I had the opportunity to visit a few weeks ago the most important Spanish wine fair in the country (Fenavin) and one of the most relevants in Europe. I set myself the challenge of choosing the ten more interesting wines for 10 euros or less that I tasted. Or almost, because three of the chosen ones cost a little more. But its quality is well worth the extra effort. This time I especially focused on wine from Galicia in the NW of Spain.

Sete cepas

Year:  2021

Price: 8,47 euros

Grape: Albariño

% Alcohol: 12 º

Producer: Bodega Carballal

Area: DOP Rías Baixas

Controlled fermentation with indigenous yeast in stainless steel and aged on fine lees for two months.

This is the first wine made by the seven brothers who currently own the winery following the path of their father. 100% Atlantic wine with a straw yellow color with greenish reflections. On the nose fresh fruit, apple and also hints of stone fruit, apricot.
Acidity well integrated. Elegant and fresh at the same time, a very lively Albariño, ideal for shellfish and white fish.

Pepe Cabanas

Year:  2018

Price: 10,50 euros

Grape: Albariño

% Alcohol: 12,5 º

Producer: Bodega Torres Agustí

Area:  IGP Barbanza e Iria

A little hidden gem from Galicia. Its label caught my eye and its taste did not disappoint at all. In fact, the name of the wine is dedicated to the father-in-law of its producer, Manuel Bandín, who was in prison during the Franco dictatorship.
Fruit and mountain herb notes and a very interesting final salinity.
Like the previous wine, it is perfect for canned seafood, fish and white meats.

José Pariente

Year:  2021

Price: 9,90 euros

Grape: verdejo

% alcohol: 12,5 º

Producer: bodegas José Pariente.   

Area: DOP Rueda

The classic from a classic winery that also makes a fantastic Garnacha in Gredos but was outpriced for our 10X10 challenge.
White and citrus fruits and aromas of fennel, scrubland with a mineral note at the end and a final taste of bitterness.
Perfect for appetizers, sausages and smoked meats.

Torre de Gazate

Year: 2021

Price: 4,50 euros

Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon

Producer: Vinícola de Tomelloso

Area: DOP La Mancha

Fenavin’s bargain. A very correct wine with an unbeatable value for the price that perfectly represents the spirit of the DOP La Mancha. It serves both as an aperitif by the pool or to accompany a light meal.
Aroma of red fruits, raspberry and strawberry, and greater persistence than might be expected considering its price.

Almavid Rosé

Año: 2020

Price: 8,6 euros

Grape: Garnacha

Producer: Bodega López Campos

Area: DOP Méntrida

Méntrida is one of the most promising and at the same time most unknown wine areas in Spain. Hidden between the wines of Madrid and Gredos, the wineries fight to find its own place on the wine map. Almavid is a very fresh organic wine but with the character of the Aragonese Grenache that the current owner’s grandfather brought with him after the hit of phylloxera plague at the beginning of the 20th century.
A good opportunity to get to know the wines from a region with a lot of potential.

Tinto de maceración carbónica Ortega Ezquerro

Year: 2021

Price: 6 euros

Grape: Tempranillo

Productor: bodega Ortega Ezquerro

Area: DOP Rioja

One of the wines with the most hype on Social Media thanks to the fantastic comunication work of its winemaker, David Bastida Caro. Once again excellent value for your money in a young Tempranillo made using the carbonic maceration technique (see more info).
Aromas of red and purple forest fruits and floral tones with hints of liquorice.
Ideal to accompany game, red meats, roasts and cured cheeses.

Montecastrillo tinto

Year: 2020

Price: 8,50 euros.

Grape : 90% Tempranillo y 10% Cabernet Sauvignon

Producer: bodega Finca Torremilanos

Area: DOP Ribera de Duero

I had the opportunity to listen to Ricardo Peñalba for the first time at Duero Wine Fest and I was very interested in his particular vision of Ribera de Duero wine, where they have been pioneers in organic and biodynamic farming for years.
Montecastrillo red is an organic wine aged for 4 months in French oak barrels. An absolutely versatile wine.
Cherry red with notes of coffee and liquorice and perfect for pizza and pasta.

