Andalucian Experts

After many years of eating and drinking my way along Costa del Sol, all the way up to Vejer and beyond, The Guardian has credited me as being an expert! I'm an expert in knowing what I like and one of the most spectacular things about living here is that there is very little that I don't like (apart from this winter's rain) and after 5 years, there is still so much more to discover - yum, yum, wobble, wobble. Here is waht I recommended.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2010/apr/17/andalucia-experts-tips-spain

Vineyards, Ronda

The beautiful vineyards around Ronda were established by the Romans and now produce some spectacular wines – boutique wineries include Chinchilla and F. Schatz. Book in advance.

Annie Manson of Annie B's Spanish Kitchen which offers food holidays in Andalucia

Eating and drinking, Málaga

La Consula (+34 952 436026) is a cooking school which produces exceptional chefs, including the holders of many of Spain's Michelin stars. At its restaurant, Fiesta, you can enjoy fantastic lunches cooked and served by the students. It is set in a fabulous building built in 1856 by the then Prussian consul, and is where Ernest Hemingway celebrated his 60th birthday. In central Málaga, on Calle Granada next to the Picasso museum, is a small bar, El Pimpi. At this tapas institution, you can nibble on top-quality jamón and manchego and sip chilled fino under signed photographs of famous guests. AB

Home of sherry, Jeréz

Bodegas Tradición (+34 956 168628) in Jeréz is one of the smallest but most impressive bodegas, producing only four sherries and two brandies. It is also home to one of the most valuable private collections of Spanish art, dating from the 13th century and featuring works by Goya, El Greco and Velázquez. AB

Foodie trail, Fuengirola

Fuengirola may be an overdeveloped nightmare, but in the old town, behind the promenade, are some fabulous tapas bars. Near the bus station is Bodega el Toston (+34 952 475632) famous for wild boar croquetas, platters of glistening jamón and spectacular wines. AB

Seafood by the sea, Málaga

In Torre del Mar, east of Málaga, Bar Negri (+34 952 540090) on Paseo de Larios is a seafood institution. Spectacular sweet prawns are served as free tapas at the bar while you wait for a table. Order conchas finas (raw giant clams), fritura de verano (a mixture of crispy deep fried onions, peppers, squid and prawns) and enormous slabs of grilled swordfish. Drink albariño or the young local barbadillo. AB

Beach life, Málaga

East of Málaga lies the small urban beach area of Pedregalejo. Unlike so many seaside resorts, it has preserved its local character without being overly influenced by tourism. Locals flock to the small restaurants along its promenade, where an espeto de sardinas (five barbecued sardines) will set you back €3. Parking can be difficult so best take a taxi. Hotel La Chancla (+34 952 206 900) on the beachfront has a great bar, Cohiba. You can sit there and watch the world go by while nibbling on the finest olives and sampling the house white by the glass – deliciously fragrant Vina Esmeralda. AB

Beach restaurants, west of Almeria

There is fantastic food at a string of restaurants on the beach at Agua Amarga in Almeria, where a plate the size of a dustbin lid full of fried fish – a parrillada de pescados – costs under €25. In the hills just nearby the coast you will findis the villa used in the cult film Sexy Beast, with the famous pool at the bottom of which where Ben Kingsley was embedded in concrete. It's not available to rent, but has villas in the area. AB

Sara Baras inspires lunch!

Last night I had the great fortune to see Sara Baras dance in Teatro Falla in Cadiz. She is regarded as the most spectacular of all Flamenco dancers. Amazing evening. Inspired by the long limbs and spectacular energy of Sara Baras, a healthy lunch seemed in order!!! Diced Lobito (dogfish) marinated for 10 mins in my Moroccan Marinade then sauteed in tiny bit of Ghee ( Indira's Ayurvedic influence) with red peppers & red onions. Scattered with parsley. Served on a bed of sweet Cos, grated carrot, sunflower seeds and mint with a touch of OO and cider vinegar. Truly yummy.

Squid in the Sunshine

There are many things about living in Spain that I still get seriously excited about - strangely, the things that excite me most, begin with the letter 'S'. Sherry, Sunshine, Sand, Sea and Squid. The winter here has been awful - more rainfall in Andalucia than previously recorded. So when the sunshine appeared around 2pm today, the calling to get to the beach for lunch was loud and clear. Alongside the thundering yet beautiful Atlantic Ocean this divine plate of Calamar a la plancha con patatas pobres hearlded the start of Spring. Every sweet mouthful was totally divine. Cooked to perfection with crispy caramelised tentacles. Patatas Pobres were from local El Palmar tatties. All washed down with Barbadillo 2008. Yum yum.

