JOSÉ: UNA ESQUINA ESPAÑOLA

When people realise you’re a bit more interested in food and restaurants than would be considered normal in polite company the first thing they do is ask you what your favourite restaurant is. To be honest I haven’t really got a favourite restaurant. Honest.

What I do like though, what really floats my boat and pulls my chain is propping up a Spanish bar. It’s probably in Madrid, on a cold day with that incandescent sunlight that you get in one of Europe’s highest capital cities. The barman would be of the grumpy tendency but the caña of Mahou he had just poured would be cold and have a thick, creamy head.

I would wait for my free tapa - a piece of tortilla or maybe a handful of cortezas de cerdo - before ordering un ración de jamón ibérico de bellota. He would cut the ham quickly and expertly, laying the slices in an outwardly radiating spiral, finally dropping some picos into the centre. I would take a sip of the cold, slightly bitter beer then pick up a slice of the jamón, oily from the melting fat, between thumb and forefinger. I would hold it up and briefly examine it against the light before shoving it down my gob.

At this point my interrogator would already be walking away, staring at the floor and shaking their head.

José in Bermondsey street is billed as a Sherry Bar but actually that description undersells it. For starters the wine list, whilst it has a good range of sherries has a lot of other good stuff on it (the list was put together by a couple of Masters of Wine). Also I can't think of many sherry bars that have open kitchens with several top chefs beavering away in them.

Decor is clean and functional and as in most places in Spain you have to find yourself a space at the bar or an upturned barrel to eat at - the idea of sitting at tables to eat any other than a proper is unknown in Spain (although that is changing).

Of course, all this would count for nada if the food wasn’t any good. Happily it is. José is an exemplar of the cliché of the best ingredients cooked simply. This is the stuff that all those Spanish Michelin chefs really want to eat on their day off. There will be a new restaurant opening later in the year where I suspect we may see more evolved dishes but for now José more than fits the bill.

A blackboard shows the daily market specials which is supplemented by a longer list on the menu. They're actually more akin to the Spanish media ración in size than tapas but whatever you want to call them the quality of the ingredients used is the key here.

Croquetas de jamón are sometimes a bit oily and over-fried which usually makes me a bit queasy but these were perfect: light, studded with jewel-like bits of ham, I could have eaten several more plates of these. The most fantastic Prawns cooked with a little chilli and garlic and were so good I did order another plate.

Jamón Ibérico is from Manuel Maldonado who is based not far from Jose’s hometown of Cáceres. With jamón it’s all about the cutting – you should be able to the read the maker’s name on the blade through the meat - and while it may sound xenophobic when you have the good stuff you don’t want a guiri wielding the knife. As well as being of exemplary quality this is the best cut jamón you’re going to get in London.

Razor Clams (from Scotland) come simply cooked on the plancha with a bit of chorizo and mint. Almejas are huge and meaty and you'll definitely want some bread to mop up the sherry broth.

Wonderfully fresh Sardines possibly could have done with a bit more char - they can take it - but were wonderfully fresh. Ditto some Mackerel in an escabeche which can be a bit iffy if the fish isn't up to snuff.

Pluma Ibérica (so named because of its resemblance to a feather) is one of those cuts of Pork like secreto and presa that the Spanish go nuts about but which are seldom seen over here. Well-marbled and with a lovely layer of fat it's cooked quickly so still rare inside and served with piquillo peppers. Combine some of the sweet pepper with the rich, rare pork to see what the fuss is about.

Puds are not really a Spanish forte and in lieu of helado mixta a glass of Victoria Ordoñez Malaga No. 2 and some Strawberries and Cherries more than passed muster.

Service is friendly and clued-up and really adds to the great atmosphere of the place – blimey, even a hard-hearted, old curmudgeon like me had a smile on my face (although that may have been the wine).

Three hours of a Saturday lunchtime had never passed more quickly and in a drunken, post-meal tweet I posited the fact that this was currently the best Spanish cooking in London. In the sober light of day I see no reason to retract that statement.

JEREZ: A HORSEMAN RIDING BY

Our 500th post.

Who knew that we would still be here two and a half years later?

It seems fitting that a blog with a Spanish name and written by two brothers with a slightly unhealthy obsession with Spain should note this milestone with a post about their favourite country.

Even more so, when the post also involves one of their favourite things to drink, sherry.

We have droned on about sherry before. Well a couple of times at least. In our humble opinions one of the great underrated drinks of all, primarily because of a lack of good marketing on the part of the producers and a misunderstanding of the product on the part of the consumers.

So, we make no excuses for taking yet another opportunity to promulgate the sheer wonderfulness of the fortified wines of Jerez one more time. Even more so because, on this occasion we had the opportunity to drink the sauce at source, as it were.

