Spanish Table Seattle Newsletter November 6, 2009

A Visit to Blandy’s Wine Lodge, Madeira

Madeira lies in the Atlantic Ocean 378 miles west of Morocco. A volcanic island, its sub tropical climate and abundant rainfall seem an unlikely place for wine production. But its shelves of terraced land rise up the flanks of 6105 foot Mt. Pico, which on the sunny side of the island provides a climate ideally suited to viticulture.

The urban port city of Funchal is the heart of wine production and retains its 18th century Portuguese charm despite a modern profusion of traffic encouraged by European Union road projects. But when we drove a few minutes away from Funchal on our visit last month, we found peaceful country lanes bordered by New Guinea Impatiens, Hydrangeas, Trumpet Flower and Eucalyptus forests, much the same as it was 200 years ago. Madeira is a verdant garden, nourished by its volcanic soils and ample precipitation.

Uninhabited until 1427, Madeira was discovered and settled by the Portuguese who soon began making wine. By the mid 16th Century it was a refueling stop for ships crossing the Atlantic and its wines were brought on board to prevent scurvy. The U.S. quickly became one of Madeira wine’s principal markets along with England and Brazil. It was a favorite drink of Thomas Jefferson who toasted the signing of the Declaration of Independence with a glass of Malmsey.

Originally a table wine, it was fortified with brandy to stabilize it for long ocean journeys. On one fateful hot voyage to Brazil, a cask of Madeira (called a “pipe”) was accidentally left on board and eventually traveled back across the tropics to Funchal. When the wine merchants tasted it, all agreed that it was much better than when it left! Since then, Madeiras have been aged with the use of heat, and for a time pipes were actually shipped to the colonies and back to replicate that famous voyage. Eventually winemakers realized that they could recreate the tropical conditions of a ship voyage by storing the pipes in the eaves of Funchal’s wine lodges, where temperatures would climb to 45 degrees Celsius.

Madeira has an elegance and finesse not found in other fortified wines. Warm temperatures and evaporation concentrate flavors, and ongoing oxygen contact produce wines that are long lived and extremely stable. Open a bottle today and ten months from now it will taste as fresh as the day it was opened! Volcanic soils give the grapes high acidity which produce wines with a light mouth feel, intensity and a persistent finish.

The canteiro system: slow aging of varietal Madeiras at Blandy’s wine lodge

A glass of Madeira warms and satisfies on a cold, wet night. It’s also stellar served with creamy foods and holiday desserts such as pumpkin pie. Madeira adds richness to sauces and is excellent used in place of wine for deglazing sauté pans.

Here’s an easy and delicious recipe using Madeira:

Chanterelle Mushrooms in Madeira Sauce (Two servings)

1/4 cup olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, diced

1 cup fresh chanterelles, sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup creme fraiche or whipping cream

1/4 cup Feist Full Rich Madeira

1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves

Heat olive oil over low heat and when warm, saute garlic and onion until translucent. Add mushrooms, thyme, salt and pepper and cook for five minutes, then add Madeira and simmer for another two minutes. Add creme fraiche and cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately. This is excellent as a sauce for grilled pork chops or chicken, and would be a great side dish for the Thanksgiving dinner table.

MADEIRA WINES

We have the largest selection of Madeiras in the country. Here are some of our favorites:

Feist Full Rich ($17.99) Aged 3 years, it is smooth, viscous and full bodied. Feist Full Rich is a great introduction to a sweet Madeira as a tasty dessert drink or for use in cooking.

“Full Rich” Madeiras are made from the Tinta Negra grape which is the most widely grown grape on the island. “Full Rich” Madeiras are produced by the “estufagem” process which warms the wine by means of a pipe in the tank filled with warm water.

The most complex Madeiras are made from four traditional varietals (Sercial, Verdelho, Bual, Malmsey) whose production is declining in favor of the easier to grow Tinta Negra grape. Varietal Madeiras are produced in the “canteiro” method, in which pipes are aged slowly in the warm eaves of Funchal’s wine lodges.

