Category: gastronomy

Sevilla Orange Days 2015

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orange days 2015

Sevilla Orange Days are back! The fourth edition begins tomorrow with a variety of orange-themed activities and, as always, with a delicious route of bars and restaurants in Seville which have prepared tapas based on the #NaranjadeSevilla. Click on the image below (or click here) to see the 27 establishments that are participating this year.

And don’t miss these two special activities this Saturday, February 21st…

Guadalquivir Vally gastronomic products: jams, oils, wines, sweets, teas, chocolates, sparkling wine. In front of the Las Sirenas Civic Centre in the Alameda from 11.00 am to 5.30 pm.

A cooking display and tasting by the Salmeroteca and the Barman Association of Western Andalucía from 12.00 – 2 pm, also at the Sirenas Civic Centre.

orange days 2015 barsSevilla Orange Days 2015
February 20 – March 1

Sevilla Sabores

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sevilla sabores

This weekend Sevilla’s first food event of the year takes place in the Patio de la Diputación, Avda. Menéndez y Pelayo. Typical food and wines from the all six counties within the province will be on display and available to sample, and chefs from each district will be preparing local dishes.

Sabores de la Provincia de Sevilla
Patio de la Diputación
January 2nd – 4th
Friday: 15:00-18:00 | 20:00-23:00
Saturday: 12:00-18:00 | 20:00-23:00
Sunday: 12:00-18:00
Free Admission

A Maridaje Made in Heaven

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chocolate sherry (1)

Well, it is getting towards Christmas, so what could be more natural than a pairing (maridaje) of those two Christmas essentials, chocolate and after dinner drinks? This was the inspiration for last week’s tasting event put on by sommelier Silvia Flores at Gourmet Experience Duque.

The chocolates were supplied by Belgian luxury chocolatiers Neuhaus, who have been making chocolate since 1857, when founder Jean Neuhaus arrived in Brussels from his native Switzerland and opened an apothecary’s shop in the Galeries Royales in Brussels. Initially the chocolate was used to mask the taste of the medicinal products, but gradually the confectionary business took over, and in 1912 grandson Jean II invented the Belgian praline (or praline bon-bon), a hard chocolate shell with a nut and cream filling.

chocolate sherry (3)Apostoles/Feuilletine, Matusalem/Sappho, Nomad/Divine, Lepanto/Gallerie, Noe PX/Jean

Drinks were supplied by renowned Jerez bodega González Byass. These included:  Aposteles, an aged Palo Cortado drawn from a solera created in 1862, two sweet sherries, Matusalem Cream and Noe PX, and two spirits. Lepanto is the company’s flagship brandy, made from Palomino grapes and matured for 15 years in Fino casks, while Nomad is a blended Scotch whisky that is finished in Jerez in PX casks.

These were paired with selected Neuhaus chocolates ranging from hazelnut and almond milk chocolate pralines (Feuilletine and Sappho) to caramel fillings in light and dark chocolate (Divine and Galerie) and finishing with an intense dark chocolate ganache (Jean – 64% Peruvian cocoa). The tasting was led by Neuhaus representative Anabel Leirman and Juanma Terceño from Gonzalez Byass, with poetic interludes provided by G-B’s master wineblender Antonio Flores. A sweet and sensual tasting experience.

chocolate sherry (2)Our hosts: Silvia Flores (Gourmet Experience sommelier), Anabel Leirman (Neuhaus), Antonio Flores (González Byass master wine blender), Juanma Terceño (González Byass sommelier).

Entrechuelos Wine Tasting at La Revuelta

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entrechuelos cata (1)La Revuelta opened earlier this year as a kind of all purpose cultural drop-in centre with books, art and events, especially food and wine events, and that was why I was there recently – for one of their “off the beaten track” wine tastings, this one featuring a small winery, Entrechuelos, run by Miguel Domecq, a member of the renowned Pedro Domecq sherry family. Miguel presented each wine like a proud father and I always find this kind of personal connection helps people relate better to what they’re tasting.

The Entrechuelos winery opened in 2008 on the Cortijo de Torrecera (the central farm of a grape growing estate), an area long used for vineyards, named for an 11th century Moorish watchtower built on the top of a hill overlooking the surrounding land. Although the winery is not far from Jerez, the wines produced there are not sherries, but table wines of the Tierra de Cadiz.

entrechuelos cata (2)We sampled four of these, starting with a young Chardonnay, which proved light and refreshing, slightly sweet with a good, fruity taste. This was followed by two red wines blended from Syrah, Merlot, Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon, the first called Roble 2012, aged for six months in French oak, the second a Tercer Año 2011, aged for a year. The contrast between the two was surprising. The first failed to impress, but the extra six months of ageing of the second produced a pleasantly full-bodied and quite complex wine with a deep colour that I thoroughly enjoyed. The fourth was the Alhocen Personal Selection 2010, a slightly different blend of the same four grapes, also aged for 12 months to make a nice fruity red wine.

Check the La Revuelta Website for information about upcoming events and activities.

La Revuelta
Siete Revueltas, 33
Tel 954 21 08 06
Open: 10.00 – 14.00 / 17.00 – 20.00
Closed Sunday

La Abacería del Sur

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abaceria del surco-owners Antonio M. Lebrero and Andres J. Guerrero

La Abacería del Sur, a little gourmet food shop tucked away in a quiet street just outside the main shopping district, has just celebrated its first anniversary. Founders Andres J. Guerrero and Antonio M. Lebrero were getting into the Christmas spirit today by giving a little cheese sampling outside the shop – and very nice cheeses they were too. As well an impressive range of exclusive cheeses you can find good selections of fine wines, canned fish, olive oils and, more surprisingly, a selection of English biscuits and preserves, including marmalades, from the Mrs Bridges range (named for the Upstairs, Downstairs housekeeper).

It’s a charming and well-maintained spot, a sign of the owners’ pride in their dream. Treat yourself by stopping by for a bit of fine food shopping. Ideal for unique and delicious Christmas hampers too.

La Abaceria del Sur
Calle Lagar 11
Tel: 609 049 022