Pinto Pinto

This morning’s snow flurries inspired some random memories from the past.  Most involved food.  Snowed in last December and yielding to the luxury of time, I slow cooked a cassoulet using Iberian meats and a sample bag of snowcap beans.  Snowcap beans are brown with a white “cap” on one side, colored just like the pinto pony I owned as an my adolescent.  The pony was a full-on ornery devil and my sister and I quickly learned to sprint away from his snapping teeth, which later served us well on the track team.  It may sound strange but I have great memories of those times!  But back to my cassoulet.  To my delight, the beans were much easier to handle than my pony.  Firm textured with an earthy nuttiness, they perfectly complimented the jamon serrano, linguica and herbs in the cassoulet.   And best of all, they retain their color after cooking which makes them beautiful in a salad.  $4.99/16 oz bag.
My cassoulet was a modified version of Paula Wolfert’s recipe from Food and Wine magazine: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/toulouse-style-cassoulet
Modifications: I omitted the pork skin, salt pork and duck fat.  Used Barcelos mild linguica rather than French sausage, Jamon Serrano in place of the pancetta and prosciutto, chicken thighs in place of duck confit, olive oil rather than duck fat, and the snowcap beans.  Otherwise, I followed Wolfert’s recipe for the ultimate comfort food on a winter’s day.

FAST AND EASY COOKING: Here are some recent simple dishes that came from our cupboard and freezer.
Aegean Toasts topped with aioli and marinated artichokes.  Great snack!
Matiz Garbanzo Beans baked with Miguel & Valentino Purple Garlic and Pimentón De La Vera.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Drain and rinse one 7.5 oz jar of beans.  In a medium cazuela (20cm or so), heat one tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil, one teaspoon garlic, one teaspoon pimentón.  Stir in the beans and bake in the oven for 20 minutes while you prepare the main course.
Merguez Sausages:   We’re so hooked on these sausages that we keep a package in the freezer at all times.   Made of lamb, a small amount of beef, harissa (hot pepper sauce), garlic and herbs, they have just the right amount of heat.  Best grilled, they have no MSG, no preservatives and no artificial flavors.  $9.99/12 oz

NEW PRODUCTS
Dijon-style mustards From KL Keller were featured in this week‘s New York Times.  We have all three flavors in stock: Plain ($4.50), Banyuls ($7.50) and Truffle ($15.00).  For more details, click on this link:  http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/25/dining/25must.html?_r=1&emc=eta1
Agave Nectar: A natural sugar alternative made from the same plant that gives us tequila, agave nectar is sweeter than cane sugar.  Containing a lower glycemic index, it does not quickly raise blood sugar levels.  Great in cocktails!
Virgin of Guadalupe Temporary Tattoos:  Easy on, easy off.  $2.99 for package of two.

NEW WINES THIS WEEK:
2007 Ludovicus  (Terra Alta) $9.99 Celler Piñol is a family-run bodega dedicated to quality, located in a region dominated by large cooperatives.  A blend of garnacha, tempranillo, syrah, and cabernet, its depth of ripe bramble fruit is immediately satisfying.  With notes of smooth chocolate, tobacco and earth, Ludovicus has a spicy accent of black pepper on the finish.
2005 Espelt – Saulo (Emporda) $9.99 New vintage!  I tasted this vintage last May and have  been anxiously awaiting its arrival ever since.  Grown in vineyards located near the Mediterranean just north of Barcelona, it’s made from 60% Garnacha and 40% Carinena.  With bright black cherry and berry flavors, great lift and an edge of licorice, it is round and soft on the palate.  “..Open knit raspberry and blackberry fruit and an absence of obvious tannins make this lush blend delicious right now.”  89 points Stephen Tanzer
2006 Borsao Crianza Seleccion, (Campo de Borja)  $14.99 “Saturated ruby-red. Blackberry and blueberry aromas are complicated by incense and dried flowers. Juicy dark berry flavors are liqueur-like in richness, with nervy minerality adding energy. Becomes fleshier and sweeter on the finish, which echoes the floral note. Pretty sexy stuff.”  90 points Stephen Tanzer

Calem Old Friends Tawny Port ($6.99/200 ml) Tuck one of these small bottles in your back pack the next time you head out on the cross country ski trail.  Almond, hazelnut and caramel flavors will bring warmth and pleasure on a cold day.

NEW RELEASE OF SPECIAL OCCASION WINES
2006 Clos Erasmus, Priorat $190.00 Annual allocation arrived today, 3 bottles available.  Winemaker Daphne Glorian is one of the famed young pioneers of the Priorat region, who realized the enormous potential of the ancient vines, schist soils and vertiginous hillsides in the early 1980‘s.   One of the ultimate terroir-driven wines and made in extremely limited quantities, the 2005 Clos Erasmus was rated 100 by Wine Advocate.
1998 Vega Sicilia Unico, Ribera del Duero $400.00 “Ruby-red. Exotic aromas of red and dark fruits, iron, dried flowers, cured meat and tobacco are strongly reminiscent of a top vintage of Chateau Haut-Brion. Luscious cherry and cassis flavors display a superb balance of depth and structure, offering noteworthy power but a weightless quality that is simply uncanny. Candied flowers, smoky minerals and vanilla bean add complexity and extend through an endless finish. I’d love to sneak this into a tasting of 1998 Saint-Emilion and Graves wines in ten years or so.”  96 points Stephen Tanzer, 98 points Robert Parker

NEW BEERS IN STOCK:
INEDIT (Spain)  $9.99/750 ml: A partnership between Ferran Adria, El Bulli’s sommelier’s team and Estrella Damm, this is the first beer specifically created to accompany food.  A unique blend of barley malt with wheat, hops, coriander, orange peel, licorice, yeast and water.  A secondary fermentation occurs in the bottle, adding to the complexity.
Cusquena (Peru) $9.99/6 pack:  100% malt lager, nicknamed “Gold of the Inkas”.  Smooth and golden, perfect with any spicy foods.

CHEESE CORNER
Naked Goat (Murcia) New!  This fabulous 6 month aged goat cheese from Spain is produced with raw milk.  Naked Goat is mild and creamy with a tangy, sweet finish, perfect for melting.  Pair with almonds in honey or a crisp white wine.
Torta La Serena (Extremadura) is a soft, 60-day aged, raw sheep’s milk cheese made with thistle flower.  One of our favorite cheeses from Extremadura, La Serena starts out deliciously runny and then firms up with age.  Rich and creamy, it combines a fruity sharpness with an earthy, pungent flavor.  As it ages, the rind becomes leathery and the interior ripens to a spreadable paste.

What We Cooked

SOME DELICIOUS THINGS WE COOKED THIS WEEK:

Catalan Pork Sausage with Mushrooms: José Andrés cooked this on his television show, Made In Spain: Butifarra with chanterelles, pine nuts, raisins and moscatel wine. The companion Made In Spain cookbook ($35) has this recipe and many more with similar spins on traditional Spanish dishes filtered through the sensibilities of this Asturian born, Washington DC based chef.