Blandy’s 5 Year Bual ($22.99) Medium sweet, with light caramel flavors and spice. A hint of countryside herbs provides an intriguing background to this smooth Bual. Great acidity and concentration.

Leacock’s 10-year Bual ($41.00) “Very distinctive burnt treacle aroma, followed by concentrated flavors of caramel, walnut, iodine and green tea. There’s grip and length, with power on the back end.” 90 points Wine Spectator

Blandy’s 10 year Sercial ($37.00) Sercial is the driest Madeira and Blandy’s Sercial is a richer style than other brands. With butterscotch aromas, it is a bit sweeter than bone dry. Round and smooth on the palate, it’s flavors of roasted nuts with high acidity give Blandy’s Sercial a light and elegant mouth feel. The finish is lengthy and clean.

FLAMENCO PERFORMANCES Hot on the heels of last night’s passionate flamenco show at Benaroya Hall, Isabel Lopez from Casa Patas Flamenco Company in Madrid is performing at Taberna del Alabardero in Belltown. The Sunday show is sold out, but Taberna has added another show on Monday November 9th at 8:00 p.m. For information, call 206.448.8884.

FLAMENCO DE RAIZ presents RAFAEL DE UTRERA with Eric and Encarnación from Children of the Revolution with special guest percussionist Juanma Lucas

2 shows Saturday, November 7th, 2009 7PM & 9:30PM, Kirkland Performance Center (425) 893-9900

Rafael and Juanma are top level flamencos coming directly from Sevilla, Spain. Rafael is one of the most respected flamenco singers in the world today and will be coming off his current tour with Vicente Amigo. This will be a “flamenco puro” performance with dance numbers and cante jondo(deep or profound song).

PARIS GROCERY NEWS

Our new shop features French cheeses and wine, and other foods with a French mood. It’s located 1/4 of a block south of Spanish Table at 1418 Western Avenue.

New cheeses just in!

Tomme du Segala is produced in small amounts in the city of Carmaux in southern France, this raw goat’s milk cheese has an elastic texture that crumbles slightly. The flavor has hints of olives and grass.

Tomme Crayeuse is a semi-soft raw cow’s milk cheese from the Savoie that undergoes two stages of cave-aging. The final, intensely rich flavor is earthy, with mushroom and citrus notes. Created by one of France’s top affineurs, Max Schmidhauser.

Crémeux de Bourgogne is a cow’s milk triple-crème cheese from a small family of producers in Burgundy. This pasteurized, bloomy-rind cheese has a dense texture and a rich flavor with hints of fresh butter.

Tomme de Savoie is a pleasant table cheese form the Savoie with a distinct raw milk flavor – beefy, hazel nutty and pleasantly milky. With approximately 30% fat content, this is the most creamy ‘low fat’ cheese available. Enjoy with liver-stoked pâtés and light red wines like Beaujolais.

Pavé de Jadis So named because of its shape: pavé is a small paving stone. This fresh goat’s milk cheese from the Loire Valley is dusted with vegetable ash and has a fudge-like texture. The taste is very clean, mild and lemony.

NEW SPANISH TABLE CHEESES

Evora: This small Portuguese cheese (each wheel is only 6 ounces) is made from raw sheep’s milk which is filtered through a mesh lining after being immersed in a salt brine solution. Aged over 60 days, it is made with raw sheep milk and cardoon thistle near the historic city of Evora. Spicy and slightly acidic, it is fruity with a light-yellow color. Because of its slightly higher level of salt, it is well-suited for salads.

We now have Israeli feta!

Have a great week!

