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Welcome to the Splendour of Spain.
Sunny Spain is at the top of the charts when it comes
to turning gastronomy inside out. Barcelona, in the heart of Catalonia, is in the spotlight this month because
it
really deserves top marks for being one of the most inventive areas of the
world in terms of cuisine.
Spain Trendspotting. What more is there to say than Chef Ferran
Adria? He is the Salvador Dali of food,
he creates surreal dishes that amaze and delight. He invents his ‘food creations’ in a lab as he
uses the science of food to experiment with new textures and flavours. El Bulli, his restaurant
just outside of Barcelona, is the most famous restaurant in the
world and reservations must be made a year in advance. Although Adria has turned Spanish cuisine
inside out, classic food is also alive and well – from paella to tapas.
Bueno.
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Barcelona Today.
Barcelona is set to become the capital of world
gastronomy during the Year of Food,
Cuisine and Gastromony, which is being held between March 2005-March
2006. The idea behind this event is to
strengthen the capital of Catalonia’s position as a leader in global cuisine.
10,000+
Restaurants.
Barcelona has over 10,000 eateries, as well as
markets and specialized shops. It brings
together exceptional varieties of Catalonia’s gastronomy, with produce from four
landscapes: the sea, mountains, dry
lands and lush garden land. This is
where the Mediterranean diet was born, renowned of course for its healthy
reputation.
Obsession.
Barcelona is a
city obsessed with food, where local ‘Catalans’ frequent everything from local
tapas bars to trendsetting Chef Adria’s exotic and experimental
restaurant.
HIGH: 27°C(80°F) LOW: 22°C(71°F)
Step inside Barcelona and Catalonia to experience what else it has to offer…
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A Week in Food
Heaven - Catalonia.
The food is
amazing - Catalan cuisine is a form of cooking that still closely
reflects its
medieval origins. Occupied for nearly seven hundred years by the
Romans,
followed by the Visigoths, and the Moors, the influences on the
cuisine were certainly impactful. Catalan cooking is based on the
use of fresh
ingredients, typically purchased from the local market on the same day
that they
will be used. The local wines are out of
this world, the area is becoming very
well known for its wines (your hosts know the owners of the wine
estates, so
the visits are highly personalized).
Focus on the Catalan
Cooking Holiday.
We visited in
January and it was an incredible experience, one of the best places that
we experienced. Fly into Barcelona Airport where you are met and whisked away to another
place in time - a 4th generation family house in the charming small
town of El
Masroig.
The driving time is about 1 hour & 45 minutes through picturesque
countryside with rolling hills, mountains and vineyards everywhere in sight. Everything is taken care of with this food
adventure - from transfers, to cooking classes and personalized tours and
tasting at area wineries. I would highly
recommend this culinary vacation and I have included my ‘impressions’ under My Safari Notes on the Gourmet
Safari web site. The photos speak for
themselves – the family home is more like a ‘boutique hotel’ with 3
immaculately designed bedrooms with all of the amenities. The program offers 3, 5 and 7 night packages,
and they are very flexible and accommodating.
We were made to instantly feel right at home.
Travel Your Way.
Are
you know, Barcelona is a city filled with culinary delights that you
really shouldn't miss! You can easily extend your Gourmet Safari
to spend time in Barcelona before or after your Catalan Cooking
Holiday...no problem, travel your way.
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PAELLA MIXTA
Mixed Paella
Here is one of the
delicious recipes that we made together when we were there...
Short-grain rice
Pork chops, diced
Chicken, in small
pieces
Shrimp
Clams
Steamed Mussels
Onion, chopped
Peas
Red Bell Pepper,
in strips
Green Beans
Sweet Dried Red
Pepper
‘Picada’ –
garlic, saffron, parsley, a little white wine
Fish Broth
Salt
**Experiment
with the amounts, creativity is encouraged. Use more or less of an
ingredient depending on your taste buds, that's how to create the perfect
Paella dish!
Salt the meats,
fish and seafood. In a ‘Paella’ pan,
cook each one separately and set aside.
Do the same with the vegetables (except the onions). Now carmelize the onion and when golden, add
all of the previously cooked ingredients and stir. Add the rice and the sweet dried red pepper,
and stir for 1 minute. Add the fish broth
and the ‘picada’ and stir again. Now
place the shrimp and mussels on top, and cook for 8 minutes on the burner and
4
minutes more in an oven at 180 º C or 350º F.
During our ‘Paella
evening’ we made four unique dishes.
We savoured the Paella dishes paired with local wines until well into
the evening…what a night!
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Buen Viaje y Buen Apetito!
To find out more
about Catalonia or any of our culinary vacations please
feel free to call me at 416.238.9987 (Toronto) or 1.800.839.5795 (in North America).
Email works well to at jackie@gourmetsafari.com.
Sincerely, Jackie
Gourmet Safari
supports BREAKFAST FOR LEARNING – proceeds from every culinary vacation go to
this special charity.
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