Greek Baked Pasta: Using Grace Parisi’s recipe from the March 2009 Food & Wine, we paired our Misko No 3 pasta with ground lamb seasoned with oregano, cinnamon and cloves then topped with ricotta cheese, egg yokes and Zerto (Argentine Parmesan-Reggianito cheese) seasoned with nutmeg. While it baked, we made a chopped salad of cucumber and green pepper enlivened with a handful of big, grey, Egyptian Olives ($5.99) and chunks of Ulker Feta Cheese. We took home a chilled bottle of Boutari Retsina ($9.99) to pair with it.

WINE SPECIALS THIS WEEK

2006 Vin Nico Flor del Montgó (Yecla) $8.99 on sale! Vin Nico searches out underutilized old-vine properties all over Spain to produce affordable, well crafted wines. Flor is a blend of 85% old-vine Monastrell, 10% Merlot and 5% Shiraz. It is dark ruby in color with a nose of blue and black fruits that leap from the glass. The fruit is ripe and sweet, the tannins silky, and there is excellent concentration and length from the old vine fruit. This is a great value on a very expressive wine.

2006 Andeluna Malbec Mendoza ($9.99) One of the best under-$10.00 Malbecs, we thought it was sold out. Luck smiled on us when the distributor found 5 cases of this vintage so get it while you can! Hand crafted in collaboration with Michel Rolland, this lush Malbec is ripe and juicy. Full bodied, it has complex flavors of black currant, Morello cherry and chocolate with notes of dried fig and cassis liquor. Sweet tannins compliment the spice notes and exceptional balance. Highly recommended!

2006 Altozano Tempranillo Toledo, ($9.99) A smooth and silky Tempranillo with fruity black cherry flavors and rich chocolate notes. Grown at high elevation in Toledo, it is lightly oaked and well balanced with hints of pie cherry on the persistent finish. Versatile, Altozano is great with foods from pizza to tagines.

2007 Nuntius, Cariñena ($12.99) This terrific wine dances over the tongue with the energy of a bulerias. Importer Basilio Grueso of Casa Ventura Imports chose this blend for Nuntius after over 25 tastings with the winemaker. Made of 50% Garnacha, 30% Syrah and 20% Tempranillo, its smoky aromas lead to fruity strawberry and then deep black fruit flavors A hint of rose petals compliment the black pepper on the earthy and dry finish. Serve Nuntius with a spicy Indian curry or grilled kebabs.

NV Valdespino Contrabandista Amontillado, Jerez ($33.00) Bodegas Valdespino has been producing sherry in Jerez de la Frontera since 1430. Made from a solera that originated in 1892, Contrabandista was aged under flor for over 8 years, and further aged for 8 additional years allowing oxidation to take place. With just a touch of Pedro Ximenez for sweetness, it is round and unctuous on the palate with notes of roasted hazelnut and almond paste. Its acidic spine provides balances to the sweetness and the persistent nutty finish seems like it goes on forever. The traditional label with a galloping horse and rider is seen in bars all over Spain.

NV Tio Pepe Palomino Fino Our best selling fino has flavors of yeast and almond with a traditional touch of bitterness. It’s now available in half bottle ($9.99/375ml) and we’re also stocking Kosher Tio Pepe ($25.99/750 ml)

OUR FAVORITE PORTUGUESE CHEESES ARE BACK IN STOCK!

Serpa is one of the most famous traditional cheeses from Portugal. Extremely hard to source, we special ordered it from Portugal. Made in Alentejo from Merino sheep’s milk and aged for at least six months, its rind is rubbed with olive oil throughout curing. Serpa has a buttery interior and tangy flavor of local herbs and grasses. Wrapped in white linen, this artisanal cheese is typically served before a meal and is best with a glass of red wine from Alentejo.

Queijo Amarelo is our new favorite Portuguese cheese. Amarelo is a washed rind cheese, a blend of sheep and goats milk from Beira Baixa region. It has an astounding buttery, slightly piquant flavor with roasted onion, sea salt, notes of sweet lemon and a lingering savory finish with grassy overtones.

MUSIC

Brazilian Jazz Pianist and Dreamy Vocalist Eliane Elias is performing at Jazz Alley on February 24 & 25th. For details, go to http://www.jazzalley.com/calendar.asp. Elias’s newest CD, “Bossa Nova Stories” ($18.99), has classic tunes beautifully reinterpreted and is available here at the store.

