I was reading an ‘official’ webpage the other day which suggested that albariño might be suitable as a dessert wine. Well, of course it depends on the type of dessert, but with my hand on my heart I have to say that this is not a selection that I would automatically think of myself. Our wines, by their nature, have very little residual sugar and can even be a little tart on occasions. Under normal circumstances they cannot really be described as being ripe or full-bodied, which is really the style that’s required to support a sweet, sugary pudding. To suggest that an albariño would go with a wide selection of desserts might just be stretching the issue a little.

On the other hand, with Thanksgiving almost upon us, I can really recommend our albariño with roast turkey. From my own point of view, when a ‘gravy’ is required to accompany poultry, I often add a  touch of lemon and tarragon, giving the resulting sauce just a bit of a kick. This hint of sharpness makes a perfect match to the fresh acidity in our wine. I’m afraid to say that I’ve never had the chance to enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner in the U.S. and so I have no idea how a traditional turkey gravy would be made, but in any event I can still say that our wine will make the perfect accompaniment to your moist, freshly roasted bird.

I was reading an ‘official’ webpage the other day which suggested that albariño might be suitable as a dessert wine. Well, of course it depends on the type of dessert, but with my hand on my heart I have to say that this is not a selection that I would automatically think of myself. Our wines, by their nature, have very little residual sugar and can even be a little tart on occasions. Under normal circumstances they cannot really be described as being ripe or full-bodied, which is really the style that’s required to support a sweet, sugary pudding. To suggest that an albariño would go with a wide selection of desserts might just be stretching the issue a little.

On the other hand, with Thanksgiving almost upon us, I can really recommend our albariño with roast turkey. From my own point of view, when a ‘gravy’ is required to accompany poultry, I often add a  touch of lemon and tarragon, giving the resulting sauce just a bit of a kick. This hint of sharpness makes a perfect match to the fresh acidity in our wine. I’m afraid to say that I’ve never had the chance to enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner in the U.S. and so I have no idea how a traditional turkey gravy would be made, but in any event I can still say that our wine will make the perfect accompaniment to your moist, freshly roasted bird.

The first Monday of September, is Labor Day in the United States. Celebrated for more than 100 years, it was originally created as a tribute to the contributions and economic achievements of American workers. Traditionally the day would start with parades followed by a festival for the recreation and amusement of the workers and their families. In recent years however, there has been a change in emphasis, away from the parades and displays, more towards a day of fun and relaxation for the family. The most popular activities on Labor Day now include picnics, barbecues and perhaps even a few fireworks.

Of course nothing beats the traditional Labor Day burger-on-the-barbecue, but a fine ‘compliment’ might be a bit of seafood or perhaps even a serving of Maine Lobster (if you’re feeling particularly wealthy). This leads me neatly to the best possible wine recommendation – a chilled glass of Castro Martin albariño…..

Cheers – and have a great Labo(u)r Day!

The first Monday of September, is Labor Day in the United States. Celebrated for more than 100 years, it was originally created as a tribute to the contributions and economic achievements of American workers. Traditionally the day would start with parades followed by a festival for the recreation and amusement of the workers and their families. In recent years however, there has been a change in emphasis, away from the parades and displays, more towards a day of fun and relaxation for the family. The most popular activities on Labor Day now include picnics, barbecues and perhaps even a few fireworks.

Of course nothing beats the traditional Labor Day burger-on-the-barbecue, but a fine ‘compliment’ might be a bit of seafood or perhaps even a serving of Maine Lobster (if you’re feeling particularly wealthy). This leads me neatly to the best possible wine recommendation – a chilled glass of Castro Martin albariño…..

Cheers – and have a great Labo(u)r Day!

I have commented often enough about wine descriptions, and the vocabulary that we use in an attempt to describe a taste or smell. Writers will sometimes go to extreme lengths to stimulate our tastebuds, and perhaps steer us towards a new wine experience. When it comes to describing a denomination of origin, such as Rias Baixas, then that is another matter….

