Food Wine Tours

We wish you the Best : Delicious 2010

2009-12-24T03:27:00.000-08:00

Viajes, Experiencias y Gastronomía: Retorno al paraíso

2009-11-06T01:18:00.000-08:00

Viajes, Experiencias y Gastronomía: Retorno al paraíso

Discovering the flavour and beauty of Andalusia

2009-03-24T08:22:00.000-07:00

Andalusia, known to many as 'the bridge between two continents', 'the gateway to Europe', 'a melting pot of cultures' or 'a meeting point of two seas' fits perfectly within any of these definitions. A direct link between Europe and Africa, and the place where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Mediterranean, Andalusia has been fought over by numerous cultures since the earliest times of civilization, being one of the areas of settlement of our prehistoric ancestors.

Andalusia is one of the largest regions of Europe, with an area greater than countries such as Belgium, Holland and Austria and where contrasts are the norm. The diversity of the landscapes which make up the region provides an entire spectrum: from the warm Guadalquivir valley, to leafy low mountain areas, from volcanic landscapes such as the Tabernas Desert to the white peaks of Sierra Nevada.

Andalusian gastronomy is profoundly marked by the Arab cooking of Al-Andalus. The refinement of this form of cooking, unheard of in Europe, transformed many customs. It was the Andalusies who created the dining room and the current order of dishes. Andalusian cooking can be divided into two main parts: cookery based on products from the sea and that based on serrano mountain area ingredients. Vegetable and pulse stews, game dishes, together with the different forms of preparing fish, are the essence of our cookery. The best known Andalusian dish, famed for its nutritional value as well as ease of preparation, is gazpacho, a tomato-based cold soup containing cucumber, pepper, garlic,oil and vinegar.
Andalusian wines, the most international of which are the Sherry Wines from Jerez, with the manzanilla variety produced in Sanlúcar de Barrameda standing out. Other wines with their own denomination of origin, besides Jerez-Xerez-Sherry, are Málaga, Condado de Huelva and Montilla-Moriles. As with Andalusian wines, 'chacinas' or cold, cured meat products enjoy star rating, with ham from the sierra de Huelva region (Jabugo and other closeby villages) tending to eclipse other Andalusian products of great quality.
Andalusian cheeses are usually produced for local consumption, not normally being well known outside their own areas. However, the strong personalities of these cheeses make them excellent company with a good wine. After a satisfying meal there is nothing quite like some delicious sweetmeats. The influence of Arab cooking has left a mark in Andalusian pastries and cakes. Many of these are made in convents and religious congregations, at times being given fantastic names, such as cabello de angel (angel’s hair), huesos de santo (saint’s bones), borrachos (drunkards) or mariquitas (ladybirds).

Jerez is not just a city of wines and beautiful buildings. Home of the Carthusian horse, the fighting bull, cradle of flamenco art, capital of motorcycle racing and on top of all that, declared to be of Artistic and Historical interest. Jerez constitutes an excellent starting point to go to the vast beaches of Costa of Luz which shelters remarkable cities like Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Cadiz or Chiclana de la Frontera. The villages of the mountainous zones located on the Road of the white Villages, are a good example of town planning being integrated in a broken orography. This route crosses beautiful natural sites among which we can underline the Natural reserves of Bahú} de Cadiz, the surroundings of Doñana and Breña, as well as the marshes of Barbate.
If you wish to discover the beauty of this magic region and at the same time to enjoy the flavours of its gastronomy, Food Wine Tours has shaped a special 6 days Gourmet Tour. Otherwise, in case you want to improve your cooking skills, we can organize a Cooking Tour. Besides visiting the most charming spots of the region, you will have the chance to grab the secrets of our professional chef, during four cooking sessions. For wine lovers, we also organize a wine day journey to discover the world of the Sherry wines by visiting two of the most renowned and ancient wineries in Jerez.

