A New Twist on an Old Favorite

August 21, 2001

Numerous years ago, before we discovered Spain, we took many a road trip to Northern California in the old Dodge van. We camped at Crater Lake, spent time in Mendocino, and loaded up the van with Zinfindels from Napa and Sonoma. So when we were invited to do a cookbook signing and paella demonstration at the Point Reyes Farmer’s Market last weekend, we couldn’t pass it up.  

Point Reyes is located about an hour north of our Mill Valley shop. It’s a forty mile long peninsula jutting into the Pacific ocean and is populated with dairy farms whose placid bovines roam bucolic pastures and provide the raw material for the famous Point Reyes cheese.

The best part of making a paella at a farmer’s market, aside from the great breakfast choices like pork-tomatillo panini, is the array of incredible fresh ingredients.

We brought Zoe Meats chorizo with us, and added fresh onions, garlic, squash, peppers, green and purple beans, piquillo peppers, Ferrer brand Sofrito sauce, saffron, rice and chicken stock and finished it with squash blossoms. It looked amazing and the flavor was sublime! It was the best kind of make-it-up-on-the-spot recipe but also may be tough to replicate.

And the next time you’re in Point Reyes, make sure to dine at Osteria Stellina. It was fantastic!

www.osteriastellina.com

Being close to our Bay Area locations meant that we also cooked paellas at each store.

Our Amontillado and Chicken Paella with Chorizo is always a crowd pleaser and the ultimate in simplicity, perfect for a paella demo. Recipe from The Spanish Table cookbook: (serves 4)

 

1/4 cup Spanish olive oil

4 chicken thighs

Approximately 16 strands of saffron

1 large onion, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 links Spanish chorizo

2 cups Spanish short-grain Valencian rice, preferably bomba

1 cup medium dry Amontillado sherry

3 cups chicken stock

Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch paella pan and brown the chicken. Stir in the onions, sautéing until wilted, and then add the garlic, cooking another minute or two. Add the chorizo and cook until the fat is released. Then stir in the rice to coat and add the sherry.

Bring to a boil. When the sherry is absorbed by the rice, add the stock and saffron, reduce the heat, and simmer until the rice is done, about 20-25 minutes.

 

Jehan cleaned up the pan in front of our Berkeley store.

 

 

NEW WHITE WINES

2008 Cabriz Encruzado, Dao ($13.99) A single vineyard wine, Cabriz is made from the Encruzado grape, and produced in limited quantities. Aged 6 months in oak using the battonage process, it has flavors of crisp pear and buttered toast . A creamy texture with a dry and lingering finish make this a wonderful accompaniment to seafood in cream sauce.

2008 Sete Cepas Albariño, Rias Baixas ($17.99)

Very much a family project, Sete Cepas refers to the wine making team of 7 brothers. Produced near the coast, each sip has the tang of sea air with aromas of white peach. Loaded with minerality and lemon zest flavors, Sete Cepas has lively acidity with notes of stone fruit, pear and great finesse. Excellent with shellfish!

Luis Pato Maria Gomez Bruto Vinho Espumante ($14.99) The Maria Gomez grape (called Fernáo Pires in other regions of Portugal) has extraordinary aromas and capacity to produce distinctive wines with strong character. Maria Gomez Bruto is a light and crisp sparkling wine showing the delicate floral and orange-lime citrus flavors characteristic of the grape. A persistent, dry finish with soft bubbles make this a terrific choice for pairing with rich cheeses or seafood.

Luis Pato Casta Baga Bruto Rosé Vinho Espumante ($14.99) Luis Pato is one of the most respected oenologists in Portugal and has earned the nickname “King of Baga”. The Baga grape is complex, with powerful tannins and ripe berry flavors and Casta Baga Bruto Rosé exemplifies Luis Pato’s mastery of this grape. A crisp and dry sparkling rosé wine, it shows minerality along with its full fruit flavors. The typical structured tannins are subdued into a silky finish in this delightful rosé. Absolutely divine with roast suckling pig, the signature dish of Pato’s region.