Valdouro

Year: 2019

Price: 6,33 euros

Grapes: garnacha/ Mencía

Producers: vinos Barco

Zona de producción: DOP Valdeorras

Another excellent value for money wine where Grenache and Mencía harmonize perfectly. 12 months in oak barrel.
Ruby red with tile tones in which the wood contributes but does not weigh too much. Perfect red for good weather and barbecued meats.

P Mencía

Year: 2020

Price: 9 euros

Grape: Mencía

Producer: Ponte da Boga Adega

Area: DOP Ribeira Sacra

P from primero, first, in Spanish. The first of the young wines aged in steel tanks for 6 months.
Intense aroma, typical of the Mencía from Ribeira Sacra, with its notes of violet, rose, blackberry and pepper with a background of moist earth. Perfect to enjoy an Galician style octopus.
And the perfect excuse to visit his winery, located in one of the most special areas of Spain.

Estancia piedra natural

Year: 2020

Price: 10,30 euros

Grape: 100% Tempranillo

Producer: bodega Estancia Piedra

Area: DOP Toro

I could not close the list without choosing a wine from Toro, one of my favorites growing areas in Spain. An interesting discovery is Estancia Piedra Natural, aged for 6 months in French oak barrels.
Cherry red and aromas of fresh fruit, ideal for French cheeses such as Brie and Camembert.
Made by another wandering Scotsman, Grant Stein, who in 1997 decided to buy one of the largest plots of old vineyards in the DO. Currently they produce organic and natural wines with the utmost respect for their privileged environment.

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In recent weeks I´ve had the opportunity to participate in two of the most important wine events organized by Guia Peñin: the Hall of the Best Wines of Spain, in which 400 wineries presented more than 2,000 references that have obtained a score greater than 90 points in the Peñín Guide. And the IX Hall of the Stars: the most competitive Spanish wines in their quality/price ratio.

They were two fantastic days. Distributors and producers shared with me their passion and creativity for the complex and fascinating world of Spanish wine.

These are my discoveries, which I would like to share with you. I await your comments and suggestions.

The wines are organized alphabetically.

61 Verdejo Vermouth

Price: 9.85 euros.

Grape type: Verdejo

Producer: Cuatro Rayas Winery

Production area: La Seca (Valladolid) / DOP Rueda

It is the first vermouth made with Verdejo grapes, to demonstrate the versatility of this century-old grape and bring the concept of vermouth closer to younger people. The grapes are harvested manually and 50% of the wine ferments in the barrel before adding the characteristic botanicals of this type of drink. Therefore it has more personality.

Its color is mahogany and its aroma is intense, with notes of scrubland such as thyme and rosemary.

1580

Price: 25.40

Year: 2018

Grape type: cabernet Sauvignon, callet

Producer: Bodega Cap Andritxol

Production area: Ví de la Terra de Mallorca

The only representative of Mallorca that I found, something surprising since I have always thought that very good wines are made on the island. This project is the paradigm of the international character of the island. A Russian entrepreneur in love with a farm is beginning to make her dream come true after a short journey of five years.

An elegant and summery red, very versatile made with Cabernet Sauvignon and Callet, the native Majorcan grape. They are looking for distributors in the peninsula since so far they mainly export to other European countries such as Russia and Germany.

Adaro

Price: 20 euros.

Year: 2018

Grape type: Tempranillo

Producer: Pradorey winery

Production area: Aranda de Duero / DOP Ribera de Duero

A red with character but at the same time light and elegant with its combination of red fruits and liquorice. A perfect mix between classic and modern that pays tribute to the brand’s founder, Javier Fernández de Adaro.

As de Mirabras

Price: 11 euros

Grape type: Palomino fina

Producer: Bodegas Barbadillo

Production area: IGP Cádiz

As de Mirabras is the fruit of the work of two years of selection of old vines from albariza land and old vines near the sea. In the winery the must ferments in stainless steel tanks. It is the perfect balance between a drier and sweeter wine with the characteristic saline touch of Cadiz wines. A good balance between fresh and complex.

Baltasar Gracian Reserva

Price: 12.75 euros.