Sincerely,

Sharon Baden and Steve Winston, Owners

The Spanish Table, 1426 Western Avenue, Seattle WA 98101 phone# 206.682.2827

Paris Grocery, 1418 Western Avenue, Seattle WA 98101 phone# 206.682.0679

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

Holiday Feasting in Portland

April 16, 2009

The buzz about Portland’s diverse restaurant scene got us on the road Sunday morning with our California partners Andy and Tanya. Our first stop was lunch at Andina in the Pearl District (http://www.andinarestaurant.com). After sharing piquillo peppers stuffed with quinoa and jamon serrano, tender octopus kebabs, and fresh lime infused fish ceviche, we understand why it gets rave reviews. A few hours later we stopped at Toro Bravo (http://www.torobravopdx.com) for a pre-dinner sherry and couldn’t leave without trying the manchego cheese marinated in rose petal harissa and mint, sherry chicken liver mousse, and the oxtail croquettes. What astonishing flavor combinations! We would have stayed all night but we had dinner reservations at Le Pigeon (http://www.lepigeon.com), a tiny bistro with communal tables which is always full. The seasonal menu was loaded with meat-centric dishes that blew us away.  My fried rabbit was more rabbit confit, ultra-tender with meat falling off the bone. We had duck breast and beef cheeks and an amazing finale of cornbread, maple syrup and bacon. Everything was fantastic! We’ll go back to these places very, very soon.

Instant Tapa:  Start with a slice of Aegean Gourmet Golden Toast ($1.99/11.6 oz), add a layer of Greenland Buffalo Feta cheese ($3.99/500 grams) and top with Napoleon Grilled Artichoke Halves ($3.85/7.5 oz).  Serve at room temperature.

New Meats

Chorizo Leon ($11.99, appx ¾ lb): Take one bite of this intensely flavored soft-cured sausage and you’ll think you’re in Spain. Its distinctive flavor comes from a mixture of garlic with the smoked paprikas from Pimenton de la Vera. Serve sliced at room temperature on a charcuterie plate.

Asturian Fabada Stew Kit ($23.99/appx 2 lbs): Our cold and rainy Easter weather got me hankering for stew. A comfort food fanatic, nothing warms me on a chilly night like a hearty serving of Fabada, the signature dish of Asturias. Traditionally made with a special bean called “fabe” grown in this region, this sausage and bean dish is absolutely satisfying. Our Asturian Fabada Stew Kit includes Chorizo Bilbao, Morcilla de Cebolla (blood sausage with onion), Tocino (bacon with rind) and Jamon Serrano (dry cured ham). We also have a limited supply of the authentic “Fabe” Fabada bean ($35.00/kg), which is prized for its ability to hold shape after a long simmer.

For a Fabada recipe, click this link: http://www.spain-recipes.com/fabada-asturiana.html

Soujouk ($9.99/1.2 lb): We discovered this dried beef sausage in Turkey, where it was sliced over a dish of hummus and warmed, then served as a tasty appetizer.

Basturma or Pastirma ($12.99/12 oz): Racks of hanging beef loin rubbed with a heavy marinade of paprika, fenugreek and chili line the market streets of Kayseri, Turkey. This popular spiced beef is sliced thin and eaten on bread, or it can be sauteed and eaten with everything from eggs or wrapped in phyllo dough and baked.

 

FISH PRODUCTS

Squid ink ($.99/4 gram plastic or $19.99/200 gr jar): Not a new product for us, but we’ve been getting a lot of calls for it lately.   The essential ingredient in black rice or squid in its own ink.  Now available in a 200 gr jar as well as the familiar plastic packets.  
Filetes de Boqueron: ($8.99/appx 6 oz) Another item that is frequently asked for.  These fresh white anchovies are marinated in oil and vinegar, with garlic and parsley. We had these one night at Txori on top of crostini with black olive tapenade. The briny fish and rich olive flavors were fantastic together!   Also great on caesar salad.