NEW RED WINES

2007 Andeluna Malbec, Mendoza ($8.99) Hand crafted in collaboration with Michel Rolland, Andeluna Malbec has a touch of Merlot and Cabernet, and 7 months aging in French and American oak. Round and ripe flavors of plum, cherry and blackberry are rounded out by notes of chocolate. Lush black currant and coffee compliment the sweet tannins and produce an exceptional value. Serve it with grilled lamb burgers!

2005 Rondan Crianza (Rioja) $11.99 The new vintage of Rondan Crianza is one of our favorite value Riojas. Produced from 90% Tempranillo and 10% Garnacha, the grapes are hand picked and aged in American oak for 18 months. With intense depth of black cherry flavors and notes of pepper and musk, this is a traditional Rioja with clean fruit flavors. Ample but not overpowering tannins with balanced acidity make this a great food wine. Serve it with pork or rice dishes.

2001 Marques de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial Rioja ($60.00) Just arrived! 2001 was a legendary vintage, and this wine was featured in last week’s New York Times Rioja article. “Impressively complex bouquet of dried red fruits, tobacco, cedar and potpourri. A spicy, subtly sweet midweight, offering lively redcurrant and bitter cherry flavors and very soft tannins. The smoky finish features a strong echo of cedary spice.” 92 points Stephen Tanzer

To read the New York Times article, follow this link: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/12/dining/12pour.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=rioja&st=cse

2006 Don Nicanor Blend, Mendoza ($17.99) A blend of equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Merlot, this Argentinean red is full-bodied with concentrated ripe berry and casssis notes. 12 months of aging in new French oak provide notes of vanilla and lush tannins. The pure finish has a touch of cherry skin and black tea. This is a complex wine, extremely well balanced and a fantastic match for grilled steak with blue cheese.

DELI SPECIALS

Zoe Meats Chorizo

New Sale Price $20.99

Our all time favorite chorizo is now on sale. These ‘food service’ size chorizos are over a pound and a half. They are the definitely the best value and the tastiest chorizo in our case. We recommend slicing and serving as a tapa or making Bocadillos.

Zamorano Cheese

Most of you are familiar with this artisanal Spanish cheese produced in Castilla Leon, in the Zamorano province. It is made with milk from the Churra Eve sheep which is high in fat and gives particularly high-quality milk. Complex, full bodied, moist and subtly tangy with lingering parmesan notes. Serve Zamorano with ham, melon, pears, tomatoes, crusty bead and a solid Spanish red wine.

Now available pre-cut in our deli grab-and-go case. Sale price: $17.99/lb.

 

NEW PRODUCTS

The New Portuguese Table cookbook by David Leite ($32.50) Written by the American-born son of an immigrant Portuguese family, David Leite learned to cook hearty Portuguese dishes at his grandmother’s side. Traveling to Portugal, the author discovered the traditional ingredients reimagined in modern cuisine and was inspired to write this cookbook. Leite melds the classic and contemporary, introducing innovative modern dishes in over 100 recipes.

Dende Oil – Also called palm oil, it is an essential ingredient in moqueca, the sumptious Brazilian seafood stew

Homemade Plum Membrillo from Spain, made from quince and plum.

Valenciano crackers flavored with Rosemary

Reganas - Andalucian tapas crackers made with Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Guarana Brazilian soft drinks, now including Diet!

Wild Lavender Honey from Murcia Spain – Excellent with goat cheese!

 

SPANISH WINE DINNER

Join us at Taberna del Alabardero for a selected tasting of Jorge Ordonez wines, on Wednesday Sept. 2nd, 6 p.m. Special attendance by Sara Floyd, M.S. who will talk about the five wines, each paired with a separate course. $75.00 (tax and service charge not included). For reservations and information: 206.448.8884, for more details, click this link:

http://www.alabardero.com/seattle/2-September-09Jorge%20Ordonez%20DinnerWEB.pdf

 

FLAMENCO PERFORMANCE

Saturday August 22nd Carmona Flamenco, featuring guest artist Ana Montes. 8:00 p.m., Solstice Cafe, 4116 University Way $20.00 information: 206.932.4067 http://www.fanw.org

 

Have a great week!

