofpotato to egg is needed? Howshould the eggs be beaten –one by one, all together, orthe white separately from theyolk? How should the potatobe chopped? When does the

salt go in? The list is endlessand it is difficult to findagreement amongst Spaniardson any of these points.

To try and make sense of some of these issues and to witness the creation of a Spanish omelette at thehands of an expert I visited El Alambique cookery schoolin Madrid to speak tomanager María Llamas andher sister, author and chef

Gabriela. Founded in 1978,El Alambique doubles as afantastic kitchen appliancestore containing every kind of utensil one could possiblyrequire to prepare food.Classes are given by top chefsfrom Spain and beyond to a variety of would-be kitchenwhizzes from around theglobe in both Spanish andEnglish although the vastmajority of the dishes being

INGREDIENTS 4 MEDIUM-SIZED POTATOES6 EGGS 1 MEDIUM ONION EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL SALT

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taught are firmly Spanish in both origin and product.

Loving care andvigilanceBut back to the tortilla, andGabriela's tips on making the best one – "cariño (lovingcare)," she tells me is the mostimportant element; utmostvigilance is needed whenmaking a tortilla, particularlybeing careful it doesn't burn

or overcook. Extra specialattention is also requiredwhen flipping it over so itdoesn't end up in a mess on the floor.

"Prime quality ingredientsare also vital," she says.Preferably fresh, free-rangeeggs and yellow, 'waxy'potatoes with relatively thin skins – not the white'floury'-type which cancontain too much starch.

Olive oil should again be of quality and wheneverpossible extra virgin, whichdespite being pricey will notgo to waste as it can alwaysbe re-used after draining from the frying pan.

As for quantity, sherecommends four medium-sized potatoes to six eggs and one medium, or half alarge onion. As mentionedbefore, the onion debate is

a contentious one. There arethose who like it with andthose without. Gabriela isdefinitely of the 'yes' crowd."It adds jugosidad,(moistness)" she says; animportant factor for all chefsis that the tortilla does notdry out – although there areof course many who don'tlike it to be too 'liquid' andthe balance between the twois a fine line. She also

STEP 1CHOP THE ONION INTO HALFMOONS AND THE POTATO INTOEVEN SLICES. GABRIELARECOMMENDS USING AMANDOLINE IN ORDER TO OBTAINAN EVEN CUT

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Depending on the quantity,she will gently fry themixture on medium heat for around ten to 15 minutes.The thinner the potato is cut,the shorter it will take tocook. Here, she tells me the secret is that although the potato and the onion arefrying, they are also at thesame time 'stewing' in the oil,preventing the potato fromgoing hard on the outside

suggests that the best way tochop the onion is in half-moons, thus making sure it isevenly cooked.

The importance ofthe cutThe potato is peeled and cutinto similar-sized pieces. It is here that Gabriela revealstwo of her closely guardedsecrets. Firstly, she uses amandoline rather than a knife

to slice the potatoes into evenshapes, and secondly she willusually let the potato sit in a bowl of water for severalminutes. Not only will thisprevent it from browning butit will also help release thestarch, although she says that if the potato is of goodquality it shouldn't be toostarchy anyway.

Next, she takes a thick-bottomed high-sided iron

pan about eight inches wideacross the base – if the pan istoo big it will make turningthe tortilla unmanageable –and begins to heat the oil.Firstly she tosses in theonion, giving it about twominutes on medium heatbefore adding the potato. At this point, she will addmore oil if required, makingsure that both the potato and onion are fully covered.

STEP 2FRY THE ONION ANDPOTATO IN ABUNDANTOLIVE OIL ONMEDIUM HEAT FORAROUND TEN TOFIFTEEN MINUTES

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which does not make for a good tortilla. Once this iscooked, drain the oil andreserve.

Meanwhile, she takes fiveor six eggs (she tells me shehas seen chefs making tortillawith up to 12 eggs, but thisdepends on personal taste)and whisks them in a bowl.It is here that she prefers toadd the salt, although shesays it's possible to add it

to the potato when cooking,or directly to the mix. Sheadds the potato and onionand lets the mixture sit for a while in order that thepotato slowly absorbs theegg. Some people will breakup the potato when addingto the egg at this point, butGabriela prefers to keep thepotato whole, making for a 'layered' effect in thefinished product.

Cooking andflippingShe drizzles the empty panwith a smidgen of oil andadds the mixture. Thetemperature of the pan at this point should be around80ºC and the egg will turnwhite quite quickly aroundthe edges if the pan is at theright temperature. Now shelets the mixture cook on

medium heat until it beginsto set. Here, it's importantthat it doesn't stick to thebottom of the pan or indeedburn. To ensure this doesn'thappen, you can 'shoogle' the pan a bit. When thetortilla starts to come awayfrom the bottom and the eggis nearly set comes perhapsthe most vital part in theprocess – darle la vuelta a la tortilla (flipping over the

STEP 3BEAT THE EGGS TOGETHER AND ADD SALT. DRAIN THE OILAND MIX THE ONION ANDPOTATO WITH THE BEATEN EGG.LET MIXTURE SIT FOR A FEWMINUTES

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tortilla so that it cooks on theother side).

It's important at this stageto have an utensil at the readyto help turn it over. Manywill use a plate, but Gabrielatells me this is not ideal as it can slip out of your hands.She preferably uses the lid ofa saucepan, which should beabout 2 cm (0.75 in.) largerin circumference than thefrying pan and have a handle.Place it over the pan, flip the

content into the lid then slideit back into the frying pan,uncooked side down.

Once the tortilla has beenturned over it cooks for afurther five minutes or sountil set. It should be goldenbrown on the outside yet stillmoist and juicy in the centre.

A dish for allseasonsDespite it's fairly recent origins

(the tortilla is first documentedin Navarra during the 19thcentury Carlist wars althoughsimilar dishes have beenpresent in Spain since Romantimes), tortilla española is theuniversal Spanish dish par excellence. It's so versatilethat it can be eaten not onlyat main meal times in Spain,but also as breakfast, aperitif,mid-morning snack andplaced between two slices of crusty bread serves as the

staple sandwich for mostSpaniards at any time.