Valentine

VALENTINE’S DAY IS SATURDAY FEBRUARY 14!   One of our favorite celebrations, Valentine’s Day, is right around the corner.   Our February Gold daffodils are poking their heads up and cheerful sunny weather is signaling the end of winter doldrums.  What a great occasion to invite friends over!   February is prime season for crab and oysters and, aphrodisiac qualities aside, pairing shellfish with cava is a stellar combination for Valentine’s Day.   Not a seafood fan?  Substitute marinated pork tenderloin and serve with a rosé cava for a meat-centric celebratory meal.
Here are some other ideas for your sweet:
Valor Chocolate bars with assorted flavors (We’re fans of Dark Chocolate with Orange) $3.69
Vaverite wafer cake with crumbled hazelnuts (an endearing squirrel is on the front of the box!) $3.99
Corazones Dulces Candy Valentines Hearts with love messages in Spanish. ($1.19)
Bubbly: We have a broad array of Spanish Cavas to meet every taste and budget and a couple of Argentinean sparklers as well.   From reliable Segura Viudas Brut Reserva ($7.99) to the complex and yeasty Agusti Torello Mata’s Reserva Bayanus Cava ($24.99/375 ml), stop in and check out our selection.
Gift certificates: When in doubt, give a Spanish Table gift certificate.  Available in any denomination.
HEAT, BILL BUFORD: In 2002 Bill Buford, an editor at New Yorker magazine, met Mario Batali and decided he needed to work in the kitchen at Babbo.  He not only slaved in that New York restaurant but went off on crazy sojourns apprenticing with even more eccentric individuals in Tuscany making pasta and butchering four legged animals.  Bill is extremely erudite and captures both “Molto Batali” and culinary Italy in this book.  If you watched Batali in the recent PBS series, On the Road in Spain, you will have your worst suspicions delightfully confirmed by the descriptions of Mario in this book.  We have grabbed a pile of the paperback version of the book which is on sale for only $7.99.
NEW WINES THIS WEEK
2007 Eximus Branco (Estremadura) $6.99 Not only graceful and refreshing, Portuguese Eximus has a myriad of other appealing characteristics.  For starters, when have you tasted a blend of Fernâo Pires, Vital (reputedly a cousin of Sauvignon Blanc) and Moscatel grapes?  Secondly, Eximus is an all-around, well balanced white wine that pairs well with cheese or fish dishes.  With enticing pear aromas, it has ripe lychee, honey and melon flavors.  Lively and crisp, it has vibrant acidity with notes of citrus and plenty of length.   And finally, all of this goodness can be had for just $6.99 per bottle.    What’s not to like?
2007 Terrai Garnacha, Cariñena $6.99 The Cariñena region is one of the oldest D.O.s in Spain and is known for producing tasty quaffers that are a great value.  Terrai is made from 100% Garnacha.  Light on its feet, it has notes of dust, rich black fruit flavors and a dry finish.  Well balanced, all in all this is a great every day wine that pairs well with grilled pork or flavorful roasted vegetables.
2007 Hacienda Plata Zagal Malbec Mendoza ($9.99) We snapped up a case of Zagal after just one sip. Loaded with cherry aromas, it has rich blackberry, vanilla, and licorice flavors.   Balanced with minerals and ample acidity, it begs to be paired with red meat.
2005 Miranda (Rioja) $14.99 Wow!  Fresh aromas of pie cherry with a hint of earth and oak on the front palate segues into a mouth full of zingy, ripe bing cherry and intense plum flavors.  Miranda is 100% Tempranillo with eight months aging in America and French oak casks.   Herbal undertones compliment tar and licorice on the persistent finish.   Miranda is a great all-around Rioja that will appeal to both traditionalists and modernists.
2005 Vega Escal Priorat ($19.99) This powerfully concentrated blend of 60% carinena, 30% garnacha and 10% syrah is pure poetry.  “Ripe cherry and blackberry aromas are complicated by smoky minerals and anise. Expressive dark berry flavors show light weight but impressive purity, with brisk minerality gaining strength on the back end. Graceful and edge-free, with very good finishing clarity and cut. This is extremely easy to drink.”  90 points Stephen Tanzer
2001 LUIS CAÑAS, Reserva de la Familia (Rioja) $33.00: We routinely pay over $30 for a wine in a restaurant yet we often balk at paying that much for wines to drink at home.  “Why?” we asked ourselves after popping the cork on Reserva de la Familia last Friday night.  This is an heirloom Rioja, traditionally styled with select fruit from a great vintage.  Rich and silky, it was an elegant companion to grilled lamb chops rubbed with Miguel & Valentino garlic, sprinkled with coarse Spanish sea salt, covered with pebrella and finished with a few rosemary needles from the plant braving its way through this winter in our backyard.   93 points Wine Advocate 91 points Stephen Tanzer
2006 Colomé Malbec Estate, Salta Argentina, $26.99: We were in Salta for Thanksgiving 2006 but had to cut out a side trip to the wine region due to flight mis-connections.   (However, the colonial city of Salta is well worth the visit, if even for 2 days).  Since then, we’ve been seeking out these hard to find wines and  Colomé is one of the best we’ve found. At La Boca restaurant in Santa Fe, it’s hearty elegance paired wonderfully with rich duck breast and braised leeks with a dab of harissa pepper sauce.  A very elegant and balanced Malbec, it is now in stock at The Spanish Table for the first time.   92 points Wine Spectator   Top 100 Wines of 2008
LA CONCHA WHITE TRUFFLE SEA SALT FLAKES, $9.99: Along with lamb chops and Luis Cañas Rioja, we tossed asparagus with fideo #2 pasta, Hojiblanca extra virgin olive oil and dusted it with a new arrival: white truffle salt.  When we unpacked the ocean container from Spain last week, it was filled with the aroma of this salt which is a full 8% truffles.  The low price reflects the current exchange rate and that we direct-imported it with no middle men.  In fact, a few years ago, I drove down the coast near Alicante to visit the salt drying ponds with Rosa Bevía, the owner of this Spanish salt company.
14 PALLETS OF NEW STOCK JUST ARRIVED: We have them again: All sizes of paella pans, propane burners and cazuelas.
AGAVE NECTAR or MEXICAN VANILLA, $6.99: We tracked down a few dozen bottles of the beautiful flasks of these products.  Use the agave nectar to make the best margarita ever.
TEQUILA FLAVORED LOLLIPOP: Clear, nonalcoholic candy complete with a worm.  Can you lick this? Need we say more?
GRAINS OF PARADISE:  We have been crushing some of these round seeds in our mortar and sprinkling them over savory dishes.  Grown in Ghana, Mustapha’s grains of paradise are a wonderfully aromatic and pungent substitute for black pepper, adding exotic hints of ginger, coriander and cardamom. In Morocco they are ground and are an important ingredient in the spice blend Ras El Hanout.
RECIPE
UPSCALE GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH: March’s issue of Bon Appétit takes comfort food up a notch.  Use Manchego cheese and Jamón Serrano to make a grilled sandwich and toss in a layer of chopped Mejool dates (page 68).
 
GREAT BUYS ON SPANISH CHEESE
Our cheese monger George has negotiated fantastic savings on our most popular cheeses.
Tetilla………………………………………..was $14.99/lb now $11.99/lb
San Simon…………………………………was $21.99/lb now $15.99/lb
Mahon……………………………………….was $22.99/lb now $18.99/lb
3 Month Manchego…………………….was $20.99/lb now $16.99/lb
Aged 12 Month Manchego………….was $21.99/lb now $17.99/lb
Caña de Cabra…………………………..was $17.99/lb now $14.99/lb

Exploring World Flavors

Exploring World Flavors:  Eating at home more often means constantly stretching our repertoire.  This week we rubbed Porqué Pig Rub spice mix on pork chops and wow, did that bring them up to a New Mexican level of spiciness!   Farro cooked in chicken stock with mushrooms sauteed in Picual Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a heaping spoonful of Miguel & Valentino chopped garlic was a fantastic side dish.  Last week, we jazzed up Zürsun red lentils by stirring in a tablespoon of Mustapha’s White Meat Seasoning.  We have many, many ingredients that will enliven your palate from Le Moulins Mahoub Tunisian Couscous & Pasta sauces to Matiz Spanish Smoked Sea Salt.
 
Last week’s mention of Roasted Cauliflower in Tahini from the cookbook Olives & Oranges brought several requests for the recipe so here it is.  (4 to 6 servings)
1 large head cauliflower, broken into florets
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, or more to taste
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon tahini paste
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
Heat oven to 400 degrees with rack in the center. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
Toss cauliflower with oil, 1 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer on baking sheet and roast, stirring and turning over once or twice, until cauliflower is tender and crispy brown in spots, about 45 minutes.
While cauliflower is roasting, puree tahini paste, water, lemon juice, garlic and remaining salt. Transfer to a large bowl.
Remove cauliflower from oven, immediately add to bowl with tahini sauce, and toss with sauce and parsley. Season with more salt to taste if necessary and serve warm, or let stand at room temperature for several hours before serving.
 
♥ This Valentine’s Day Cocoon at Home:
Light some Candles, Put on a Spanish Guitar CD.
Slice a Chorizo; Lay out an Iberian Cheese Plate.
Stuff Two Piquillo Peppers with Dungeness Crab.
Toss a Lobster into the Paella.
Twist Open a Valor Bonbon.
Read Aloud from a Book of Spanish Love Poems.
Or pop the cork on a Malbec and Tango ‘til the steaks are grilled!
 