Our good friend Xoan Cannas is a former Nariz de Oro of Spain (best sommelier), and his passion for our region is made clear in a recent newspaper article, when he describes his home territory of Rias Baixas. I should mention that I have done my best to translate his paragraph, carefully choosing words in order not to detract too much from the original:

“When I think of the sea, the wine that first comes to mind is that of Rías Baixas, that is my territory, inseparable from the sea, and its connection with the bracing winds, the salt, the image of the breaking waves, that produces such crisp, ‘electric’ wines. They are inseparable from the fish and the produce of the sea, the mussels and their platforms. Vineyards so close to the sea, that their vines are simply burnt by the salt, sea spray”

Words that really paint a picture!

I have commented often enough about wine descriptions, and the vocabulary that we use in an attempt to describe a taste or smell. Writers will sometimes go to extreme lengths to stimulate our tastebuds, and perhaps steer us towards a new wine experience. When it comes to describing a denomination of origin, such as Rias Baixas, then that is another matter….

Our good friend Xoan Cannas is a former Nariz de Oro of Spain (best sommelier), and his passion for our region is made clear in a recent newspaper article, when he describes his home territory of Rias Baixas. I should mention that I have done my best to translate his paragraph, carefully choosing words in order not to detract too much from the original:

“When I think of the sea, the wine that first comes to mind is that of Rías Baixas, that is my territory, inseparable from the sea, and its connection with the bracing winds, the salt, the image of the breaking waves, that produces such crisp, ‘electric’ wines. They are inseparable from the fish and the produce of the sea, the mussels and their platforms. Vineyards so close to the sea, that their vines are simply burnt by the salt, sea spray”

Words that really paint a picture!

Last Sunday Angela and I experienced a most unusual, unexpected, but highly enjoyable lunch – where else but at our favourite restaurant, Pepe Vieira. The original purpose of our visit was for business, to discuss a forthcoming function. However, as time passed, lunchtime approached, and so quite naturally, we decided to stay for a bite to eat……. but there was a problem. The restaurant was fully booked! Our friend, and co-owner of the restaurant Xosé Cannas immediately offered us a solution – the Chef’s table. A table in the kitchen, virtually adjoining the hotplate and overlooking the whole operation. Being a frustrated chef myself, this was my idea of food heaven – great dishes on my plate with a ringside seat watching exactly how they were put together.

Having started my career in the hotel trade, I know exactly how loud and animated a kitchen can be during service, but I have to confess that Xosé’s domain was simply the epitome of calm and professionalism. Everyone in their corner, knowing exactly what was expected of them, and producing some great food. No fuss, no shouting or swearing. Gordon Ramsay would certainly have felt out of place in this kitchen – definitely not a nightmare!

We had arrived at 12.30am,  and eventually left about 4 hours later. A bit longer than we had anticipated, but altogether a very memorable Sunday lunch, and as always, highly recommended.

Last Sunday Angela and I experienced a most unusual, unexpected, but highly enjoyable lunch – where else but at our favourite restaurant, Pepe Vieira. The original purpose of our visit was for business, to discuss a forthcoming function. However, as time passed, lunchtime approached, and so quite naturally, we decided to stay for a bite to eat……. but there was a problem. The restaurant was fully booked! Our friend, and co-owner of the restaurant Xosé Cannas immediately offered us a solution – the Chef’s table. A table in the kitchen, virtually adjoining the hotplate and overlooking the whole operation. Being a frustrated chef myself, this was my idea of food heaven – great dishes on my plate with a ringside seat watching exactly how they were put together.

Having started my career in the hotel trade, I know exactly how loud and animated a kitchen can be during service, but I have to confess that Xosé’s domain was simply the epitome of calm and professionalism. Everyone in their corner, knowing exactly what was expected of them, and producing some great food. No fuss, no shouting or swearing. Gordon Ramsay would certainly have felt out of place in this kitchen – definitely not a nightmare!

We had arrived at 12.30am,  and eventually left about 4 hours later. A bit longer than we had anticipated, but altogether a very memorable Sunday lunch, and as always, highly recommended.

Last Sunday Angela and I experienced a most unusual, unexpected, but highly enjoyable lunch – where else but at our favourite restaurant, Pepe Vieira. The original purpose of our visit was for business, to discuss a forthcoming function. However, as time passed, lunchtime approached, and so quite naturally, we decided to stay for a bite to eat……. but there was a problem. The restaurant was fully booked! Our friend, and co-owner of the restaurant Xosé Cannas immediately offered us a solution – the Chef’s table. A table in the kitchen, virtually adjoining the hotplate and overlooking the whole operation. Being a frustrated chef myself, this was my idea of food heaven – great dishes on my plate with a ringside seat watching exactly how they were put together.

