Certain memories of Spain linger in our minds years after the details of the trip has faded. One of these enduring images is of mothers in black, the mamacitas, inhabiting the white washed villages we visited during the 1980’s. They were the last of a generation and part of an agrarian culture that stretched back across eons of time. They were mothers who gave birth to their children at home under the watchful eye of a midwife. Mothers who prepared their childrens’ meals from whatever ingredients were available, what we call Cocina Pobre, in The Spanish Table cookbook. Mothers who kept the home fire burning and whose love was rich beyond measure. ¡Feliz Dia de Madre!

MOTHER’S DAY GIFT IDEAS

Mothers Day is Sunday May 10

EXCEPTIONAL CHEESES

For Moms that are cheese aficionados, these quesos make a sensational addition to any brunch or gift basket!

Peña Corado: This new blue cheese is picking up serious momentum among cheese connoisseurs. Voluptuous & buttery, Peña Corado is high in moisture with a compact supple texture. Rich, creamy, sweet and salty, it has a long blue finish and is a perfect partner for crisp fruit.

Sharon’s favorite cheese, Monte Enebro is back in stock. Made by one man, this phenomenal soft goat cheese is coated with ash. It is spreadable, creamy and tangy. It melts on your tongue and is a full-flavored cheese.

NEW MEATS

Rillettes de Périgord-Duck Meat Pate, all natural A traditional French dish, Rillettes du Perigord are made of the finest duck meat and seasoned duck fat. The meat is simmered in spices, juices, and fat, and left to soak up as much flavor as possible. The saturated meat is then pounded into a spread. Delicious with Arrope, (Grape Must With Pumpkin).

Truffle Mousse Paté Made from velvety chicken livers, scrumptious truffles,earthy porcini mushrooms and marinated in sherry. Artisanally produced with all natural ingredients, it pairs perfectly with Cava. – Jorge

Mother’s Day special through Sunday May 10th:

Cheese

Recieve a complimentary $15.00 gift certificate with purchase of the new edition Spanish Table cookbook by Steve Winston($30.00).

La Cocina de Mama by Penelope Casas ($29.95) 175 recipes gathered from great chefs and traditional home cooks from every region in Spain, representing the best of Spanish recipes handed down through generations of Spanish “mamas”.

Clos Mogador Olive Oil ($37.00)From Rene Barbier’s legendary estate in Priorat, this is one of the most complex oils we’ve tasted. Drizzle over grilled fish or vegetables for a savory finish.

Valor Chocolate Little Secrets ($5.39/2.2 oz) These chocolate truffles from Spain’s premier chocolatier are guaranteed to please Mothers who love chocolate!

Teas ($4.99/25 bags): Choose from Lemon tea, Camomille with Anise, Tea with Saffron or Peppermint.

Sunny Tunisian yellow and red ceramics (pictured above), including tea pots and mugs. Cheerful on any table!

Made in Spain DVDs with Jose Andres ($31.49). Let Mom follow chef Andres around Spain without buying an airplane ticket.

GREAT WINES FOR SPECIAL MEALS

2005 Vistalba Corte B, Mendoza ($22.99) 70% Malbec & 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, Vistalba’s high altitude vineyard has an amazing diurnal swing of 60° F, allowing excellent color and tannin development. Aged 12 months in French oak, Vistalba has dark red fruit aromas with hints of tobacco, chocolate, vanilla, cassis and clove. “Lush and round, with velvety-textured tannins carrying ample layers of plum sauce, crushed currant and fig fruit and dark licorice notes. Stays admirably fresh on the hefty finish, with a nice buried black tea hint.” 92 points Wine Spectator Smart Buy

2005 Matarromera Crianza, Ribera del Duero ($26.99) Hefty, complex and rich with notes of vanilla, graphite, and cassis liqueur. Fig, smoke, black cherry and mineral elements give lift and balance to the structured tannins. 90 points Jay Miller

2003 Remelluri Rioja ($34.99) Elegant and accessible, the 2003 Remelluri provies how a great winemaker can produce a spectacular wine even in a difficult vintage. “Gamey cherry and plum on the nose, with a complex array of herbal and floral qualities adding complexity. Shockingly fresh and poised, with bitter cherry and blackcurrant flavors, chewy texture and fine-grained tannins. Finishes juicy, clean and precise, with a peppery kick. This is drinking very nicely right now.” 90 points Stephen Tanzer

2004 LAN Culmen Reserva ($75.00) “This beautiful modern red offers a velvety texture supported by ripe, well-integrated tannins and plenty of sweet toasty oak. Plum and boysenberry fruit is ripe and fresh. Very expressive, yet with great concentration. Mineral and tobacco notes add complexity. Powerful and complete. Drink now through 2025.” 96 points Wine Spectator

2006 Mas D’En Compte Tinto, Priorat (40.00) ” 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

NEW WINES

FROM LATIN AMERICA:

2007 Árido Malbec, Mendoza ($9.99) We discovered how great Arido Malbec was six months ago and now The Wine Spectator will be featuring it in a future issue. Get it while you can – once reviewed, wines quickly sell out. “Ripe and focused, with a solid beam of raspberry fruit laced with sweet spice, toast and fruitcake notes, followed by a juicy finish. Drink now.” 88 points Wine Spectator Best Values

2006 Vistalba Corte C, Mendoza ($10.99) Winemaker Carlos Pulenta has crafted a rich and balanced red wine in his blend of 80% Malbec and 20% Merlot. Flavors of ripe boysenberry with black tea notes and structured tannins go down all too easily. “Juicy, with a nice compact core of plum sauce and fig that should unwind nicely, supported by licorice, fruitcake and black tea notes.” 88 points Wine Spectator Great value!