       
♥  Valentine’s Day Wines
Spanish Wines are smooth, supple and affordable.  Ask us to help you pick out a sparkling Cava, lush white or memorable red.  Drink it at home with a special menu or pay corkage in a romantic restaurant.  You Only Live Once, Live Well!
2006 Alto Almanzora Este (Almeria) $9.99 New vintage!   A blend of carefully chosen varietals, Este displays fruitiness, structure and balance.  Made from a mix of Tempranillo, Monastrell, Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot grapes, it is easy drinking and pairs well with a large variety of foods, from hearty winter meals to roasted vegetables.   90 points Wine Advocate
2006 Dão Cabriz Seleccionada (Portugal) $9.99 A blend of the indigenous Portuguese grapes Alfrocheiro, Tinta-Roriz and Touriga Nacional, it has been aged 6 months in French oak.   Subtle layers of black fruit and kirsch are balanced by lively acidity.  Dry and smooth, this red wine is best served with a goat cheese such as Portuguese Cabra Quinta.  Commended, Decanter World Wine Awards
2007 Ben Marco Malbec (Mendoza) $21.99: We fell in love with this wine in Santa Fe at Spanish Tapa restaurant La Boca.  Made of 90% Malbec and 10% Bonarda, Ben Marcos is perfect for people who like big, ripe-fruit, jammy styles of wine.   Aged for 11 months in oak, it has soft tannins and paired wonderfully with roast duck. 
2004 Martino Old Vines Malbec, (Mendoza) $17.99: It’s rare to find an old-vine Argentinean Malbec, never mind one produced from a vineyard planted in 1926 with ungrafted clones brought directly from France.  Only two wines are made at this 18.5 acre estate.  Unfiltered and aged in new French Oak, Martino is extremely elegant with lush blue fruit flavors, vanilla notes and a hint of chocolate on the lingering finish.  Unfortunately, the distributor only had a few bottles left but we snapped them up.  Grab one while they last!  
2007 Conreria d’Scala Dei Les Brugueres (Priorat) $29.99 One of the few white wines from Priorat. “100% Garnacha Blanca, from vines reportedly over 100 years of age.  Greenish-gold color. Impressively perfumed nose offers an exotic array of melon, pit fruits and herbs. A subtle smokiness becomes more pronounced with air, adding depth to the already rich expression that the fruit displays. Floral honey and botanical herb notes linger on the long, sappy finish, which is given a kick by subtle minerality. This should be drunk on the young side, preferably with strong foods.”  90 points Stephen Tanzer
2006 Mas D’En Compte Tinto, (Priorat) $40.00 “A blend of 50% garnacha, 40% carinena and 10% cabernet sauvignon. Bright ruby. Vibrant raspberry and cherry aromas are energized by blood orange and baking spices. Fresh red fruit flavors are complicated by an exotic lavender pastille quality and given lift by juicy acidity. An elegant, precise wine that finishes with excellent tangy cut and persistence. Nothing overdone here.”  91 points Stephen Tanzer
Sweet Wine for Your Sweetie:
Santa Julia Tardío 2007 Late Harvest Torrontés (Mendoza) $12.99/500ml: We have been lapping up dry white wines made from Torrontés with salads and seafoods.  Now we have a sweet, late harvest wine.  From one of our favorite producers, it has fantastic aromas of peach, flavors of honey and a light body…as a rule of thumb, if you are going to serve it with dessert; a wine needs to be sweeter than the food.
TAKING PREORDERS
2006 Flor de Pingus (Ribera del Duero) $79.00 arrives in early March.   Limited quantities will be available, give us a call or e-mail to pre order.  Warm blackberry flavors with notes of herbs and licorice and a persistent spicy finish – one of the best crafted wines I’ve tasted.  “Strong floral and mineral scents complicate blackberry and cherry on the nose. Vibrant red berry and cherry flavors are given support by dusty tannins and become sweeter with air. Very fresh and precise, with excellent mineral snap and thrust. I like this wine’s delicate touch, and the finish is clean and very long. Given the tariff for its big brother, this is almost a bargain.”  93 points Stephen Tanzer
CHEESE CORNER
Aragones: One of the lesser known cheeses of Spain.  Mild, buttery and grassy, it has a dense creamy texture. Bright and herbaceously sweet, this washed rind cows’ milk cheese has a soft texture.  Pair this gooey cows’ milk cheese with a nutty Basque sheep’s milk cheese and a savory goat cheese on your next platter.                     
Azkorria Ossau Iraty: This award winning, classic Basque cheese is made from raw sheep’s milk by a small artisanal producer in the Pyrenees Mountains. The slightly dry flavor gives way to a creamy, buttery quality. The flavors hint of subtly mingling herbs and opens to slightly nutty undertones.

