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Gastronomy & Wine

Gastronomy & Wine

Japanese nano vegetables in Catalonia

Hidenori Futami, a Japanese native of Osaka, was so impressed by Costa Brava when he first came here, that he decided to move his family to Pals on the Costa Brava coast. He also brought along one of his treasures – his collection of seeds. Pals area was chosen because of its climatic conditions and the proximity to the river which is indispensable for vegetable gardens. So now on his farm Hidenori grows nano-vegetables, tiny flowers and buds that hold all the tastes and aromas of a larger plant in a concentrated form. .
Under the brand Ebio, these unique products are sent to restaurants in Girona and Barcelona. For example, to the Bo.Tic restaurant in Corsa.

Julia Chesnokova for Hotel Alabriga

Gastronomy & Wine

Groceries from the farmers´markets

As any region, the Empordà, where our hotel is located, has an abundance of its locally grown groceries. Vegetables, fruits and nuts, that are typical for the region, make the basis of traditional local dishes. They are all seasonal, so you can appreciate them if you here in the right season. Chestnuts can be found in a variety of dishes here, including desserts. Cabel escarole salad, often served plain with little salt. Girona apples have four varieties: golden, red gourmet, gala and Granny Smith. Salsify, a sweet vegetable from Girona, is very common in local cuisine. Eggplant bonica is found everywhere, such as on escalivada toast. Sweet white pepper is similar to Bulgarian (bitxo de Girona). Favorite variety of onion grown locally in Figueres . Local beans (Fesol de l’Ull Ros), their production was restored. Same as hazelnuts from La Selva, black turnips and pear-shaped tomatoes.

Julia Chesnokova for Hotel Alabriga

Gastronomy & Wine

Artichokes in celebrity chefs ´kitchens

The artichoke is considered a Mediterranean delicacy, and many restaurants feature this vegetable in their winter menus, as winter is the artichoke harvest season. Renowned Spanish chefs are well aware of the many possibilities that this product provides, and artichokes are part of the “haute cuisine” during winter months.

El Prat de Llobregat, located on the outskirts of Barcelona, ​​has recently become a real capital of artichokes, but Benicarló, a city by the sea in the autonomy of Valencia, has gone even further – a special celebration with an awards ceremony is held here annually. This year the Golden Artichoke was awarded to celebrity chef Raoul Resino, who managed to highlight this vegetable in his new 2022 gastronomic menu. Worth a try just for that reason

Restaurante Raúl Resino
@raulresinorestaurante
Ajuntament de Benicarló

Julia Chesnokova for Hotel Alabriga

Gastronomy & Wine

Natural wines in the vicinity

New trends in the world of winemaking resonate in the hearts of many, and natural wines are a vivid proof. One of the neighbours of our hotel in the Empordà region is Rafa Camps, a philosopher, wine maker and part-time representative of other winemakers. He was introduced to the world of natural wines in 2013 by famous Chef Rafa Peña.
In his company, La Natural, he, by his own admission, wanted to combine what brings pleasure to the body, mind and soul. According to the philosopher Rafa, wine is inextricably linked with the earth, it nourishes and carries a significant ritual and social component. He expressed all this in the motto: Be wild. Be natural. In his online store La Natural, you can find many local producers and unusual labels with names such as “Invincible” or “White Skin” that have one thing in common: they are pure and well-made natural wines.
Here are the links below for a quick and easy search:

@lanatural.wine
https://www.lanaturalwine.com/nosotros/
https://twitter.com/rafaelcamps

Julia Chesnokova for Hotel Alabriga

Gastronomy & Wine

Edible flowers and gastro-botanical experiences

Alchemy of flowers plus a bit of biodynamics and gastronomic naturalistics in the fields of the Empordà…We’re talking about Yolanda Bustos, chef, edible field plant expert and professional wine and olive oil taster, and more recently, food adventure creator. Her gastro-botanical walks and tastings are inspired by Yolanda’s curiosity about plants and nature in general. You can екн Yolanda’s creations at La Caléndula, one of the first restaurants to let flowers into the world of cooking with her light hand.