Catalan cuisine between traditon and innovation

2009-03-18T10:10:00.000-07:00

Spain is synonymous with the good life, and this in gastronomy means a wealth of colors, flavors and textures. There are a few countries that have such a diversity of landscapes, wine types and gastronomy as Spain. The eastern coast of Spain—with the three Autonomous Communities of Valencia, Catalonia and the Balearic Islands —is a land full of light, vitality and exuberance, where flowers bloom in abundance and the sun shines almost endlessly. All of this is reflected in the regional gastronomic culture with its vivid colors and flavors.
Catalan cuisine is part of the highly-regarded Mediterranean style of cooking, but has its own personality. It is a form of cooking that still closely reflects its medieval origins. Occupied for nearly seven hundred years by the Romans, followed by several centuries of the Visigoths, and then four hundred years by the Moors, the influences were certainly varied. The first ones brought the wine, the olives and the bread, and the Moors brought the exotic element such as saffron, oranges, dates, raisins, almonds and the combination of sweet and savory. It is soon after the last of these occupiers left that the first known Catalan cooking manuscript, the Libre de Sent Sovi, emerged in the fourteenth century. This was to become quite an influence on Italian and French cooking of the time. One must also remember that the discovery of the new continent by Columbus in 1492 brought many new fruits and vegetables to Spain and helped change the shape of Spanish cuisine before the rest of Europe had the benefit of these new tastes.
Today, basic Catalan cooking has not changed all that much since the days of the Libre de Sent Sovi, but thanks to some innovative chefs many new dishes have emerged, and old ones have become more colorful and subtle. This is what makes this region so interesting for a culinary vacation in Spain. Catalan cooking is based on the use of fresh elements, whether they are vegetables, meat or fish usually purchased from the local market on the same day that they will be used. It is also a healthy cuisine as vegetables, fish, lean meats and fruit are its main ingredients, and cooking fat is almost exclusively olive oil.
Catalan wine was held in high regard as early as Roman times and has undergone considerable improvement in recent decades through the introduction of new grape varieties and new vinification techniques. Cava, or sparkling wine, has been made in Catalonia, especially in El Penedes, for over a century using the traditional French Champenoise Method and it is now exported all around the world.
The most common Catalan cooking techniques either use a cassola (a thick, low sided, earthenware pot), or a paella pan (a low-sided metal pan with two handles located on opposite sides). Also very common is to cook al caliu (on hot coals), or a la plancha (on the griddle). Many dishes start with a sofregit, a base of mainly onion but which can also use garlic, tomatoes, peppers- that is slowly cooked in olive oil until it is caramelized and consistent. This then forms the base upon which the remainder of the dish is built upon. Also typical of many a dish is the use of the picada, a mixture of garlic, olive oil, almonds and /or other nuts, fried bread, herbs and spices crushed together in a mortar and used to thicken and add flavor to the dish near the end of the cooking.
Food Wine Tours organizes traditional Catalan cuisine classes, in Barcelona, Costa Brava and other Catalan towns, specifically designed for groups willing to discover and master the secrets of one of the most refined and varied cuisines of the Mediterranean. We also organize innovative and creative cooking classes as well as courses to learn the techniques used by the famous El Bulli Restaurant, such as spherication, foams, airs….

The origin and History of tapas

2009-03-10T03:33:00.000-07:00

Tapas are tiny plates of food served in bars all over Spain to accompany drinks. The word “tapa” means cover or lid in Spanish, and many say it was used to refer to the old habit of placing a slice of bread or a piece of ham on top of one's wine glass, perhaps to keep out insects.