Year: 2015

Grape type: Garnacha 70% Syrah 30%

Producer: Bodegas San Alejandro

Production area: Miedes (Zaragoza) / DOP Calatayud

The older brother of another of my favorite wines, Baltasar Gracián Viñas Viejas, this wine adds the Syrah variety to the Grenache and is macerated for 15 months in French oak barrels. More complex and full-bodied, but not too intense with aromas of cloves and sweet fruit.

Frontaura & Victoria Crianza

Year: 2017

Price: 17.50 euros.

Grape type: Tinta de Toro

Producer: Frontaura winery

Production area: DOP Toro

I find especially interesting the wines of the DOP Toro, powerful and fruity at the same time. Frontaura & Victoria has aged for 14 months in French oak barrels and presents an aroma of red and toasted fruits, a product of the reddish soils and the lack of rainfall in the area.

Microcosmico

Year: 2019

Price: 12 euros

Grape type: Macabeo

Producer: Bodegas Frontonio

Production area: Alpartir(Zaragoza) / IGP Valdejalón

Any Frontonio wine is a safe bet, but this Macabeo white seems to me to have an unbeatable quality/price ratio. I also find it interesting to show that in the land of Garnacha you can make wonderful whites with native varieties. Made from old vines over 65 years old, it has mineral and acid notes of grapefruit and jasmine aroma.

Pegaso Pizarra

Year: 2018

Note: the 2018 vintage is not for sale yet. According to information from the winery, it could be available at the end of January or the beginning of February.

Price: 30 euros (vintage 2017)

Grape type: 100% Garnacha

Producer: Telmo Rodríguez Wine Company

Production area: DOP Cebreros (Ávila)

This wine, which is the most interesting of those I have found in the Cebreros PDO, is made on a hillside of old vines that had been abandoned next to a gorge. This type of soil is at a height of more than 950 meters, mainly facing East. It is an organic wine that has aged between 24 and 30 months in French oak barrels. Notes of wild herbs and minerals.

Rosae

Year: 2020

Price: 11 euros

Grape type: 100% Tempranillo

Producer: Bodegas Arzuaga

Production area: Quintanilla de Onésimo (Valladolid) / DOP Ribera de Duero

This wine is made with the first grape that enters the winery with a very light pressing so that it does not reach more than 13%. It is the only one that does not go through the barrel in the entire winery and maintains a very pale pink color in the style of the rosés of Provence. It has a high aromatic intensity of forest and exotic fruits such as passion fruit. I found it perfect for aperitif time accompanied by some French… or Galician oysters.

La Silleria

Year: 2020

Price: 26 euros

Grape type: 100% Verdejo

Producer: Barco del Corneta

Production area: La Seca (Valladolid) / Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y León

La Silleria is an organic wine of very limited production (1,600 bottles) from 0.80 has of vines over 100 years old located 750 meters high. It ferments in barrels for a year before being aged on its lees for 12 months and then remains in a tank for 4 months before being bottled. It is a more intense wine than the average white, with a slightly bitter touch that makes it very interesting. Beatriz Herranz, founder of the winery, told me that her objective was to make a different wine from the more technical and standardized wines of DOP Rueda.

Veraton

Year: 2018

Price: 24 euros

Grape type: 100% Garnacha

Producer: Alto Moncayo

Production area: DOP Campo de Borja.

I found this wine at the Garnacha tasting organized by DOP Campo de Borja and it was my favorite along with Tres Picos, the great classic. It is made with Garnachas between 30 and 50 years old with 30-year aging. Very fruity and with notes of chocolate, very smooth on the palate. The soils in which they are grown are hard and stony, difficult to work. Somehow, they give these wines a lot of character.

68 godello

Sant Pere Moixent

Silentium

Valsotillo

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There was an uncontained joy in the environment and very special energy. It was the first time in a long time that exhibitors participating in Organic Food Iberia left their virtual bubble to participate in a brick-and-mortar fair. Those fairs in which samples of wine and ham, are truly appreciated and networking is done in the old way: face to face. And I soaked up all these good vibrations instantly as soon as I crossed the threshold of pavilion 8 at IFEMA.