It's a dish that one nevergrows tired of and is appreciatedby the humble housewife andinternationally-renowned chefalike. Indeed, moleculargastronomy maestro FerranAdrià pays homage to theclassic tortilla by cookingeach individual elementseparately and reducing it to one-part potato foam, one-part onion purée and

STEP 4HEAT THE PAN WITH A LITTLE OIL ANDPOUR IN THE CONTENTS OF THE MIXTURE. WHEN THE ‘TORTILLA’ BEGINS TO 'SET'AND BECOMES LOOSE FROM THE BOTTOMOF THE PAN, FLIP IT OVER WITH THE AIDOF A SAUCEPAN LID

ET VOILÀ! THE ‘TORTILLA’SHOULD BE GOLDENBROWN ON THEOUTSIDE ANDSLIGHTLY MOISTINSIDE

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one-part egg-white sabayonand has also fathered a fast-food version of the Spanishomelette made with goodquality potato crisps.

Gabriela Llamas cooks meup her own version of thetortilla too, filling individualsilicon moulds with thepotato/onion/egg mix,topping it with a specially cutslice of bread and placing in ahot oven for ten minutes orso. "Ideal for cocktail parties,"

she tells me. "Delicious," Ireply, as I begin to count justhow many different ways thismagnificently multifaceteddish can be prepared andeaten...

Ian Cowley is a Madrid-basedBritish Journalist. Hecontributes pieces on Spain to avariety of publications andbroadcasters.

Founded in 1978 as a culinary store featuring aspace for cookery classes and demonstrations,one can escape the hustle and bustle of Madrid'sold town inside this haven for kitchen-appliancelovers which has the feel of an old-schoolironmongers but offers so much more. Classesare given by internationally-renowned chefs in bothEnglish and Spanish and generally revolve aroundSpanish products that are currently in season.

El Alambique, Plaza de la Encarnación, 2, Madrid. Tel: +34 91 547 4220

www.alambique.com

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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

AThe long wait for the great grape

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Twenty years ago. Nava delRey. The offices of Álvarez y Díez on my first visit toRueda. I’m in a tasting roomhung with diplomas, shieldsand medals celebrating theprizes won by the bodega’swines, and the winemaker isproudly showing off his latestsolera-aged Rueda Doradawhich is, admittedly,excellent. Rueda Pálido is aFino-style wine, and RuedaDorada is an Oloroso-style,and I have to confess that Iloved them. So did the tastingpanels which had awarded all those gongs. As to theworld outside, well, shall wesay, the enthusiasm was moremuted... 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, the bodega’s portfolio haschanged radically under newownership, and the thrust

is towards young, fresh, dry whites with lipsmackingacidity and a delicious, herbyfruit. This is the Verdejogrape in full throat. But so it was with the Pálido andthe Dorada. What happened?

A long hard roadout of the ‘solera’The Verdejo is a tricky grape.The very moment that thebunch is picked from thevine, the juice, still inside the individual berries, begins to oxidize. In the days whengrowers loaded their grapesinto trailers under themorning sun, towed them to the bodegas with theirputtering tractors, perhapsstopping off for an earlyalmuerzo at the cafeteria on the way, the juice of thegrapes was so oxidized by the time it arrived at thepresses that it was really only fit for turning into solerawines, where oxidation is

a positive advantage.Fast forward to 2007,

and modern winemakingtechniques. Most bodegasnow pick from midnight tosunrise, the pickers wearinglamps on their heads likecoal-miners, loading thegrapes into trailers whichhave been previously filledwith inert gas (Nitrogen orCarbon Dioxide) so that theair never gets near the skins.The grapes are rushed to thebodega where they are putinto a chiller (also filled withinert gas) to bring them downto fermentation temperature(about 15ºC) before beingpassed to the press. Frompicking to fermentationneither grape nor juice comesinto contact with air, and this has been the secret of the Verdejo in Rueda:wonderfully fresh, cleanherby fruit and a deliciouslycrisp finish.

A good deal of the credit for the major resurgence of

Rueda as a world-class whitewine must go to ‘Paco’Hurtado de Amezaga, currenthead of the family at the RiojaHouse of Marqués de Riscal.He didn’t like the oaky styleof traditional white Rioja, orthe ‘squeaky clean’ style ofthe ‘modern’ wines (this wasin the 1970s before the ‘newwave’ took off in Rioja) andhe recognized the potential of the Verdejo – a great grapesimply waiting for technologyto catch up with it. This wasin 1978 and there was still anenormous amount of work tobe done, but the Riscal nameencouraged the world outsideto try the wines and, bit bybit, the world decided that it liked them.

The pioneerMarquisRiscal also pioneered theplanting of Sauvignon Blanc in Rueda, which has taken on a life of its own. I once

Text John Radford/©ICEX

PhotosJuan Manuel Sanz/©ICEX

Fernando Madariaga/©ICEX

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hosted a tasting in Rueda ofthe wines of Palacio deBornos, with Ricardo Sanz,and we tasted his Verdejo and Sauvignon side by side.The consensus of thosepresent came down on theside 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 countryof the world. And when theylike it, I can say ‘now wouldyou like to try my Verdejo?’ If that had been my firstquestion, no-one would haveknown what I was talkingabout.”

Perhaps the most classic of the traditional style Rueda is made by Ángel RodríguezVidal from his Martinsanchovineyard. The originalMartinsancho vineyard is hardly less than half ahectare, with vines which go back to the 17th century:Phylloxera has never beenhere. Ángel grafts cuttingsfrom the vineyard on to his main, 10-hectareplot and makes the wine inthe traditional style:fermented in glass and storedin giant oak casks, which herebuilds himself every fiveyears. The wine is sublime –if you can 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, and built a new winery in La Seca, about 20 km to theeast, in 2000. In spite of theirBordeaux background (herfamily owns 11 châteaux)they elected to make a‘Burgundian’ style of wine,barrel-fermented in Frenchoak. The result, simply called Belondrade y Lurton,

captures the freshness of the Verdejo whilst adding the complexity of the oak. The winery, now helmed by Didier, continues to be a regular medal-winner.

The initial winemakingplan at Belondrade wasdevised by Brigitte’s cousinJacques Lurton, and fouryears later he and his brotherFrançois established a bodegaof their own – HermanosLurton – in Villafranca deDuero. The Lurton brothersare well-known as flyingwinemakers all over Europeand South America, and theirown venture benefits fromthis accumulated experience.

Didier Belondrade, of Belondrade y Lurton

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Their flagship wine, Cuestade Oro, is also fermented innew French oak.

Locals of noteCastelo de Medina inVillaverde de Medina wasestablished in 1995,vineyards planted in 1990with all the latest viticulturalequipment, including dripirrigation. The 100-hectarevineyard is 60/40 Verdejo andSauvignon, and the flagshipwine, Castelo Noble is barrel-fermented from 85% Verdejo.Interestingly, their Castelo dela Dehesa is one of the best-value wines fromRueda.

