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Dear
Fellow Food and Wine Lover,
I
wanted to remind you that we are still serving up our sizzling hot Cookery in San Sebastian food
adventure and this is last call!
Taste
San Sebastian.
Located
in the beautiful European city of San Sebastián,
in the Basque Country, a land with a huge gastronomic tradition and very close
to the French border is where you'll find your cooking school - born in
response to the growing need to train chefs in Spain. San Sebastián is known for its famous
"La Concha" Bay and its popular "tapas" bars and
prestigious restaurants (many of which are Michelin Star Rated). Situated right
on the north eastern coast of Spain,
San Sebastian
is a sparkling jewel in the Basque Country. The famous cooking school is near
the harbour, in the traditional old-part of town, in the city centre. Classes
are given by the founder, Luis Irízar's daughter Visi Irízar and a team of
prestigious cuisine professionals.
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The 2008 program at a
glance includes:
6
nights at Pension Aldamar, including
breakfast
3
cooking classes, all in English at the fantastic school location
Welcome
dinner
Farewell
dinner
Excursion
to Rioja, including visit to wine museum and lunch
Excursion
to typical village, including aperitif/coffee
Airport
Transfers
English-speaking
guide to accompany the group!
Dates for
2008:
Arrive
on Sunday July 20
Depart
Saturday July 26
Music to our
ears...
The
dates Cooking in San Sebastian
cooking tour will coincide with the San
Sebastian Jazz Festival which is on from July 22nd to 27th. This year's 43rd edition of
Spain's top Jazz Festival brings big names in the world of jazz to San
Sebastian's stages for the top music event of the summer and will be 'in full
swing' with plenty of free concerts every day until midnight and later. This culinary experience combines a unique
cultural experience as well, as the timing perfectly coincides with this world-renown
Jazz Festival.
Tour Price for
2008:
$2,030 Double
Occupancy per person in Canadian/US Dollars. Price is excluding airfare.
If
we have a minimum of 10 participants, everyone saves $100 per person...so let's
create a group and save!
Click
here for further details and to view this fabulous itinerary and come to San Sebastian and 'feel
the heat'!
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Foodie
Corner - Recipe
of the Month.
To inspire you we thought it would be a great idea
to
share a delicious Tapas (Pintxos) recipe...trendy Tapas are the perfect way to
entertain -
turn an evening into a fiesta!
Canapés of Spanish
Quesuco Cheese with Caramelized Onion
Liébana
Quesuco is a rare, semi-sweet, mild cheese made from three milks.
1
brioche-type loaf of bread
1
smoked Liébana Quesuco cheese (or Mahón,Tetilla or San Simón or Manchego as a
substitute)
Caramelized
onion:
1
lb 2 oz onions
4
tbsp brown sugar
4
tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4
tbsp red wine vinegar
Salt
How
to make it:
1)
Caramelized onions: Finely slice the peeled onions and place in a pan with the
sugar, vinegar, oil and salt.
2)
Simmer until all liquid has evaporated and the onions are beginning to
caramelize (don't allow onions to over-cook).
3)
Slice the bread into medium-sized slices, trim any rind off the cheese and cut
it into wedges.
4)
Place one wedge of cheese on each slice of bread then top with a spoonful of
caramelized onion.
5)
Place the canapés in a hot oven 360 degrees F for 5 minutes to quickly melt the
cheese. Serve hot, direct from the oven.
You
can even make these on the grill if it's barbeque season where you are...I did
and it turned out deliciously. Buen
provecho!
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Uncorked!
The Canapés of Spanish Quesuco Cheese with
Caramelized Onion are best with... a typical 'txakoli' Basque white wine that is
produced in the region's provinces. Txakolí
is a distinct wine made from grapes - Ondarribi Beltza for the reds, Ondarribi
Zuri for the whites - cultivated in the provinces of Vizcaya and Guipúzcoa.
Generally young, light, and fresh tasting, it is available everywhere in the
Basque Country, but especially in coastal areas, where it is a perfect match
for seafood. Its effervescence makes it comparable to young whites.
Rioja Alavesa, another of the regions of the La
Rioja wine-producing area, and the wines from there are much fruitier than the
other regions. Cider has long been consumed in Basque Country as
well, but the wine, perhaps because of the proximity to the Rioja region, is of
greater cultural importance. Cheers!
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Trendspotting.
The
Basque Country's Pintxos and Txokos
When you are in San Sebastian you will experience
two solidly
established trends of the Basque Country gastronomic culture - Pintxos and
Txokos. Bar counters display numerous pintxos, the equivalent to tapas in other
areas of the country. It is traditional to barhop before lunch of dinner, which
is essentially a regional sport. Pintxos are traditional bar snacks that help
create a
relaxed and convivial atmosphere. They
can be as simple as bowls of olives and almonds, thinly sliced ham, wedges of
Spanish tortilla (a thick potato omelette) and a selection of cheeses spread
out on the bar. Fancier tapas can cover
the gamut from marinated vegetables, garlicky shrimp and other seafood, to
spicy meats in sauces. All dishes are
eaten in small portions, although they can be quite hearty, and are meant to be
shared.
One makes the rounds consisting of popping in and
out of several bars, usually the same ones every day, grabbing a pintxo and
drinking a txikito (a small glass of wine) in each one. It is a way to meet
friends and acquaintances without arranging a specific date, before heading
home for a proper meal. I say, when in Rome...
To
find out more about 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 too at jackie@gourmetsafari.com.
Sincerely,
Jackie
PS: Please help save the environment by
recycling this email -- help spread the word and forward it
to all your friends!
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