San Francisco

Exceptional weather followed us on our Tour de Tiendas as we flew into the Bay Area.  Arriving as the sun set behind the Golden Gate Bridge, great constellations of sparkling stars emerged in the darkening sky.   Former chefs, our California partners Andy and Tanya have so enthusiastically embraced North African flavors that they invited the entire Berkeley and Mill Valley staff to a potluck and wine tasting.  Great inspiration came from Claudia Roden’s classic cookbook Arabesque: A Taste of Morocco, Turkey & Lebanon as well as our favorite new cookbook: Oranges and Olives, Recipes and Flavor Secrets from Italy, Spain, Cyprus and Beyond by Sara Jenkins and Mindy Fox.  Spicy chicken tagine, baked quince filled with ground lamb, marinated swordfish brochettes with preserved lemon and Farro salad with black Kabuli Chickpeas, Arugula, Piquillo Peppers, and Sherry Vinaigrette were just a small sample of the terrific array.  Back in Seattle, we’ve already reprised the roasted cauliflower in tahini sauce, a perfect winter vegetable dish (and great for those on a diet.)
NEW WINES THIS WEEK
2007 Burgans Albariño (Rias-Baixas) $12.99 New vintage!  “The 2007 Burgans Albarino is light gold-colored with a sprightly nose of mineral, spring flowers, and lemon peel. Ripe, balanced, and concentrated, this is an ideal match for flaky fish courses. Drink it over the next 1-2 years. … in terms of bang for the buck, it has no challenger.”  90 points Wine Advocate
2006 Las Rocas Garnacha (Calatayud) $10.99 New vintage, only 4 cases available!  “The 2006 Las Rocas Garnacha is dark crimson-colored with an alluring nose of spice box, mineral, black cherry, and black raspberry. Smooth-textured, round, and with no hard edges, this tasty effort is designed for immediate gratification. This is one worth buying by the case.  The grapes for Las Rocas are sourced from high altitude 70-100 year old Garnacha vineyards.”  91 points Wine Advocate
2005 Tomas Cusine El Vilosell (Costers del Segre) $15.99 New vintage!  “The 2005 El Vilosell is composed of 50% Tempranillo, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 9% Garnacha, and 5% Syrah aged for 9 months in new French oak. Purple-colored, it reveals a fragrant array of scents including pepper, spice box, smoke, blackberry, black currant, and blueberry pie. Plush in texture, the wine is full-bodied, with layers of spicy fruit, intense flavors, and well-concealed tannins. Drink this superb value now and over the next 6-8 years.”  91 points Wine Advocate
2007 Onix Classic (Priorat) $15.99 A blend of 50% Grenache and 50% Cariñena grapes, the low yielding vines are planted in shards of slate called “llicorella”.  A bouquet of dark plums, sweet black cherries and a hint of rosemary, with intense concentration, soft tannins and a touch of black pepper in the finish.  A great value from Priorat!
2004 Campo Viejo Reserva Rioja ($13.99): An amazing value for an aged wine from a great vintage (look for Rioja wines from vintages 2001, 2004 and 2005). A traditional style Rioja in every sense with plum and cherry notes, sweet tannins and saddle leather flavors.
2000 La Rioja Alta Viña Ardanza (Rioja) Alta ($35.00):   Part of our blind tasting in California, this is not new but it was the knock out memory-maker.  Its sensuous body is pure silk and the finish lingers like an old friend reluctant to leave.  Renew your love over this on Valentine’s Day either at home or take it to a romantic restaurant.
50 Wines under $10:   We continue to search out great bargain wines and carefully screen them for quaffability.   Tasting dozens of low-priced wines looking for winners is a tough job but fortunately there are many great values to be had.   Stop in and check out our latest finds!
FOODS:  One of the stops in the Bay Area was the Fancy Food Show in San Francisco.  We were delighted when on Wednesday the Chronicle newspaper food writers picked some products we stock as their favorites: Xoxoc dehydrated prickly pear with chile that are sweet, sour, salty and hot from Hidalgo, Mexico.  These are slightly chewy prickly pear with a little savory spicy hit.  As well as Matiz light and rustic Andalucian olive oil cakes from Spain which come in four flavors: garlic-parsley, sugared, cinnamon and the original with anise.
Cheeses of the Week:  Both of these cheeses are from the lush slopes of the Catalan Pyrenees:
Ros: A granular aged sheep’s milk cheese with notes of brown sugar.
Montcaber: Bathed in charcoal and vegetable oil with a semi soft texture truffle flavor.
Pricing: It has been a roller coaster year for prices with the Euro soaring to over $1.60 and then settling back down to $1.30.  Freight surcharges also rose mid-year reflecting the cost of crude oil (transportation companies routinely add a fuel surcharge to every bill based on a government index published weekly.  At one point this summer, it was adding 30% to every freight bill).  We are not only passing reduced costs on to you but we are anticipating reduced cost by narrowing our margin on inventory we purchased when prices were higher.  So stick with us, we are doing the best we can as fast as we can.
PLYMOUTH HOUSING BENEFIT GALA DINNER & AUCTION:In May, Gibbs Smith will publish a jazzed-up edition of The Spanish Table cookbook.  To celebrate, we will be hosting a tapa and paella dinner for 40 on Saturday, May 16th.  Twenty tickets, each good for a couple, will be auctioned off Saturday, February 7th by Plymouth Housing at their annual benefit dinner at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel.  www.plymouthhousing.org
Sharon Baden, Owner & Wine Manager

Tour de Tiendas

We are just back from a Tour de Tiendas, visiting our stores in Santa Fe and San Francisco.  Sunny weather welcomed us everywhere and it felt sooo great.
At 7000 feet, the high desert air of Santa Fe was crisp and invigorating.  Always captivated by this city’s mix of Spanish, Native American and Mexican history and the natural beauty of the landscape, we’re also addicted to the New Mexican red and green chiles.   Our manager, Karen Squires, hosted the whole staff for an awesome New Mexican potluck.  Carne adovado marinated and slow cooked in red chile sauce made by chef and employee, Adrian Perez with peppers from his own garden. Red and green New Mexican style tamales, posole, pinto beans and chicos rounded out the menu.  Dessert was sweet tamales filled with native pine nuts, raisins and local honey.
We loved the food at La Boca, Chef James Campbell Caruso’s tapas restaurant.  Former chef at El Farol, he wrote the cookbook that we still recommend to customers looking for a contemporary interpretation of tapas.  James is a customer of The Spanish Table and his menu reflects several of our new products, many with a Moroccan influence.  But our favorite tapa was all Spanish: Asparagus spears dressed with Casa Pons White Truffle Olive Oil, dusted with Matiz Smoked Sea Salt and topped with shavings of aged manchego cheese. 
WINES WE TASTED ON OUR TRIP:                 
The Alto Moncayo Veraton (Campo de Borja) $23.99 paired wonderfully with our picante New Mexican potluck.  Its spicy and ripe red fruit with a deep mineral and white pepper finish was absolutely delicious.    Limited quantities available    91 points Stephen Tanzer           
We sampled wines by the glass at La Boca, pairing them with rich flavors of James’ tapas. 
Portuguese wine 2001 Ardosino Douro ($15.99) was fantastic with grilled artichoke hearts and goat cheese.   Ardosino has an earthy minerality with flavors of currant, real elegance and bright acidity that makes it a great combination with any grilled foods.
2003 Loriñon Rioja Reserva ($18.99) was terrific with spicy lamb meatballs in yogurt-mint sauce.  From a less than stellar vintage, the 2003 Loriñon sings with red cherry, black tea and sweet spice notes integrated with a toasty balsamic finish.   Delicious!
ECONOMIC STIMULUS PACKAGE:   50 under $10:
These are frugal times and after a lot of tasting, we have selected 50 wines under $10 that will allow you to enjoy life without breaking your budget.  Stop by, pick out a dozen of them and get a 10% case discount.  That brings you price down to only $9 a bottle!
NEW VALUE WINES THIS WEEK:
2007 Garnacha de Fuego Old Vines (Calatayud) $7.99   Big and powerful, the grapes for this wine are grown in a desolate, arid area which produces ripe and concentrated fruit.   With intense aromas of sweet cherries and dark plums, Garnacha de Fuego has considerable depth and finesse.  With an exotic spicy finish reminiscent of white pepper, it is great with taco truck fare.
2007 Casa Gualda Tempranillo (La Mancha) $8.99 Think fruity pie cherry with an earthy minerality.  Smoky and low in acidity, Casa Gualda is easy drinking and great for the pocketbook!
SHERRY ARTICLE
Here at The Spanish Table, our appreciation of unique Sherries is evident by our selection – the largest outside of Spain.  Vastly underappreciated, and one of wine’s greatest values (how many wines are available for $45.00 that have been barrel aged for at least 20 years?), sherry is finally getting its due.  If you’d like to learn more about sherry, check out the recent comprehensive article from the San Francisco Chronicle:  http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/15/WINR159ONQ.DTL&hw=gonzalez+byass+alfonso&sn=001&sc=1000
 