Having started my career in the hotel trade, I know exactly how loud and animated a kitchen can be during service, but I have to confess that Xosé’s domain was simply the epitome of calm and professionalism. Everyone in their corner, knowing exactly what was expected of them, and producing some great food. No fuss, no shouting or swearing. Gordon Ramsay would certainly have felt out of place in this kitchen – definitely not a nightmare!

We had arrived at 12.30am,  and eventually left about 4 hours later. A bit longer than we had anticipated, but altogether a very memorable Sunday lunch, and as always, highly recommended.

Last Sunday Angela and I experienced a most unusual, unexpected, but highly enjoyable lunch – where else but at our favourite restaurant, Pepe Vieira. The original purpose of our visit was for business, to discuss a forthcoming function. However, as time passed, lunchtime approached, and so quite naturally, we decided to stay for a bite to eat……. but there was a problem. The restaurant was fully booked! Our friend, and co-owner of the restaurant Xosé Cannas immediately offered us a solution – the Chef’s table. A table in the kitchen, virtually adjoining the hotplate and overlooking the whole operation. Being a frustrated chef myself, this was my idea of food heaven – great dishes on my plate with a ringside seat watching exactly how they were put together.

Having started my career in the hotel trade, I know exactly how loud and animated a kitchen can be during service, but I have to confess that Xosé’s domain was simply the epitome of calm and professionalism. Everyone in their corner, knowing exactly what was expected of them, and producing some great food. No fuss, no shouting or swearing. Gordon Ramsay would certainly have felt out of place in this kitchen – definitely not a nightmare!

We had arrived at 12.30am,  and eventually left about 4 hours later. A bit longer than we had anticipated, but altogether a very memorable Sunday lunch, and as always, highly recommended.

Tomorrow we are closed for a wine festival, not as you might think for Albariño, but rather for our local red wine – Tinto de Barrantes. I have to confess that the actual legality of this wine is somewhat dubious, as I have never seen even one single labelled bottle in any shop or restaurant. Somehow the authorities seem to turn a blind eye to this fact, even allowing it to be celebrated with a street festival and declaring one day of local holiday.

The wine itself is not my favourite, although whenever we have visitors to the bodega and they have the opportunity to taste it, they seem to be quite enamoured. Personally I describe it as being something akin to a partially fermented Beaujolais, with a deep purple colour, very low alcohol, green tannins and a highly volatile acidity – not very nice….. but clearly the locals love it!

Tomorrow we are closed for a wine festival, not as you might think for Albariño, but rather for our local red wine – Tinto de Barrantes. I have to confess that the actual legality of this wine is somewhat dubious, as I have never seen even one single labelled bottle in any shop or restaurant. Somehow the authorities seem to turn a blind eye to this fact, even allowing it to be celebrated with a street festival and declaring one day of local holiday.

The wine itself is not my favourite, although whenever we have visitors to the bodega and they have the opportunity to taste it, they seem to be quite enamoured. Personally I describe it as being something akin to a partially fermented Beaujolais, with a deep purple colour, very low alcohol, green tannins and a highly volatile acidity – not very nice….. but clearly the locals love it!

Over recent months I have been a little critical of some of our local food festivals. Not so much the festivals themselves, but rather the advertising, and more specifically the photography. Of course food is notoriously difficult to photograph, indeed, it requires very specialised techniques. We all know how our rather dull, flaccid looking fast food burger can be transformed into something juicy and wholly appetising on the advertising boards. The people who prepare these shots are the foody equivalent of professional make-up artists – lifting, tweaking, plumping, colouring and generally preening the dish before it appears in front on the lens.

Today I was quite relieved to finally see advertising for a local food festival that had clearly employed such professional  food stylists to shoot their pictures. The local town of Caldas de Reis is celebrating their fourth annual festival of Tapas. Their publicity shot shows a nicely prepared tapas dish, albeit that I have no idea what the dish actually is. At least it looks quite appetising which is more than I can say for the plate of zorza that looked more like cat food (in my post of last October).