Tapas were probably born when, due to an illness, the Spanish king Alfonso the 10th, also called the Wise, had to take small bites of food with some wine between meals. Once recovered from the disease, the wise king decreed that no wine was to be served in any of the inns in the country, unless accompanied by something to eat. The tradition of serving tapas with drinks is still found nowadays all over Spain. Another theory of the origin of Tapas probably dates back to the Middle Ages, when field workers would take a small meal with them into the fields, meant to be eaten as they worked, or on a short break. Olives, bread and cheese, perhaps with a small slice of ham or other meat, often comprised this small meal.
A step into a Spanish tapas bar is a wonderful experience even if you don’t speak Spanish. It’s lively and animated as Spaniards like to talk and you may be approached by people wishing to practice their English. Spaniards go to tapas bars before lunch and before supper to meet friends, to converse and, of course, to watch football matches. Conversation ranges from the mundane to the philosophical, and the food ranges from the simple toasted almond to the complex callos (stewed tripe). You will be able to taste snippets of a huge variety of foods just as you would hear snippets of conversation perhaps about the lottery, work, the local football team, or the local politics. In many regions of Spain they are often included in the price of drinks (beer, wine, not soft drinks or spirits) served in bars. In this case, they can amount to as little as a few olives, a piece of cheese, or something more substantial like a pork stew. Bigger portions that are ordered to make up part of a meal are called raciones.
Tapas recipes vary according to the taste and gastronomic traditions of each region and use a wide variety of animal-derived products, such as meat, fish and eggs and agricultural products such as vegetables. Among others, there are fried tapas and tapas prepared with sauces. Here are a few standard tapas to look for: croquetas (béchamel and usually chicken or ham with a bread-crumb crust and deep fried), tortilla de patata (Spanish potato omelet), chorizo (hard pork sausage), gambas (shrimps grilled or cooked in parsley, oil, and garlic), patatas bravas (potatoes in spicy sauce) and boquerones en vinagre (fresh anchovies marinated in salt and vinegar). The best way to discover the world of tapas is through one of our Tapas Tours organized in different Spanish cities. Otherwise, if you wish to learn the secrets of Spanish cuisine, and daze your friends by preparing some succulent tapas, you can join one of our cooking classes.

Wine and gastronomy of Penedés, the flavour of tradition

2009-03-03T08:30:00.000-08:00

For centuries, the cultures and people who have lived in the Penedés have had one thing in common: the vines and the dedication with which wine has been elaborated throughout its history. The region is well-known for its wines and cavas, sparkling wines with a recognised unique character. The Penedès is a small yet interesting part of Catalonia, in the north-east corner of the Spanish peninsula. It is located close to the beautiful city of Barcelona, the Catalan capital. This privileged location accounts for the exceptional quality of the wine production: the mild and warm climate, the changing landscape, the contrast between the mountains and the sea.

Wines from the Penedès, with their taste, aroma and body, have their own personality, born from a tradition that has been passed generation after generation. The youngest have continued with their legacy but have at the same time incorporated new technology that benefits quality and have put a special emphasis on exports around the world. Penedès wines have started on the long road to international prestige, slowly gaining a well-deserved recognition.
The Penedès Protected Designation of Origin stretches for more than 25000 hectares (62000 acres) where the wine culture is alive. This strong wine-producing tradition in conjunction with a large range of products allowed us to create different offers specifically designed for our customers. Among these, you can discover the techniques and methods used in the production of organic wines and cavas (area in which the Penedés stands out), learn the secrets to produce brandies, experience a real harvest, or participate in one of the many thematic tours we organize.
By visiting this charming Spanish area you can also enjoy the delicious local cuisine, excelling in poultry especially with the renowned Penedés Black Cock and the Muscovy Duck. Not to talk of the typical variety and richness of the Mediterranean regions, meat, vegetables, game, mushrooms, a wide range of pastries, fish and sea foods coming from Vilanova y la Geltrú fish market. Thanks to this strong gastronomic tradition, we propose cooking classes in which you could experiment with techniques mastered only by great chefs. Furthermore, for people who want to learn and have fun at the same time, we also organize different activities for groups concerning the world of wine and of gastronomy such as gourmet tasting sessions, team buildings / competitions, food & wine pairings.