INGREDIENTS: In Jan 11th The New York Times travel section, Paula Wolfert singled out Moroccan cumin as something she brings back in her suitcase.  Luckily, it is easy to get just by visiting The Spanish Table, thanks to Mustapha Haddouch who buys his directly from the farmer in Morocco.  He also deals directly with the farmer for his saffron.
TWO CHEESES SPECIALS: We were able to make a special purchase on these two cheeses:
Veigadarte   Sometimes referred to as Humbolt Fog on Steroids, Veigadarte is rolled in oak ash and covered by a thick bloomy white rind. Beautiful on a cheese platter with its black and white outline and soft texture, this artisanal cheese uses the milk of two different goat breeds.  With a high butterfat content and the characteristic tang of a goat’s milk, it is distinctive and delicious.  Was: $7.00; Now $5.75/quarter lb.
Drap Made of 100% cow’s milk, Drap has all of its characteristic butteriness with the herbaceous nuances of a goats milk cheese.   Was 9.00/quarter lb; Now 5.75/quarter lb.
TWO NEW CHEESES:
Cantell Goat Cheese  This compact, crumbly and granular goat cheese is aged roughly 4 months. Its fully developed, complex flavor has hints of dry fruits with a herbaceous tangy finish. This rare goat cheese from Catalonia is one of the finest cheeses made by Nevat cheese maker, Joseph. We are offering this cheese only for a limited time.  Now $9.99/quarter lb.
Idiazabal  This unpasteurized sheep’s’ milk cheese is the absolute best Idiazabal on the market. Traditionally, Basque shepherds lived in small mountain huts and due to lack of space, stored and aged their cheese inside stone chimneys. Lana, producer of this Gran Reserva Idiazabal maintain these cheese making traditions, and it reveals itself with wonderfully buttery, lightly smoked, aromatic and tangy flavors. Now $6.50/quarter lb.

Starting a New Year

STARTING A NEW YEAR: We always wait until after the holidays to throw our annual Spanish Table staff party.   We’ve taken to celebrating on January 6th, 3 Kings Day but this year it started on a sad note.  Our 15 year old cocker spaniel, Sparky, had been in declining health and when he finally quit eating, we faced  the fact that it was time to say goodbye.  Without him, our house felt crazily empty, and we welcomed the arrival of friends ready to drink great wine paired with recipes from The Spanish Table Cookbook.   We made turkey brushed with piri piri pepper sauce and amontillado sherry served with Catalan stuffing (spinach, pine nuts, raisins and the turkey juices).  We filled an enormous cazuela with jumbo prawns cooked in Miguel & Valentino Purple Spanish garlic and Carmencita dried guindilla peppers.  A giant Cataplana steamed tiny clams and mushrooms in Madeira.  It was in every sense, the best sort of wake and a relaxing, let-your-hair-down party all in one.
 
If you are like us and cooking more at home, we’ve got inspiration and new flavors to enhance your culinary repertoire.
OLIVES & ORANGES ($35.00): Our favorite new cookbook!  Cleverly annotated as “Quick-Cook” or “Slow-Cook”, it is easy to figure out which recipes you can tackle on a weeknight and which you should save for a weekend.  Exotic ingredients are brought together with an Italian-American sensibility that lets you use everything from Aleppo pepper to pomegranate molasses for “wow!” results.
CHEESES/MEATS
Bulgarian Feta: Full flavored, rustic feta cheese.  Great in salads or just drenched with olive oil and sprinkled with oregano or Za’atar.
Behmale: A rich, luxurious cow and goat cheese from a bucolic village high on the French side of the Pyrénées.  Soft and tangy with herbal notes.  Mouth-watering and addictive.
SPECIALS
Jamon Iberico: The snow storms left us oversupplied with jamon Iberico so we have reduced the price of each pack, taking 20% off.  Savor some now!
Spices from Urban Accents: Spice blends based on flavors from around the world plus seasoned sea salts.  Special year-end promotionally priced at $1.00 off.
WINES 4 TOUGH TIMES:  When the going gets tough, the tough turn to affordable wines from Spain, Portugal and Argentina.
2008 Viu Manent Malbec (Colchagua Valley, Chile) $5.99 Viu Manent consistently produces tasty, pocket-friendly wines and the Malbec is truly one of their greatest bargains!   Viu Manent Malbec has aromas of blueberry with sweet herbal scents.   Not as fruit-forward or full-bodied as most Malbecs, its lighter acidity matches the body nicely.    With flavors of black fruit, soft tannins and a hint of tea on the finish, pair it with grilled spicy sausages for an inexpensive week-night dinner.
2006 Tapena (Tierra de Castilla) $8.99 A blend of 95 percent garnacha and 5 percent tempranillo, it is not only a great value for its price, but also for its versatility with food.  It is spicy, juicy and seductive, full of wild strawberry and black cherry flavors.  Both light and lush at the same time, it is earthy with a gentle smoothness in the finish. 
2007 Ucenda Monastrell, (Bullas) $7.99    An hour’s drive southwest of Jumilla lies the tiny appellation of Bullas, in the province of Murcia.   An area of agricultural valleys with unspeakably hot summers interspersed with small mountain ranges, it has the climactic extremes to produce ripe grapes with great acidity.   Exactly eight bodegas exist in Bullas which produce wines mainly from the Tempranillo and Monastrell grapes.  Ucenda is a young, intense monastrell with a purple-black color.  Full bodied, spicy and fruity with a pleasing dry finish, it’s a great match for spicy foods and cold weather fare.
2006 Andeluna Winemaker’s Selection Malbec (Mendoza) $9.99 Hand crated in collaboration with Michel Rolland, this lush Malbec is ripe and juicy.   Full-bodied, it has complex flavors of black currant, Morello cherry and chocolate with notes of dried fig and cassis liquor.  Sweet tannins compliment the spice notes and exceptional balance.   A wine we really enjoyed the night we took a bottle home and one we highly recommend!
2004 Rioja Vega Reserva (Rioja) $20.99: Every year at the 3 Kings party we feature six wines and vote on the favorite.  Rioja Vega was this years’ winner.  The nose is long and complex with fragrances of leather, tobacco and balsamic spices.  Well structured with red fruit flavors, this wine paired well with everything from turkey to prawns.   Wines from the 2004 vintage in Spain are shaping up as the best of the new millennium.
2004 Sierra Cantabria Crianza (Rioja) $19.99 “A deep, gamey red with dark berry aromas complimented by smoked meat, tobacco and baking spices. Fleshy and sweet, with vibrant raspberry,
cherry flavors and dusty tannins. The meaty note gains strength with air and carries through the long, chewy finish. This is complex enough to drink now.” 90 points Stephen Tanzer, 90 points Wine Spectator – One of Wine Spectator’s top 100 wines of 2008.
2004 Alvear Fino en Rama, (Montilla) $12.99/500 ml  We served this on New Years Eve and its incredibly fresh flavors made us feel like we were sipping copas in the south of Spain.  Fino en Rama has yeasty aromas, a creamy texture and a tangy nuttiness which paired wonderfully with our Jamon Iberico, Marcona almonds and smoked trout.   “En Rama” means that it is unblended and unfiltered and is the first ever single vintage Fino in modern history.   Made in Montilla from the Pedro Ximenez grape, this is our new favorite fino – and it’s a great price.
Dry Sack Sherry We’ve had many requests for this sherry and it is now in stock!              
Dry Sack Medium, (Jerez) $14.99    Dry Sack Medium is the classic, distinctive blend of Palomino and Pedro Ximenez grapes that has been produced for more than one hundred years.  Aged in oak casks for six years by the traditional Solera method, it is full-bodied and lightly sweet, yet crisp. 
Dry Sack Sweet Old Oloroso (Jerez) $26.99 Dry Sack 15-Year-Old is a rare Oloroso sherry with a rich, smooth taste and dark, intense color. Aged for a minimum 15 years under the solera system, it is best served with or after dessert.  A complex flavor profile of raisins, vanilla, roasted walnuts and oak wrap up on a long, hedonistic dried fruit note.
Box Wine ($14.99/3 liter box): The ultimate inexpensive wine!   3 liters of young, fruity wine from Vino de la Tierra de Extremadura. 
 