Over recent months I have been a little critical of some of our local food festivals. Not so much the festivals themselves, but rather the advertising, and more specifically the photography. Of course food is notoriously difficult to photograph, indeed, it requires very specialised techniques. We all know how our rather dull, flaccid looking fast food burger can be transformed into something juicy and wholly appetising on the advertising boards. The people who prepare these shots are the foody equivalent of professional make-up artists – lifting, tweaking, plumping, colouring and generally preening the dish before it appears in front on the lens.

Today I was quite relieved to finally see advertising for a local food festival that had clearly employed such professional  food stylists to shoot their pictures. The local town of Caldas de Reis is celebrating their fourth annual festival of Tapas. Their publicity shot shows a nicely prepared tapas dish, albeit that I have no idea what the dish actually is. At least it looks quite appetising which is more than I can say for the plate of zorza that looked more like cat food (in my post of last October).

In France the English are (not so) affectionately known as ‘Les Rosbifs’, simply I guess, because of our affinity with this Great British dish, although calling someone a ‘Roast Beef’ hardly constitutes an insulting nickname. More derogatory is our nickname for the French…. ‘the Frogs’, which you could probably argue is because of their taste for eating frog’s legs. Anyway, that anecdote has really got nothing to do with today’s story. 

The other dish that the Brit’s are well known for consuming in copious amounts is fish & chips. In days gone by a large proportion of this delicacy would be consumed in the street, packaged and kept warm by wrapping the food in old newspapers! Sounds pretty uncivilised I have to admit, especially by today’s largely obsessive hygiene standards, but when I was a boy, eating fish and chips out of a newspaper, seasoned with a liberal sprinkling of salt and malt vinegar, was always something of a treat. (I should add that there was always a layer of greaseproof paper between the outer wrapping and the food, to prevent the latest news headlines from being reproduced on on the side of your portion of fish!)

So, only today I learned of a very original, new interpretation of this national dish – fish and chips….. but baked in a pie! It has been developed as a ‘ready meal’ by one of the UK’s top (and most respected) high street retail chains, Marks & Spencer. Judging by the photo, it’s not quite as disgusting as it may sound, albeit we do know that food photography is quite notorious for being PhotoShopped (even more than some celebrities). Unfortunately this is not something can I can order from Amazon, and so I will have to wait until the next time I visit the UK to try it – and try it I will. Watch our future blogs for photos and tasting notes! 

(Incidentally, the green layer at the bottom of the pie is ‘mushy peas’, almost like a pea purée, but then that’s another story)

In France the English are (not so) affectionately known as ‘Les Rosbifs’, simply I guess, because of our affinity with this Great British dish, although calling someone a ‘Roast Beef’ hardly constitutes an insulting nickname. More derogatory is our nickname for the French…. ‘the Frogs’, which you could probably argue is because of their taste for eating frog’s legs. Anyway, that anecdote has really got nothing to do with today’s story. 

The other dish that the Brit’s are well known for consuming in copious amounts is fish & chips. In days gone by a large proportion of this delicacy would be consumed in the street, packaged and kept warm by wrapping the food in old newspapers! Sounds pretty uncivilised I have to admit, especially by today’s largely obsessive hygiene standards, but when I was a boy, eating fish and chips out of a newspaper, seasoned with a liberal sprinkling of salt and malt vinegar, was always something of a treat. (I should add that there was always a layer of greaseproof paper between the outer wrapping and the food, to prevent the latest news headlines from being reproduced on on the side of your portion of fish!)

So, only today I learned of a very original, new interpretation of this national dish – fish and chips….. but baked in a pie! It has been developed as a ‘ready meal’ by one of the UK’s top (and most respected) high street retail chains, Marks & Spencer. Judging by the photo, it’s not quite as disgusting as it may sound, albeit we do know that food photography is quite notorious for being PhotoShopped (even more than some celebrities). Unfortunately this is not something can I can order from Amazon, and so I will have to wait until the next time I visit the UK to try it – and try it I will. Watch our future blogs for photos and tasting notes! 

