Introducing Fira de la Candelera 2019

I knew what Coradella was last year, when the readers of Cuina magazine chose it as the favourite dish of Catalans for 2018.

A quite difficult dish for many people because it is made with lamb offals (heart, blood, liver...). A typical dish for countryside people that become a symbol of  Molins de Rei. This year is the star of Fira de la Candelera.

At the presentation, Marc Morro (from El Taller restaurant) cooked it, at Mercat de Molins de Rei, in a version, Curàmpling (Coradella dumpling), with three different styles: fried...

... steamed...

... and grilled.

The truth it is a wonderful way for starting eating Coradella for those with some problems.

Immediately, we went to Sala Gòtica del Palau dels Requesens, where there was the presentation of Candelera activities for this year.

Activities marked by gastronomy, because the goal is give a gastronomical mood for a city that it is fighting for it.

It is remarkable it is a fair of fairs, where there are some of tjem as the one of wine, the oldest in Catalunya. This year the invited D.O. is D.O. Costers del Segre.

At the end of the morning, it was time for prizes for the best Coradella.

As traditional recipe, won the restaurant El Tast.

El Pati de Molins won the prize for the innovative recipe with "Scallops with Coradella and caramelized onion"

And there was a special mention for the recipe of restaurant Diana.

Tararot, was chosen as the best D.O. Costers del Segre wine for maridating with Coradella, for being young and fruity.

Everybody is invited to visit Molins de Rei from february 1st to 3rd!

Arrels del Vi 2018

2018 is the year that "Arrels del Vi" has also presence in Barcelona.

This fest of D.O. Empordà is always celebrated at the Empordà, having Castelló d'Empúries as the place of the big event. But they decided to carry the wine wonders they produce to Barcelona, so many of us can taste wines that are not usual in Barcelona restaurant wine lists because it seems the quality of the restaurant is measured by the percentage of "Rioja" and "Ribera del Duero" in the list.

A quite significant number of wineries came to Palau de Mar de Barcelona to expose their productions.

The truth is anybody could make a vast tasting, with different varieties and wineries... But, personally, I chose to taste a delicious Empordà wonder I love: the Garnatxa de l'Empordà.

It is a sweet wine good as aperitif or at dessert time... That's good because it is a good way to have a correct wine for the last part of a meal. And D.O. Empordà has extraordinary sweet wines.

From these wonderful wines, I would love to remark three of them I liked so much.

First one, "Sol i Serena" by Cellers d'en Guilla, a wine 3 years in demijohns in a process of "sol i serena" (covered by sun and night). It is so good as aperitif. Later, some are in cask where they become a wine for dessert: the "Garnatxa". I did not taste this last one.

In second place, "Torre de Capmany Garnatxa" from celler Pere Guardiola, a classical example of what have to be a "Garnatxa de l'Empordà", with all its scents and flavours.

And "Sinols Garnatxa" by 'Empordàlia... Pure honey!!!! A sweet nectar not not overly sweet at all. It was so fresh and delicate. It was the one I loved most.

And, of course, all in company of one of the most well known products from the Empordà: "les anxoves de l'Escala".

Miguel Muñoz's showcooking for "Passeig de Gourmets"

The first half of march gave us the first edition of  "Passeig de Gourmets", an activity to show what is done in gastronomy in this main street of Barcelona.

Different places of the Passeig and surrounding offered dishes and menús for people be able to experience their cooking. Also, there were organized some showcookings to give an slight view about a part of gastronomy.

Friday 16th, I had the chance of being at a showcooking about escabetxos (marinades) by Miguel Muñoz, head chef of hotel H10 The One Barcelona (Carrer Provença, 277).

As usual, there was a part to contextualize the showcooking. In the beginning, marinades were conservation methods using vinegar. But because of improvement in machines and techniques for food conservation, marinade is a cooking method as any other. This caused now mariande has less vinegar in recipes.

A marinade, depending on the kind of vinegar, will have differences of scents and flavours, so it can be customized in several combinations. But, a marinade, for being a marinade, must have a 24 hours rest, to assemble all the scents.

