Spanish Table Seattle & Paris Grocery Newsletter

December 17, 2009

Sharon is SO BUSY stocking wine, beer, cava and French champagne that she asked me to write the newsletter today so here goes….

Christmas week is a time to enjoy great food and wine. We give diets a rest to enjoy rich seasonal foods and indulge our sweet tooth. Whether friends drop in, families come by, or you just snuggle up by the fire, there is time to pay attention to flavors. The deli cases at both The Spanish Table and Paris Grocery are brimming with specialty cheeses and cured meats. Our wine departments are overflowing with the best from Spain, Portugal, Argentina, Greece, France and even Morocco.

Short on time? Shop on line on our new and improved websites!

The Spanish Table wine website is now launched! We’ve got amazing wine values which are arranged by staff pick, by score, by price, and by country. This virtual wine store has everything that you’re looking for from Spain, Portugal, Madeira, or South America. Click The Spanish Table wine to visit the site.

For all food and cookware products, click on The Spanish Table to check out our original and now revamped, website. It’s much easier to navigate and has a plethora of additional items. Now you can shop at home for Spanish food and wine!

GIFTS GALORE FOR FOODIES:

Paella Kit: with paellera that serves eight plus ingredients already packed in a gift box.

Meanwhile, we have oodles of little jars of delicious spreads in both our stores here on Western Ave that can be used to stuff a stocking or fill a gift basket.

S

pecial price on THE SPANISH TABLE cookbook: regularly $30.00 specially priced for the holidays at $24.00.

For those who love Greek food, we just received the How to Roast a Lamb cookbook ($35.00) by Michael Psilakis. Called the “Greek-American Mario Batali” by The New Yorker and best new chef by Food and Wine magazine, this is a must-have Greek cookbook.

Madeira gift boxes: A bottle in a wooden box with two Madeira glasses, $19.99.

By the way, did you catch the column on pairing a Sercial Madeira with charred skirt steak in the New York Times food section this week? Click the hyperlink to read the article, in case you missed it.

Undecided on what to give someone? We have good old fashioned gift certificates available in any amount of your choice.

Just arrived today is a huge assortment of dulces de Navidad: Handmade turrón from Pablo Garrigos. Turrón sin Azúcar if you have dietary restrictions. Pan de Cadiz. Chocolate turrón, mazapanes con chocolate and speaking of chocolate, La Casa pralines are here with filling of Catalan Creme, Pine Nuts & Raisins, Orange, Baked Apple, Tocinillo de Cielo & Lemon Sorbet.

Did I hear you ask what Sharon and I are drinking with Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinners at our house?

On Christmas Eve Sharon loves our tradition of dining on fresh Dungeness Crab accompanied with steamed artichokes, crunchy baguette and lemon mayonnaise. That calls for either dry La Gitana Manzanilla Sherry ($15.99), cold and crisp Santiago Ruiz Albariño ($19.99) or bone-dry, Torre Oria Brut Nature Cava ($16.99).

Then on Christmas day I will insist on pouring vintage Riojas with a menu chosen to match the wines. We all have our priorities. I am thinking of starting with a plate of French cheeses from our annex, Paris Grocery. Then we’ll move onto a frisée salad tossed with a goat’s milk blue cheese (just arrived this week at Paris Grocery) and a whole goose, since finding a suckling pig to roast might be a challenge. The dessert will be pears poached in Moscatel from The Spanish Table cookbook.

The wines: We will be starting with a 2004 Deobriga Rioja ($21.99) and moving onto a 2001 Muga Prado Enea Gran Reserva Rioja ($57.00). These two vintages were rated excellent in Spain will bring tears of joy to the eyes of a lover of traditional wines. Then we’ll wrap it up with Samos Moscato wine from Greece ($17.99).

We have some of the greatest Rioja vintages ever right now, including, but not limited to:

Bordón Reserva 2004 $17.99

Muga Reserva 2005 $28.99

LAN 2001 Gran Reserva: $22.99

Beronia 2001 Gran Reserva $25.99

Viña Bosconia Reserva 2001 ($38.99) R. Lopez Heredia’s extended aging times actually qualify this as a Gran Reserva from any other winery. 93 points Stephen Tanzer

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.

FRENCH CHAMPAGNES HAVE ARRIVED! Champagne Duval-Leroy Cuvee Paris NV ($35.00) One of the best values in Champagnes available right now, and it’s got a Leroy Neiman silk screen of a Paris street scene on the bottle. Pop this open over the holidays with your favorite Franco-phile!