 

 

WHITE WINE 

2007 Grinalda Reserva Vinho Verde, Portugal ($14.99) Produced by Vinho Verde maker Aveleda, Grinalda represents the perfect combination of tradition and innovation. The grapes are fermented at low temperature with selected yeasts in an effort to preserve the naturally fresh character. Unlike many vinho verde wines, carbon dioxide has not been added to Grinalda; it reflects the intense aromas of the Loureiro grape, the elegance and softness of Trajadura and the persistent finish of Alvarinho. It’s aromas of tropical fruits and flowers, flavors of fresh stone fruit with notes of citrus and a zippy acidity provide a clean and bracing palate. Excellent with shellfish.

2007 Porrais Douro ($16.99) Produced from a 28 hectare vineyard which is over 60 years old, with shale and schist soils at an altitude of 600 meters, this white wine is a knockout! Made of 60% Rabigato and 40% Codega do Larinho, it is steely and lean. With citrus and green apple flavors, abundant minerality and moderate tannins, it is crisp, delicate and delicious.

WINE VALUES:    To ease the pain of tax season, we’ve added to our stock of over 50 wines under $10.00. Amazing wines from Spain and Portugal arrive weekly and continue to be the best value on the planet!

2007 Mesta Tempranillo, Tierra de Castilla ($7.99): Named for gatherings of sheep herders organized to sort stray sheep (mestencos) from their flock, Mesta is 100% Tempranillo, the wine traditionally served with lamb. The grapes are grown at 2500 feet elevation, and it has great balance and food-pairing acidity. Aged in stainless steel, this is a young wine with a fruit driven nose full of enticing aromas of ripe red berries. On the palate, it has chewy and firm tannins with a hint of pepper and a persistent finish. Serve this at your next backyard barbeque!
2008 Famega Rose, Portugal ($7.99) Our first 2008 rose has arrived! With all the promise of a seedling poking up its first shoots, the new rose season brings hope of salad days to come. 2008 Famega is loaded with fresh strawberry flavor, a hint of effervescence and a feeling of summer. Sip it chilled on the deck on a sunny day!
2007 Carlos Bassos Dos Fincas Cabernet Sauvignon – Merlot, Mendoza ($9.99) Aged lightly in oak for 4 months, Dos Fincas is a blend of two different vineyards and microclimates. Made of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Merlot, its jammy berry aromas and plump black berry flavors shine through. Solid and flush throughout, it has surprising softness. Excellent with grilled pork chops.
2005 Conde de Vimioso, Ribatejano ($9.99) Winemaker Joao Portugal Ramos has been the most influential wine consultant in Southern Portugal over the last 15 years. His philosophy of low yields, preserving fruit flavors and occasional oak aging with modern winemaking techniques have made him a superstar. His 2005 Conde de Vimioso combines aromatic, dark fruit flavors of Touriga Nacional and Trincadeira blended beautifully with the bold spices of Tempranillo and well-integrated tannins of Cabernet. The palate is rich and youthful, showing raspberry and currant fruit with hints of white pepper, espresso bean and dark chocolate on the lingering finish.
NV Quinta de la Rosa’s Finest Reserve Port, Douro ($11.99/375 ml, $19.99/750 ml) “is a stunning example of what can be achieved and found in non-vintage port blends. This small port lodge has turned out a terrific, full-bodied, garnet/ruby-colored wine with a big, chocolatey, black-cherry, cedary nose, full-bodied, unctuously-textured flavors, and gobs of fruit and richness, as well as an off-dry, impressive finish. Drink it over the next decade or more.” 92 points Robert Parker

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

Best regards, 

Sharon Baden and Steve Winston, owners
The Spanish Table Inc.