As I head towards the natural conclusion of EAT MY GLOBE, one of the things that has kept me going as I have been dragging my big red rucksack all over the globe was the invitation from my new friends at Gonzalez Byass to come and be their guests at The Feria Del Caballo in Jerez. It is hard to explain to anyone who has not been to a Spanish fair just what makes it so special as lots of things combine to make them one of the most enjoyable experiences anywhere on earth.

In this case, as the name suggests the official reason for the fair is to celebrate the local horsemen who turn out in their finery to ferry people around the town. But, these days, that is just an excuse for a week long knees up that involves fun fairs, food stalls, the opportunity for every one, men, women and children to dress up to the hilt and, of course, this being Jerez, the chance to drink more Sherry than anyone ever thought possible.

After arriving the night before from Madrid, we fortified ourselves for the day with a little breakfast of tostada with tomatoes and lots of olive oil before heading out for a visit to the vast vineyards of Gonzalez Byass where nearly 900 Hectares of grapes, Palomino and Pedro Ximinez, are cultivated every year.

After that, a guided tour around their bodegas followed by a sneak at the original tasting rooms, The barrels signed by Picasso and Orson Wells and the pot stills for Lepanto Brandy, made from specially selected Palomino grapes. Finally, we went to the archives of Gonzalez Byass, which include a letter from original UK distributor, Mr Byass complaining about the “Pale Wine” they had sent him, known to us now as Tio Pepe, the first commercial fino ever produced.

It is a truly stunning place and each bodega has its own distinct smell as the scents of fino and, other sherries, leach into the air from the barrels.

Finally, before heading to the fair itself, a tasting of the full Gonzalez Byass range including some pretty exciting 30 year old sherries a sniff of which explains the beauty of The Solera system.

The fair is of staggering proportions, covering an area equivalent to about ten football fields all filled with “casseta” which literally means “hut” but does a disservice to rather elaborate stands set up by most of the local sherry producers and all the bars in town. Everyone serves different food, with standard Spanish choices of Jamon and Queso sitting alongside Andalucian specialities such as Menudo, a tripe stew. What more could two middle aged men want than the sight of mounds of freshly fried seafood being consumed by outstandingly attractive Spanish women?

It is all washed down, of course, with vast amounts of chilled sherry, primarily Tio Pepe which, we were told sells 25,000 bottles a day during the fair. Unsurprisingly, it is bottled and comes straight to the fair, so is as fresh as you are ever likely to try and goes beautifully with the food, as you would expect.

As the night draws in, so the fair goes from being great fun to being one of the best parties on earth. Stands begin to play music and every, but everyone, begins to dance. Particularly when the heart rending local folk music of Sevillanas blares through the speakers. Everyone seems to know the 12 step pattern to the dance and some foolish sorts even tried to get DH up on the floor. You will be delighted to know that it didn’t happen.

As I said in the previous post, one of the great things about the Spanish is that they know how to have a good time all the time. So, as midnight came around and I headed back to the hotel to prepare for an early start back to Madrid the next day, I passed plenty of elderly people heading the other way to begin their night’s fun. A diet of fried fish and sherry obviously works wonders.

HP stayed out until 4.30am and, when he left, it was still going strong. As we headed to the train station, at 7.30am, it was just coming to an end and stragglers were heading home to rest up in preparation for the last night

As for us, we have a half bottle of Tio Pepe chilling in our hotel room fridge which we plan to drink tonight before HP heads back to London and I head off to Istanbul.

As I have said before on the blog, every now and again, life stops kicking you in the ass.

GONZALEZ BYASS & CAFÉ SPICE NAMASTE

Who's not afraid to try new things
Who gets to spend her birthday in Spain

An excellent evening in the company of DH’s newest chum, Andrew Sinclair of Gonzalez Byass, who had very kindly invited us along to Café Spice Namaste where he had planned an evening of Indian food accompanied by Sherries. HS was enjoying the delights of the exotic East so I went along instead. It’s not easy being me.

I thought I had arrived too early but Charles Campion was already there (of course he was) but oddly no Jay “Slim Jim” Rayner who I expected to see engaged in a titantic struggle with Man Mountain for control of the canapé table.

After a little small talk and some snacks washed down with a few glasses of Tio Pepe Fino we sat down to the four courses devised by restaurant owner Cyrus Todiwala who had matched them with appropiate Sherries from the Gonzalez Byass range.

The starter combo worked brilliantly: a fillet of Pomfret which had been marinated in tamarind, chilli and pepper, then roasted and served with a little carrot salad. Tio Pepe Fino was served correctly chilled and in a proper sized pour* to accompany the fish. The chilled sherry counteracted the kick of the chilli and the pairing of Fino and seafood is a classic match as any visitor to Spain will know. The salad looked a bit prosaic but was in fact very sparky – I could have eaten a lot more.