Now, we are off to Santa Fe to visit our store there and then on to San Francisco and the West Coast Fancy Food Show!

New Years Snow Sale

New Years 2009: Well at least now the snow is gone, but we still find ourselves welcoming in the first weekend of 2009 in a store filled with unsold inventory.  Hoping to reduce that, we are kicking of the new year by holding our first ever store wide sale on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, January 2, 3 & 4th.  Come in and shop on those days and we will take 10% off your total bill when you check out.  So this is a good time to stock up on food and wine.
Holiday Hours: Open today, New Year’s Eve, 10 am to 6 pm.  Closed New Years Day.
NEW FOODS FROM TUNISIA: Les Moulins Majoub the highly respected purveyor of gourmet foods from Tunisia have introduced several new products now on our shelves.  The include Artichoke Leaves packed in olive oil and herbs, Artichoke and Seville Orange Chutney, Candied Lemon and Fig Chutney, Sweet Pepper Harissa,  and five new jams ranging from Wild Mulberry to Grapefruit marmalade.  We also have 2 ounce packages of traditionally sliced paleta serrano or paleta ibérico ready to open and serve as a New Year’s tapa (paleta is the front leg, jamon the back leg).
NEW VINTAGES OF SPANISH TABLE FAVORITE WINES HAVE ARRIVED!
2006 Bodegas El Nido Clio (Jumilla) $45.00 Made of 30% Cabernet and 70% old vine Monastrell, Clio was aged 26 months in barrique.   Exuberant aromas of earth, mushroom and leather are followed by vibrant flavors of black pepper, blueberry and black fruits.   Supple-textured and absolutely hedonistic.  With exceptional length and balance, it is full bodied and hugely delicious.  Limited quantities.
2007 Bodegas Atteca Old Vines (Calatayud) $15.99 “100% garnacha, from vines reportedly 80 to 120 years of age.  Inky purple. Ripe boysenberry and blueberry on the nose, with licorice and graphite adding complexity. Juicy dark berry preserve flavors show palate-saturating depth and impressive clarity, picking up smoky minerals with air. Energetic finishing notes of blackberry skin and candied licorice linger with impressive tenacity. According to the importer, the yield for this wine was less than one ton per hectare.” 91 points Stephen Tanzer
WELCOME 2009 WITH A SPANISH CAVA!   SOME OF OUR FAVORITES:
2003 Marques de Gelida Cava Brut Exclusive Reserva (Penedes) $12.99 A blend of Macabeo, Xarel-lo, Parellada and Chardonnay, aged 3 years minimum in the bottled.   Clean, crisp and very fruity, with pleasant hints of stone fruit and citrus.  Excellent sweet-acidic balance with a delicate and lengthy mineral finish. 
NV Torre Oria Brut Nature Cava (Utiel-Requena) $16.99  Torre Oria is made from 90% Macabeo and 10% Parellada.  Aged 36 months, it is straw yellow with pale golden reflections, bright, with very fine and abundant bubbles.  Magnificent presence on the palate, very dry, powerful and leaving a lingering aftertaste. Ideal for accompanying all types of dishes.
2005 Mont Marcal Brut Cava Reserva (Penedes) $11.99 “Bright yellow. Seductively perfumed aromas of Anjou pear, yellow apple and smoky minerals. Pliant orchard and pit fruit flavors boast very good concentration and are energized by dusty minerals, which add good back-end snap. The smoky note repeats on the long, sappy finish. This delivers serious bang for the buck. 90 points Josh Raynolds, IWC.
2005 Agusti Torello Mata Reserva Brut, (Penedes) $22.99 Torello Mata’s Kripta cava became a cult phenomenon when an influential French wine critic declared it comparable to the best French champagne.  Mata Reserva shows very fine, small bubbles that evolve slowly.   In the nose there are creamy notes of fresh butter against a background of ripe fruit.  This cava sparkles with ample development in the mouth, ripe dry fruit and toasted notes.
NV Francoli Cava Brut Reserva   $11.99 Fresh flavors of yellow apples and dried pear with exquisite bubbles on this value-priced cava.  Made from 50% Macabeo and 50% Parellada, it has been aged for 18 months and has a long satisfying finish.
NV Avinyo Cava Brut (Penedes) $17.99 “An excellent value in sparkling wine from Spain, the non-vintage Cava Brut (made from 80% free run juice and aged 18 months) is a tasty, light to medium-bodied, dry sparkler. Notes of bread dough, grapefruit, and other citrus as well as tiny pinpoint bubbles are offered in a refreshing, vigorous style.”  89 points Robert Parker

We Miss You

We miss you!  Every day it snows, we mention how much it has taken out of our lives this year not having so many of our regular customers come in for their Christmas treats, gifts and wines.  In the past, we have always been able to vicariously share your menus for holiday parties, get tips on preparing traditional old world Christmas Eve dishes such as bacalhau or cardos and be inspired by your plans for truly wonderful Christmas feasts.  This year, the mood of those of you who struggled in was less bacchanalian and more survivalist.  You showed us the mukluks you dug out of the back of your closet, stuffed a few key essentials into your backpacks, pulled up the hood on your anorak and headed back out across the ice.
 
Christmas at our house is subdued not only by the weather but by the fact that when we moved out last July so the contractor could repair extensive dry rot, we put our Christmas decorations and ornaments in storage in a facility over the edge of the hill east of Avalon here in West Seattle, a facility completely inaccessible in this weather.  But there are only a few details left to be finished on our house (like the front and back porches) and we are back home counting our blessings as we shovel snow off the driveway.
 
