Spanish food has always been influenced by its trade with the many countries that surround the Mediterranean Sea

The Mediterranean region is shared by many countries that may be physically and culturally different and yet show similarities, not least in terms of their food. They enjoy an abundance of produce, ripened under sunny skies in the fertile soils that surround the sea.

Tuck into modern tapas for an experience that’s fresh, fun and full of flavour

Small eating is becoming a big deal. No longer do we have to sit down to a three-course meal whenever we eat out. Instead, more and more restaurants are offering a menu of ‘small plates’, from which we can mix and match as we please.

Little bites of food amuse, stimulate and excite the palate. They give both the cook and the diner an opportunity to experiment with a variety of different ingredients, and there is always something to suit everyone’s taste - perfect for people who can never make up their mind!

Spain’s food culture is a heady mixture of historical influences, from Arabia to America

The history and religion of Spain are visible on the plate. What we eat often says much about who we are and in no country is this more obvious than in Spain. Ingredients, cooking methods, and many of Spain’s most famous recipes all have an easy-to-trace and fascinating past.

The Moors invaded Spain in AD 711, and stayed for nearly 800 years. The Moorish influence is still evident today. From the Moors came new crops, including sugar, spinach, aubergines and mint, and new culinary methods such as cooking in sealed clay pots and the use of wood burning ovens. The meat skewer and kebabs arrived, and frying with olive oil and preserving in vinegar (escabeche) were both Arab practices, the latter eagerly adopted by the locals for preserving surplus fish.
The spices brought by the Moors included cinnamon, cumin and nutmeg and the magnificent golden saffron. They enjoyed sour-and-sweet (agridulce) mixtures and anise bread.

Traditional Spanish fayre meets Asian refinement in these exciting and tasty recipes from the kitchens of the Ó restaurant.

At the heart of these recipes is a fusion between Asian and European flavours where simplicity meets sophistication. Flavour and presentation combine to create wonderful recipes with the simple elegance of Asian cooking and the straightforward rusticity of Spanish fare.

Eggs are a perennial favourite for suppers in Spanish households, and can be used in a huge variety of ways, from the simple frittata to enriching a complex main dish or a delicate custard. Before battery farms became ubiquitous, eggs provided a vital source of income for poorer families, who may have rarely had the chance to eat the eggs themselves as all their produce went straight to market. Thankfully eggs are cheap and plentiful nowadays, even the organic, free-range kind that have the best flavour.Buying eggs in Spain.

Codorníu Cocktails

Ingredients 

a large chunk of piel de sapo or honeydew melon
10 mint leaves
a dash of sugar syrup
100ml Codorníu Reserva Cava


Muddle the chunks of melon to a purée.  Add mint leaves to melon purée without crushing the leaves.  Pour the Cava into the mix, stirring gently so as not to kill the fizz.  Single strain into a flute and serve.

2 Mandarins
10ml Red Vermouth
100ml Codorniu Reserva Rosado Vintage Brut

Method
Squeeze the mandarins and pour the juice into a mixing glass.
Add the Red Vermouth.
Pour in the Codorniu Reserva Rosado and stir gently with a bar spoon.
Pour in to a glass flute.
Take a slice of mandarin skin and twist a few drops of oil over the glass and stir.