 

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

Turkey Day

November 25th, 2008

All of a sudden it is Thanksgiving and Christmas is only a month away!  We are closed Thanksgiving Day (but Steve will be in the store with his power saw and sander doing a little carpentry – there are no days off for small businessmen) but this Friday – Saturday – Sunday, all books and CDs are 10% off!  If you are able to come in, pick up some of our imported Puebla style Red Mole and turn your left over turkey into a Mexican feast.  Left over turkey also translates into paella with a little help from some saffron and a jar of piquillo pepper strips!  Or if you are making classic turkey sandwiches (a must-have at our house), serve them with some of our Sweet Potato Tortilla Chips.
Meanwhile, there are new arrivals in our cold case:
Pate is an essential entertaining food in Barcelona and this is pate season in Seattle.
Pate de Campangne with Black Pepper:  A traditional recipe with origins in the French countryside, this country-style (campagne) pâté is a thick, coarsely-textured treasure seasoned with piquant black pepper. The uneven, super spread-able paste is created using seasonings and fats, added to bring out the flavor in meats.
Truffle Mousse Pate:  Made from pork and chicken liver and flavored with Sherry. This mousse has an unbelievable silky texture.
Winter Cheeses:
Pasamontes 4 month Raw Milk Manchego:  Pasamontes is the DO award winner of Manchego and unlike cheaper industrial cheeses it is made slowly over 4 months with unpasteurized milk. Intensely nutty with a strong bouquet and a long finish on the palate.
Afuega=l Pitu Red:  One of the oldest and most prolific Asturian cheeses, and rarely brought to the USA. This fresh cow=s milk cheese is mixed with paprika, wrapped in a cloth and aged for one month. The subtly chalky/creamy texture of this cheese melts in your mouth like cream cheese and has just the perfect amount of heat.
Bulgarian Feta: Our all time favorite sheep=s milk feta. This feta has got some hurrrummph! It has just the right amount of tang with a rustic twist.
Bulk Olives:
Thasos Olives:  We picked up these high quality olives from our local Greek importer. Thasos Olives are Greek prepared olives made from Thrubolea olives. They are made on Thasos (aka Thasou), in the northern Aegean Sea.  The olives are harvested when fully black and wrinkled. They are dry-cured, and then packed in olive oil.  They have a strong, rich flavor and are chewy and meaty.
Pitted Kalamata Olives: Also from our local Greek importer, Kalamatas that are a dark eggplant color and have a flavor that is rich and fruity. They are marinated in red wine vinegar.
Taramosalata:  Taramosalata is a Greek style caviar spread made from the delicate roe of carp. Krinos Taramosalata uses roe that is naturally cured and aged over one year. It can be served as a vegetable dip or a spread on crackers. No preservatives, no artificial ingredients.
Chistorra:  This  Basque style 6inch long sausage is great to fry up with potatoes for breakfast or with rice for dinner.
Top Wines for Thanksgiving weekend and the December holidays:
Rosado:  Dry Spanish rosé not only look festive in the glass but pair perfectly with the variety of flavors which make up Thanksgiving dinner.   From savory dressings, creamed vegetables and gravy, a high-acid rose cuts through rich foods and refreshes the palate like nothing else.