 

Sincerely,

 

Sharon Baden and Steve Winston, Owners

The Spanish Table

Great Memories

Too often, days fade into memory like the Bainbridge ferry disappearing into fog. But there are also times that are simply unforgettable, such as our trip to Cordoba where we waited in line for hours to see a flamenco concert we’d stumbled upon by accident. It was a sensational show featuring Jose Merce, Jose Menese and Chocolate. The raw emotions I felt that night turned me into an aficionado of cante flamenco.

The next morning’s visit to Bodegas Toro Albala was just as memorable. For starters, it was raining so hard that the wine maker had to drive us across the parking lot. Situated in a former electric plant since 1922, the tiny bodega is a hands-on operation which produces phenomenal sherries. Known for their dessert wines such as the Don PX Gran Reserva, they tasted us through their selection and I was blown away by the Fino Electrico. All of Toro Albala’s sherries are made from 100% Pedro Ximenez which has sufficient residual sugar so that fortification is unnecessary, in contrast to sherries produced in D.O. Jerez from the palomino grape. We’ve stocked the Don PX Gran Reserva for years but the rest were not available until now. This week we received 4 new sherries from Toro Albala.

NEW SHERRIES FROM BODEGAS TORO ALBALA

Fino Electrico ($11.99) Aromas of yeast meet pungent flavors of green olive and almonds. Bone dry, intense and great with salty jamon iberico.

Amontillado Viejisimo ($29.99) This superb wine is an average of 30 years old. Great intensity of rich roasted nuts, dried fruit and leather with a seemingly endless finish.

Oloroso Viejo ($17.99) From soleras and reserve stocks approaching a century in age, Oloroso Viejo displays a round, velvety texture with aromas of butterscotch. Essentially dry, it is also rich with notes of caramel and a dry persistent finish.

Cream PX ($17.99) A blend of 10-year-old Oloroso which has been enriched with Don PX Gran Reserva. A complex and refined palate caressing wine, it melds flavors of dried fruit and raisins with balanced acidity.

NOTABLE NEW WINES

2004 Castell de Les Pinyeres, Montsant ($15.99) A blend of Grenache, Carignan, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo, this is an old world wine with panache. “Energetic spiced raspberry and cherry on the nose, with white pepper and cinnamon qualities adding complexity. Fresh, finely etched red fruit flavors are intense but almost weightless, with bracing minerality adding nerve. Pure strawberry and raspberry flavors dominate the long, refreshingly brisk finish. There’s a pinot noir-like vivacity to this wine that is extremely appealing.” 90 points Stephen Tanzer

2005 El Castro de Valtuille, Bierzo ($34.00) Winemaker Raul Perez is breathing life into these old vineyards. Made from vines between 50-60 years old, El Castro de Valtuille is 100% Mencia. It has spent 14 months in one year old barrels to let the intense fruit shine through. Elegant, tannic and structured with a persistent finish, this has amazing concentration. Absolutely wonderful! 90 points Stephen Tanzer, 92 points Robert Parker

FELIZ CINCO DE MAYO! Need ingredients for a party this weekend? Try some of our Mexican specialties:

Habanero lollipops ($1.59) Warning! Very hot adult candy. Marilyn says “Yum – tingles the tip of your tongue.”

La Morena Chipotle Sauce $2.79/7 oz Smoked hot peppers essential for many Mexican recipes

Cocina Mestiza salsas ($7.99/22 oz) Choose from Serrano, Chipotle or Habanera. Grab some chips and the appetizer is ready!

Los Chileros New Mexican whole dried peppers, posole, chile powder, chicos y mas.

We have an extensive selection of general and regional Mexican cookbooks, from $5.99 and up.

NEW VALUE WINES UNDER $10.00

2007 Juan de Valdelana Rioja ($9.99) Made of 90% Tempranillo, 5% Graciano and 5% Viura, this young Rioja has plenty of verve in a traditional style. Valdelana has cherry aromas with flavors of black currant, boysenberry and a touch of spice. Well balanced with a persistent finish, this wine has enough acidity to balance out paella or grilled sausages.