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 familyowned a small patch ofvineyards, and they set aboutmaking a modern-stylebarrel-fermented Verdejonamed after Marivi’s father –José Pariente – which is nowrecognized as one of the bestof its kind in the region. TheVictorias have now decided to go their separate ways,Vikki Benavides focusing onthe reds, and Mariví Parientecontinuing the good work on the whites which bear herfather’s name.

Naia is a small (15 hectaresof vines) operation foundedin 2002 by the owner of abodega in Galicia, a winejournalist and an American

wine importer, to exploit old Verdejo vines which areplanted, ungrafted, in sandysoils in the village of La Seca,which is emerging as one ofthe best areas for the Verdejo.The flagship wine, Naiades, isa regular medal-winner, butthen, so are the rest of itswines. The foundersobviously had a very clearvision of what they wanted to achieve, and they are doing so spectacularly.

The newcomerwith the old vinesOne of the newest bodegas inRueda has some of the oldest

vines. Ossian, in Nieva,founded in 2005, has only 9 hectares but the vines are150 years old, planted longbefore the Phylloxera struckSpain, and insulated from its approaches 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 theyaim for a ‘Burgundian’ style,with barrel-ageing on thelees. The quality is exemplary,and although it’s a good dealmore expensive than most

Rueda Verdejo, it representsexcellent value for money.

Other new projects havebeen fuelled by establishedcompanies from outsideRueda: Aura was founded in 2000 by what is nowDomecq Bodegas; Emina(1995) is part of theMatarromera Group (Riberadel Duero); Viña Bajoz (D.O.Toro) moved in in 2002; Buil& Giné (D.O.Q. Priorat) in1997; 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. Riberadel Duero); Osborne in 2000

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(DO. Jerez); and Pagos delRey in 2004, to name but a few. With this level ofconfidence, investment andmarketing going on, Ruedaseems to be on a roll, and a roll which is gatheringmomentum.

A final wordThe final word goes to Luis Hurtado de Amézaga,winemaker at Marqués deRiscal: “People are plantingmore and more Verdejo as the market grows, and thebest grapes from the oldestvines on the old terraces of the river Duero command 1 a kilo (roughly 1.5 € ), which is a lot for Spain – and astonishing for whitewines. New plantings on lessappropriate soils fetch lowerprices, but the market seemsto be demanding quality, and is willing to pay for 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, speakerand actor with a special interestin food, wine and travel and aninformed interest in Spain.

Victoria Pariente, of José Pariente

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SANTAN

Northern coastal

city aims to overthrow

neighbouring 'pincho'

cultures. Mike Elkin

reports

NibblingRevolutionNDER'S

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While you can't go to bedwith Rita Hayworth, inSantander you can wake up with Gilda – six Gildas to be exact.

Every Sunday for the pastten years at El Bolero bar onSan Celedonio street, a groupof women known as LasGildas raise money for charityselling home-made tapas(or pinchos as they are known up north) for the pre-lunchcrowd. One of Spain's mostendearing traditions involvesstrolling for small beers andpinchos to prime your stomachfor the meal to come.

Today's spread includes fresh mussels, pan tumaca con jamón (tomato and garlicspread over toasted breadtopped with strips of jamón),some falafel, and "CheGuevara" pies filled withmushrooms, rice, egg and garlic.

"We like to take care ofeveryone's appetites," says an orange-shirted Gilda as the bar quickly filled to

capacity. "We provide thefood, they provide theirlivers."

‘Pinchos’: the‘tapas’ of theNorthPinchos (as tapas are called in northern Spain) inSantander are becoming aserious pastime. The port city,known for its right-wingtradition, a huge fire in 1941and having been a favouriteresort of the spanish royals,has of late witnessed a boomin restaurants and pinchosbars – a sign it aims to rivalthe internationally renownedchefs and pincho virtuosos of the neighbouring BasqueCountry.

Several are making thegood fight. El Diluvio (TheFlood), facing the Mercadodel Este on General Molastreet, features severalcombinations nesting onslices of French bread: blackpudding, Piquillo pepper

and fried quail egg; elvers,scrambled eggs andasparagus; smoked salmon,cheese and caramel; mince,onion, carrots and Piquillopeppers; and red pepperswith fresh anchovies. And for Spanish tortilla lovers,Santander bars often fill themwith crab or Bolognese sauce,or the omelette will betopped with ingredients andthen covered with a thin eggtoupee.

Another good bet is therustic Catavinos around thecorner next to the giantBanco Santander arch. Whilesipping one of the hundredwine choices, choose some of the raw seafood skewers to be grilled, and the sirloinsteak covered with meltedTorta del Casar cheese is amust. To everyone's surprise,one of the cooks removes a1.2 kg (2.6 lb) ostrich eggfrom behind the bar. "Whenpeople ask for eggs I take this out to see the look ontheir faces."

Really eating outIf worn out from thewandering pincho culture,Santander excels at providingpicnic spots – whether atvistas along the coastal roads,the bay promenade, thebeaches or some hiddennooks amid the labyrinthinestreets. Small shops aboundselling picnic basketprovisions.

For those with aninternational palate, there are two El Diferente gourmetdelicatessen shops in the citycentre which stock Dutchcheese, Chinese noodles,American refried beans,Czech beer, Swiss chocolatealongside typical productsfrom Santander and the restof Spain. Two of the region'sstar cheeses are the Quesucode Liébana (D.O.P., ProtectedDesignation of Origin), asmooth, cow's milk affair, and the Picón-Bejes-Tresviso(D.O.P.), a strong mixture of cow and goat milk which,once your nose adjusts to the

Text Mike Elkin/©ICEX

PhotosLuis Carré/©ICEX

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smell, rivals paradise.Adventurous shoppers,

however, will find the centralMercado de la Esperanzamore stimulating. The entireground floor teems with fishand seafood peddlers, and only an opera singercould overwhelm the din of this aquarium's dailybusiness. But squid and seabass are hardly picnic-fare, so climb up a flight for thevegetables, meats, cheesesand dry goods.

At the family-owned Mary Cruz and Mary Carmenstalls, tinned anchovies are afavourite, and the proprietorrecommends the Angelachubrand. Another fundamentalof Santander lore is the sobao,a heavy, butter-rich spongecake that when dipped inmilk is sufficient to conduct Pavlovianexperiments. Our friendlyshopkeeper sells many, butprefers La Zapita brand, fromsobao headquarters the Vegade Pas (hence the name

sobaos pasiegos). Add a fewchorizo lengths from themountain town of Potes and a better picnic menu youcould hardly find.