Iolanda Bustos

Julia Chesnokova for Hotel Alabriga

Gastronomy & Wine

A traditional dessert from Cadaqués

The town of Cadaques on Costa Brava is very well known as one of the landmarks related to Salvador Dalì. It can also boast of many nice restaurants and sunny Mediterranean promenade. But there is another speciality that it is famous for – a local dessert called Cadaques corks, or taps de Cadaques. Traditionally, they are meant for an afternoon snack, but work fine as dinner closing treat, especially if they are flambéed in rum. Favored by Dali himself, these biscuits in the form of cava corks are worth trying with a scoop of good pistachio ice cream.

Julia Chesnokova for Hotel Alabriga

Gastronomy & Wine

An award-winning local cellar

The area where ALABRIGA, is located is famous for its wines. It could not be otherwise, because Emporda has been producing wines for more than 25 centuries. In 2018, the Catalan Sommelier Association named La Vigneta cellar, which is located in Moll de Perelada, the best winery of the year. Nestled among vineyards and olive trees, the winery produces brands such as Heus, Llavors, Puntiapart and Sols. In addition to being a worthy winner, La Vigneta is also known for its care of the region’s birds and animals. For the past two years, the Association has not presented prizes due to the pandemic, but we will definitely tell you about the winner of 2019 separately.

@cellerlavinyeta

Julia Chesnokova for Hotel Alabriga

Gastronomy & Wine

Seafood rice in a place with a sea view

Seafood rice in a place with a sea view
If you find yourself in the town of Begur, which is half an hour north of our hotel, be sure to try the local rice with seafood or paella at the Cap Sa Sal, restaurant located in the hotel of the same name. In addition to great food, you will get one of the most breathtaking views of the coast with Mediterranean pine trees and the sea stretching beyond the horizon. The perfect combination of Mediterranean cuisine and the surrounding landscape. Incredible Instagram photos are guaranteed, but we highly recommend booking a table in advance.

Carrer Aiguafreda, Begur

Julia Chesnokova for Hotel Alabriga

Gastronomy & Wine

Three perfect places to try the grilled onion or calçots

Three perfect places to try grilled onions, or calçots
Calçotada, or grilled onions season, usually attracts those who love traditional Catalan cuisine and are not afraid to get their fingers dirty in romesco sauce.
Below are three completely different restaurants in the vicinity of our hotel, where you can get to know the tradition and try a couple of dozen kalçots before they disappear from local markets:
1. Moli at La Escala, a team with 25 years of experience led by Jordi Jacas, who has cooked for the lodge of FC Barcelona, the Girona Auditorium and more.
2. El Carro Vell в Garrigàs – is a popular and bustling restaurant where you can come with a large group to enjoy simple Catalan cuisine.
3. Can Cassoletes в Pontós – an old farmhouse and a restaurant with 40 years of experience surrounded by nature, where, in addition to kalsots, bouillabaisse soup is especially worth trying.

Julia Chesnokova for Hotel Alabriga

Photo Smoda.elpais.com

Gastronomy & Wine

New restaurants in the city – Ikoya

Today we’d like to talk about a new restaurant promising to become an important point on the map of Barcelona. The reputation of its creators talks by itself. Meet Ikoya – a traditional Japanese tavern from Hideki Matsuhisa (with a Michelin star in KOY Shunka) and Iñaki López de Viñaspre from the Basque Country (Grupo Sagardi). The authors describe Ikoya as a place where the sensational produce from our markets meets the purity of Japanese technique. Our recomendation is, of course, the sashimi.
Please find the address and links below:

@ikoyaizakaya
@hideki_koyshunka

ikoyaizakaya.com
Av. de Francesc Cambó, 23, Barcelona

Julia Chesnokova for Hotel Alabriga

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