Barcelona best European tourist destination

2009-02-27T04:26:00.000-08:00

We are proud of announce that Barcelona has been awarded as the best European city by the Irish Travel Trade News, a professional review organizing a sort of “Oscar Award” for the Irish tourism. More than 400 Irish travel agents and tour operators gave their votes to the Catalan capital, which overcame cities such as Paris and Prague, the other two finalists. The operators valued aspects as the level and the variety of hotel infrastructures, the flight connections and the presence of a wide range of tourist offer. Miquel Àngel Cusí, the Director of the Tourist Promotion Center of Catalonia for the Eire and the UK markets, received this prestigious prize from the President of the Irish Travel Agent Association (ITAA).
This comes on top of many other international awards in the last years turning the city of Gaudí into one of the most important tourist destinations worldwide. We are very pleased with these news and we like to think that our work is contributing in some way to the promotion of this marvelous city. As far as we are concerned, we’ll keep on trying to make our clients feel as if they were at home. The gastronomic tourism means above all hospitality, the more you make yourself at home, the more you’ll be satisfied.
And this is our purpose and our mission since the very first day we began our activity, 5 years ago!

See some of the products we have in Barcelona >>

New winery in El Priorato > Spain

2008-12-23T23:49:00.000-08:00

Food & Wine Tours was invited to the official opening of the new winery that Bodegas Torres has in the prestigious Catalan winemaking county of Priorat, set among vines near El Lloar.
The winery with the best views of Priorato, the new, modern winery, costing €3, has solar and photovoltaic panels in line with the company's policy to ensure its wineries respect the environment and use a high percentage of renewable energy sources.
I was fortunate to do a tasting of the two wines they produce in Priorato, Salmos, launched onto the market last year and, and coinciding with the presentation of the new winery, they have extended the product range with a new wine, Perpetual.
Unusually elegant for Priorato standards Salmos is Dark in hue and almost opaque, it is fragrant and mineral on the nose while on the palate it is luxurious and oily, but also silky and with a long finish. This darkly coloured wine is reminiscent of jam and liquorish, over a smooth spicy and toasted background, which comes from The French oak barrels. A present day wine that speaks to us of the past.
Perpetual: the new wine from Priorat
Only 6,348 bottles of Perpetual wine have been produced from the first harvest in 2005. Production will be for sale on the domestic market and for export. Fresh notes reminiscent of lavender and the zest of citric fruits appear among its notes of toast, woodland undergrowth and sandalwood, and on the palate it is concentrated, with rounded, sweet tannins and a long aftertaste.

Inauguración bodega Priorato > España

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

2008-12-23T23:12:00.000-08:00

One more year, and that makes it the fifth of our live, we wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Thank you to all of you for helping us make our dreams come true.

Probably there is nothing new this Year, but we want to send a message of Hope and Endurance for this year to come that will be very difficult on all of us.

Next year we will continue to work to offer you, as always, the newest and most original experiences around food & wine that you can find in Spain.
Cheers and Happy 2009

Corporate events & Groups in Spain Catalog 2008-09

2008-11-12T07:42:00.000-08:00

Open the catalog

2008-11-10T07:17:00.001-08:00

Spanish wines, Ferran Adrià and José Andrés together at New York’s gastronomic festival
The only event which brings together international culinary icons and US television chefs

The wine division at the Spanish Foreign Trade Agency Office in New York, Wines from Spain USA, took part in The Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival, organised by the US magazine, Food & Wine on 12th October, as one of the sponsors behind the seminar led by chefs Ferran Adrià and José Andrés, former mentor and apprentice, respectively.

Under the heading, ‘The Mentor and the Protégé’, which accurately sums up the relationship between both Spanish chefs, Adriá and José Andrés gave a live demonstration of the most creative dishes to come out of the Catalonian restaurant, El Bulli.

After the seminar, Wines from Spain offered over 300 visitors the chance to taste a variety of Spanish wines, among which where labels from the appellations of Cava, Rueda, Ribera del Duero, Toro, Rías Baixas, Rioja and Priorato.

The Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival, held from 9th to 12th October, claims to be the only event in the city to bring together top international chefs, authentic culinary icons from around the globe, and the most popular chefs on US television. All proceeds from the festival go directly to two hunger relief programme organisations.

