Sat, Jan 12, 2008
From his home region of Asturias in northern Spain, Jose showcases their great cheeses, and visits a market, he explains how they cook a Monkfish and displays one in the square. Back in the States he makes a sweet and sour salad of cheese and tomatoes with a honey and vinegar dressing, and cooks some Monkfish. He eats in a restaurant and we see a local lobster, mussels and barnacles.
Wed, Jul 2, 2008
Jose travels to Catalunya, a province in the NE of Spain on the Mediterranean. He attends a Calcot Festival where they roast Green Onions/scallions over a fire. He visits a farm in the province of Tarragona where the onions grow. The Spanish love eggs and at his house in Washington DC he makes an omelette with white beans, garlic, olive oil and scallions. He also makes meatballs with ground pork for a Surf and Turf stew. Jose tastes wine from the hills in Priorat wine area in the Tarragona region, which are very trendy now and receiving high marks from The Wine Spectator magazine. The secret lies in the soil of volcanic black slate with a mix of rocks that conserve the heat.
Sat, Sep 27, 2008
Jose visits Murcia in SE Spain, Murcia has exported sea salt for centuries. In his kitchen in Washington, DC He introduces us to a cheese from Murcia, the Drunken Goat cheese, and he proceeds to make a salad dish including it. Jose visits the dairy that makes these cheeses, the drunken goat cheese is immersed into red wine. Then on to Cartagena and to see an old Roman amphitheatre. This city was once a centre for the Roman Empire. We see the oldest working water wheel in the whole of Europe, and it is used for irrigation. Jose returns to his kitchen to make a recipe with artichokes and Quail's eggs.
Thu, Oct 2, 2008
Jose is in Valencia, the region with the most rice dishes. At his home in Washington, DC he makes a dessert with Clementines, which grow in Valencia. He uses a sweet wine from the province of Alicante which was made with the Muscat grapes. He visits L'Albufera Park to go fishing for eels. Then on to some rice fields as much rice is grown here. Jose returns home to make a Paella on his outdoor grill, accompanied by his young family.
Thu, Oct 9, 2008
Jose visits the Balearic Islands. He cooks an omelet with Sabrasada sausage. He visits a Black Pig farm in Majorca, one of the 4 islands. We see the large Ensaiímada pastry that Majorca is famous for, a spiral pastry. He visits a dairy farm of Friesen cows, the Majorcan cheese has a saffron rind. Admiral Horacio Nelson lived on the island at one time. A gin distillery is on the itinerary, where they make it in small batches. Jose shows a Spiny Lobster that is different from the ones with two claws.
Thu, Oct 16, 2008
Jose visits Andalusia an autominous community. He makes Gazpacho cold soup, made famous in this area. Then we visit Granada, a rich mixture of cultures from all around the Mediterranean Sea. He engers the Alhambra Palace, a beautiful Moorish built Palace. He visits a Sturgeon nursery there, where they are raised for the Caviar. Then he goes to Malaga, to the Hotel Melia where the chef has a new take on Gazpacho, by dropping the soup into frozen nitrogen, making Gazpacho beads which he serves in a funnel shaped container with Iberico ham.
Thu, Oct 30, 2008
This show is about the area of Valencia, where clementines and almonds grow and it is famous for their Paella. But the region is much more than that. Jose makes a dessert that came from Valencia, it is a mousse made from Touron. He needs 2 leaves of gelatine, eggs yolks, sugar, milk, heavy cream. He then visits Xixona and an almond orchard. 1.5 million lbs of Touron is sold each year around the world, it is made from almonds. We meet Paco and Jacob, father and son chefs who are taking desserts up a level. He samples Tapas at a restaurant.
Thu, Nov 6, 2008
Jose visits the Estremadura area which lies SW of Madrid. We learn about La Serena soft cheese from the SE of the region and he makes a Lemon Marmalade which he uses to make a Tapa consisting of a toasted bread case with the cheese and the marmalade and topped with some salt. He returns to Extremadura and to a cherry farm, there are 2 million cherry trees there. Then to a sheep farm where we see another cheese is made, the Torta Le Caceres which is also a soft cheese. In Caceres he visits a wonderful restaurant. Then on to a Red Pepper farm where the peppers are smoked and dried and made into Pimenton, or Paprika. At home he makes a marinade with cheese, garlic, olive oil, rosemary, bay leaf, salt and cherries.
Thu, Nov 13, 2008
Jose visits the Aragon region which was once one of the richest areas in Spain. The northern part peeks into the Pyrenee Mountains. Jose visits a winery in the north where the soil consists of chalk and clay. In Zaragoza he visits an 800 year old monastery which is now an hotel, and nearby he and a friend fish for trout. Then onto a farm to see where white Asparagus is grown. The Spanish love this vegetable and often eat it cold with salads. Jose cooks at home a chicken dish with onions, peppers, garlic, ham, pimenton (paprika), wine and tomatoes. Jose goes truffle hunting with 2 friends and their dog. Then to a restaurant where his friend, a chef, cooks with truffles.
Thu, Nov 20, 2008
Jose is in the Basque Country region of Spain, and we learn about Pinxios, the Basque name for Tapas. He makes one with anchovies and another with white tuna. There is a white wine from the area called Txakoli, which benefits from a high pour. San Sabastian (Donestia in Basque) is the centre for food and a beautiful coastal city, with Spain's highest real estate prices. Jose visits Bilbao, where the Guggenheim museum has its home. Cider is a favourite here, and salted cod, or Bacalhau as it is known in Spain and Portugal.
Thu, Nov 27, 2008
Jose visits the Canary Islands, which are owned by Spain but located off the NW coast of Africa. There are 7 main islands and he visits Tenerife, to a potato farmer. Then on to a banana farm to see how they are grown. Back in the States he makes Wrinkled potatoes with 2 sauces, Mojo Rojo and Mojo Verde. Then a fish stew made with Bass. Jose visits a vineyard and we see how they use volcanic rocks to build walls to protect the vines from the wind. Muscatel is made here from the grapes.