2008 Higueruela, Almansa ($9.99) Higueruela is made from 100% Garnacha Tintorera (also called Alicante Bouchet), from low-yielding vines between 30 and 80 years old. Aged in stainless steel tanks, it has a fruity aroma which reveals black cherry flavors and moderate tannins. Higueruela has an appealing earthiness with great lift on the finish. 87 points Jay Miller, Recommend Best Buy

2005 El Cipres Malbec, Menoza ($9.99) 100% Malbec from the 70 year old Don Angelino vineyard at 2800 feet above sea level, El Cipres presents a delicious blend of red and black fruits supported by soft, smooth

NEW PRODUCTS

tannins. Smoky and meaty, serve this with a slab of grilled beef and chimichurri sauce.

Isastegi Basque cider ($10.99) is back in stock at long last! We now have two distinctive ciders in stock. Isastegi is tart green apple flavored with a fresh finish. Bereziartua cider ($9.99) is loaded with fermented fruit. Try one of each and compare!

Seven Fires, Grilling the Argentine Way by Francis Mallmann ($35.00) We ate at Mallmann’s 1884 Restaurant in Buenos Aires and it was an amazing experience. When South America’s most venerated chef published a cookbook, we had to stock it. Filled with mouth watering photos of everything from empanadas to assorted meats cooking over coals, if you like playing with fire, this is a must-have book.

Clos Mogador extra virgin olive oil ($37.00): Produced in limited quantities by Rene Barbier’s Priorat estate, this is a cold extraction of arbequina, rojol and empeltre olives. Amazingly buttery with grassy notes, it is full flavored with a peppery finish. So good it’s hard to stop dipping bread into it.

Now back in stock: Choricero dried peppers ($19.99/7 oz)

Access from the Pike Place Market: The stairs between the Market and Western Avenue will be closed for several months for construction and utility work. In the meantime, the other stairs are still open and the elevator is working. The market is installing signage to help folks find their way to Western Avenue.

We hope to see you soon, and have a great week!

Regards,

Sharon Baden and Steve Winston, Owners

The Spanish Table

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!

