Tag Archives: tapas

just say no! (to sangría)

04 Wednesday Sep 2019

Posted by in tapas, wine

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When people on my Sevilla Tapas Tours ask for sangría I tell them it is NOT ALLOWED 😉 and then go on to explain why. First of all, Spanish people seldom if ever order sangría in a bar. It’s a party drink, a fruit and wine punch usually made at home or at the beach in summer. And because of this, most sangría you will find in bars is, well, crap. Often it is made up well ahead of time and can sit there in jugs for days, and sometimes bars just use store-bought sangría. Because they know that it’s “just for tourists”. Of course there are a few (very few) exceptions, with some bars making up sangría to order, either as a fresh jug to be shared or as an individual cocktail. Happily there is another “sangría-like” drink option…

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sylvie!

31 Saturday Aug 2019

Posted by in family, sevilla

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My lovely friend Sylvie @sylviebigar is back in town this weekend for a family wedding and happily found a bit of time to meet up for lunch today. She is not normally camera shy, but said she preferred not to be shown with her just-off-the-plane hair. For the record, she looked gorgeous, but I shall respect her wishes. And so, a nice chatty lunch, catching up – and we had a lot to catch up on! Missing her already.

lalola menu preview

29 Thursday Aug 2019

Posted by in gastronomy, restaurants, sevilla, tapas, tapas bars

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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.  🙂

  • Olive pâté with olive bread toasts
  • Ensaladilla with prawns, pimentón, fried eggs
  • Live lettuce salad with radishes, onions, lagarto Ibérico
  • Ravioli filled with gambas and setas, manteca sauce
  • Razor clams in Ibérico sauce
  • Braised Ibérico pork cheek with curry potato purée

san lorenzo 2019

10 Saturday Aug 2019

Posted by in culture, sevilla, spain, tapas, tapas bars

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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!”.