Our favorite roses:   2007 Muga Rosado Rioja ($13.99) and 2007 Cune Rosado ($11.99)
Emilio Moro, Ribera del Duero $29.99:  AThe reasonably priced 2004 Emilio Moro is a terrific Ribera del Duero.  Its dense ruby color is followed by a projected nose of blackberries, currants, cherries, smoky oak and crushed rock.  Terrific texture, purity and a long heady finish, suggest it will keep for 7-8 years.@  92 points Wine Enthusiast   
Remelluri, Rioja $34.99: We have two vintages on hand: A small amount of the suave and graceful 2001 vintage and the latest, 2003 release.  The 2001 is sophisticated and polished with earthy and ripe fruit.  The 2003 is elegant, fresh and poised with a chewy texture and a peppery kick.     Either would be stunning with Thanksgiving dinner, or buy one bottle of each and have a vertical tasting!
VIU 1, Valle de Colchagua, Chile:  You probably have never paid $65 for a bottle of Chilean wine.  This is the reason you should.  Viu 1 is only produced in outstanding years, with  premium grapes hand sorted for consistent ripeness.  A blend of 94% Malbec and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in barrel for 20 months, it is a limited release of 11,333 numbered bottles.  Hedonistic, with flavors of black cherry, leather and truffle and voluptuous tannins, it was unanimously the winner of a blind tasting we attended recently, where it stood head and shoulders above the other 13 wines tasted that night.
2003 Tahuan Syrah Mendoza $19.99: Ernesto Catena, son of respected winemaker Nicholas Catena, is producing  stellar Malbecs and Syrahs from his Tahuan winery.  The 2003 Syrah, grown at an elevation of 1700 meters contains 7% Bonarda which gives it a fresh juiciness. With spice, a hint of smoke and toast flavors, balanced acidity rounds out this plush wine.   AY with rich texture and mouth filling notes of coffee and currant comfiture, warm fig sauce and dark cocoa. Rich, fleshy finish has nice buried grip.@ 89 points Wine Spectator
2006 CARM Douro Superior ($15.99) A blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz and Touriga Franca, CARM is a superb expression of terroir.  Ripe blackberries, mulberry, and black cherry introduce this wine, followed by seductive flavors of black fig and licorice.  The finish has hints of toasted oak, warm spicy fruit and silky texture.  89 points Wine Spectator
2005 CARM Grande Reserva Douro ($39.00) Produced from the best vineyards, the Grande Reserva has intense floral aromas with ripe plum and blueberries.   With  concentrated black fruit liqueur flavors and fine tannins, the oak is well integrated.  Balanced and smooth with a full mouthfeel and persistent finish, this elegant wine will pair well with roast meats or game.  89 points Wine Spectator   
We also stock rich flavored Carm Extra Virgin Olive Oil from the same property in Portugal.
2003 Vila Santa, Alentejo ($14.99)  Joao Portugal Ramos is one of the most widely known winemakers in the south of Portugal, making wines in several regions.  His 2003 Vila Santa needs about 30 minutes of air to release its full floral aromas, but the wait will be rewarded!   Dusty boysenberry flavors with hints of cherry pit and pencil lead are supported by sweet tannins.  With medium acidity and a long toasted finish, Vila Santa is a natural match with a rich Thanksgiving dinner.
 