But here comes New Year’s 2009.  We have lots of cava in stock (actually we have lots of inventory period).  The snow is melting so come on down and share your ice and snow stories with us!
 
Closed Christmas Day; open 10 am -6 pm Friday.
 
Feliz Ano Novo!  ¡Prospero Año Nuevo!

Stocking Stuffers

The cold weather has been keeping people close to home but now Christmas is less than a week away with New Years hard on its heels.  While snow storms have us dreaming of a day on the slopes, the staff made it through the weather to open the store.   We will be open December 24, Christmas Eve from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, closed Christmas Day.  If the ice and snow keep you away this week, ¡Feliz Navidad! From all of us at The Spanish Table.
 
PARTY HELP If you still have a party to plan, tapas are easily assembled from our ready to serve, authentic Spanish foods.  For a delicious and fast tapa, serve green or black olive spread on Aegean Gourmet Golden Toasts. Piquillo Pepper Strips are delicious on top of bread covered with alioli.   A plate of mixed Iberian charcuterie with jamon iberico is always a crowd pleaser.   And a selection of artisanal cheeses is always a hit at the party table, especially when served with fried Marcona almonds and luscious dried mission figs.
 
GIFT IDEAS For cooking and presenting unusual entrees, we have red clay tagines from Morocco, copper Cataplanas from Portugal as well as our stand-by favorite: paella pans.  For dessert (or just to accompany a glass of port), chocolate truffled dried figs are back in stock as well as our belated shipment of La Casa Pralinés which has finally arrived from Spain.  For decorating, we have ¡Feliz Navidad! Papel picado banners from Mexico.   Back in stock are Urban Accents Spanish Smoked Seasoned Salt and Chipotle Popcorn salt.  Just arrived from Tunisia, olive wood cooking spoons and spatulas as well as sets of nesting bowls and preserved lemons with harissa pepper. And don’t forget our selection of imported beers from Argentina, Portugal, Morocco and Spain (Estrella Damm beer is back in stock).
 
NEW WINES THIS WEEK Complimentary red gift bags for wine are available in one or two bottle sizes.
2006 Arido Malbec, Mendoza $9.99 Called “Arido” due to the arid growing conditions in the vineyard at 3500 feet elevation.  Made of 90% Malbec and 10% Merlot, Arido has enticing aromas of vanilla and ripe berries.  Plush and intense flavors of fully ripened cherry end with a long licorice finish.   Another great value from Argentina!
2007 Cueva de Las Manos Old Vine Bonarda, Mendoza $14.99 Named for a prehistoric site in Patagonia featuring a very early form of human art and made in limited quantities, Cueva is a full bodied Bonarda.  Concentrated flavors of deep fig and black fruit with nuances of oak and black pepper are balanced by structured tannins.   The winery donates $.60 per bottle of each sale to the Cuevas de Las Manos World Heritage Site.
2006 Bodega Matarromera Melior, Ribera del Duero $11.99 I drank this wine the other night at Taberna del Alabardero and loved it!   Graceful, with well integrated tannins, it is smooth with rich, ripe black fruit.   Medium bodied with nuances of oak, it paired wonderfully with our delicious croquetas and perfectly fried calamari. 
2005 Matarromera Crianza, Ribera del Duero $26.99   “Purple colored, it has a fragrant nose of cedar, pencil lead, tobacco, spice box and blackberry. This leads to a dense, medium to full-bodied wine with significant structure.  With more than enough fruit for balance, this packed wine will evolve for 3 to 5 years and drink well through 2025.”   90 points Wine Advocate
2001 Viña Amezola Crianza Rioja $16.99 OK, this isn’t a new wine but it’s been a customer favorite and we just picked up the last 3 cases of this vintage from the distributor.   It was terrific the other night with our lamb moussaka.   2001 was a powerful vintage and Amezola is drinking beautifully right now.  With a traditional Rioja bouquet of cedar and leather, it finishes with clean black cherry notes and plenty of vibrancy on the palate.
           
Ask about our bottles of very old Riojas! 
 
STOCKING STUFFERS FOR WINE DRINKERS
Kopke 10 year Tawny Port 375 ml $14.99   This would qualify as a 15 year Tawny if that category existed.  With macaroon and almond flavors, it has earthy tones and a creamy finish.  Deep, ambrosial flavors and mouth-filling richness result from masterful blending. 
Segura Viudas Brut Reserva cava 187 ml $2.99
Segura Viudas Brut Rose cava 187 ml $2.99
Codorniu Brut Cava 187 ml $3.59
2005 Michael Florentino Vintage $24.99 This port-style wine is a blend of Touriga, Tinta Cao, Soyzao, and Tinta Madeira.  Rich and full bodied, this hand crafted artisanal wine is made in Columbia Valley, WA.
Wines of Spain by Jan Read ($14.95) Compact enough to take on a trip to Spain, it covers the classic wines of Spain plus many emerging regions.  Details on the top bodegas, and includes notes on gastronomy, recommended hotels and restaurants.
STOCKING STUFFERS FOR COOKS AND FOOD LOVERS
Mini Chinata olive oil soaps  $.89   Rich and creamy soap made from olive oil.
Blanxart Cacao $4.99   I think about hot chocolate when it snows!
Serpis Manzanilla pitted olives $1.79/6 oz plastic bag
Tapas Deck by Jose Andres $14.95 The award-winning Spanish chef shares 50 classic tapas recipes.
Piment d’Esplette A.O.C.  We’ve got this hard to find pepper! $14.49/45 gram
Valor Chocolate “Little Secrets” chocolate truffles   $5.39/63 gram
European Travel Journal Planning a trip in 2009?  This slender journal is lightweight but big enough to hold a ton of travel experiences.      $4.99  
Mini tins (50 gram) of Ybarra anchovy olives $3.99/set of 3
The Tagine Deck, a box of 25 recipe cards for slow-cooked meals ($14.95)
Olive wood mortars with pestles (various sizes)
 
CHEESE CORNER    This is the year of Catalan Cheeses here at the Seattle Spanish Table and we’re anxiously awaiting the arrival of two new artisinal cheeses this week:
GARROTXA BLANCAFORT: We brought this one back by popular demand. Many of you are already familiar with this young luscious goat’s milk cheese.  Garrotxa is a certified D.O. cheese and has nuances of flowers, hints of thyme and rosemary which reflect the goats’ Mediterranean diet. Nutty flavors are encased in a smooth and velvety texture that has a long buttery finish.
CANTELL: From the makers of Nevat comes another new exciting cheese from Catalonia. This aged goat cheese is made from pasteurized milk and tastes of dry fruit with no bitterness, leaving clean perfumes on the palate. The hard rind of this cheese is both smoky and sweet-a flavor that permeates throughout the whole wheel.
 
Eating out during the holidays?  Craving Spanish food?  We recommend these restaurants: Olivar, Taberna del Alabardero, Txori, the Harvest Vine, Bilbao, and Gaudi.