Spanish Downturn in Economy is good for BULLS

The Lack of Bull Market in Spain is good news for the Bulls at least (The Olive Press 4/1/10)
The worst economic downturn since the 2nd World War has seen fewer bulls being killed in Bullfights.With 18% unemployment across Spain and consumer spending dropping, many bullfight fans are cutting back on their hobby.The number of bullfights fell to 1,443 in 2009 from 1,887 the year before - a drop of 23%. According to the Union of Fighting Bull Breaders more than 4,000 bulls have been saved from death in the ring and will now be kept on farms around Spain and slaughtered for food later.
www.anniebsspanishkitchen.com

Christmas Pomegranate Joy

Christmas isn’t all about food – it’s about wine and sherry too. Overindulgence is the norm but boy do we regret it!

It can certainly be no coincidence that Mother Nature gifted pomegranates to us at this time of year. Pomegranates are, quite simply, one of nature’s super foods. Packed full of anti-oxidants, they not only help clear your body of free radicals but they also lower cholesterol, prevent heart disease, aid dental and blood plaque, to list a few of their benefits. Above all, a dish of glistening seeds or glass of juice from this fabulous fruit is one of the best hangover cures.

Pomegranates are an ancient fruit, even mentioned in the Book of Exodus. The ancient city of Granada in Spain was renamed after the fruit during the Moorish period. Spanish colonists later introduced the fruit to the Caribbean and Latin America, leading to the naming of the country Grenada – often also known as Granada. Its regal crown has been depicted in ancient monuments and coinage. It is believed that the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden was indeed the pomegranate and not an apple after all. This vitamin rich fruit has indeed a rich history.

At Annie B’s Spanish Kitchen, we become really excited when the new season’s pomegranates arrive in the market – normally at their best from September through to December. We use pomegranate seeds (called arils) in couscous, through salads, mixing through cucumber raita, as well as sprinkling them over any Moroccan inspired dish. They are great through fruit salads, over cereal and this year, I’ve been making cocktails!

Pomegranates probably fell out of fashion because they aren’t really user friendly. In our time- conscious society, sitting down to extract the edible seeds of a pomegranate can be messy and time consuming. Many supermarkets in UK and in Spain now sell small packets of fresh pomegranate seeds which are convenient but many fresh vitamins will have been lost. Pomegranate juice can be bought commercially too which is great but again, the longer the juice is outside the fruit shell, the more the vitamins disappear.

Extracting the juice

I’ve tried putting a skin free Pomegranate through my juicer with no success. What works best for me is actually cutting it in half and treating it like a half orange, using a normal electrical juicer. Wash the fruit first and then gently cut it in half across the circumference. Squeeze with gentle pressure on the electrical squeezer watching the fabulous ruby red juice fall into the jug below. Between squeezing each half, remove the discarded seeds caught in the basket. I squeeze these by hand to remove the final drops of nectar. And then squeeze another half and continue the above process until you have the desired amount of juice.

Extracting the seeds

One of the many things I’ve loved about running my cooking classes is the exchange of information between us all in class. It’s great to learn different techniques and methods from guests. One lovely guest this summer from Seattle, demonstrated how to painlessly remove the seeds from a Pomegranate. This method is simple, fast and no redecoration required.

With a serrated knife, cut of the crown of the fruit, exposing the beginning of the seeds. Then make 8 small incisions along the exposed flesh at 12 o’clock, 3 o’clock etc. Take a bowl large enough to fit the pomegranate and your hands, fill it with water and submerge the fruit. With both hands, start pulling apart gently, allowing the seeds to become free from the pith. The white membrane will float to the top and the seeds will sink to the bottom. Discard the skin, skim off the pith and then drain. Amazing – so easy!

NB.Depending on the variety, some Pomegranates and more bitter than others – adjust additives (soda, tonic, orange, honey etc) to suit taste

Cocktails

Annipov

In a BIG glass with several ice cubes, mix 3 parts Pomegranate juice and 3 parts Clementine juice with 2 parts Vodka or Gin. Add a squeeze of fresh lime (optional) and top up with as much soda or tonic as desired. This is a health drink so enjoy without guilt!

Pom Royale

Either using Pomegranate juice on its own or again mixed with Clementine or Orange juice, half fill a glass and top up with cava. Excellent hangover cure.

The Morning after Breakfast

It’s an idea to prepare this the day before so that you open the fridge that morning and there it will be, winking at you.

Pomegranate seeds

Fresh Orange Juice

Ground Cinnamon

Place seeds in individual dishes. Cover with chilled juice and sprinkle with fresh ground cinnamon. Serve with yoghurt if desired.

Industry News | Mintel predicts flavor and scent trends for 2010 | Food Processing

Industry News | Mintel predicts flavor and scent trends for 2010 | Food Processing