03 Tuesday Sep 2019
Twitter pals Joel & Kelly first came to visit in 2013 and this week they are back! We met up for a quick sherry and then headed to La Barra de Inchausti for some serious fish and seafood. A lovely evening catching up (and sharing cat pics – they also have three!). Hope to see them again on Sunday before they leave.
29 Thursday Aug 2019
Posted in gastronomy, restaurants, sevilla, tapas, tapas bars
I was so excited to find out this week that Lalola Taberna Gourmet had finally made the move from the far end of Los Remedios to the centre of town. In fact, just a short 11 minute walk from my house! It is located inside the very chic Hotel Palacio Conde de Torrejón, though it has its own entrance on the side. I couldn’t wait to try it out.
Then chef Javier Abascal sent me a message asking when I wanted to visit, and as I didn’t have a tour that evening I said I would see him then. I was expecting to just check things out, take some photos, maybe try a couple of tapas. But Javi had other ideas, and before long I was enjoying a private tasting menu with him, accompanied by lovely wines.
Being the Queen of Tapas does not suck. 🙂
10 Saturday Aug 2019
Since my first ever San Lorenzo day celebration six years ago this has become an annual event for me. Ramón and Mari Carmen of the Antigua Abacería de San Lorenzo host the celebration on August 10th, in honour of the patron saint of cooks and chefs, and namesake of both their barrio and bar.
As always, a variety of grilled flesh were on offer throughout the afternoon, along with a typical white wine punch from Huelva called ponché alosnero. I particularly liked the boat full of nécoras (velvet crabs) on display though I cannot eat them whole as instructed by Ramón. It was also a clever way of incorporating their August beach theme with the saint day celebrations. Good times.
The martyr San Lorenzo was put to a slow and painful death on top of a large gridiron with live coals beneath it and, the legend concludes that, after enduring the pain for a very long time he made his famous cheerful remark, “I’m well done. Turn me over!”.
06 Tuesday Aug 2019
Some of you may remember the fabulous Antigua Abacería de San Lorenzo from their annual San Lorenzo day celebration. But Ramón and Carmen are never idle. This year they returned a week early from their summer holidays and set up the Costa San Lorenzo, a perfect beach spot for people like me who, frankly, no longer enjoys going to an actual beach anymore. At Costa San Lorenzo you get to enjoy a beach atmosphere without all that nasty sand and noisy hoards of sunbathing, well, hoards. Had a great time there this past weekend and will be back on Saturday for San Lorenzo Day. Of course!
03 Saturday Aug 2019
Posted in friends, sevilla, sherry, tapas, tapas bars
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I’ve known Rafael almost forever and he is without a doubt one of my favourite people in Sevilla. Some of you might recognise him as “the best jamón cutter in town” from posts on my blog and instagram. He is also the person who changed my life in terms of sherry by one day giving me a glas of VORS palo cortado by Bodegas Tradición, which led to me going on to become a Sherry Educator. But I know him best as just one of the loveliest guys ever, always willing to chat and share his stories about growing up in Sevilla.
Back in June I noticed that I hadn’t seen Rafael at his usual jamón cutting station at Las Teresas (aka My Happy Place) for some time, but assumed he was on summer holidays. Then July came and still no sign of him, so I asked where he was. Turned out he had suffered a heart attack (!!!) and was on medical leave of absence, which has since turned into retirement. But I was told he was fine and still popped by the bar most days, usually in the early afternoon.
So of course I was thrilled to run into him at Teresas this week. I think it was the first time I’d ever seen him without his usual white shirt and dark tie “uniform” and, while he looked a bit thinner he insisted that he was feeling fine and enjoying his early retirement. It’s funny how some people can feel like such an important part of your life even though they aren’t actually “close friends” as such. So while I know I will continue to miss seeing Rafael behind the bar, I am so happy and relieved that he is okay and doing well. Though my Happy Place won’t be the same without him.
casa azahar 