Our newsletter is back! After 5 years of silence (should I say laziness? shame on me!), we’re back to bring you all about Spanish food and culture!

As you may already have noticed, a number of changes have been happening at spain-recipes.com. A new visual design – fancier, I daresay – but also lots of improved content.

A part from that, we’ve spinned off a new site: easy-tapas-recipes.com, where you’ll find all about tapas, probably one of the most relevant contributions of Spain to world cuisine. If you haven’t done it yet, please take a look at our new site: easy-tapas-recipes.com.

In addition to this, this same newsletter has been rebranded and refurbished, with a new look, that we hope you like!

In this issue, we’re bringing you a very interesting article on Vitoria, this year’s Spain’s Gastronomy capital. Good food, better ambient, and lots to do in this northern city!

A mouth-watering journey to Vitoria, 2014 Spanish Gastronomy capita

If you want to take a trip that's bound to leave a great taste in your mouth... If you're the kind of person who loves hearty local dishes and delights in the bouquet of world-renowned wines... If you enjoy going to food festivals... If you've always longed to take a route combining natural attractions and delicious recipes... And above all, if you'd like to know what a really great 'pintxo' tastes like... 2014 is your year, and Vitoria-Gasteiz (capital of Álava, in the Basque Country) is your city.

This year Vitoria-Gasteiz in northern Spain launches its 'special menu', and is laying on a whole range of original events including an 'Exchange of chefs' from various areas in Spain, the 'Vitoria Gourmets awards', the creation of a cookbook, the recovery of old recipes, gastronomic courses at the Gamarra Catering School… And what about you? How can you make the most of this treat for your palate?

Keep reading...

Recipes of the month

• Marmitako: Marmita translates as 'pot' or 'casserole' in Basque, while the suffix ko is the genitive case, so that marmitako literally means 'from the pot'. Of course, just about everything in Basque cooking comes 'from the pot', but only this venerable dish goes by that name
• Escalivada:Catalonians eat this dish as a first course or as an accompaniment to meats. The special characteristic of these roasted vegetables is their smoky flavor, since orthodoxy demands roasting them over embers (the Catalan word escalivar means 'to roast over ashes or embers'). I have prepared them in the oven with good results.
• Strawberry flan:This rich dessert is a variation of the traditional Spanish dessert called "Flan." Instead of vanilla, this flan is flavored with fresh strawberries.

Products of the month

Deluxe Paella Kit with Paella Cookbook:Freshly prepared paella is a great way to celebrate with family and friends. Fun to prepare, this famous rice dish from Valencia feeds a crowd and it's easy to adjust the ingredients to include your favorite meats, seafood and fresh vegetables.

Naranja Con Chocolate - Chocolate Covered Candied Orange Wedges:There are some incredible flavor combinations in the world, and we think this is one of the best - candied orange wedges dipped in dark chocolate. Fresh Valencian oranges are cut into wedges and then poached in cane sugar syrup, preserving the vibrant citrus flavor. Once they have cooled, the chocolatiers at Chocolates Zorraquino dip them in delectable dark chocolate

Wine of the month

Bodegas Muga Reserva 2009:'Vivid ruby. Heady, exotic aromas of candied dark berries, vanilla, cola and dark chocolate, with a slow-building floral quality. The palate offers sweet cherry-vanilla and licorice flavors, along with notes of rose pastille and bitter chocolate. Finishes sweet and long, with silky tannins adding shape and gentle grip. This is the only red wine that Muga bottled this vintage so all of the Prado Enea fruit went in here." -Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cella

Enjoy!

Jordi Vallés

PS: Remember you can find many more Spanish recipes at www.spain-recipes.com and www.easy-tapas-recipes.com.