While the seasidepromenade tempts legs todangle near the statues of theraqueros, boys who dove intothe bay after coins tossed byEnglish tourists and whonever emerged empty-handed, the wind makes for a difficult picnic. In thePuerto Chico, however, findthe Subida al Gurugú, asteep, stepped street namedafter a Moroccan mountain.This path through the oldfishermen's district leads to a little park seeminglydesigned by Popeye during ahippy phase: brightly paintedlife-preservers and navalhooks, rows of big, yellowsunflowers supported byblue, red and white industrialsprings, and a comfortablewooden bench in the middlethat acts as a buoy if the grassis too wet. Bon appétit.

Heed the BigSnackerChoosing a fish dish canoften be daunting when every menu offers a myriad of strange names. Wouldn't itbe useful to have a fish expertat the table, who not only candescribe each swimmer butwho knows why fish kniveshave that dimple on top?

Tomás Merendón of LaPosada del Mar on the PuertoChico inherited the restaurantbusiness from his parents,who ran the old Posada delMar for half a century in a handsomely decadentbuilding just behind thecurrent establishment. Youcan still see the letteringabove the derelict door.

When Merendón and hiswife opened the currentrestaurant two years ago, he aimed to preserve thefamily-style atmosphere – his mother sometimes helpsin the kitchen – and he sayshis clients should feel like

they were dining at his home. To ensure this, Merendón

– whose surname can beloosely translated as the "bigsnacker" – takes every order,makes sure every table isstocked with food, drink andinformation, and truly doesmake you feel at home.

"When I was 19, my father,being generous, started me offwashing dishes," he tells meafter I finish some anchovieswith baked peppers, clamsflambéed in whisky withgarlic and parsley, and amassive turbot fish withpotatoes and caramelisedonions. He speaks in rapidbursts and his hands arestained with blue ink.

Around us frolic waiters in white with navy blueaprons hanging to theirankles, like well-groomedfishmongers. Looking downfrom the wall is La Chata, a female lobster peddlerwith the face of a boxer.Merendón says that hiskitchen – which is open

REMEMBER, IN SANTANDER NO ONE EATS BEFORE FIRST HAVING SOMETHING TO EAT

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and the first thing you seeas you enter, a rarity inSpanish restaurants –focuses on traditionalcuisine but his chefsexperiment once they'vemastered the fundamentals.

"I'm not interested inwhether it's old-fashioned or new, just as long as ittastes good," he says."Modern restaurants have one problem in that theycan have an excess ofimagination, but lack asolid base. I rememberone young cook showedup with blowtorch and asiphon, and I thought, 'whocalled the plumber'? Thiskid could make 14 saucesbut didn't know how to prepare a stew. I think it's better to copyand do it well than not copy and do it badly. If ittastes good, the customerwon't care if you invented it or if the recipe is 20 years old."

Port vs PortFor pre-dinner drinks, La Cigaleña will likely bepacked, but don't hesitate to squeeze through the crowdto the bar for a glass of wine.With its rustic, woodencabinets full of ancientflagons, the place resembles a medieval apothecary. Andacross the ceiling, weavingthrough the hanging ham

legs, garlic cloves and redpeppers, are long, metallicracks holding hundreds ofbottles, like a fine wineassembly line.

The most sought-afterdinner reservation is ElPuerto, another family-runoperation that began servingfishermen way back when.The ground-floor bar nowswarms with the city's

wealthier denizens, sippingbrandies and chewing oncigars. Behind the customersconstant motion runs atdifferent speeds, from thewhite-jacketed waiter slowlyslicing thin pieces of jamón to the bar mentossing white cups of coffeeand mixed drinks to thewaiters, to various busboyspassing huge platters of crabs

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and lobsters from the ice to the kitchens.

Upstairs, the dining roomresembles a cruise ship'sdining room: low, semi-streamlined ceilings, woodenpanelling, plush chairs,maritime decorations, a seaview, and waiters in darktrousers and white jacketswith gold buttons.

The polar opposite of El

Puerto is the actual Puerto,the working-class fishingdistrict which boasts someexcellent fish and seafoodsans pageantry. Theneighbourhood will neverwin any beauty contests, but who needs pizzazz whenfeasting on freshly caughtrabas (what Santander calls itsbreaded calamares) and othersea creatures which just took

a short trip from the boats tothe outdoor grills?

The seafood epicentre is ablock of restaurants and barson Marqués de la Ensenadastreet. Side-by-side arerestaurants La Gaviota, LaCueva and Los Peñucas. Butdon't go straight for the meal –remember, in Santander no one eats before first havingsomething to eat –, so order

a few beers and a no-frillsplate of excellent rabas at BarJosé located in a patio behindthe restaurants.

Properly ready to eat, cross the patio through theback door into LosPeñucas, which is ownedby the father of footballerIván de la Peña. Don'tcome here for a quietmeal, as the atmosphere israucous – pots and pansclang, waiters shout orders to fat cooks whileshuffling large seafoodpaella dishes, familiesargue over prawns, steam

hisses from the sardines onthe street-side grills. And nogold buttons for these waiters– their only accessories are oil stains.

Mike Elkin is a Madrid-basedfreelance journalist who writesabout a little of everything forNewsweek, MLex News,American Lawyer andArchaeology.

DON´T HESITATE TO SQUEEZE THROUGH THE CROWD FOR A GLASS OF WINE

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Ryanair operates direct flights to Santander from London Stansted and Dublin airports. Additionally, Iberia flies daily from Madrid and Barcelona.

Ferries from Plymouth to Santander are also available twice a week

One of the main strengths of Santander as a holiday destination is its manybeaches. Starting at the two beaches of El Sardinero near the city centre, the Santander coast is dotted with sandy beaches of all sizes. But there is much more to see in the area.

In Santander:

Palace of La Magdalena. Formerly the summer residence of the SpanishRoyal family, the Palace of the Magdalena is built in the middle of a smallpeninsula, surrounded by gardens, a small zoo, 3 carabelas not unlike the ones in which Columbus first crossed the Atlantic and other interesting buildings.

Santander Cathedral. Despite its austere exterior, the interior of Santandercathedral is a delight for architecture and history lovers. Perhaps the mostinteresting part is the crypt, built in the 13th century over previous Romanbuildings.