The first marinade we tasted was a vegetable one with paprika. It was made with white vinegar. The recipe was delicious, specially because of the vegetables crunchy. They were like pickled.

Immediately, there was a mackerel marinade that has orange juice instead of vinegar. Full of scent, delicate and so good.

The last one was a quail marinade that was almost a Catalan casserole, with pine seeds and prunes. It has a delicious stock made with oven toasted quail skeletons and vegetables. It can be done with another small bird. But, the point is legs should be more time cooking that breastes. The vinegar used was one made with Jerez wine.

For closing the showcooking, Miguel Muñoz mentioned three cooking secrets:

1) Love for what is done
2) Time
3) Patience

Girona Excel·lent

Amognst good things at Mercat de Mercats (and there are many of them), speeches about gastronomy are my favourite ones.

And if it is one by Pep Nogué, knowledge is assured.

He talked about "Girona Excel·lent", an agroalimentary label for Girona products. Before having it (not for always, but for a time) products must be tested in blind tastings that will determinate their quality and if they deserve the label. This tries to defend territory, producers, product origins and the way of doing them.

Catalonia, in general, although it is an small territory, it has a group of different micro-climates that allow different productions. And because of small producers almost 400 different cheeses are made when some decades ago there were few of them. Talking about beer, the same: in fifteen years from no craft brewer, reached 100 brewers. Being crafter does not mean doing everything with the hands and alone. A crafter has a good element, a good technique and, obviously, uses machines or new techniques that allow to improve.

And we made some tastings of products paired with the proper drink.

We started with a wonderful Escala anchovy with a delicated flavour, a delicious sea scent and a meaty texture. This is because a curating process that depends on every anchovy and the care with the product: it is packed by hand.

For pairing it, we drank a delicate cider (Mooma) made with IGP Girona apple.

Immediately, an extraordinary foie salé entered. It is a duck foie that once is veins removed it is cured in salt, it does not is cooked. It has a very delicate taste, without the presence of iron taste of many patés. We were in front of a piece that seemed butter: it melted.

The dance partner was a Marina beer, so fresh, with fruity and floral scents because of hop.

The third piece we tasted it was a La Balda cheese. A so delicious cheese of soft paste made with raw milk of cow. It has a understory scent combined with butter.

Cheese was paired with a Maragda, a young wine, made with Macabeu and white Garnatxa grapes. Refreshing... it cleaned mouth very well.

I would like to underline a Pep Nogué comment as advice: although cheese is associated to red wine, 90% of cheese must be paired with white wine.

Cinzano tasting

For celebrating the 260th anniversary, Cinzano made a tasting of its products at Mercat de Mercats.
Giuseppe Santamaria (Cinzano brand ambassador) talked about the history of the Turinese brand to place the products we had on the table.

From its foundation in 1757, Cinzano lived so much and changed also so much to keep on being a referent in vermouth brewing. With a very classical production system, almost artisan, the brand products keep on being loyal to the vermouth essence:
- Aromatic wine
- Aperitive
- Alcoholic drinks with botanics base. Amogst them, wormwood is the one with more presence (Vermouth is the German word for wormwood). Botanics made the difference betweetn vermouths of different countries, so local herbs are used.


We tasted four different vermouths, two white ones and two red ones, and, in both types, a classic one and a premium one.

About red vermouths:
- The classic one was the first one brewed by Cinzano. Its color is because of caramel, not for it being done with red wine. Although some brands use red one for vermouth, this drink is based in white wine. It has 16º alcohol. Its color is intense amber and the fruit scents are combined with a creamy texture in mouth and a bitter and sour ending.
- The premium one is more complex. It is very good for mixology. Alcoholic graduation of 16º. Brown red color and scent to wood and nuts. It has a sweet beginning and a bitter ending.

About white vermouths:
- The classic has 15º and a strong scent of herbs and fruit. Starts sweet and leave fresh grass and citric scents.
- The premium one, with 16º, is elegant and has flower scent. As the classic, starts sweet, but has a bitter ending, something difficult to find in white vermouths. Its flavour is fruity.