Category Archives: birthdays

sherry saturday

11 Saturday Mar 2017

Posted by in birthdays, food & drink, friends, gastronomy, sevilla, tapas, tapas bars, tapas tours

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Yep… ANOTHER Sherry Saturday! But unlike last Saturday, this time I was actually working. Back in December 2015 I spent a lovely Christmas Day afternoon with Becky, Scott and family at La Azotea. Since then Becky and I have kept in touch via social media (check her Instagram – @havepaprika) and a few months ago Scott got in touch about booking a Sherry & Tapas Tour for himself and buddy Richard, who would be celebrating his big 5-OH. And today was the day.

Although I love all my tours I have to say that the Sherry & Tapas tour is both my most challenging and possibly most gratifying. On the other hand, I’m not sure I could do them every day because I am always a bit exhausted afterwards… a LOT of talking goes on. But today was fabulous. The boys not only ate and drank very well, they also learned a lot about sherry, so they can now show off to their friends back in London.  😉

Great day guys – thank you!

sherry saturday

04 Saturday Mar 2017

Posted by in birthdays, food & drink, friends, getaways, sherry

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sherry-saturday-1By happy coincidence this Saturday’s sherry cata at the Consejo Regulador in Jerez happened to be on the same day as a combination birthday-farewell party for our friend Momoko, who has been living in Jerez for the past three years. Now that her book research is done she has to return home to Japan, but we are all hoping she will be back in Jerez – her true home – before long. sherry-saturday-2Momoko was taken totally by surprise and spent much of the time at her party – at the fabulous Bodegas Faustina GonzĂĄlez – with happy tears in her eyes. I’m glad I had a chance to see her before she leaves next week. And as always it was great catching up with Jerez friends, and also meeting some new ones.

michelin star birthday lunch

09 Monday Jan 2017

Posted by in birthdays, restaurants, sevilla

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abantalAfter years of “meaning to go” to Abantal, Sevilla’s only Michelin star restaurant, I decided that my 60th birthday was a good excuse for a decadent splash out meal. I’ve known chef Julio for many years, and even worked with him on the Turismo Sevilla tapas app, so I was looking forward to finally trying out his place.

We did the tasting menu  – descriptions are below, and you can click on the photo above to enlarge the image…

  • razor clam with cauliflower cream on fried wonton
  • garlic soup with egg yolk and seta foam
  • quisquilla (prawn) carpaccio with seaweed and artichoke pilpil
  • red tuna galette, orange escabeche, cucumber granita and mint foam
  • seasonal mushrooms, sopa morisca purĂ©e, truffled egg yolk, onion bizcocho
  • confit cod with spinach and garbanzo purĂ©es
  • presa IbĂ©rica with truffled pumpkin cream, grapefruit, lime
  • passionfruit creme with mint granita and chocolate
  • orange wine zabayon, torta de aceite, mandarin, cinnamon

This was my second Michelin experience. The first was pretty much a disaster at the JC GarcĂ­a Restaurant in MĂĄlaga, also a 1-star like Abantal. This time the experience was actually quite pleasant, with excellent service. But the food was somehow lacking. Nothing was terrible (as at JCG) but nothing was exceptional either. Still, it was a lovely afternoon and a very nice birthday present – thank you Peter!