I had not heard of this exhibition until I received the invitation and searching for information about it, I understood why. It is a young fair, the first edition took place in 2019, which saw its steps truncated last year due to pandemic restrictions.

Organic Food Iberia is an international fair, organized by Diversified Communications UK in collaboration with IFEMA, and is also held in Australia, Sweden, and England. Currently, Spain is booming with organic agriculture and food production, so it was logical that it would have its event.

In fact, according to data from the organizers, Spain currently cultivates 2 million hectares of organic crops, the largest area in Europe and it is the fourth largest producer in the world. The consumption of organic products in Spain grew by 20% last year and we are already reaching the levels of other countries in the north of the European continent.

Spain currently cultivates 2 million hectares of organic crops, the largest area in Europe

In a fair of this type, the best thing is to walk and let yourself be carried away by your intuition, and this is what I did. In this time, I started in reverse mode, when my interest made me begin first with dessert and stop at the ice cream stand of the Runakay company, a pioneer in the production of artisanal and vegan ice cream. I have to say that the name is not the most accurate part of the product, since it is not very catchy and reminds you of a sports store, but the ice cream was delicious.

I was very kindly attended by Manuel Sanchez, the company’s delegate in Madrid, who gave me a taste of the mango sorbet, very rich, and the horchata with stracciatella that won my heart because it combines two of my favorite flavors. Luckily, I already can find it in Madrid so from now on it is included in my shopping basket.

Then I came across an interesting corner designated to “do a wine tasting yourself”, with a selection of organic wines. The most interesting of them was Granza Crianza 2015, made with Tinta de Toro grape by the Cyan winery from Matarromera group.

The DO Jumilla has played a prominent role in this fair, with a stand entirely dedicated to its wines. The answer is that its geographical conditions, in transition between the Mediterranean climate and La Mancha plains and its remarkable altitude, between 320 and 900 meters, and the climatic conditions give their vines a natural resistance to various pests, making it a perfect enclave for the production of organic wine. Currently, 70% of the wine produced in Jumilla is organic. A good example is Numun, from bodegas BSI.

My next stop was Dehesa de Luna winery, also located in the Albacete area. I must admit that I was attracted by the smell of the Iberico ham tasting. But this farm is much more than ham. Located in a unique enclave surrounded by 2,800 hectares of nature, it has been creating organic wines for 15 years from its centuries-old vineyards and protecting the fauna and flora that surround it.

Taking a break from wine, I came across a drink more unknown in Spain and full of healthy properties. Ginger beer, which is different from its companion ginger ale. Ginger beer is produced by fermentation like traditional beer. In California, ginger is a more than familiar spice, and an artisanal and fair-trade company from there, The Ginger People, has finally just arrived in Spain. In addition to this drink, they sell too really interesting products, such as ginger syrup, ideal for preparing healthy pancakes with a zen flair.

A farm as unique as Dehesa el Milagro requires a special mention. Behind a company with such a suggestive name is Blanca Entrecanales Domecq, who a little more than a decade ago turned a mix between dreams, utopia, and the search for a quiet life in what is now an established but innovative company. The project for this ecological farm was born in Alcañizo (Toledo) to treat Nature with the utmost respect so she, in return, returns us healthy products of the highest quality. On the farm, they try to be self-sufficient to the maximum through a closed production cycle in which the cattle are fed with their pastures and in which seasonal products are respected to the maximum.

The intention of its creator was also to make consumers participate in the excellence produced by the land. For this reason, its objective was to eliminate intermediaries in the distribution chain, and therefore its products can be purchased online. Their latest launches are a line of products already prepared such as meat for tacos, very rich, and also an ecological stuffed chicken with which they won the award for the best innovative product. We will have to have it on the radar for the festivities to come.

I still had two interesting stops to finish my tour of Organic Food Iberia. The ecological preserves Monjardin, a family business on the Navarra riverbank that has been producing quality products for more than 50 years. and another of my favorite products and which is now starting to hit the ground running in Spain: kombucha.

The first company in the country to make them by hand is Mun Ferments, created by Jordi Dalmau in Mataró in 2015. Kombucha, a common drink in yoga studios in the western United States, is a probiotic fermented drink made from green tea that improves intestinal flora and promotes the detoxification of the organism, and is also a guilty free soft drink since its composition of sugars and alcohol is very low.