2006 Casa Lapostolle Cabernet Sauvignon Rapel Valley Chile, ($13.99) “Red berries and spiced plum on the nose, with a light mineral quality adding energy. Silky in texture, with midweight raspberry and bitter chocolate flavors and good finishing grip. Attractively fresh wine.” 88 points Stephen Tanzer

FESTIVE SPARKLING WINES:

NV Cavas Hill Brut de Brut Reserva Artesania ($9.99) Cavas Hill Brut de Brut is made in the traditional cava method with fermentation in the bottle and aging on lees for 20 months. Clean and crisp, it has very small, fine and delicate bubbles with fruit aromas. Green apple flavors provide great freshness and it has a creamy, elegant and pleasantly long finish.

Agusti Torello Mata Rosat Reserva Brut 2006, Penedes ($24.99) A glass of this crisp sparkling rose turns any day into a special occasion. “The 2006 Rosat-Repat was sourced from Trepat vines over 65 years of age. Deep pink in color, it has a lovely bouquet of rose petals, strawberry and raspberry. It reveals a steady stream of small, persistent bubbles, a crisp, refreshing mid-palate and outstanding depth of flavor.” 92 points Robert Parker Top 5 Wine Values

SPECIAL EVENTS:

Spanish Table cook book appearance at Metropolitan Market

Join Spanish Table owner Steve Winston for a cookbook signing and recipe tasting:

Thursday May 7th, 4-6 pm Proctor store

Friday May 8th, 4-6 Admiral store

Saturday May 9th, 4-6 Sand Point store

For more information: http://metropolitan-market.com/happenings/index.phph?page=3

Pike Place Market Flower Festival Saturday & Sunday May 9-10

40 + farmers are expected to take part in this first annual festival. Farmers will set up tents on the cobblestone parking area and will offer cut flowers, seeds, bulbs and flower starts for sale.

Saturday, May 9, “Flamenco de Noche” one night only, 8:00 p.m. at the historic Rendezvous Jewelbox theatre in Belltown. Dancer Savannah Fuentes is bringing singer/dancer Stephanie Pedraza from Vancouver and guitarist Mark Ferguson from Portland to join singer/dancer Esther Marion and guitarist Rafael Vargas in a very traditional flamenco show. Tickets:

www.brownpapertickets.com

Saturday June 12 “Arte Profundo Flamenco” one night only, 8 pm at Columbia City Theater. Featuring special guest from Sevilla, singer Jesus Montoya with dancers Esther Marion and Savannah Fuentes, guitarists Rafael Vargas and Mark Ferguson. For more information: 206-937-4994 http://arteprofundoflamenco.blogspot.com Tickets available at www.brownpapertickets.com

SPANISH COOKING SEMINARS

Taberna del Alabardero operates restaurants, hotels and cooking schools in Spain and recently opened a restaurant in Seattle’s Belltown. Always eager to learn the secrets of professionals, I took the first of their outstanding cooking series this week. A group of us learned what to do when a tortilla espanola falls apart and how to coax every bit of flavor into a savory seafood paella, among other things. Not only do students watch Chef Larrosa explain and prepare each dish, it’s all served for lunch afterwards. Every Tuesday in May at 11:30 A.M. For more information:

http://www.alabardero.com/seattle/May%20Seminars.pdf

We hope to see you soon in the shop, and in the meantime have a great week!

Sincerely,

Sharon Baden & Steve Winston
Owners, The Spanish Table

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

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!

FEASTS

November 20th, 2008

We love the Spanish tradition of linking celebrations with special foods.  And the celebration goes full throttle in Iberia, from harvest festivals to religious holidays.  During the saffron festival in Albacete a few Octobers ago, harvest took place in the morning and by night restaurants served an astonishing array of dishes, using saffron in breads to desserts.  One spring, we stumbled upon La Calcotada just outside of Barcelona.  Thousands of whole calcots (a large green onion similar to a ramp), were being grilled over a wood fire and served with a bib and a side of romesco sauce.  During Moors and Christians week, the festival banquets begin with tapas of jamon serrano and queso manchego and follow with plate after plate of roast lamb, chicken, sausages and potatoes, all accompanied by music, singing, and a lot of wine. 
            Since we love food and wine, our favorite American holiday is Thanksgiving.  A celebration of the harvest, it’s also a day to slow down, savor the flavors of the season and give thanks for our tremendous bounty.  Remember that cut up left over turkey and some turkey broth, are a great start on a spontaneous paella.
MANTECADOS & POLVORONES:The annual arrival of Mantecados & Polvorones at The Spanish Table always conjures up visions of Christmas with a touch of Spain.  We also already have in stock of selected CDs with holiday music from Spain.
CLEMENTINE OLIVE OIL: The Casa Pons family squeezes whole Clementine oranges with their Arbequina olives to make this flavored extra virgin olive oil.  The citrus flavor is great on baby Spinach or carrot salad.  My carrot salad had the following ingredients:
CARROT SALAD:
Shredded Carrot
Clementine EVOO
Sherry Vinegar
Chopped Dates
Diced Feta Cheese
Pine Nuts
Cumin
Salt
 