Regional Prehistoric and Archeollogical Museum. the region of Cantabria is rich in extremely valuable pre-Historic remains. Most notable among them are the Caves of Altamira, often referred to as the “Prehistoric Sistine Chapel”for their stunning cave paintings. Many of the findings of this and otherprehistoric grounds have ended up in Santander’s museum.

Outside the city:Natural Reserves. Roughly a half hour drive from Santander we can find theNatural Reserves of Oyambre, Peña Cabarga and Saja Besaya. A little furtheraway but of great interest is the Picos de Europa National Park, the oldestnatural reserve in Spain and one of the few places in Western Europe wherewe can still find the European Brown bear.

Santillana del Mar. A half hour drive down the coast from Santander you willfind Santillana del Mar, arguably the most beautiful medieval town in Spain.Beautifully preserved Medieval palaces, churches and cloisters battle forattention in this town which is one of the stops in the northern branch of theXacobean Route (the pilgrimage route to the town of Santiago, final restingplace of Saint James the Apostle) .

The Altamira Caves. Just a few kilometers away from Santillana del Mar arethe Altamira Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage site and home to possibly theworld’s most exquisite cave paintings. Although the caves are currently closedto the public for investigation purposes, the Museum of Altamira has a replicaof what the cave must have looked like in the Upper Paleolithic, activities forchildren and an interesting permanent exhibition of Prehistoric artifacts.

HOW TO GET THERETHE SIGHTS

Javi

er B

ello

so

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from each of my degustationmulti-coursers feelingremarkably unstuffed, thething that surprised me themost was the consistency withwhich all six restaurants (theychose the drinks for me)favoured white wine over red.By a factor of about three to one.

I won’t give a run-down ofevery single white I had butlet’s just say that there was onestrikingly delicate one fromGranada I had at Akelarrecalled Vino Calvente thatcontrived to be sweet and dryat the same time; and that thereare two Designations of Originfrom which the majority of thewines I sampled came. Theywere Rías Baixas, from Galicia;and Rueda, from the Valladolidarea. Both offer not onlyexcellent value for money, but are exceedingly sound,reliable bets. Rías Baixas(Albariño varietal) are fresh andfruity, a terrific accompanimentto white fish. Ruedas are alsofruity, and dry, but tend to bemore aromatic. In the Rueda

family you’ll find some fineSauvignon Blancs but I almostalways go for the excellent localVerdejo grape.

Recently I had dinner with afriend over from Californiawho fell somewhere in betweenthe amateur-connoisseur divideand I ordered a regular, run ofthe mill Verdejo from Ruedacalled Mantel Blanco that inSpain costs, in the shops, about7 euros a bottle (same as theCalvente). My friend was soinstantly enamoured that hewent off the next day andordered two cases to beshipped to his home in SanFrancisco.

Why the emphasis on whitewines? The sommelier at SantPau, on the sea just north ofBarcelona, explained that redwines were tending these daysto be too similar, too uniformlyrich and fruity; while thewhites tended to have a moreclearly defined personality,which made it easier to findwhites to fit each of the subtleculinary creations these toprestaurants produce. Someone

else I spoke to, Spain’s favouriteTV chef, José Andrés, said itwas more a question of thewhites bringing out theflavours of the food, ratherthan obliterating them the wayreds sometimes did. Andréssaid that what he enjoyed witha top red was drinking it all onits own.

Whatever the final truth ofthe argument, one thing is forsure. Spanish whites offer forwhat many people is a littleunknown treasure. Withsummer on the way, it’s time todo as the great restaurants do.

John Carlin has worked for the BBC, The Times and TheIndependent, among othermajor British media, as well as being Senior InternationalWriter at Spanish NationalDaily El País. He was awardedthe Ortega y Gasset journalismprize in 2000 and the Food andDrink Writer of the Year at theBritish Press Awards in 2004.He is also the author of twobooks, one on Africa andanother on Real Madrid.

When people outside Spainthink Spanish wine, theythink Rioja. Or if they knowtheir subject, they’ll thinkRibera del Duero, or Priorator Toro. But what practicallyall of them will think, be they amateur drinkers orconnoisseurs, is red. Spanishwine, even for the greatmajority of Spaniards, meansred wine.

It is time to revise thisprejudice. And not so muchbecause I say so (for Idefinitely position myself in the enthusiastic butamateur ranks) but becausethe best restaurants in Spainare doing so.

At the end of last year I lunched over a four-weekperiod at the six that havebeen blessed with three-starMichelin rating. They are ElBulli, Akelarre, Racó de CanFabes, Martín Berasategui,Arzak and Sant Pau. Apartfrom the sheer, gluttonous joy of the exercise and theremarkable fact that I emerged

WHEN PEOPLE THINKSPANISH WINE, THEYTHINK RED. IN A RECENT TOUR OF SPAIN’S THREE-STARREDRESTAURANTS JOHNCARLIN FOUND TOPSOMMELIERS THINKDIFFERENT

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its sophistication. Hell, I lovethe packaging for a start!

And as I begin to delveinto the intricacies of oliveoil from one of the mostrenowned family firms, aworld is opened up in all its complex, glorious forms.What to pick, how toharvest, the time sensitivenature of what seems socasual. We start to gather for lunch, laid out as it is in the adjacent room towhere the olives are beingunloaded. As we mix andchatter with glasses of ice-cold Fino, the air about us is filled with the deepgrassy-green aroma of fresholive juice. It flows, viscousand green-tinged downconcrete as it has done for ever.

For all the molecularscience, the technologicalwizardry explored inkitchens up and down thecountry and spearheaded by the likes of Arzak(visited) and El Bulli (sadlynot enjoyed yet) it is the

link with ingredients thatmarks Spanish food out forme. Even as I eat the likes of Prawn on lawn at Arzak,the lawn painted on to theplate with a seeminglynonchalant householdpainters brush stroke, thereis a sense of place.

Nowhere has this beenmore strongly exhibited thanwhen eating at Mugaritz.Standing in the herb gardenwith chef Andoni Aduriz [Ed. Note: see Spain Gourmetour

Spring 2008] discussing therelative merits of threedifferent types of rosemaryand listening to his impassioned pleas onsense of place; expressed in an international contextrather than just a local one,leaves this diner convincedof the profound power offood.

Back in the cellars ofNúñez de Prado I amenjoying tapas. An occasionthat seems as fresh in mymind today as it was all of10 years ago. Dipping bread

into the golden green juiceof those olives, enjoyingjamón that is so sweet andnutty and melt-in-the-mouthI can only marvel at both thepigs and the jamón’s maker.Context is everything. Evenwhen it comes to sunshine.

Hugo Arnold is a Dublin-based food writer and consultant.