In short, a very interesting route that combines tradition and innovation. Because they are not only compatible. They are a combination of success.

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And here we are! Facing again a big food and wine event! The difference is that Taste Washington is not big is totally massive! So massive that is the biggest of his kind in the US. 225 wineries, 65 restaurants. 700 wines, 5,000 glasses, 200,000 wine pours. And these are only the estimated facts of the Grand Tasting weekend. Much more happened last week because this event who began humble but steady 19 years ago reinvents itself every year.

2016 edition novelties were 2 fun evening parties: Red & White Party and The New Vintage and 3 lunch excursions really rooted in the sustainable farm to table movement that is shaking the State and pretty much the way we are beginning to approach food in the whole country.

Schedule issues only allowed me to attend Saturday´s Grand Tasting for the first time ever. This means a fresh new approach but some amateur mistakes driven by me and my impossible goal to envision the real size of the event. Because who is able to taste 700 wines without ending emotionally, intellectually and physically intoxicated? It´s simply impossible to do it although a fun winemaker from Walla Walla told me: “Some people try… and fail” giving me a metaphorical wink. “I prefer focusing on trying all the food”.

So you should have checked the impressive list in advance but you didn´t and you don´t have so much time now. And every booth is a magnet calling your attention… And then, between bite and bite You see Pomum Cellars! No problem in admitting that I find pretty awesome the idea of making Washington wines with Spanish varietals. I visited the winery last year and the wines didn’t disappoint me at all so first wine tasting of the day.

I was lucky enough to meet the owner and winemaker, Javier Alfonso, who came to WA to get his degree in Engineering and never went back. But he hasn´t forgotten his love for Ribera del Duero one of my favorite wine areas in Spain where the climate and terrain is pretty similar to Eastern Washington with cold winters, dry summers and a huge difference in temperature from day to night which gives this bold balance between sugar and acidity to the wine. Really good red wines at this winery particularly the Tempranillo, made with our unofficial official grapes.  And don´t forget Idilico Albariño to pair with oysters and crab.

April Redout from the relatively new Walter Clore Wine & Culinary Center in Prosser was so nice to give another clue about some new interesting things happening. She invited me to visit this center in Prosser (bucket list) and pointed me towards Intrinsic Wine Co. a new adventure from Saint Michelle wine group leaded by Juan Muñoz-Oca his head winemaker.

Not easy to talk with this expert, one of the real celebrities of the day but he was so nice to take a few minutes to explain why this wine is so different: “the grapes remain on the skins for 9 months and 10% of the wine is fermented in a concrete tank”.

It´s to interesting and innovative that in a back to the farmland era as previously cited Muñoz-Oca has taken a complete different direction creating an urban modern wine. Even the amazing bottle design “Fun, it looks like a flamenco dancer” I thought, it was created from graffiti art. Another really interesting wine really rich, I usually find Cabernet a bit plain and soft, for my list perfect to impress guests and hosts.

Really fun the marketing campaign of Red Mountain AVA alliance with pins reading “Ask me why Red Mountain is so special” and other pins with the answers scattered through the association wineries. Sometimes you don´t need a lot of budget to make an impact.

Because when you are competing with other 224 wineries you have to use to imagination to stand out. Charles & Charles winery only needed to be the only ones… as far as I know to serve rosé wine. It´s fun this trendy trend of you not being a wine connoisseur because you drink rosé. I love rosé because it reminds me two things: summer and paella. You can find an occasion for every kind of wine. Other interesting classics with no failure rate… Betz Winery, Gorman Winery and again Alexandria Nicole Jet Black Syrah 2014. (link Seattle wine and food experience).
Let´s talk about food now. Nope I didn´t hit the 65 restaurants either but I tried to be pretty eclectic as I had to give my cork-vote to my favorite one. It looks like I missed the favorite, the Swiftwater Kobe short rib… Maybe because I am more into the seafood/fish world. Anyway I always will have room for torchon and foie, really good. Good to know there is a reliable French style place so close to home in Kirkland Le Grand Bistro Americain. The nice people from another Capitol Hill classic, Gnocchi Bar, showed me how to cook them to perfection.