Wines from Spain news

If you want to visit some of these wine appellations, visit our Wine Days, Wine weekends and Wine vacations in Spain

Gastronomic competition > Team building in Barcelona

2008-11-10T06:40:00.000-08:00

For us, it has always been a pleasure to receive challenging requests from our clients.

Last month, one of our clients decided to do a meeting for 60 people of the company who only knew each other by mail. They wanted a team building activity to share and put in common the objectives discussed during the meeting in the morning.
We offered them a Gastronomic Competition, a team building activity where in a dynamic and very fun way people need to use their business abilities.

In each test the teams need to set a strategy in order to reach the goals of each of the 4 tests they have to go thru.
Each test works around a certain business ability, depending on the needs of our clients we can do them more fun or more professional, always setting parallelisms with the objectives of the meeting and with the client company. We have always said that gastronomy is a powerful tool to develop relationships.
The final result of the activity and the meeting was again as expected.

The compliments of the people who took part in the activities and more important, their miles, were the proof that their objectives had been reached.
There is nothing more that makes us more happy than see our clients satisfied and happy with our services.
We will do our best to keep up the good job.
Thank you

Gastronomic Team building in Alella

2008-11-03T03:12:00.000-08:00

Dear friends when we began this adventure of writing a corporative blog like ours, one of our intentions was to share with you our personal experiences. Unfortunately, we don’t have the opportunity to write as often as we would like.
We think that it is important to share and think aloud over all that thrills us.

Invited by Maison de la France, we attended Destination Vignobles 2008, a work-shop , where supply and demand meet to share this passionate world of Wine Tourism. Two years ago we went in the Bordeaux, which was a great pleasure. But this year it has been delightful.

The visits to the Cote du Rhone, the Côte du Luberon and the Côte du Ventoux have been a discovery for our minds and our senses. We have often spoken of creative experiences and slow travel, and I believe that this trip reaffirms our beliefs.

Tourism should be something more human, we have been driven by haste and globalization, and consumption has reach tourism, thus we have standarized our free time.

We visit too many places in a little time, we have to see everything that everybody else sees, tell everybody and prepare the next trip. The important thing has become to treasure places, not experiences.

Is there anything wrong about being driven by boredom? Do not we have a right to do nothing? like children are allowed to do.

I was mesmerized by the scenery, it extreme beauty, its calmness, the pleasure to feel the surroundings, let go, relax and enjoy.

Cooking class in a Winery in Penedes > Team building in Spain

2008-11-03T01:28:00.000-08:00

Last September we had the pleasure to organize for Verbatim a team building activity, a cooking class in a beautiful winery of Penedes, a wine area near Barcelona. The Cellar, Can Bonastre, is one of the more interesting a wine tourism project of the area.
An experience perfect for people who want to experience the Spanish wine world and take a closer look of our culinary culture; for active people who wish to discover new cultures and sensations.
The creativity of the Spanish chefs is well-known. Today, our guests have had the opportunity to know our good friend and chef, Isabel. By Isabel’s guidance we have learned new recipes and new combinations of flavours and textures.Our guests had the important role of cooking 6 small dishes:
· Strawberry Gazpacho with basil perfume, mozzarella and prawns (instead of strawberries we used tomatoes due to the season)
· Duck ham with Jamón with different types of lettuce, pear and Parmesano cheese
· Carpaccio Codfish, kidney beans and black olives
· Monk fish with boletus edulis parmentier, Jabugo olive oil and pine nuts
· Fillet of Iberian pig with coconut soup, tender green beans and cheese bon bons
· Cake wih Pacharan (type of Spanish liquor), raspberry soup and lemon sherbet

We had the pleasure to share good company, different views about Spanish cuisine and a pleasant day with food & wine lovers.
Cheers

Photos of the activity

Curso Cocina de Autor en Penedes Septiembre 2008

Gourmet Casino in Spain > Team building activity

2008-11-03T00:41:00.000-08:00

We all have a child inside us, any adult needs to play and compete with others. It is a part of our wellbeing. Games have a great influence in learning.