It was a searingly brightNovember day. Is the sky in southern Spain everanything else? We had justpicked olives. I use the termloosely. I had just watchedothers harvest fruit for theyear’s first pressings of top-of-the-range Núñez de Pradoolive oil. I was in heaven. As we walked back towardsthe presses the sheer passionand conviction of all thoseinvolved was infectious.

I have visited Spain moretimes than any other countryon gastronomic trips. Eachtime I return wiser, moreinformed andknowledgeable, but still withso much to learn. Thereseems to be such an innateunderstanding of seasons,locality, breed and variety in Spain. It is never just anolive, just an orange or justsherry. It is certainly neverjust food. While it isundoubtedly unrealistic to generalise, even Spanishtinned food impresses with

SITTING IN AN OLIVEGROVE, SAMPLINGJAMÓN AND SHERRYUNDER A BRIGHT SKY,HUGO ARNOLD THINKSABOUT GOOD FOOD WITH A SENSE OF PLACE

As seen from Ireland

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

Tomás Zarza/©ICEX

Photo assistants:César Carmeno,Vanessa Ábalos and Miguel Suárez

SPAIN GOURMETOUR 41

Nino Redruello is among the most important exponents of the fine tradition of Basque cuisinein Madrid. Born and raised in the restaurant business under the tutelage of his eponymousuncle, he took charge of the family restaurant, La Ancha, in early 2007. Before that, Nino spentmany 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 adven-turous takes on the classic Spanish omelette by complementing it with octopus, squid inkor cod and Porrusalda (a Basque leek cream) and a menu filled with updated classics. At La Ancha, placed alongside the Spanish Parliament and a favourite haunt of many a Spanishpolitician he has continued to serve the classic fare that made it famous (its lentil soup is alegend in Madrid), paying exacting attention to the quality of the produce and dotting the menuwith more modern creations of his own, such as a yogurt ice cream with fig cream.

REC PESSUMMER Photos

Toya Legido/©ICEX

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SANTOÑAANCHOVIES,MELON ANDPISTACHIOS (Melón conanchoas de Santoña y pistachos)

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

INGREDIENTS100 gr (1/4 lb) melon (preferablySpanish melon, aka Melón deLa Mancha or Piel de Sapomelon)4 Santoña anchoviesA handful of green pistachios,peeled and finely choppedGrated lemon zest

TEN MINUTE TAPA

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HAKE IN GREENSAUCE WITHCLAMS(Merluza en salsaverde)

TRADITIONAL

INGREDIENTS1 kg (2.2 lb) hake, with skinand bones2 cloves garlic30 ml (1 fl oz.) white wine1 heaped tsp flour Parsley 12 clamsExtra Virgin olive oil1 leek, 1 onion and 1 carrot for the stock

1. In order to make a fishstock, roughly chop theonion, the carrot and theleek. Place in a pan, add the fish bones and cover with water. Simmer for halfan hour, spooning out anyfoam. Strain out the stock.

2. Crush or finely chop the garlic.

3. Place a frying pan over low heat. Add a large spoon-ful of olive oil. Fry the garlic30 seconds, until it is cookedbut not 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,skin down. Cook for 4-6minutes. Gently move thepan while it is cooking sothat the hake does not stickwhile the jelly in the skinthickens the sauce.

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

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

SERVES 4

PREPARATION TIME 40 min

DIFFICULTY medium

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POTATO CRISPSOMELETTEWITH‘SALMOREJO’(Tortilla depatatas chip consalmorejo)

SERVES 4

PREPARATION TIME 25 min

DIFFICULTY Easy

INGREDIENTS

For the salmorejo:

1 clove garlic

1tbsp. Sherry vinegar

100 gr (1/4 lb) bread, without crust

200 gr (1/2 lb) ripe tomatos, peeled and chopped

50 ml (2 fl oz.) Extra Virgin Olive oil

Salt

For the omelet:

2 eggs

1 yolk

Onion confit

1 bag potato chips (unflavoured, 50 gr./2 oz.).

Salt

ASTURIAN BEAN POT(Pote Asturiano)

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 simmer gently.

3. When the beans are half cooked (75 minutes). Crackthe knuckle bone and put it in. If not, take it out of thepot, chop it up and put itback in.

4. After another 60 minutes(though time might varydepending on the beans), add the grelos and cabbage.Cook for a further 10 minutes(or until fabes are soft andsmooth).

5. Add salt to taste and serve.

SERVES 4

PREPARATION TIME 2 hour

DIFFICULTY Medium

REGIONAL(ASTURIAS)

INGREDIENTS1 ham knuckle bone100 gr (1/4 lb) grelos (turnipstalks and leaves)100 gr (1/4 lb) green cabbageleaves50 gr (2 oz.) raw cooking chorizo(preferably Asturias chorizo)50 gr (2 oz.) morcilla (Boudin orblack pudding. Use Asturiastype- made with onion, notrice)30 gr (1 oz.) Ibérico ham (unsli-ced, in one piece. Alternatively,use Serrano ham)30 gr (1 oz.) panceta (Spanishpancetta or unsmoked bacon.Not sliced)200 gr (1/2 lb) fabes (whitebroad beans).

VEGETARIAN

‘SALMOREJO’

1. Using a mortar and pestle,mash the garlic with thevinegar and a pinch of salt.

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

3. Keep on processing at low speed, adding the oliveoil slowly so that it thickens

4. Refrigerate.

OMELETTE

1. To make a confit, peel and chop an onion. Place in a small pan, cover in olive oil 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 confitand the crisps.

4. Place a small, non-stickfrying pan (15 cm/6 in.diameter) over strong heat.Add a spoonful 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 theomelette 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 ofsalmorejo on the side.

ZUCCHINI,MUSHROOMAND AFUEGA’LPITU FRITTERS (Buñuelos dequeso Afuega’l Pitucon 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. Simmeruntil almost dry.

4. Slice the zucchini into thin strips. Scald them inboiling water. Let cool andarrange into crosses on anoven dish.

FINGER FOOD

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

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

SERVES 4

PREPARATION TIME 30 min

DIFFICULTY Medium

INGREDIENTS100 gr (3.5 oz.) mushrooms(pick and mix according to taste and season)2 cloves garlic Soy sauce (2 tsp) 1/2 cup meat or vegetablestock50 gr (2 oz.) Afuega’l Pitu cheese120 gr (4 oz.) zucchini SaltFlour

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

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

1. Make caramel with 3 tbsp ofthe sugar, by placing in a panover medium heat until itmelts and turns light amber incolour. Pour into a mould withcare (caramel is dangerouslyhot).

