Taken on a Flamenco & Tapas Tour last week.
Category: sevilla tapas
Toro de Lidia Gastronomic Days
Earlier today I attended a press conference announcing Toro de Lidia Gastronomic Days in Sevilla. As with the recent Sevilla Orange Days the idea is for various bars and restaurants around town to promote a specific local product by creating a special tapa made with this ingredient. This time it is the prized Toro de Lidia, the Spanish fighting bulls bred for the bullring. There is no doubting the high quality of these free-range animals and, since not all of the toros make it to the ring, it makes sense that they would also be taken to market. As with the world-famous Iberian pata negra pigs, these healthy well-fed beasts are born and bred in a natural environment that also ensures a habitat for a wide range of flora and fauna that might otherwise not be preserved.
I applaud the recent efforts of the Sevilla Tourism Board in promoting our fabulous local gastronomy as a tourist attraction (something I’ve actually been doing for years with my Sevilla Tapas blog and the food tours) but I have to admit that it’s hard for me to see who their target market is. I am sure that today I was the only non-Spanish journalist/blogger in attendance at the presentation, and wondered why money is being spent like this, basically “preaching to the choir”? What Spaniard doesn’t already know and love cola del toro (well, unless they are vegetarian)? It’s something they have grown up with, serious comfort food handed down through the generations via treasured family recipes.
Another observation is that the bars and restaurants that take part in these promotions are mostly the same corporate-run establishments. Again, why would this be attractive to a visitor, especially those looking for an “authentic tapas experience” in Sevilla? Trust me, there is a large – and growing – number of experienced travellers who actually organise their holidays based around the local food they hope to enjoy. And they will not be interested in hotel restaurants or obvious corporate chains. Having said that, many of these places are making some very good and creative food, but they just don’t fit in with what today’s internet-savvy tourists are looking for.
But overall it’s a good initiative and, hey, you have to start somewhere. If that’s by securing corporate sponsorship to get the word out then I guess that’s fair enough. Perhaps once better established the city will look to its already well-established community of experts (both local and foreign residents) who have been working for years in the tourist industry and have built up their own successful niche markets and networks.
Below is a list of the participating tapas bars and restaurants…
Continue reading “Toro de Lidia Gastronomic Days”
We Love Málaga Tours
As some of you may know, I am in love with Málaga and consider it my second home after Sevilla, so I try to get down there as often as possible. And although I’ve been visiting on a regular basis since 2009 I know I still have a lot to learn about it.
I’ve been a Twitter pal of Victor @welovemalaga for a few months and had been hearing great things about his tours, so during a quick visit last weekend I decided to take one of his Malaga Walking Tours. We met on a rainy Saturday morning and, because of the weather, I had Victor all to myself.
A second-generation tour guide (his father and brother are also professional licenced guides) Victor is a natural story-teller. Charming, informed, and passionate about his native city, I was immediately drawn in and held captivated by his entertaining anecdotes and fascinating facts about Málaga. No dull routine “canned talk” on this tour! Places I had already visited many times took on new meaning and I also got to see a few “secret spots” that I didn’t know existed. The two hours flew by. Towards the end we were joined by Victor’s friend Tatiana and we were taken for the final surprise of the tour – a breathtaking rooftop view where we could look out over the port and also see the route we had taken.
By this time we were getting hungry and, because Victor also does tapas tours, we decided to do a mini-tapeo before I had to catch my train back to Sevilla. Just imagine! The Málaga King and Sevilla Queen of Tapas together at last. 😉 Not surprisingly, Victor took me to three places I hadn’t been to before and I remembered when I was in Málaga just before Christmas how he had also given me some great tips via Twitter on tapas bars I should visit. He certainly knows the tapas scene in Málaga and is open and generous in sharing his knowledge.
So the next time you’re in Málaga I whole-heartedly recommend that you take one of Victor’s tours. Even if, like me, you’ve visited the city before I guarantee you’ll see it with fresh eyes.
We Love Malaga
Mini-Burger Madness
In case you didn’t already know, I am no fan of the mini-burger (aka slider). Which is strange because, in theory, it shouldn’t be any different than a tapa-sized version of a regular burger, and I LOVE tapas. But to me a mini-burger is just a squashed meatball on a small bun, usually being sold for 4 – 5.50€ a pop. Unlike montaditos, which are little hot toasted buns stuffed with fabulously flavourful fillings for about 2.50€.
I mean, if you tried to get away with selling a one-meatball tapa at those prices – with bread and maybe a few chips on the side – well, you wouldn’t. People would laugh in your face and rightly send the offending overpriced ball of meat straight back to the kitchen for the rest of it. Yet mini-burgers have become an unfathomable craze in Sevilla over the past two-three years. There are at least two establishments I know of that specialise in these things. And I keep asking myself… WHY??? As in, why do people go to these places and pay a stupid amount of money for a meatball in a bun?
Some argue that these little burgers are worth it because of the “gourmet” toppings, but seriously, how much extra can you fit inside a mini bun before it becomes an unmanageable mess? At times I have ended up with more toppings than burger meat, such as the “forest mini burger” I tried last week. I was told it came with mushrooms, goat cheese, arrugula, cucumber & celery but all I could make out visually was “a bunch of stuff” on top and all I could taste was cucumber. And then I had to ask for condiments because the bun was so dry.
As with everything, if it’s worth making it’s worth making well. Also, there are always exceptions.
These three mini burgers pictured here are exceptional indeed. The bulltail burger by super-chef Dani García at Manzanilla in Málaga was the first time a slider blew me away (though I actually first tried it at La Moraga – Dani has since moved on but his burgers remain). It’s a gorgeous combination of slow-cooked oxtail topped with melted havarti cheese and – get this – mayonnaise made from the oxtail drippings. Sublime. Later on I got to try the langoustine burger at Al Aljibe, which some sticklers may argue isn’t a true burger as it isn’t served in a bun. I don’t care, call it a minimalist burger or whatever you like, but just go and try one. The grilled langoustine burger is perfection, served with a poached quail egg and spicy huacaína sauce on the side.
Last but not least is the AMAZING beef mini burger at La Brunilda. The meat is lightly spiced (or herbed?) with I don’t-know-what and is served on a soft brioche bun with a dollop of soy mayo and a bit of sun-dried tomatoes. And it is heaven. I call it the “crackburger” because once you have had one you have to keep going back for more. Though the same could be said for all of these exceptional exceptions.
As for all the others you’ll find scattered about on Sevilla Tapas… well, I ate them so you didn’t have to. But if you have a favourite you think I should try let me know.
Sevilla Orange Days
The second Jornada de Naranja de Sevilla (Sevilla Orange Days) is on now until March 10th. This year 31 bars and restaurants are creating special tapas at 2.75€ made from Sevilla’s emblematic bitter oranges with a contest for best tapa, which will also be open to the public.
For those who participate in the voting there will be a draw for 10 fabulous food hampers containing artesanal products from these local suppliers:
- Inés Rosales: orange flavoured cakes
- Basilippo: orange olive oil
- Mermelada la Vieja Fábrica: orange marmalade
- Bodegas Góngora: orange wine
- Burnaj: orange sparkling wine
- Obrador Valle de la Osa: orange chocolate
I’ll be trying as many as I can, as well as heading out with Fiona Watson (aka Seville Writer) on Tuesday for a lunchtime orange tapa tapeo, and will be back to give you a report of my findings.
Meanwhile, you can have a look at the list of participants below to see what tapas they are offering and decide which ones you’d like to try…
Continue reading “Sevilla Orange Days”