A taste of Andalucia: ‘Fish, Salt & Sherry’ gastro tours
Annie B's Spanish Kitchen in the white town of Vejer de la Frontera is teaming up with boutique travel agency 'A Taste of Spain' to offer a new gastronomic tour: Fish, Salt & Sherry.
Embracing the three most important ingredients from Cadiz, Southwest Andalucia, this five night escorted gourmet odyssey (departing September 29, 2011), combines hands on cookery classes with culinary outings, including dining out at two of the region's finest restaurants. Offering a unique insight into the largely undiscovered food and wine delights of Costa de la Luz, Fish, Salt & Sherry is a tour for foodies with a passion for first-rate cuisine.
Guests will become immersed in the flavours of this enchanting Southern corner of Europe, learning about natural ingredients, their provenance and how to make the best of them during fabulous cooking classes at Annie B's Spanish Kitchen. Here guests will appreciate how the food of an area offers an interesting insight into its history, whilst cooking, and later enjoying the fruits of their labour. Cooking with the freshest fish from the coastal fishing towns of Conil and Barbate and gourmet local ingredients, tasty dishes on the menu will include Fish baked in Salt, Classic Paella, as well as Sherry and Chocolate Cake and Moroccan pastries, all washed down with tasty local Manzanilla, rich reds from Toro and Ribera del Duero, and fruity whites from Rueda.
Activities aren't just confined to the kitchen though. During the duration of the course, guests visit the ancient Phonecian salt flats around Cádiz, still operational in a small way, and learn how the Flor de Sal is obtained, as well as discovering the secrets of the finest olive oil production, visiting the groves and tasting a variety of award-winning olive oils at Oleum Viride, just outside the white village of Zahara de la Sierra. An escorted visit to the bustling fish market and port at Barbate will reveal all about the ancient and sustainable fishing method, Almadraba, which is used to catch Blue Fin Tuna, considered the best in the world, and from here guests also enjoy a boat excursion along the beautiful coast.
The culinary highlights of the tour are a meal at the newly crowned Michelin-starred Apoinente restaurant where the chef, Angel Leon, specialises in fish, and lunch at el Campero, one of the best restaurants dedicated to tuna in the whole of Europe, where a degustation menu devoted to tuna will be served. A tapas tour around Vejer and a visit to the home of the fortified wine, Jerez, for sherry tasting at Bodegas Tradición, which continues the tradition of one of the oldest wineries in the region, are also included.
Price: Departing on 29 September 2011, the Fish, Salt & Sherry tour costs from €1,890pp based on 2 sharing, including 5 nights' B&B accommodation at La Casa del Califa hotel in a Superior room, all meals and drinks (exc. 1 lunch), all internal travel by private deluxe minibus, all scheduled tours, airport transfer to and from Gibraltar airport, cooking lessons, and guiding with Annie B. Flights extra. Single supp €125pp. Minimum group size 8, maximum 12.
For more information, visit: atasteofspain.com / anniebs.co.uk