2. Boil the water, theremaining sugar and cinnamonuntil transparent and fullymixed. In the meantime, beatthe egg and egg yolks together.

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

4. Run the mix through a sieveinto the mould.

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

6. Take out of mould. To doso, heat mould a little so thecaramel melts and unsticksfrom mould.

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

8. Serve a piece of tocino decielo with some whippedcream, and sprinkle gratedlime zest on top. Decorate theplate with lemon verbenaleaves.

48 SPAIN GOURMETOUR

WINEMARRIAGE

SANTOÑA ANCHOVIES,MELON AND PISTACHIOSWine MANZANILLA PASADA PASTRANAVarietals PalominoOrigin D.O. Jerez-Manzanilla de SanlúcarWinery Bodegas Hidalgo-La GitanaDescription Intense golden yellow in colour.Extremely aromatic – hits the nose withthe smells of a salty breeze, raw almondsand green olives. Subtle despite its solid structure in the mouth, in whichthe initial aromas dominate. The long,intense finish is still salty and evennuttier.Why this wine?This wine blends very harmoniously withthe dish, since the nuttinesscomplements and enriches the taste of pistachios and its dryness fits theanchovy. Between mouthfuls, itsfreshness 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 colour that I would describe it as mahogany. This intensely aromatic wine yieldsblackberries and prunes, liquorice,chocolate and toasted notes. Beefy, tastyand fruity, with a solid structure, avelvety passage 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.

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SPAIN GOURMETOUR 49

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POTATO CRISPS OMELETTEWITH ‘SALMOREJO’Wine AGUSTÍ TORELLO GRAN RVAVarietals Macabeo, Parellada, Xarel·loOrigin D.O. CavaWinery Agustí TorellóDescriptionGolden colour 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 flavoursthat could drown out the subtleties of awine. A well-structured, aged Cava suchas this both complements the tastyrichness of the omelette 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 colour. Complexaromatically: aniseed, toast, spices,vanilla and herbs rise over a backgroundof apples. Silky, and fruity, with a pleasant balsamic 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 andquite a full body for a white, so it won’tbe drowned out by the cheese and bringnew aromas to the mix while it freshensthe mouth between bites.

‘TOCINO DE CIELO’Wine OLIVARESVarietals MonastrellOrigin D.O. JumillaWinery Bodegas OlivaresDescriptionThis wine has a very attractive dark cherry colour, 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, Ihave chosen to find a contrast that willgive the mix more poise.

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 favourite wines of a client before I suggest one for the meal. Since I can't quiz you readers, in my choices here I have favoured wines that I find particularlyinteresting myself 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

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50 SPAIN GOURMETOUR

Where to buyW

INEM

ARRI

AGE

MANZANILLA PASADAPASTRANA

UKRSP: £10.99

Available in London at Jeroboamsand nationwide at Majestic andWaitrose.Also available online and by telephone order at www.jeroboams.co.uk (020 7288 8850) andwww.thewinesociety.com (014 3873 7700)

OSSIAN

UKRSP: £14.99 (per bottle, sold in cases of 6)

Justerini & Brooks WineMerchantsTel.: 0207 484 6400www.justerinis.com

SOT LEFRIEC

UKRSP: £32.99

Albany Vintners LimitedVintners House, The MichaelYoung CentrePurbeck Road, CambridgeTel.: 0845 330 8858www.albanyvintners.com

Virgin WinesTel.: 0870 164 9593www.virginwines.com

IRELANDRSP: may depend on shipping cost

VinissimusSpanish retailer Vinissimus delivers to Ireland. Visit: www.vinissimus.comOr call: +34 934 438 076

AGUSTÍ TORELLÓ GRANRESERVA

UKRSP: £13

Gauntleys of Nottingham Ltd4 High St., Notthingham NG1 2ETTel.: 0115 911 0555www.gauntley-wine.co.uk

Georges Barbier of London Ltd267 Lee High Road, London SE12 8RUTel.: 020 8852 5801

IRELANDRSP: €22.50

Sheridans Cheesemongers Wine Shop14-16 Churchyard St., GalwayTel.: 091 564 829

LA CALMA

IRELANDRPS: €32.95 (available by the case)

Approach Trade Ireland Ltd Mil River Business Park, Carrick on-SuirCo. TipperaryTel: 051 640 164

OLIVARES

UKRSP: £14.25

Genesis Wines78 Tachbrook Street, LondonSW1V 2NATel.: 020 7963 9060www.genesiswines.com

SPAIN GOURMETOUR 51

Products from SpainUnits 17-18 Cumberland BusinessPark17 Cumberland AvenueLondon NW10 7RTTel.: 020 8965 7274www.productsfromspain.co.uk

Selfridges400 Oxford StreetLondon W1A 1ABTel.: 020 7629 1234For other locations visit:www.selfridges.co.uk

Villandry Foodstore170 Great Portland StreetLondon W1W 5QBTel.: 020 7631 3131www.villandry.com

SOUTH-EASTAngela´s DelicatessenThe SquareYarmouthIsle of Wight PO41 ONSTel: 01983 761 196

Food for Thought 4 High StreetBembridgeIsle of Wight PO35 5SDTel.: 01983 873 555

SOUTH-WESTA Basket for All Seasons10 Church StreetNewent Gloucestershire, GL181PPTel.: 01531 822 940

Paxton & Whitfield1 John StreetBathSomerset BA1 2JLTel.: 01225 466 403www.paxtonandwhitfield.co.uk

Wellswood Village Pantry11 Ilsham RoadTorquayDevon TQ1 2JGTel.: 1803 292 315

EASTHeathers & Meadows FineFoods81 High StreetHoddesdonHertfordshire, EN11 8TLTel.: 01992 462 113

The Food Company86 London Road, Marks TeyColchesterEssex, CO6 1EDTel.: 01206 214 000www.thefoodcompany.co.uk

Byfords Delicatessen1-3 Shirehall Plain HoltNorfolk NR25 6BG Tel.: 01263 713 520

Picnic Fayre DelicatessenThe Old ForgeCley-next-the-seaNorfolk NR25 7APTel: 01263 740 587www.picnic-fayre.co.uk

WEST MIDLANDSCeci Paolo: The New Cook´sEmporium21 High StreetLedburyHerefordshire HR8 1DSTel: 01531 632 976www.cecipaolo.com

Paxton & Whitfield13 Wood StreetStratford-upon-AvonWarwickshire CV3 76JFTel: 01789 415 544www.paxtonandwhitfield.co.uk

