See NEW Michelin Starred restaurants for 2013
Barcelona was chosen to celebrate the presentation party of the new Spain Michelin Guide 2012, which took place last night at the Palace in all its splendor. Read more
The Spanish makers of extra virgin olive oil, Castillo de Canena, based in Canena (Jaén, Andalucia), have received yet another award, one more to add to the many they have received over recent years. This one is just about the most prestigious yet!
In the 2012 edition of the Flos Olei, the definitive Italian olive oil Guide headed up by Marco Oreggia, Castillo de Canena receives an amazing 97 points out of a possible 100 – the highest number of points given to any of the 1000 olive oils reviewed. Flos Olei, considered the olive oil equivalent of Robert Parker’s guide to the world of wine, had already awarded the Jaén based olive oil 96 points in its 2011 edition.
Marco Oreggia’s well known guide to the world’s best extra virgin olive oils has a very strict evaluation process, which is based on detailed tastings of olive oils produced in as many as 20 different countries.
If you fancy learning more about Spanish olive oil and only have a day to spare then our Taste of Catalonia Gourmet Day Tours can be personally customized to include visits to some of Catalonia´s top olive oil producers to sample some of the best olive oils in Spain!
How many people we wonder would love to cook like famed Spanish Chef Ferran Adria, but really wouldn’t dare. Now comes your opportunity with a new Cookery Book just published, The Family Meal: Home Cooking with Ferran Adria. Read more
How many people we wonder would love to cook like famed Spanish Chef Ferran Adria, but really wouldn’t dare. Now comes your opportunity with a new Cookery Book just published, The Family Meal: Home Cooking with Ferran Adria. Read more
Fans of Spanish Chef Martin Berasategui will be delighted to hear that he has opened a new restaurant – Doma – in Bilbao, Spain, located on the roof top of the exclusive five-star Silken Gran Domine Bilbao hotel, which is opposite the Guggenheim Museum. Read more
Various individuals from the wine and hospitality sectors including Ferran Centelles of El Bulli and Josep Roca of El Celler de Can Roca will give talks on “wine production and enjoyment as part of the culinary experience” at the international culinary congress, San Sebastián Gastronomika 2011 – commencing Monday, 21 November. Read more
Some of the world’s leading chefs and sommeliers, including Spanish chefs Ferran Adria and Jose Andres have given their support to a coalition calling for truth in wine labelling. Both Spanish chefs have signed an open letter lending their support to protect wine place names. Others who have given support are The French Laundry’s Thomas Keller and Pontus Elofsson of Noma, Joel Robuichon, Wolfgang Puck and Alain Ducasse.
The Spanish Chef, Jose Andres, who has restaurants in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Washington DC said, ‘We support the Joint Declaration to protect wine place and origin because place names are central to understanding the foods and wines we work with every day’.
The United States has agreed, in a deal signed last year between US and Europe, to prevent new wine producers from using the names ‘port’ and other semi-generic names such as Sherry and Burgundy. However, the agreement has a ‘special clause’ that allows producers in the market before March 2006 to continue the practice in some cases.
The Declaration to Protect Wine Place and Origin, a coalition first formed in 2005, has the support of 15 wine regions including Champagne, Jerez, Porto and Napa and according to the Napa Valley Vintners Association, producers from countries as wide ranging as Germany and China have put ‘Napa’ or similarly misleading labels on their wines.
The coalition hopes that, with the support of chefs and food and wine experts this will persuade lawmakers to better protect wine place names.
At Gourmand Breaks we value the importance of the origin of wines , why not learn more about Spanish, Portuguese and French wines and their origins with our local experts in a private wine tour like our Luxury Private Wine Lovers Tour of Portugal, Spain & France which includes private visits to exclusive wineries accompanied with wine tastings, 5* hotel accommodation and private chauffeured transportation.
We recently ate at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao and were mightily amused to see that the restaurant has brought the art and science world to their menu with, amongst others, a dish based on Einstein’s theory of Physics –
laid out on a plate with seaweed and anchovies. It seems the restaurant, run by top Spanish chef Josean Martinez Alija , is joining other top Art Galleries in Spain who have introduced such delights as Monet canapés, Walt Kuhn cheese and Gaugin focaccia!
Distinguished American wine writer Robert Parker has become the only wine critic to be awarded Spain’s Gran Cruz al Merito Civil.
The Bordeaux answer to Bilbao’s Guggenheim was revealed recently, we feel it could look like a thumb or a decanter or even wine swirling in a glass – what do you think?