THANKSGIVING WINES            We stocked the wine department for the holidays with extra quantities of our best selling wines on hand for those who want to take advantage of our 10% case discount.   We’ve got new rare wines for collectors, more cava, ports and Sherries, and table wines to meet any palate or budget.
2007 Terra Antiga Vinho Verde $7.99 Just arrived! Our newest vinho verde is just off the ship.   Grassy aromas compliment its delicate granny smith apple flavors and refreshing effervescence.  Lively and sassy, Terra Antiga is a perfect wine to serve with afternoon Thanksgiving appetizers. 
2006 Legado Muñoz Garnacha, Vino de la Tierra de Castilla $8.99 Driving the route of Don Quixote through arid farmlands, you’ll come across Viñedos y Bodegas Muñoz, about 50 kilometers east of Toledo.  The scorching heat of summer fully ripens the grapes of this region, but the cool nights ensure that the wine is well balanced with great acidity.  Legado Muñoz is a smooth, juicy wine with flavors of cherry skin and blueberry.  Notes of spice and mineral notes are well integrated with light tannins.  Muñoz is great with braised pork dishes.
2006 Higueruela, Almansa $9.99 This sturdy wine is made from 88% Garnacha Tintorera and 12% Syrah.  Loaded with kirsch and ripe black cherry flavors, notes of toast, licorice, black tea and chocolate, Higueruela is supported by firm tannins.   Well knit with hints of mocha on the finish, this wine is great with any savory dish or stuffing.
2006 La Posta Pizzella Malbec, Mendoza $17.99   La Posta is juicy, elegant and complex.  Grown at an elevation of 3050 feet and aged 10 months in French oak, it has cherry aromas and a hint of nutmeg.   Vibrant red and black berry flavors along with sandalwood are balanced by great acidity.  With a lingering finish of licorice, this is a fantastic Malbec for $17.99.                            
Collector’s corner
2004 Bodegas Y Vinedos Maurodos San Roman Toro $57.00 One of Wine Spectator’s Top 15 Spanish Wines of 2008   6 bottles available  “Alluring plum, blackberry, cola and spice cake flavors are rich and balanced in this expressive red.  There’s plenty of structure, but it doesn’t get in the way of the flavors, and the spicy, floral finish is long and fresh.”  94 points Wine Spectator
2005 Cyclo Christina Ribera del Duero ($55.00) 150 cases produced “Cyclo Christina is 100% Tinto Fino from a single 150-year-old vineyard.  It was barrel-fermented and aged for 21 months in new French oak.  Opaque-purple colored, it reveals a fragrant nose of toasty new oak, pencil lead, floral notes, blueberry and blackberry.  This is followed by a plush, ripe, full-flavored wine with excellent depth and breadth…”   94 points Wine Advocate
2004 Clos Mogador Priorat $88.00   “The 2004 is a tour de force.  More extracted and backward than the 2003 it demands a decade of cellaring.  Saturated… expressive perfume of mocha, coffee & violets in addition to toasty oak, earth, blue and black fruits.”   96 points Robert Parker, 94 points Stephen Tanzer
2005 Clos Mogador Priorat $92.00 “The 2005 Mogador is the first wine in Spain entitled to the new classification “Vi de Finca Qualificada.”  The garnacha vines are over 80 years old and the other varieties have been planted since the 1980s… The wine has a superb bouquet of toasty oak, pencil lead, mineral, blackberry and black cherry.  This leads to an opulent, dense, packed, structured wine with 6-8 years aging potential.  Super concentrated, sweetly fruited and complex, this tour de force wine will drink well from 2012 to 2040.”    98 points Jay Miller
2006 Numanthia-Termes Termanthia Toro ($225.00) One bottle available   530 cases produced.   The 2005 Termanthia received 97 points from The Wine Advocate and 95 points from Stephen Tanzer for its superb depth of black fruit, mineral, seductive spices and balance.  The 2006 hasn’t been rated yet but don’t wait.
 
Thinking about a Spanish influenced side dish for Thanksgiving?   Here’s a link to The New York Times’ Spanish Potato, Ham and Piquillo Pepper Croquetas recipe as well as one to this weeks Seattle Times recipe for chicken in Spanish Almond sauce:
 
.  http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/19/dining/192arex.html?scp=1&sq=piquillo&st=cse
 
 
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/foodwine/2008407593_recipe19chicken.html