YORKSHIRE & THE HUMBERFine Food Theatre16 Market PlaceMalton North Yorkshire YO17 7LX Tel: 01653 696 563www.finefoodtheatre.co.uk

Haley & Clifford43 Street LaneLeedsWest Yorkshire LS8 1AP Tel: 01132 370 334

Lewis & Cooper Ltd92 High StreetNorthallertonNorth Yorkshire DL7 8PP Tel: 01609 772 880 For other locations visit:www.lewisandcooper.co.uk

The Ginger Pig 11, Market PlacePickeringNorth Yorkshire YO18 7AA Tel: 01751 477211 For locations in London visit:www.thegingerpig.co.uk

NORTH- WESTGranthams Fine Food & Wine68 Heyes LaneAlderley EdgeCheshire SK9 7HY Tel: 01625 583 286 www.granthamsfinefood.com

SHOP

PING

GUIDE

UNITED KINGDOMENGLAND

LONDONBrindisa9B Weir RoadLondon SW 12 OLTTel.: 020 8772 1600For other locations visit:www.brindisa.com

Fortnum and Mason181 Picadilly London W1A 1ERTel.: 020 7734 8040www.fortnumandmason.co.uk

García and Sons248-250 Portobello RoadLondon W11 1LLTel.: 020 7221 6119tony@garciaportobello.fsnet.co.uk

Harvey Nichols Food Market109-125 Knightsbridge (5th Floor)London SW1X 7RJTel.: 020 7235 5000For other locations visit:www.harveynichols.com

Jeroboams51 Elizabeth StreetLondon SW1W 9PBTel.: 020 7730 8108For other locations visit:www.jeroboams.co.uk

La Fromagerie30 Highbury ParkLondon N5 2AATel.: 020 7539 7440For other locations visit:www.lafromagerie.co.uk

Lidgate110 Holland Park AvenueLondon W11 4UATel.: 020 7727 8243

Mortimer and Bennett33 Turnham Green TerraceLondon W4 1RGTel.: 020 8995 4145www.mortimerandbennett.co.uk

Partridge´s2-5 Duke of York SquareSloane square London SW3 4LYTel.: 020 7730 7102For other locations visit:www.partridges.co.uk

Paxton & Whitfield93 Jermyn StreetLondon SW1Y 6JETel.: 020 7930 0259www.paxtonandwhitfield.co.uk

Find Spanish productsnear you

52 SPAIN GOURMETOUR

141 Rathmines Road UpperRathmines, Dublin 6Tel.: 01 496 2511

Get FreshUnit 6, Rosemount ShoppingCenterMarian Road, BallyroanRathfarnham, Dublin 14Tel.: 01 493 7148

Listons 25/26 Lower Camden StreetDublin 2Tel.: 01 405 4779

Magill’s Delicatessen14 Clarendon StreetDublin 2Tel.: 01 671 3830

Morton & Son15-17 Dunville AvenueRanelagh, Dublin 6Tel: 01 497 1254www.mortons.ie

Sheridan’s Cheesemongers11 South Anne StreetDublin 2Tel.: 01 679 3143For other locations visit:www.sheridanscheesemongers.com

The Gourmet Shop48 Highfield RoadRathgar, Dublin 6Tel.: 01 497 0365www.gourmetshop.ie

NATIONWIDECoopers Fine FoodsMarket SquareNavan, Co. MeathTel.: 046 907 5275www.coopersfinefoods.ie

Sheridans Cheesemongers14-16 Churchyard StreetGalwayTel.: 091 564 829

Sheridans Cheese CounterArdkeen Quality Food StoreDunmore RoadWaterfordTel.: 051 874 620www.sheridanscheesemongers.com

Urru Culinary Store BrandonThe Mill, McSwiney Quay Bandon, Co Cork Tel.: 023 54731 www.urru.ie

Online shopping from Irelandwww.wineandtapas.com

WALESFoxy's Deli7 Royal Buildings, Victoria RoadPenarthSouth Glamorgan CF64 3ED Tel: 029 2025 1666 For other locations visit:www.foxysdeli.com

SCOTLANDClive RamsayHenderson StreetBridge of AllanStirling FK9 4HRTel: 01786 893 903www.cliveramsay.com

Heart Buchanan380 Byres RoadGlasgowLanarkshire G12 8AR Tel: 01413 347 626 www.heartbuchanan.co.uk

Relish 6 Commercial Street (Leith)EdinburghMidlothian EH6 6JA Tel: 01314 761 920

The Gourmet's Lair8 Union StInvernessInverness-Shire IV1 1PL Tel: 01463 225 151www.gourmetslair.co.uk

Valvona & Crolla19 Elm RowEdinburgh EH7 4AATel: 01315 566 066www.valvonacrolla.co.uk

IRELANDDUBLINCavistons Food Emporium58/59 Glasthule RoadSandycoveCo. DublinTel.: 01 280 9120www.cavistons.com

Evergreen 34 Wexford StreetDublin 2Tel: 01 478 5265

Fallon and Byrne11/17 Exchequer StreetDublin 2,Tel.: 01 472 1010www.fallonandbyrne.com

Fothergills Delicatessen

Editor-in-chiefCathy Boirac

Editorial coordinationEtnín C.B.Saúl Aparicio HillIria González Panizo

JournalistsIan CowleyMike ElkinJohn RadfordBruce Schoenfeld

Design and Art DirectionEstudio Manuel Estrada

Photo ArchiveMabel Manso

CoverJuan Manuel Sanz/©ICEX Photo Tortilla: Ángel Robledo/©ICEX

Colour SeparationsRastercolor

PrintersAltair Quebecor Ibérica

AdvertisingUK: Essential Media Contact: Jane Robbins Tel: +44 (0) 20 761 108 09IRELAND: MBG Advertising & Marketing Ltd.Contact: Bob McMahonwww.mbg.ieTel: +353 (0) 1 637 3968SPAIN: CedisaContact: Esmeralda CapelTel: (+34) 913 080 644

D.L.: M.45.307-1990

NIPO705-08-041-6

ISSN: 0214-2937

PublisherICEXState Secretariat for Trade and Tourismspaingourmetour@icex.es

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

For more information on Spanishproducts contact your nearest SpanishComercial Office:

Dublin Office Tel. +353 (0) 1 661 63 13Email: Dublín@mcx.es;

London Office Tel. +44 (0) 20 746 72 330Email: londres@mcx.es

And for more information on tourism toSpain see: www.spain.info

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