Category: seville

Orange Days 2014

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orange days 2014

Sevilla Orange Days (Jornadas Gastronómicas de la Naranja) is my favourite of the various local culinary competitions that have sprung up over the past few years. To me there’s nothing more emblematic of my adopted city than the beautiful Seville oranges (and of course their fragrant blossom – the azahar –  which became my internet handle many years ago and is now also the name of my website). This is the third year for this very special orangetastic gastro-event and each year it gets better and better.

As in the two previous editions, over 30 local tapas bars and restaurants will be competing to create the best tapa using Sevilla oranges, but this year there will be two different categories: Sevilla Orange Tapa with a drink for 2.75€ and a Gourmet Orange Tapa with a drink for 4€. Aside from the selected panel of judges, the public is also invited to vote for their favourite tapa. More info on Visita Sevilla.

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 crisp breads
  • 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

In addition 1000 kilos of oranges will be donated to local food banks and – this is really cool – on February 14 at Santa Justa Station, and on February 17th at Sevilla airport, visitors will be greeted with an orange and a brochure about Seville Orange Days.

The Alfonso XIII Hotel will hold two Orange Day events: an orange product trade show and tasting on February 21st from 12.00 – 20.00, and a cooking demonstration by chef and author Dolphin Cabrera on February 22nd at 12.00.

orange days

[Sevilla Orange products – click on image to enlarge]

As always, I take my duties as Sevilla Tapas Queen very seriously and will be going to as many of the participating bars as possible. You can follow my progress on Twitter @SevillaTapas hashtag #naranjadesevilla. Meanwhile, here is a list of the participants so you can do your own judging…

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Henry Moore in Sevilla

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henry moore[click on image to enlarge]

A selection of abstract bronzes by Henry Moore (1898-1986), one of the great masters of modern sculpture, are being exhibited in various cities in Spain this year: Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Valencia and Bilbao. From now until mid-March it’s Sevilla’s turn. There are seven large bronze sculptures in total, which can be seen in the the Plaza del Triunfo square – a great opportunity to enjoy the strength and character of Moore’s work in an urban setting rather than inside a museum. Two of his most common themes will be present: reclining figures and connected pieces that represent a protective mother and her child.

The director of the Henry Moore Foundation, Richard Calvocoressi, is enthusiastic about the location of the bronzes. “Moore’s sculptures are based on the human figure, but we cannot forget the presence of natural forms, how they were inspired by rock formations, mountains or cliffs,” he said, “and the statues on this site seem to be in continuous dialogue with the Cathedral, which is like a mountain of stone, and the outer wall of the Alcázar, which is a sort of cliff.” Calvocoressi downplayed the rain saying that bronze looks better wet and the light here in Sevilla at the moment is like you might find on a rare summer day in England, a fitting way to appreciate these magnificent works.

I took a walk around the square during a sunny break on Friday afternoon and agree that the statues look terrific in that setting. I overheard two Spanish women talking about the reclining mother and child and the older of the two, who had to be in her eighties, said that she knew it was supposed to be a child at the breast but it still looked like a corkscrew to her. I’ll never be able to look at that statue again without a smile. And seeing a corkscrew. 🙂

Henry Moore Bronzes
February 6 to March 12, 2014
Plaza del Triunfo
Sevilla

Christmas Mapping 2013

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[youtube=”http://youtu.be/iNu7V-8phrk”]
I saw the mapping a couple of weeks ago but arrived too late to get a good vantage point for a video. Made it back for the final showing last night and went up to the new BOSTON cocktail bar to watch it again and make this. Happily did not drop iPhone off the balcony.

How do you think it compares to last year’s mapping? I kind of missed the “snow”.

Club Foodies

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Club Foodies is a new gastronomic space in El Arenal for cooking class and special events. Located on the third floor in a small side street off calle Antonia Díaz, it’s a bright and cosy space with a working fireplace surrounded by comfy sofas on one end of the room and the cooking space on the other. Large sliding doors open onto an ample terrace for either dining or having cocktails.

club foodies

[click on image to enlarge]

We did the latter last Tuesday at the Club Foodie opening event which featured a tasty array of gourmet canapés, including some serious local talent…

  • Willy Moya, Taberna Poncio
  • Equipo MPuntoR, Nikkei
  • Natalia Polaina, Los Baltazares
  • Equipo Ovejas Negras
  • Ignacio Vidal, Vidal Tapas
  • Moisés Vega. El Panduro
  • María Muñiz
  • Gabriela Sánchez-Lamadrid
  • Laura Cotanda
  • Carmen de Lara

Club Foodies is the brainchild of Ana Cardenas (far right in the lower right hand photo), a Galician who has made Sevilla her home for the past ten years. With a degree in art history and experience in organising fashion and art events around town, Ana has also been working on private Supper Clubs and other culinary experiences including music and poetry. With this new venture her future events will have a permanent home, in a space that can also be hired by others wishing to hold their own cooking classes or other gastronomy events.

Club Foodies Website
Gracia Fernández Palacios 3
Sevilla
tel. 955 223 520 / 667 620 278

BurNarj Sparkling Orange Wines

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burnarj

[click on image to enlarge]

I was treated to a private wine tasting yesterday, along with friends Fiona @Seville_Writer and Amelia @TravelCuisine1, arranged for us by BurNarj @Burnarj, a young family-run winery in Palma del Rio, Córdoba. BurNarj – a pormanteau of “burbujas” (bubbles) and “naranja” (orange) – is the world’s first and only sparkling orange wine made from 100% orange juice. All other orange wines presently on the market are grape wines that have been infused with orange juice, zest, etc. BurNarj wines are made using the traditional méthode champenoise which, aside from champagne (obvs), is also used for making Spanish cava. There are four wines in the Burnarj range: Brut Nature (dry 11% alc), Brut (slightly sweet 11% alc), Semi-Seco (semi-sweet 11€ alc) and a Semi-Seco light (7% alc). It is recommended to drink these wines well-chilled between 1º – 3º C.

BurNarj general director Alfonso Diéguez arrived at Travel & Cuisine headquarters with a cooler full of wines and a lovely selection of snacks. We started off tasting the bone dry Brut Nature, which paired very well with the smoked salmon and jamón Ibérico (Alfonso also recommends it with Rio Frío caviar from the same region), and which ended up being everybody’s favourite. I found the Brut to be a “neither here nor there” wine and was surprised to find I liked the Semi-Seco light second best out of the four. At 7% alcohol it would be a perfect brunch wine, like a ready-made mimosa. Also great for picnics, come to think of it.

Alfonso talked us through the process and explained the different characteristics of each wine with obvious passion. I was surprised to learn that it takes 5 kilos of oranges (2 litres of fresh juice) to make just one bottle of wine. It was also interesting to find out more about the origins of the company and the labour-intensive méthode champenoise. Just two years old, the winery is already selling well in Japan, Poland, Mexico and the UK, as well as at home in Spain. At 11.90€ – 13-50€ retail this would probably be a special occasion wine for most people, but I do recommend giving these wines a try, especially the Brut Nature and the light Semi-Seco.

For more information and to visit the BurNarj online store…

BurNarj Website
Pol. Ind. El Garrotal, Calle E, parcela 5
Palma del Río, Córdoba
Tel. 957 644 059 / 672 289 105