We, at Food & wine Tours, have no doubt that learning thru practice and experiences is much more efficient that the classical learning in a classroom. That is exactly why we have tried to avoid the classic tasting, very instructive, but sometimes a little boring.
Sometimes, what we need is just an excuse to have fun and be able to relax. This game allows us to learn, but mainly to forget our daily routine and transform the moment in a fun learning experience.
The need of a lot of groups and companies to find new products, different, innovative, that help people get together, relax and build teams; took us to design a service specifically to cover these necessities: Casino gourmet.
We have specially designed “poker” tables, where players have to play with their senses, their knowledge and their intuition, and why not, with the pleasure of betting to win.
It is an ideal product as a pre- dinner activity, as an end to a long day of meetings, to make product presentations,… It is original, fun and easy to adapt to any space, moment or place. It can be personalized and adapted to the necessities of our customers. And we also believe, that it can help communicate, not only between people but also as a corporate communication tool for companies that they want to use it in their events.

Casino gourmet ocio vital

Spanish cheeses and Japanese Sake

2008-08-28T00:19:00.000-07:00

We have recently read an interesting article about Food and Wine Pairings: Spanish cheeses paired with Japanese Sake. It is very surprising to see how products from very different lands can be eaten together and the pairing enhances the flavours of both of them.
Here, we offer an extract of the article writen by Max McCalman, the author of The Cheese Plate and Cheese, a Connoisseur’s Guide to the World’s Best (Clarkson Potter, publisher). Max is the Maître Fromager and Dean of Curriculum at the Artisanal Cheese Center, www.artisanalcheese.com.

Cheeses have been enjoyed with wine and beer since time immemorial and if fine cheeses have been consumed with other higher-spirited beverages, then why not sakés? Often sakes are so delightful that we’ve relished the opportunity to sip them on their own. This is probably the most honest way to taste sake – on its own – without any food. However, as with other beverages, one of the most illuminating ways to taste a fine saké is in the company of fine cheeses.

Though aromatic white wine is the beverage with which sake is most frequently compared, the method of their production, though related, is quite dissimilar. In considering cheese partners for our sake, taste comparisons to fine white wines would lead us to seek out cheeses that work best with such wines. Fortunately, there is a wide range of cheeses from which to draw. Several years ago, a cheese that now has become fairly well known - the Garrotxa from Catalunya - highlighted the beautiful pairing possibilities between cheeses and wines that are not produced in the same regions. Previously, there seemed to exist an unwritten rule that only cheeses and wines that are produced within the same region can be compatible. On that occasion, the Garrotxa was paired with a white Burgundy, one that previously had not found a cheese soul-mate nearly so amiable.

One thing we recognize in the cheeses of Spain is their unique and distinctive flavour profiles; that is part of what makes the cheeses of Spain distinct as a group and different from cheeses produced in other countries. The cheeses of Spain have soul. Most of them have a relatively subtle aroma (not stinky!)

Because goat milk cheeses are generally more compatible with white wines, we first thought of cheeses like Ibores, Majorero, Aracena, Grazalema, Garrotxa, and even Monte Enebro for our saké pairing. Not surprisingly, these cheeses all were delicious with a full range of saké types, from the lighest and driest of sakés to the fuller-flavored, fruitier, and even creamier types. Since we don’t want to overwhelm the sakés with their cheese partners, we were cautious about pairing them with the most strongly flavoured cheeses. Yet, we found many stronger-flavoured cheeses that paired well, especially harder cheeses like Roncal.

Pairing Suggestions
Spanish Cheeses: Majorero Pimentón, Manchego, Sant Mateu, Torta del Casar, Garrotxa, Peral
Sake: Junmai Daiginjo from the Fukushima Prefecture, a brand called Koten Sharaku, 15% alcohol, SMV +3, Milling 50%, Acidity 1.3

Spanish Cheeses: Majorero Pimentón, Sant Mateu, Garrotxa, Torta del Casar, Beyos, Afuega´l Pitu red, Monte Enebro, Peral, Valdeón, Ibores is good to try with Sakés and Shochus
Sake: Honjozo “Kikusui in a can” unpasteurized Funaguchi Kikusui Ichiban Shibori, 19% alcohol, SMV -2, Milling 70%, Acidity 1.6