GROWER CHAMPAGNES

The Champagne region in France is dominated by a handful of brand names.

These négoçiants and coopératives produce 80% of the total output in Champagne, yet they own only 12% of the vineyards. They bring to marked a mass produced commodity – a Champagne made in a “house style.” By contrast, “récoltant-manipulants” (or RMs) handcraft their limited quantities of Champage from individual villages and parcels where the inherent qualities of the vineyards imprint themselves into the wines. The following two RMs are outstanding, and represent great values in Champagne values as well.

Margaine Brut Cuvee Traditionelle NV ($45.00) “The NV Brut Cuvee Traditionelle is an exceptional wine at this level. Notes of ash, chalk and crushed rocks dominate this taut, focused Champagne. Medium in body, the wine reveals tons of clarity not to mention significant pedigree. The NV Brut is mostly 2005 juice, with the addition of 40% reserve wines from vintages 2004, 2003, 1999, 1996 and 1994, 90% Chardonnay and 10% Pinot Noir. The relatively high amount of reserve wines undoubtedly contributes to this Champagne’s complexity…Arnaud Margaine’s wines..are Champagnes of extraordinary purity and sheer elegance. Margaine farms 6.5 hectares, 90% planted to Chardonnay, the rest Pinot Noir.”

90 points Robert Parker

L. Aubry NV Brut Champagne ($40.00) Twin brothers Pierre and Philippe Aubry handcraft their Champagnes from 60 individual parcels that comprise 16.5 hectares in the heart of Petit Montagne de Reims. Made of 50% Meunier, 25% Chardonnay and 25% Pinot Noir, it is vigorous, crackery, and concentrated. “There’s a nice graininess to the texture, making this lively and defining its bread dough, apple and grapefruit flavors. Turns crisp, but stays balanced, with a dry, mouthwatering finish.”

90 points Wine Spectator

Drop down, drop in, ignore the construction!

Sharon Baden and Steve Winston, Owners

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

Hours: Monday- Saturday, 10 AM – 6:30 PM Sunday 10 AM – 6 PM

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

Hours: Monday- Saturday, 10 AM – 6 PM Sunday 11 AM – 5 PM

The Wines of Jorge Ordoñez

Spanish Table Seattle Newsletter

September 4, 2009

We had the good fortune this week to re-taste some of the excellent current releases of esteemed wine importer Jorge Ordoñez, hosted by National Sales Manager Sara Floyd, M.S. And best of all, these wines were poured at two of our favorite Spanish restaurants with memorable foods to match. It was a compelling demonstration of how a well chosen wine enhances food. On Wednesday evening at Taberna del Alabardero (http://www.alabardero.com/seattle/index.html), the meaty Sauteed Pompano with Almonds and Ham, Navarra style, was fantastic with medium bodied and silky 2002 Sierra Cantabria Reserva Rioja ($19.99). Apple tart dessert with cabrales ice cream was divine paired with elegant stone-fruit and citrus flavored Victoria Moscatel dessert wine from Malaga ($29.99).

Thursday at noon found us at Olivar (http://www.olivarrestaurant.com/olivar.html) on Capital Hill. Over three hours, seventeen wines paired with scrumptious tapas served family-style made for a darned good way to spend a rainy afternoon. Grilled scallops with fried shallots and corn salad paired fantastically with minerally and delicate 2008 La Cana Albariño ($15.99). 2008 Botani dry Moscatel from Sierras de Malaga ($19.99)was a perfect match to matchstick slices of manchego and red apple, tossed together with citrus.

We always leave these restaurants with savory memories and the satisfaction of a great dining experience. If you can’t afford a trip to Spain, spend an evening at one of these restaurants and have a taste of Iberia right here at home!

WE WILL BE OPEN ON MONDAY 9/7 (LABOR DAY) FROM 11 AM TO 5 PM.