And even better to know that there are some guys curing ham Spaniard style in Leavenworth. Yes, they call themselves Cured. Leavenworth is the perfect place for that, cold and drier in winter. I bet they wouldn´t be so successful in the Puget Sound area. Really good products, a touch salty for my palate, but they point an extra good reason to visit the Bavarian village soon.

Of course I had to follow the legendary line to get some Aqua oysters. Simply amazing. In fact, I was about to give them my vote, nothing is more perfect than oysters with squeezed lemon to me. But I wanted to reward some creativity too so I finally picked Kalaloch lodge´s chef, Ashley Miller, salmon mousse. OK, salmon mousse is not so innovative but the truth is that I love simple beautiful, classic flavors, not 12 ingredients packed in a bite.

Fun because I had the opportunity to taste his food again 2 days ago during my first epic loop around the Olympic Peninsula. Superb ingredients treated with simplicity and respect, just the way I love it. And with this also epic sunset as background. Lucky me.

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Writing about a massive food event like Seattle Food and Wine Experience is always tricky. It´s like trying to describe a complicated puzzle piece by piece to the eyes that never had the opportunity to taste, smell and see all the bounty and the complexity that the Pacific NW (and our special guest, California) have to offer.

You also know that your body and your mind have to physically endure a lot of food and alcohol offerings and you don´t really want to feel silly sick or terribly bloated after this. The idea is having fun not a post event nightmare. So my strategy is grabbing a first bite, usually It will be close to the entrance, jambalaya in this occasion, and a glass of sparkling water and go for a first quick tour all around the place to see and prioritize your favorite pit stops.

I was particularly interested in the American Lamb Board´s Brews and Ewes Experience but I wanted something lighter at the beginning so I dropped by Chinoise restaurant booth. Unluckily the Bibimbap that gave chef Thoa Nguyen the victory against Bobby Flay in the Food Network show had ran out but the poke salad was really good too… A bit too much spicy for my Occidental taste though.

So I needed a glass of wine to rinse my palate. White if possible. Chateau Saint Michelle Riesling was a really interesting option. Loved again the classic, everyone´s favorite, the dry one but Eroica brand was quite an interesting discovery for me a bit more  fruity but not overpowering.  Both good options not only to enjoy as a drink but to steam clams and mussels, two of my favorite seafood dishes.

Just landed in lamb´s territory I grabbed one of the winning bites of the day, the smoked lamb meatballs from Gavin Stephenson, chef from The Georgian at the Fairmont Olympic hotel. Cute tiny little pots were used to highlight the hearty spirit of the dish and the potatoes were simply awesome. I felt more disappointed with the cold and not so appealing sticky rice cake from Frolik. Lamb plays better with a more traditional simple approach as its flavor is strong enough. So interesting the info displayed by the American Lamb Board about recipes, pairing and cooking techniques that you can find also in their web.

Talking about funky unexpected meats… meats that we love to cook in Spain I was so lucky to bump into Nicky Farms based in Portland. This company, created to support small ranchers in Oregon sell to retailers and restaurants delicacies as quail, goat, rabbit and venison. I had the opportunity to enjoy a really goat mortadella prepared by chef Seth Fenald from Lark and to have a fun experience exchanging with them my tips as a Spanish cook. Talking about more meat I had the opportunity to taste dirty rice with pulled pork for the first time from Davids & co a small American restaurant located in Benarroya Hall and It was pretty nice too.

The truth is that the pattern of not so much fish at all and this will be mainly salmon was played yesterday too. It´s a bit disappointing that a place like Seattle who is at the sea doesn´t take full advantage of this location to enjoy even more the gifts of the sea.

Time for more drinks… chosen carefully and sipped frugally. Fun the honey beverages from Nectar Creek in Corvallis (Oregon), interesting my first Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley Vineyards, although I´m a girl of Grenache and Syrah, really happy with Jet Black Syrah 2014 from Alexandria Nicole Cellars who will be released this summer. Close to zero the Spanish wines representation at the event. Only Bodegas Torres 2014 5G Garnacha paired with Iberico cured ham… A hidden gem that I hope any foodie didn´t miss.