Spanish Cheeses: Majorero Pimentón, Sant Mateu, Garrotxa, Aracena, Manchego, El Toboso, Torta del Casar, Beyos (goat), Afuega red, Monte Enebro, Peral, Valdeón, Cabrales
Sake: Shochu: Imo Shochu Kiccho-Hozan Outsu-Rui from Kasoshima

Electronic Tongue Tastes Wine Variety

2008-08-05T05:37:00.000-07:00

ScienceDaily — You don't need a wine expert to identify a '74 Pinot Noir from Burgundy – a handheld "electronic tongue" devised by European scientists will tell you the grape variety and vintage at the press of a button.

Designed for quality control in the field, the device is made up of six sensors which detect substances characteristic of a certain wine variety. Components such as acid, sugar and alcohol can be measured by this detection, and from these parameters it can determine the age and variety of the wine.
The tongue was invented by Cecilia Jiménez-Jorquera and colleagues from the Barcelona Institute of Microelectronics, Spain, and is reported in the Royal Society of Chemistry journal The Analyst.
Wine industry specialists told the researchers they lacked a fast way to assess quality of wines – it takes a long time to send samples to a central laboratory for processing.
This new tongue is not only swift, but also portable, cheap to manufacture, and can be trained to "taste" new varieties as required.
Jiménez-Jorquera says "the device could be used to detect frauds committed regarding the vintage year of the wine, or the grape varieties used".

2008-08-04T05:50:00.000-07:00

Today we are officially opening a new section of articles with our favorite gastronomic videos
A series of gourmet trips around the world, that will take you to the rich and diverse cuisines of the world.

Delicious Morocco
Moroccan gastronomy is one of the most sensual cuisines of the world, it goes thru your senses, with aromas and tastes that not many cuisines are capable to archive.
We hope you enjoy it as much as we do

Costers del Segre - Empordà

2008-07-14T05:11:00.000-07:00

Costers del Segre
A denomination of origin usually corresponds to a delimited part of territorial area. However, this is not the case of Costers del Segre, which includes the whole of the province of Lleida and is divided into six sub-zones extending from Artesa de Segre to El Pallars Jussà. Hence there is a wide range of wines produced in different wineries, such as Castell del Remei which offers guided tours and Raimat where a wine harvest festival is held every September.

Empordà – Costa Brava
Located north-east of Girona, the Empordà Costa-Brava DO consist of 5.600 hectares of vineyards. Historically it was centered around the ancient Greek city of Empúries, which inherited vine growing and wine making from its original inhabitants. There are several wineries in the area and one of the most traditional and famous is at Castell de Perelada. For making white wines, varieties of Grenache, Macabeu, Xarel-lo and Chardonnay grapes are grown. The most widespread variety used for red wine is Carinyena, though of late the Grenache, Ull de Llebre (Tempranillo), Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot varieties have became quite important.

Tourism of Catalonia

Conca de Barberà, Terra Alta and Tarragona

2008-07-10T03:41:00.000-07:00

Neighbouring El Priorat are the Conca de Barberà, Terra Alta and Tarragona DOs which cover a large area of the Tarragona demarcation. The histories and traditions of all three are closely entwined with wine and variety of viticulture visits can be made, especially to the modernist wineries built by the architect Cèsar Martinell. Several co-operatives created at the beginning of the 20th century in La Conca de Barberà have wineries of this type, such as the Pira, Montblanc, Barberà de la Conca and Rocafort de Queralt co-operatives. Just to the south lies the Tarragona DO where one can visit the Muller winery in Reus and the Tous Andreu winery in Pont d’Armentera close to the Santes Creus Monastery. Also nearby I s the Celler de Nulles, a winery built by Cèsar Martinell, as well as the Granja Montalà wine museum in Valls. Then there is the Terra Alta DO consisting of seventeen municipalities and in which its capital, Gandesa, has a leading role. Indeed it is in Gandesa that one can visit the Modernist winery also built by modernist architect Cèsar Martinell. The same architect designed the Pinell de Brai co-operative, nicknamed “the wine cathedral”.

