turkish no more

The end of our year is going to take place in Istanbul, and it's not that we planed on it. By the contrary it was the colossally innervating incompetence delivered by the carrier supposed to be the Best European Airline of the Year (what a joke): Turkish Airlines.

liquid xmas

Generally speaking I wouldn't say I'm a big fan of the xmas season. However, for my palate it has always been great time to enjoy food and its collaborative drinks.

This year, for two particular reasons, I decided to break my Cava only principle. The first one is our recent trip to Paris, which certainly deserved a modest homage, and the second is our solidarity with the decent French people who most likely had a rather unpleasant autumn. 

Since the celebration at this time of the year tends to be a generous one, I considered having an Aussie little extravaganza, on the red side of things.

Last September Patxarán became a very popular digestive to conclude some of our more exciting meals, so we couldn't avoid adding it to our short list of liquors. In this occasion from very distant locations like Ontario, Victoria, Navarra, Oaxaca or France.

xarel-lo thursday

This week is being surprisingly warm. It is hard to believe we are in the middle of December. I guess the global warming issue wasn't a joke, as many politicians wanted us to believe.

After a completely useless visit to the bank, we left to town. A perfectly located parking spot was waiting for us right in front of the entrance to the market we like the most. 

reboredo rediscovered

Yesterday I drove all the way down to Reboredo, a little village not far from A Lanzada beach. Lunch was waiting for us at the renovated Culler de Pau.

The room was practically empty, except for another table with a low range Galician politician, who had her driver waiting outside, as it should.

This beautiful and single vieira could not be better.

I opted for this unknown Albariño, a Leirana relative, but done the old traditional way, pressing the grapes with feet (cos pés). An orangey colour and kind of turbid volume, were the most appealing part of it.

A mandatory piece of hake completed our marine experience, before we continued with a light ration of beef.

tasqueando en 1900

The earlier part of the evening was more of a contrast between new and old, and we loved the old element.

The sweet tapa of quisquillas we had were unquestionably the highlight.

:)is-fru-tar

Yesterday we explored the always exciting Barcelona dining landscape. Disfrutar was probably the most impressive discovery of the evening.

shangri-la noodles

Our last dinner of the year in TO City wasn't particularly Torontonian, although from a multicultural point of view I guess it could be so. 

We went for noodles to the usual place for us, right on University. The drinks on the main floor were certainly not tempting. So I decided to try a beer made in Collingwood (ON), which I found not particularly thrilling.

more mencía

This Tuesday we kept the Mencía vibe from the weekend. There was a good reason to do a little celebration, which somehow I thought required a nice piece of beef. 

A suddenly scheduled trip to Oz deserved some sort of deliciousness, even if a modest one. After a rather sleepless night, and a few hours of morning meditation, a plan to get back down under was put on our Vitra table.

We revisited the 2011 Moncerbal delights, and they probably were the ones I enjoyed the most, so far. 

Unfortunately, the following day the whole plan evaporated with a very simple and short telephone call. It was a considerable disappointment, another one.

new ns salmon

Quite an interesting story behind the salmon producer whose fish we had the chance to try over the weekend: Sustainable Blue, based in Hants County, Nova Scotia.

mencía incentive

This week the conversations to explore a new adventure down under got started. Out of the blue I found a more than decent Mencía meant to fuel this new episode in the art of being irresistible.

A solid porterhouse steak we got in Kensington market yesterday was the special guest to complete my fuelling efforts.

omakase on harbord

A quiet evening in TO. When the thermometer was getting close to 1C we were walking on Harbord just a few minutes before 20:30, unusually late for us in that part of town.

I always enjoy sushi and today was no exception at Yasu: monkfish paté, baby sardines, Scottish ocean trout, sea urchin, Argentinan shrimp, salmon roe, toro, bonito...

TO autumn coffee

The local scene is certainly improving. This is not Oz, but a few roasters are pushing the local scene. SJCB on Harbord is perhaps the place with more personality to enjoy my caffeine.

The best destination in terms of enjoying the coffee making experience is right on Wasgstaf. Their baristas seem to be absolutely focused on every single detail, plus they always have, at least, four different beans to pick from.

western craft beer

Yesterday I went to the Western side of Offtario's capital. A number of craft breweries happen to be located in that part of town, and since there seems to be not much more to drink around this province, it made sense to stop and get a few samples for the weekend.

visiting pec

This week we drove all the way up to Prince Edward County. Apparently it happens to be a popular destination within the Ontarian geography. I was not able to figure out what the big deal is, but perhaps the problem is I am not able to immerse myself in the local so-called multiculturalism.

honesty on dundas

For the second time this week, ever, we went for lunch to probably the best fish destination we know of in TO city. I must say I was really impressed both times. We got to meet John, who shared a pretty honest view about the marine culture of our Ontarian surroundings when it comes to eat fish.