Day of the Dead in Oaxaca

October 23rd, 2008

Next Tuesday night, we are flying off to Oaxaca for a week of tasting moles and steeping ourselves in the atmosphere of Los Dias de Muertos.   Rooted in pre-Columbian rituals, the annual, decorative ceremony pays respect to the departed.  The markets and park stalls will be filled with sugar skulls, paper-mache skeletons and marigolds. While we are gone, Isaac Rivera from our Santa Fe store will be helping out here in Seattle again.  If you met him when he was here last May, drop in and say hello.
Some new stuff now in the store:
COPPER CATAPLANAS: These Portuguese clam cookers are back in time for Christmas but at much higher prices ($80.00 to $160 each).  4 sizes, 23cm, 26cm, 29cm & 33cm.  New flat bottoms and shrink wrapped without being lacquered making them easier to use (Available Friday, October 24th).
BLACK GLAZED CAZUELAS: What we expect to be a one-time import, we have brought in some open cazuelas and some bean pots with lids glazed in black.  Our supplier gave us a price break on these so if we do import them again, it will be at a higher price.
EUROPEAN STYLE MUSTARDS Since 1996, our supplier Kitty Keller has wanted to import coarse mustard made with Banyuls vinegar, but couldn’t do it because U.S. Customs collects a 100% duty on all European mustards as a retaliatory tariff.  Eventually, she found a U.S. firm she liked and trusted to do her private recipes.  Here is her line‑up:
BANYULS MUSTARD:This is coarse mustard with French-Catalan Vinegar of Banyuls, a touch of water, mustard seeds, Spanish sea salt containing no anti‑caking or flowing agents and a dash of turmeric to keep the color.
DIJON MUSTARD: This is what Dijon style mustard should be: mustard seed, water, vinegar, sea salt.
DIJON TRUFFLE MUSTARD: The addition of a substantial ration of truffle bits and truffle essence to this silky mustard will take your jamon y queso on baguette up more than a notch.  What you will have is a heavenly bocadillo.
RUSSIAN MUSTARD: Not from Kitty Keller – a Gorbachev Babushka doll adorns the label of this post-cold war, imported hot mustard.
QUESOS
MONTCABRER:  Spanish Table Exclusive!  This beautiful charcoal and grey rind wheel of cheese is made by the famous cheese maker, Josep of Nevat. A Catalonian original, this semi-firm goat cheese is bathed in vegetable oil and charcoal and aged for 90 days. The texture is creamy and slightly chalky. The flavors are sweetly herbaceous with mushroom overtones, and a subdued tangy finish.
DOM VILLAS QUEIJO DE VACA CURADO:  Dom Villas is a cow’s milk curado aged 6 months.  This Farmstead cheese is made on a small cooperative of four people near the costal area north of Porto Friesia, Portugal. The texture is creamy and springy. Dom Villas is washed in brine to enhance its herbaceous mildly piquant buttery flavors.
KITTY KELLER’S SALTS
BLACK TRUFFLE SALT: Kitty also combines black winter truffle powder and truffle essence for flavor and truffle scent.  Election night, what could be better than a bottle of chilled Cava and popcorn dusted with Black Truffle Salt?
SAFFRON SALT: Simply stellar Spanish sea salt with bits of saffron threads and a tasty custom ground saffron powder.  This is terrific dusted over shrimp to be grilled or rubbed on chicken which turns a beautiful color when roasted and has great flavor!
PIQUILLO BLOW-OUT: This week, Napoleon Piquillo Peppers from Peru are a beat-the-Euro, low, low price of just $2.99 a jar. Stock up while our floor-stack lasts!
POEMA BRUT CAVA $8.99: Crisp night air and cool coastal waters translate into bright and juicy tasting citrus and sea shell which compliment this sparkler with its aromas of pears, toast and orange zest.  Price just reduced from $10.99!
NV ALANDRA RED ALENTEJO $6.99:  We mentioned this Portuguese wine in our email last week.  Saturday night, we took it to a wine tasting where it showed itself off in a blind tasting of 14 wines scoring in the top tier.  Bursting with flavor, it is the best value in the store right now.  Look for it on top of the wine barrel marked “Great Value.”
TERRAI BLANCO MACABEO CARIÑENA, $6.99: Floral, fruity, tropical flavors with a bit of a tart citrus finish makes this white wine perfect for sipping while you catch the latest election shenanigans.  Or turn off the TV and pair it with cheese and one of our fig jams.
NUNTIUS CARIÑENA ‘07, $12.99: After tasting 25 variations, Bellingham importer Basilio Grueso of Casa Ventura Imports came up with this power packed wine blended from garnacha, syrah and tempranillo.  Earthy and smokey with hints of rose petal, you won’t find a better bottle of wine under $15.00.  Look for the red label with a branch and a bird.
As we mentioned last week, Basilio and Andaluca Restaurant are putting on a Spanish Wine Dinner, this Friday October 24th.   A six course meal pairs a different wine with each plate that’s guaranteed to knock your socks off!  The cost is $99 per person.   For details or reservations, contact Andaluca Restaurant 206-382-6999 or email kkhoshdel@andaluca.com
PLAVAC CROATIAN RED DRY WINE: This Dalmatian red from the Dingnac winery is reminiscent of the village wines made in Spain 20 years ago and sold to people who brought their own 5 liter jug to the winery along with a handful of pesetas.  The donkey loaded with wicker saddle bags filled with grapes telegraphs its pre-Parkerian character, unspoiled by flattery or adulation.  At $15.99, it is neither a value nor a discovery but it is a trip down memory lane.  Drink it with eggplant baked in Ajvar.
BOOK:  SPAIN A Culinary Road Trip, Mario Batali with Gwyneth Paltrow: Companion to the PBS television series, this book is filed with fun photos of both food and celebrities; travel tips and great recipes.  Now in stock!
By the way, if you want to participate in Day of the Dead, here at The Spanish Table we have folding paper altars, greeting cards, books, papel picado banners, paper mache skulls and plastic molds for making sugar skulls so that you can have your own Day of the Dead celebration. We also have a range of Moles so you can prepare your own Day of the Dead feast.