I wouldn´t to finish my SWFE chronicle without featuring the small entrepreneurs and artisans that work so hard to fulfill their dreams and to give us amazing food or condiments. It´s always so fun to talk with them and to learn from their experience and their journey. Sportsmen´s cannery, Rusty´s cheesecake, Forte chocolates, Copperworks Distillery are only a few of them. Special mention for Alaska Pure Sea Salt and Co from Sitka (Alaska) who worked for 5 years to find the perfect flake salt, the salt that I call Maldon. A bunch of dreams, goals and experience under the same roof for a few hours. This is Seattle Wine and Food Experience.

Click on any photo to see the full gallery 

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As a final kick to Seattle´s so boring gloomy winter before beautiful spring  this weekend arrives Seattle Wine and food experience will be a beatiful oxygen pump to Northwest foodies. More than 200 vendors including chefs, wine experts and cider and brew masters will help locals and visitors to enjoy and appreciate all of these food blessings that are in our backyard.

Lamb will be highlighted this year, something that makes this Spanish girl really happy as It´s the star protein in my homeland region, Aragon. So eager to taste our local chefs creations. Lamb is a powerful tricky meat.  Properly cooked makes a sublime experience, poorly cooked or seasoned can taste too strong or earthy in your palate.

Other more unusual types of meat will be played too by chef Jonathan Sundstrom from Lark, recently nominated as Outstanding restaurant semifinalist in the James Beard Awards and Seth Fenald from Novelty Hill/Januik wineries.

Culinary pilmigrage will be showcased here thanks to the Northwest Travel Experience too and wine, more wine, tastings courtesy of Yakima Valley Tourism. Like the cherry on top back by popular demand: Chateau Saint Michelle Riesling Challenge.

But other cocktails will be present too thanks to the magic of Dustin Haarstad, founder of Blind Tiger cocktails and mixologist at Cannon Whiskey & Bitters Emporium. Guest will have the opportunity to enjoy them in the Celebrity Cruises Modern Luxury Lounge.

Last but not least a new chefs competition kicks off, Pop! Bubbles and Seafood where local chefs and sommeliers like Thierry Rautureau from Loulay and Lindsay-Thorsen from RN47 will showcase their culinary artistry. Oysters lovers will have the opportunity to chat with local expert Cynthia Nims too. Cynthia just published her new book Oysters, recipes than bring home a taste from the sea. 

Unfortunately for my kid who loves food and wants to be a chef this is a 21-year over event so come prepared with your ID and maybe in a taxi or Uber ride just in case you want to party 100%.

Get more info here

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The best world chefs have gathered these days in Madrid at the International Gastronomy Summit Madrid Fusion. The Yummy Bull did not want to miss this opportunity to see firsthand what is “being cooked” in the kitchen of the best international chefs. A unique and essential experience.

Under the slogan The Language of Post Vanguardia the attendants enjoyed the knowledge of chefs as relevant Grant Achatz, Joan Roca, Jose Andres, Sergi Arola, Elena Arzak, Oriol Balaguer, Martin Berasategui, Dani Garcia, Chele González, Sacha Hormaechea, Daniel Humm, Tatsuo Nishizawa, Paco Roncero, Pepe Solla, Dabiz Muñoz and some others.

This post-avant-garde moment, as defined by José Carlos Capel, president of Madrid Fusion, relocates his eye on tradition, on the product and even in culinary techniques inherited from our ancestors. Chefs like Paco Morales have chosen Andalusian cuisine to adapt it to contemporary cuisine. Other Ibero-American chefs have done the same with ancient techniques of pre-Hispanic indigenous tribes. “That which is called vanguard and tradition,” said Joan Roca (El Celler de Can Roca, Best restaurant in the world), is that “we have moved to committed to a healthy, sustainable and humane cuisine “.

