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Remember back in May when that rascally Del sent me a surprise package containing the DVD of Rick Stein’s Mediterranean Escapes? Well, he did it again with the latest series that features Spain.
As it was recently shown on tv in the UK, I’d been hearing various opinions about it on Twitter and couldn’t wait to see it for myself. And then it arrived today, which also happens to be WeeRascal’s birthday, so after getting home from an amazing lunchtime gourmet tapas tour, I just had to sit down and watch some of it.
Against Del’s and Ian’s advice I went straight to the fourth (and final) episode, which featured Sevilla. I was told that this was the best of the four and that it would be better to watch them “in order”, but how could I resist seeing my Sevilla on film? And… hmmm. I liked it, and will watch it again, but my first impression was that it didn’t really capture Sevilla very well. Which made me wonder if everyone who sees their “home town” represented in series like these feels the same. But it’s still great fun to watch and I am now wanting to travel more around Spain, especially the north.
Who wants to come with me?
casa azahar 
Of course Seville could warrant a whole series to itself; 3,000 tapas bars, just for starters! How many stories like Chris Stewart’s (Driving over lemons http://drivingoverlemons.co.uk/) could also be included in the mix? What came across to me was the simple cooking, and how marvellously wholesome it all seems. (Some of it too wholesome for my vegetarian leanings).
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As this is aimed at the British public I assume that’s why they featured so many expats – could’ve actually done without that. Would have much preferred to see more Spanish people in their homes and restaurants.
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It was…OK. I find Stein quite a hard watch these days – considering his years in the game, he still seems quite awkward and uncomfortable in front of a camera. He’s not a natural performer like his mentor Keith Floyd or a natural raconteur like Anthony Bourdain, and quite often falls uncomfortably beween the two stools. It used to be kind of charming, but now I find it increasingly irritating.
I guess it was inevitable that he ended up at El Riconcillo.
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As a newcomer to Rick Stein’s series I haven’t reached burnout yet, but I think I can see what you mean. What is more irritating to me is when they get their facts wrong, which happened several times. Also, it was clearly filmed before the new smoking ban came in last January, but they could have edited out the references to people smoking everywhere in Spain.
Yeah I know. Rinconcillo. Typical.
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It didn’t feel like my Sevilla, but I can’t put the finger on what exactly made me feel that way. Then again, I lived in El Arenal, but it never felt like my neighbourhood either. I guess for me goes the same: I’ll watch it again…
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I enjoyed it a bit more the second time, especially knowing that his comments about Sevilla being THE place to go in Spain has resulted in a lot of tapas tour enquiries – and a few bookings!
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So now you have to start your tours with the question “Did you see Rick Stein?”, when answered affirmatively, you have to pass by El Rinconcillo…
Do you know the fish restaurant near the Arenal market he goes to?
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