Culinary Capers

Flavors of Spain
About the cooking lessons:
Each cooking class will include hands on opportunities and will address the traditions and cultural aspect of the various regions.

La Rioja and Galicia
4 Hands on cooking lessons
8 days/7nights
2010  Dates see Tour Calendar

The cuisine of La Rioja is rich and abundant and like the region itself, has its own personality. We must single out such dishes as potatoes with chorizo sausage, stuffed peppers, and Rioja style roast lamb. Of ultimate importance, however are the wines that are produced in this region. La Rioja produces wines of three colors and three distinct flavors; dark reds tintos, light reds clarets and golden yellows blancos. Our culinary capers will teach you the importance of the wine and dining experience as well as hands on cooking lessons with some very well known chefs of the Rioja.

The cuisine in Galicia is not only very tasty but varied as to both meat and fish. Among the choice dishes of Galicia are the pote (potage made with ham bones, haricot beans and depending on the chef, turnip tops), the caldeiradas, (akin to the bouillabaisse, but served in two parts: first the broth and only then, the fish) pulpo (octopus), dairy products and pastries. Varied and delicious are the terms that define a cuisine that is simple, hearty and natural, that relies on the excellence of the local produce.

Itinerary
Day 1
Arrive at Barajas airport in Madrid. We board our coach and travel North to the Rioja to the tiny town of Albelda de Iregua where you will spend the next 4 days learning about the regions fine cuisine and experiencing cooking first hand.

Day 2
This afternoon we put on aprons and participate in a cooking class with well known Rioja Chef Oscar Dominguez Fuentes and prepare regional delicacies such as patatas a la riojana, bacalao en salsa, pimientos rellenos, and peras al vino.

Day 3
Today is a major wine tasting day, with visits to 2 famous estates; one historic, one modern. The first special winery visit is to Marques de Murrieta (beautiful, historic estate complete with castle). The next winery visit is planned for the lovely modern cellars of Finca Valpiedra. Next stop, the medieval hilltop town of Laguardia where we stop at a local wine shop for an explanation of the different kinds of highly acclaimed Spanish wines.

Day 4
We visit the pretty village of Olite, a town famous for its fairy tale castle and its wine. We’ll climb the ramparts and turrets of the castle, and enjoy an aperitif in a 14th century converted monastery. We are back in the kitchen with Chef Oscar where today we prepare tapas for this evenings’ dinner.

Day 5

Departure to Galicia. We’ll stop in a pulperia, where the delicacy of the house is cooked up right before your very eyes. We arrive at our 300 year manor old house tucked away in the forests of Touro, where we will visit the kitchen and prepare some of Spain’s favorite desserts.

Day 6 In this small town, the art of making cheese is known all over Spain. This morning we visit the colorful Market Place in Santiago,Plaza de Abastos. Be sure to stay out of the way of the Señoras who are there to buy their daily bread, fish and meat! We visit the queseriawhere cheese is still made today as it was 1,000 years ago.

Day 7 A day to catch up on sight seeing and shopping in the celebrated city of Santiago de Compostella. At our farewell dinner is tonight, we’ll relive the highlights of our culinary capers!

Day 8 Departures  from Santiago

Southern Spain
Andalucia  3 cooking lessons

6 days/5 nights
The perfect winter getaway….sunny southern Spain!

2010  Dates see Tour Calendar

Andalucia opens out onto two seas. Connecting the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, astride between Europe and Africa, the richness and fertility of its lands, the variety of its landscape, the generosity of its climate, its towns and its people have made it a land of welcome. Its cuisine is extremely rich and varied. Local products, wheat, olives, game and fish were enhanced by those imported by the Arabs. The seafood is unbeatable. On this trip you’ll learn to prepare Tapas, Tortillas de patatas, pescaito frito, fish stews and of course Paella. You will visit an olive oil factory and no trip to Andalucia would be complete without a stop at the sherrybodegas.

Itinerary
Day 1

Arrival in Malaga airport. The group will be welcomed by Spain Adventures trip leaders at the airport at 2:00pm and transferred to the hotel. The afternoon is yours to rest or wander around the Natural Park of Montes de Malaga. Our welcome dinner tonight will introduce you to Andalucian hospitality and culinary delights.

Day 2

Buffet Breakfast in the hotel. Our day begins with a trip into Malaga and to the marketplace. A thriving city that maintains its ancient charm with its main street lined with flower markets. We’ll stop at the port and have a lesson on the different variety of fish. We return to our hotel where the cook Pedro is waiting to start our first lesson. Today we prepare one of the house specialties. A long leisurely lunch follows and the afternoon is yours to enjoy lounging by the pool, taking a walk along one of the trails or bird watching in the natural park.

Day 3

This morning we take a trip into Nueva Carteya for a tour of the olive oil press. Learn the art of tasting oil and identifying the different varieties of olives. From here we go to a local restaurant where you will learn create tapas. After lunch we visit the Picasso museum and walk to the Alcazar. From here we go to the sherry bodegas to sample some of the finest sherries in the world. Tonight dinner is on your own and later in the evening we attend a Flamenco show.

Day 4

This morning we say good-bye to our gracious host and we’re on our way to Ronda, the town that made Bullfighting famous and, Hemingways’ favorite place in Spain. Today we transfer to a working farm. A culinary trip to Spain would not be complete without learning how make a Paella the authentic way. Our cooking lesson takes place outside over an open fire facing the majestic Sierras and later we have a leisurely lunch outside. This evening we take you into Ronda for a sunrise over the canyon you won’t soon forget. Dinner on your own. (Finca Algaba)

Day 5

This morning we visit the Bull Ring in the center of town and have some time to shop in the many ceramics and antique shops. After our visits we will walk over to the restaurant where we learn to prepare one of their specialties. We have lunch at the restaurant and return to the “finca” where we’ll visit the “Poblado” which recreates prehistoric life.Our farewell dinner is at the farm.

Day 6

Departures to Málaga after breakfast