The sea, resource

In this commitment to the product, our seas have much to say as by proved Angel Leon (Aponiente, Two Stars Michelin). His cuisine brings together the plankton, outbreaks of vegetables grown in salt water, the first vegetable oil obtained from the sea, the sugars obtained from freeze-dried algae and, of course, all kinds of fish, with a firm commitment to the so-called fish discard. “We live in an untenable situation in which fish 90,000 tonnes of fish, 40,000 are discarded. We have to change the mentality of those who just want to eat normal commercial species. The sea has much more to offer, “he said. Its Aponiente has moved to a lumber mill where they have a surface of 2,700f2 exclusively to clean fish. 42 people work in the kitchen with these fish discards to create amazing dishes like sea sausages.

Taste of Spain

One of the highlights in this edition of Madrid Fusion has been Taste Spain, starring a space of eleven domestic destinations: Ruta de la Tapa, a tour of the Spanish cuisine in “small bites” as Segovia lamb stew, stuffed shrimp and sea urchin Cambrils red shrimp, lentils DOP Lanzarote, Canarian black pig cooked and boiled shrimp in sea water or oysters from la Rapita, all accompanied by the best national wines, as Malaparte, Segovia cellar of the same name.

Enofusión made a come back to have their role in the great event of gastronomy

In Enofusión space where we could attend a wide variety of prestigious tastings, technical conferences and tasting spaces, besides knowing all the news of the great wineries and brands from Spain. This year, for the first time we could find speedtasting, an original way to taste the wines based on the speed dating system, where the winemakers showcase in a few minutes wines to journalists and bloggers.

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Elena Fernandez 

The Yummy Bull had the opportunity to host a Mediterranean dinner last Friday for Euro Seattle Startup Weekend, as I was representing Spain in the Organization Committee.

Startup Weekend is a global movement of active entrepreneurs who are learning the basics of founding startups and launching successful ventures. Anyone is welcome to pitch their startup idea and receive feedback from their peers. The top ideas will work during the whole weekend creating a business model as a beginning of a new venture.

I´d never prepared food for 100 people but this is what life is all about, about pushing your own boundaries. Right?

Luckily I counted with the sponsorship of Culinary Collective, one the most important and respected Spanish gourmet importers in the US who donated all the Spanish food for the meal. Making good food with amazing ingredients is always easy…

I was alone and tight in time to prepare the catering, so I conceptualized a realistic, diverse and healthy menu. I chose to prepare a “bonito del Norte”, a variety of tuna from the Cantabrian sea, and piquillo peppers salad (see recipe below).

I wanted to feature an array of Mediterranean countries in my dinner so I decided to showcase French endives too.  I love their bitter flavor, not so common in the Pacific NW, because fits perfectly with smoked salmon and  blue cheese. I couldn´t find best dressing that salt, Spanish Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Pedro Ximénez Reserva vinegar.

Brie and blue cheese combined with grapes and Spanish Marcona almonds, the “Ferrari of the almonds” in experts opinion, and Italian delis rounded the meal for meat and cheese lovers.  More veggies and hummus, coming from the other side from the Mediterranean, made things easy for the vegetarians.

I wanted to add a light, colorful and healthy dessert so I decided to bring Greece to the table too adding yogurt with berries and pomegranate to the ecuation. And for the sweet tooth authentic Seville tortas de aceite and catalonian milk and dark chocolate.

A diverse Mediterranean dinner for a diverse and energetic bunch of entrepreneurs who worked hard all weekend long to bring their best ideas into life.

I`m proud to say that we received a lot of compliments about all  the meals that we served during the weekend. You know we, Europeans, take food business really seriously.

Where You can find Culinary Collective products in the Seattle area:

Metropolitan Market, DeLaurenti, The Spanish Table

Bonito del Norte and Piquillo Peppers salad

 1 can of Piquillo Peppers or Roasted Peppers

17 oz Bonito del Norte

1 sweet onion

5 Extra Virgin olive oil tablespoons

Parsley

For the dressing

5 Extra Virgin Olive Oil tablespoons

2 Sherry Vinegar tablespoons

Cumin

Grounded black pepper

Salt

Slice the onion and poach it at slow heat for 10 minutes in the Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Drain it and put into a flat tray with the sliced peppers. Pour the dressing and add the bonito and parsley as decoration.

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