NEW WHITE WINES

2008 Botani Moscatel Seco, Sierras de Malaga ($19.99) “The 2008 Botani is 100% Moscatel de Alejandria fermented 70% in stainless steel and 30% in French oak. Medium straw-colored, it has an alluring perfume of spring flowers, honey, spice box, and tropical fruits. Smooth-textured, ripe, dry, and mouth-filling, this expressive effort is an excellent match for sushi and Thai food.” 90 points Wine Advocate

2008 Peza do Rei Blanco, Ribera Sacra ($19.99) The region of Ribera Sacra was spotlighted in the July 15, 2009 New York Times and Peza do Rei was singled out as “delicate and distinctive”. Available by special order only, we brought in a case after tasting it. A blend of 70% Godello, 20% Treixadura and 10% Albarino, grown on 8 acres of vertiginous south-facing slate terraces, Peza do Rei is unoaked and intensely aromatic. Lemon peel blends with a touch of tropical fruit in this savory and intensely mineral white. The finish seems never ending. Only 4000 bottles produced. 90 points Stephen Tanzer

2008 Shaya, Rueda ($14.99) Naia was a customer favorite and it was a sad day when we learned that it would no longer be available. Importer Jorge Ordonez has replaced Naia with Shaya, a new project with the Gil family of Jumilla. Produced from old vines, the sandy soils make it possible that many of the vines are over 100 years old and ungrafted. Grassy aromas with complex grapefruit notes, this balanced white is racy with a persistent finish. And the same price as Naia!

NEW FOODS

ZOE MEATS BACON Those of you that have tasted the Zoe Meats Chorizo will be big fans of Zoe’s bacon. Dry cured and apple wood smoked, these thick meaty slices of bacon do not shrink when cooked like bacons curied in brine. Great for BLT’s!

QUICOS Giant Crunch Spanish Salted Corn Nuts. $7.99/lb

PITTED KALAMATA OLIVES

These kalamatas are fleshier and less salty than our previous batch. They are in a red wine brine. Great for salads, omelets and pasta dishes. $8.99/lb.

CASTELLANO CHEESE

This cheese is made throughout the region of Castillo y Leon from milk coming from Churra and Castellana breeds. It is slightly granular with a compact texture, buttery with rich aromas. It is a table cheese that can be enjoyed alone or accompanied by quince, which accentuates its characteristic flavor. $15.99/lb.

GREAT WINES ON SALE

2004 Emilio Moro, Ribera del Duero ($24.99) Price reduced $5.00! “The reasonably priced 2004 Emilio Moro is a terrific Ribera del Duero aged in equal parts French and American oak prior to bottling. Its dense ruby/purple color is followed by a projected nose of blackberries, currants, cherries, smoky oak, and crushed rocks. Terrific texture, super purity, an opulent, full-bodied palate, and a long, heady finish suggest it will keep for 7-8 years.” 92 points Robert Parker

2001 Balbas Reserva, Ribera del Duero $32.00, was $38.00 Close out! Made of 90% Tempranillo and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, Balbas is concentrated and complex. Sadly, our distributor will no longer be carrying it, so we bought all of the remaining 2001 Reserva, which is drinking beautifully right now. “This spicy red shows an alluring mix of ripe fruit, with more mature flavors of tobacco, leather and cedar. The tannins are well-integrated and softening, while the acidity is still fresh and crisp. Elegant and long. Drink now through 2015.” 93 points Wine Spectator

2005 Numanthia, Toro ($49.00) Price reduced $11.00! Made from 70 to 100 year old vines, aged in oak barrels for 18 months, this wine explodes on the palate with flavors of ripe blackberry, vanilla and herbal notes. “A deep, youthfully brooding bouquet offers dark cherry, blackcurrant, incense and suave oak spices. Spicy cherry and dark berry flavors show an exotic anise quality and slow-building sweetness. This gently tannic, chewy, extremely persistent wine finishes with echoes of oak spice and floral pastille, not to mention excellent vivacity.” 93 points Stephen Tanzer, 92 points Wine Advocate

2001 Finca Valpiedra Reserva Rioja ($18.99) Close out price – was $21.99! Conde de Valdemar’s single estate Rioja, Finca Valpiedra is a spectacular 80 hectare plot characterized by pebbles and limestone. The grapes are hand picked, manually sorted and aged in new French oak for over 12 months. We’ve always loved this Rioja and when the distributor had to close it out, we bought all of their stock. Let this breathe for 20 minutes to release its concentrated black cherry flavors. Earthy with balsalmic notes, Valpiedra has silky tannins and a persistent finish. Wonderful with lamb chops or paella!

NEW SHIPMENT

Clay Portuguese ceramics. Olive serving dishes in assorted styles and colors: brown, white and gray. They make great gifts!

Have a safe and happy Labor Day weekend!

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

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

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

Pinto Pinto

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tour de Tiendas

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

Starting a New Year

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

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.