I liked the pairing of Duck breast which had been smoked, imparting a subtle taste of cinnamon and cloves into the flesh, with a chilled Alfonso Oloroso although I’m not sure the accompanying cheesy toasts matched the other two components. Interesting dish, though.

The main course of Chicken curry showed that Cyrus is not afraid to give his dishes a bit of a chilli hit but the matching Vina AB, a single estate Amontillado, was served a little too chilled for my taste - things improved once it had warmed up a tad.

The last sherry we tried was the Gonzalez Byass Nectar made from PX (Pedro Ximenez) grapes. This is fantastic stuff: dark, rich and complex it actually stands alone as a pud in itself. I usually have it over good quality Vanilla ice cream. I thought it went well with the selection of Indian sweets.

All in all a pretty successful evening which shows that Sherry is a lot more versatile than people give it credit for – even I learned something.

All too soon it was time to toddle off but I thought it might be nice to have a nightcap in the newly opened East Room (fortuitously about a minute from Casa DH). We ended up staying far too late and drinking Armagnac from each of our birth dates in the engaging company of the manager Andrew Coles. A very good way to end a very good evening.

* So many places wrongly treat Fino as a spirit and sell it in miniscule servings at alarming high mark-ups

SHERRY O, SHERRY O BABY

Sherry is, arguably, the most misunderstood drink of all.

For many people, it conjours up images of Harvey’s Bristol Cream which their nan kept on the sideboard and only ever reached for at Christmas or if the vicar came around for tea.

Nowadays, on the rare occasions you do see it on a restaurant menu, it is served at the incorrect temperature and charged for as if it is a spirit not a wine.

For DH, however, sherry has become part of the fabric of our life. Not least because of our obsession with all things Spanish, but also because, within the range of wines that make up the sherry family, you can find something to compliment just about every food from fresh seafood to dark puddings. Sherry is one of those drinks that works all the year round from a crisp, dry Fino in Spring, to a salty Manzanilla in Summer and rich, dark PX’s in Winter. It is, to put it simply, fantastic stuff and, while perfect for Spanish food, it works well with just about anything else we cook too.

So, a few weeks ago, when I was having lunch with my new chum Andrew from Gonzalez Byass and he mentioned that he had never eaten at Hawksmoor, my eyes lit up and I suggested a deal. DH would help him pop his Hawksmoor cherry if he promised to bring along a few bottles from the range to let us try them with a food that many would consider as far to the other end of the spectrum as possible.

Sucker bought into it and, yesterday, turned up at London’s finest steak restaurant, laden down with bottles, to await DH’s arrival, which came a few minutes later as we spluttered in from the rain sodden streets.

Well, I am not going to say too much about the meal. It was of course, top notch with meaty ribs followed by three excellent cuts of rump, rib eye and sirloin joined by triple cooked chips. But, the sherries were a revelation.

Getting progressively darker, the wines we tried worked incredibly well with the food. Tio Pepe fino is probably the best known outside the “Bristol Cream” circles and there is a reason, it is a very well made wine. Bone dry and, surprisingly, perfect with the ribs.

Following that, Oloroso, Amontillado, and a gorgeous Apostoles which is made from Palo Cortado grapes rather than Palomino. Sweet, but not overly so, it is just a beautifully well balanced wine that would be interesting to sip with spicier food.

Finally, most interesting of all, one of the most rare dessert wines of the lot, A Noe PX which is given a tiny release every year. It is intense stuff as the taste of roasted almonds and cream comes through the initial sweetness. Andrew suggested it with Vanilla ice cream and recommends, as they do in Spain, pouring it over the top.

At the end of our meal we set the guys at Hawksmoor a challenge to come up with cocktails based on two of the sherries. Myles, one of the great mixers there, took away the Apostoles and the Noe and came back a few moments later with two Manhattans where the sherry had been used in place of sweet vermouth.

To our surprise, the worked incredibly well with the sherry taste coming through the hit of bourbon. I could get rather too used to these.

In his role of developing the image of Sherry, Andrew was heading off to Café Spice Namaste to help plan an Indian supper, where sherries would be the accompanying wines throughout the meal. Now, that’s one I would love to attend if I was not going to be on the road.

So, yes, this is a little ‘puff” piece about sherry but, I hope it makes anyone who reads it want to go out and buy and try some. Sherry is incredibly under priced right now and Sainsbury’s, Tesco and even M&S sell very decent examples for about £6 a bottle. It is a steal, particularly when you compare it to the anti freeze wine you could buy for the same price.

If you have never tried it, go and buy a bottle, warm through some almonds in the oven, sprinkle with a little salt and serve with a chilled glass of crisp, dry as a bone, Fino. You will never think of sherry in quite the same way again. I promise.