Best wishes to you and your family and friends!

Sherry Season

November 14th, 2008

SHERRY AND PORT SEASON   A touch of sherry or port on a chilly night can restore the body, if not the soul. Whether sipping a dry amontillado as an aperitif, enjoying a rich Oloroso with cheese, or tipping back a glass of port with a good Valor chocolate, these wines bring a warm and cozy feel to dark nights.  They are also excellent for cooking, adding an exceptional accent to mushroom or pork recipes.  Here are my top choices this season:
Valdespino Inocente Fino $19.99 (375 ml) Aged for 7 years under flor, bone dry Inocente has delicate floral aromas and clean, nutty flavors.   Wonderful with steamed clams!
Alvear Carlos VII Amontillado $19.99 (500 ml) A dry amontillado from Montilla, made from 100% Pedro Ximenez.  Dried fig and hazelnut flavors with a silky finish.  Fantastic in seafood bisque.
Lustau Los Arcos Dry Amontillado $8.99 (375 ml) $15.99 (750 ml) One of my favorite value amontillados.  Butterscotch aromas with flavors of toffee, spice and walnuts, this is super in mushroom recipes and also delicious just for sipping.
Hidalgo Faraon Oloroso $18.99 (500 ml) A rich, dry Oloroso.  “Aromatic with aromas of hazelnuts, walnuts and raisins and a broad, dry flavor profile.”  91 points Jay Miller
Lustau East India Solera $12.99 (375 ml) $25.99 (750 ml) An elegant blend of dry Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez.  Weighty and sweet with flavors of vanilla, raisins, walnuts, coffee, and chocolate.    Excellent with cheese or pecan pie.   94 points Robert Parker
Quinta do Infantado Ruby Port $10.99 (375 ml) $15.99 (750 ml) Roasted redcurrant, mocha and a hint of raisin on the mellow nose.   Sweet and silky.   A great introduction to ruby port!
2003 Delaforce Vintage Port $26.99 (375 ml) $43.00 (750 ml) Special price!  Affordable enough to drink one now and put another in the cellar.   “A fabulous nose of cassis and berries with hints of licorice.  Full-bodied and lightly sweet, with super sexy tannins and a long, long, finish.   Very classy.”   95 points Wine Spectator
Graham’s 10 year Tawny $32.00 “Complex orange peel, cedar and plum aromas and flavors are the hallmarks of this tawny.  It has medium body and sweetness with a crisp, clean finish.  Absolutely delicious to drink.   Pure honey.”   91 points Wine Spectator
Porto Rocha Glorious 50th Tawny Port $104.00 (375 ml) $181.00 (750 ml) A rare blend of 1937, 1957 colheitas with 10 and 30 year old tawnies.  Orange zest and walnuts, burnt sugar, mocha, caramel and honey with a hazelnut and marmalade finish.  Savor it after dinner.      
NEW FOODS
Veigadarte goat cheese: Think Humboldt Fog on steroids!   This gooey, tangy, soft-ripened goat cheese is produced in a small village in the province of Leon. Made from a blend of three different goat milks, it’s covered with oak ash and a thick bloomy white rind.  With a lively zestiness and citrus twang, it will impress your friends at parties.
Green Cerignola Olives They’re big, bold, beautiful, and green. Cerignola are the largest olives in the world. These fleshy green wonders have a fruity, mild, clean taste, but their most impressive feature is their size and resulting meatiness.  Biting into a Cerignola is almost like biting into a savory plum. Deep jade green in color, plop one in your martini!
BACK IN STOCK: Mustapha’s Moroccan Harissa after a summer-long absence
 
Thinking about what to serve on Thanksgiving?   Here’s our sherry basted turkey recipe which is what we have cooked for the last several years: 
 
TURKEY WITH CATALAN STUFFING (from The Spanish Table Cookbook)
 
Basting mixture:                                                      
2 Tablespoons            Course sea salt                     
½ Teaspoon                Saffron threads                      
8 cloves                       Garlic, minced            
½ cup                          Olive oil                                              
1                                  Large orange, quartered        
1                                  Lemon, quartered
½ cup                          Amontillado sherry
 
Stuffing:
2 cups                         Chopped onions
1 cup                           Spanish pine nuts
1 cup                           Raisins, re-hydrated
1 bunch                       Spinach, chopped
4 cups                         Stale bread, cubed                 
 
Pre heat the oven to 450 degrees.
 
Put the salt and saffron in a mortar and use pestle to grind them together.   Add garlic, mash to a paste and slowly add olive oil.    Using a pasty brush, paint the turkey with this mixture.  Quarter the orange and lemon and slip them into the bird’s cavity.   Put the turkey in a very large cazuela and pour the sherry over it.    Roast in a hot oven (450 degrees), basting every twenty to thirty minutes with the juices which collect in the bottom of the cazuela.
 
When done, remove the turkey from the pan and set it aside to rest.   While the turkey is resting, pour off the drippings and separate the fat from the juices.   Reserve some fat if you intend to make gravy.   De-glaze the pan with ½ cup water, and then add it to the de-fatted juices.
 
Stuffing:  
Put the raisins in a bowl and cover with some of the turkey juice to re-hydrate them.  Cook the onions in olive oil until translucent, and then toss with the other stuffing ingredients in a large mixing bowl.   Add enough of the juices from the roasting pan to dampen the stuffing.  Any extra juice can be used if you make gravy.   Put the stuffing in a cazuela and bake at 450 degrees, until heated through and surface is crisp, about 25 minutes.    After the turkey has rested, carve and serve with stuffing.

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.