(Incidentally, the green layer at the bottom of the pie is ‘mushy peas’, almost like a pea purée, but then that’s another story)

In the course of our work Angela and I are lucky enough to travel a bit, and also to eat in some very nice places. Occasionally I have taken the time to share my experiences on Trip Advisor – nearly always positively, giving my honest opinion based on my years in the food and wine industry (plus my degree in hotel management). I would like to think that at least a few people have benefited from my observations, and that the establishments themselves might have gained a small amount of additional business. Otherwise there would be no point in commenting at all.

I have to confess that I quite often use the internet for researching products and services, but I always take care to ensure that the goods that I want to buy, or the restaurant that I want to visit, at least have an extensive cross-section of reviews. A good example of why this matters can best be illustrated if I search Trip Advisor for restaurants in Pontevedra, my home city. The venue that emerges as the best in our city, with five-star reviews across the board, is a small, back street place that I have never heard of. However, if you look carefully, you might notice that each one of the 11 or 12 reviews (giving maximum ratings) have been made in the last couple of weeks, all in Spanish – none from overseas visitors. Of course this automatically rockets this establishment to No.1 on the list, but I can’t help but feel that this result might possibly have been ‘manipulated’ by well meaning family and friends. Old cynic that I am, I will have to go one day to try it for myself….. if only to prove my theory.

Of course the other weakness of the self-rating system is that different consumers are possibly looking for different things. My favourite restaurant in the area, Pepe Vieira, provides a good example of what I mean. They trade exclusively on tasting menus, several small courses of local produce, cooked and presented in an innovative style, which suits my personal taste perfectly. I always leave the restaurant pleasantly sated, and not feeling like I need to loosen my belt (a feeling that I never seek and don’t really enjoy). For me personally the Pepe Vieira experience merits five-stars, but looking at a few other Trip Advisor reviews, there are certainly some who are less impressed, complaining about the small portions, and not really understanding the concept of a tasting menu. The moral is, if you’re looking for ‘trencherman’s’ portions, then don’t visit this style of restaurant….. it’s horses for courses, as they say. Unfortunately some of these people post their ‘complaint’, giving the establishment only one star, the result of which is to drag down the overall average, thereby distorting the picture for others using the site. 

In the course of our work Angela and I are lucky enough to travel a bit, and also to eat in some very nice places. Occasionally I have taken the time to share my experiences on Trip Advisor – nearly always positively, giving my honest opinion based on my years in the food and wine industry (plus my degree in hotel management). I would like to think that at least a few people have benefited from my observations, and that the establishments themselves might have gained a small amount of additional business. Otherwise there would be no point in commenting at all.

I have to confess that I quite often use the internet for researching products and services, but I always take care to ensure that the goods that I want to buy, or the restaurant that I want to visit, at least have an extensive cross-section of reviews. A good example of why this matters can best be illustrated if I search Trip Advisor for restaurants in Pontevedra, my home city. The venue that emerges as the best in our city, with five-star reviews across the board, is a small, back street place that I have never heard of. However, if you look carefully, you might notice that each one of the 11 or 12 reviews (giving maximum ratings) have been made in the last couple of weeks, all in Spanish – none from overseas visitors. Of course this automatically rockets this establishment to No.1 on the list, but I can’t help but feel that this result might possibly have been ‘manipulated’ by well meaning family and friends. Old cynic that I am, I will have to go one day to try it for myself….. if only to prove my theory.

Of course the other weakness of the self-rating system is that different consumers are possibly looking for different things. My favourite restaurant in the area, Pepe Vieira, provides a good example of what I mean. They trade exclusively on tasting menus, several small courses of local produce, cooked and presented in an innovative style, which suits my personal taste perfectly. I always leave the restaurant pleasantly sated, and not feeling like I need to loosen my belt (a feeling that I never seek and don’t really enjoy). For me personally the Pepe Vieira experience merits five-stars, but looking at a few other Trip Advisor reviews, there are certainly some who are less impressed, complaining about the small portions, and not really understanding the concept of a tasting menu. The moral is, if you’re looking for ‘trencherman’s’ portions, then don’t visit this style of restaurant….. it’s horses for courses, as they say. Unfortunately some of these people post their ‘complaint’, giving the establishment only one star, the result of which is to drag down the overall average, thereby distorting the picture for others using the site.