rhubarbian october

For the first time ever in our little garden this year I decided to grow rhubarb. I did it kind of late, so the result was expected to be not magnificent.

a grapy weekend

This third weekend of October made history because of the grapes hanging in front of the house. For some unclear reason I decided to play with them and in the end I was able to improvise a couple of experiments that didn't look or smell too bad. One of them, the baked one, also tasted extremely well. For the second one it's too early to know.

urbitarte txotx

After three years we made it back to the entertaining sagardotegia -cider house- of Ataun. Ww had the opportunity to taste simple food, but extremely tasty one. These delicious hake kokotxas are a perfect example.

abel's neighbour: qbc 2014

Today we had our first bottle of 2014 Que Bonito Cacareaba, maybe not as nice as the 2013, but still rather enjoyable. Another favourite from San Vicente de la Sonsierra, where it was supposed to be known as Gallocanta.

abel's grapes

I guess this has been our year for discovering San Vicente de la Sonsierra. After tasting Abel's white Tempranillo and white Garnacha (Grenache), yesterday we tried his red Tempranillo, 2012 Cosecha Personal.

lubrigante wednesday

Today we had a pretty amazing meal: local lobster, aka lubrigante, with bomba rice from Calasparra, plus white Grenache and white Tempranillo to compare the quailties of this not so common grapes.

45 + 1/12

This past weekend we celebrated Lynn's one more month as a 45er. John Dory and hake were the stars of the weekend.

For such a special occasion we chose the 2007 harvest of both Colet-Navazos and Pierro. For me it was an adequate reintroduction to life down under, the way it happened back in 2007.

carrilleras

Improvisation time was a minor part of the CherPhen tour, but it still counted for very nice food, most of it in a rather traditional way. 

pintxos

Last week we had our share of pintxos, mainly in Donostia. Gildas were always there, in different sizes and shapes, but it was some sort of common element.

liquid paris and beyond

The recent trip to Paris came with a number of alcoholic discoveries, which for the most part were worth the effort. 

Obviously we could not miss some bubbles, which had to be from Champagne.

cherphened in elciego

The first lunch in Spain of the CherPhen tour took place in Frank G's building for the Riscal operation. We had great weather, great views and great ingredients to fulfill an extraordinary afternoon.

getariako turbot

One more nice lunch to remember.

lechazo with Cher

We've just enjoyed an unexpected Sunday with Cheryl in basically the middle of nowhere, Aranda de Duero, on our way to the Kingdom's capital. However, we did have an enormously tasty lunch at about 4 pm: chorizo de la case, pimientos, lechazo y patatas.

bottled salmorejo

Visiting Donostia comes with a handful of great meals. This past Thursday it was our Arzak day.

As always the menu was deeply enjoyable.

route GI-3740

Today I had a new meal at Etxebarri, in the fabulous company of Lynn and Cher. What else can one ask for? We took this narrow and entertaining road that crosses through the mountain, so we were able to enjoy the splendour of Euskadi's landscape.

Volcanic salt on goat butter is still a rather fascinating way to get the gastric activity started.

andy w

Last night was a fascinating one in terms of G&T. Our first visit to Andy Walhoo was ideal. A more than adequate music selection plus a brilliant barman, Kaled, made us all enjoy a really flavourful night, which went longer than anticipated.

solomilleando

Today had to be a meaty Saturday. After visiting Manolito yesterday, this grey day of the summer, which at this stage almost feels like winter, we decided to enjoy a simple solomillo vuelta y vuelta, with garlic, of course. It was tender and juicy, the way I like it.

hake "kokotxas"

Another delicacy from the close ocean were these kokotxas we got in the market last Wednesday.

marrow & chirel

Gorgeous Sunday to conclude three days of celebrations around four and a half decades on planet Earth.

san martiño

The fish of the day was John Dory, aka San Martiño depending where you happen to be. Not necessarily a pretty creature, but a very tasty one.

nine times five

I have to say this has been a delicately flavourful Friday. I was counting on a sunnier afternoon, but I guess we will have to wait until tomorrow.

air canadia, again

The Canadian airline most recognizable for its maple leaf logo is one of the most irritating elements that contributes to spread that horrendous sense of mediocrity that in the last few years seems to be invading Canada.

It does not matter if we look at the service, the food, the planes, the loyalty program. It all sucks, big time.

godello & hake

Back in the old continent both the astronomic and gastronomic expectations are exponentially higher than in Kanadia on any given day of the week. Eating fresh and tasty produce is not too complicated, and today Lynne confirmed this theory. 

Her first hake "a la gallega" was a remarkable success, as expected. Even the sun decided to shine this afternoon for the first time since we got here last Wednesday.