Tourism of Catalonia

PRIORAT AND MONTSANT

2008-07-07T03:17:00.000-07:00

The wines from the Priorat DOQ (Qualified Denomination of Origin) and the Montsant DO are increasingly well-known, and their reputation and quality have already made their mark abroad. Wine experts from around the world come to visit to find out the reason for their high quality. On a trip through the Priorat DOQ a must-see are the Cartoixa d’Scala Dei ruins at the foot of the Montsant mountain range. In the Montsant DO, which covers part of El Priorat and La Ribera d’Ebre, a visit to the Capçanes winery, where among other high quality wines kosher wine is made in accordance with Jewish tradition, is highly recommended. The Priorat Tourism Bureau offers visits to thirteen wineries belonging to the two denominations of origin.

Tourism of Catalonia

PLA DE BAGES AND ALELLA

2008-07-07T02:50:00.000-07:00

There are areas in addition to El Penedès that have strong wine making traditions. A good example is El Pla de Bages DO, which has won international awards in recent years. There are wineries that offer tours, such as the Celler Cooperatiu d’Artés, the Masies d’Avinyó winery in Santa Maria d’Horta d’Avinyó, and the Jaume Andreu winery. An excursion through the area will also show visitors the old vineyard huts - small, simple stone structures that were used by local peasant farmers to store their tools. The administrative headquarters of the DO Regulating Council is the Casa de la Culla in Manresa, an old farmhouse where wine tasting courses are also given. Mareseme is home to the Alella DO, the smallest denomination area in Catalonia. The Can Magarola farmhouse in Alella is the administrative headquarters of the DO and also houses a wine museum.

Tourism of Catalonia

Penedès DO

2008-07-07T01:30:00.000-07:00

At many wine making centres in the Penedès DO visitors can learn about what happens to the grapes from when they arrive at the winery to when they are made into wine. Many of these centres are featured in the Wine and Cava Routes, a network of itineraries that are part of the wine tourism project of the Alt Penedès Consortium for the Promotion of Tourism. Other wine tourism options include staying in rural tourism houses on estates where wine is made or visiting the two information centres that are in the area: the Vineyard and Wine Workshop (l’Aula de la Vinya i el Vi) in Sant Pere Molanta, and the Wine Museum (Museu del Vi) in Vilafranca del Penedès.

Tourism of Catalonia

Chemical fare: cooking in Barcelona

2008-07-01T03:59:00.000-07:00

Few of us have canisters of liquid nitrogen tucked between the demerara and cornflour in our kitchen cupboards, but after this avant-garde cooking course in Barcelona, you may be stopping off at the local chemistry department on your way to Sainsbury's to do the weekly shop.
During this day or evening lesson led by upcoming young chef Jordi Herrera, you'll learn to prepare a menu of dishes, including a gin, tonic and liquid nitrogen aperitif, meat cooked using hot nails and quirky chocolate desserts. Tuition in wine matching is also covered.
· Ocio Vital (0034 93 317 1909, foodwinetours.com). One-day course €65pp. The four-night course includes accommodation, trips to cellars and producers, and meals and costs €1,000pp.

(The Guardian, Saturday June 28, 2008)

Wine region of Somontano

2008-06-11T07:48:00.001-07:00

Somontano is a region located in the foothills of the Aragonese Pyrenees, have an ideal altitude and climate as well as an interesting range of grape varieties and wineries intent on making unique, high-quality wines.
The wines, made from thirteen native and foreign grape varieties, have a refreshing lightness and delicacy, and show the efforts undertaken by the local bodegas and their willingness to experiment. This has been one of the keys to the DO’s success and to the creation of critical and sales success.
Nowadays export the 25% of its wines in many country like Germany, Belgium, Switzerland or Canada.
Somontano has evolved significantly in the past decade: it is now capable of competing with the great Spanish classics.