Photo credit: Bar Biscay
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Chicago, this Sunday, August 25, enjoy good food and good times by taking part in a hands-on course in conservas at Bar Biscay.
As part of the Chicago Tribune Food Bowl, a citywide celebration with more than 100 diverse events over the course of 18 days, with this class you'll learn how to make a meal with a variety of different conservas and the ideal beverage pairings for each alongside executive chef Johnny Anderes. You'll also leave with a selection of superb items from Donostia Foods, so you can put your new knowledge to good use at home.
A portion of proceeds will be donated to My Block, My Hood, My City, a local non-profit whose mission is rooted in helping teenagers overcome poverty and isolation through providing new experiences and exposing them to possibilities beyond their own communities.
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Photo by Great Jones
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Great Jones believes in the power and pleasure of making food with your own hands. AND makes incredibly stylish and functional cookware that will help you do just that. Learn more about "the Female-Run Cookware Empire That’s Modernizing Your Kitchen Essentials" at Goop, then get on Instagram for the chance to win The Dutchess in salt, an elegant, enameled cast-iron Dutch oven from Great Jones and a selection of supremely good, salty accompaniments, including the necessary trio of ingredients for the traditional 'Gilda' pintxo from Donostia Foods.
How do you win such salty goodness? Visit @greatjones on Instagram and find the post of the above. Then follow the instructions in the post (and below):
Giveaway alert! People often say the biggest mistake home cooks make is under-salting. Let's change that. We're giving away one Salt Dutchess, plus our favorite salty items from @jonathanadler, @lostbreadco, @maldonsalt, and @donostiafoods. To win, follow all of our accounts, and tag a pal in the comments — a real pal, someone who'd tell you when your food needs more salt.
The giveaway will run until 11:59 p.m. Eastern on 8/18. Great Jones will select and email a winner to make arrangements for shipping the prize.
What's included?
Good luck to all!
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This giveaway is being offered by Great Jones. Contact Great Jones for any additional details.
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Shirataki noodles, squid in ink, sesame seeds. The low calorie, high fiber, spinach flavor angel hair is made from the root of a plant called the konnyaku imo, used for millennia in China and Japan for its health benefits. Also, delicious.
Total Time: 12 minutes? Somewhere around there.
1. Drain the package of noodles, then add them to boiling water for two minutes.
2. Transfer those boiled noodles to a non-oiled pan over medium heat, and dry out the noodles.
3. When pleased with the results of the above step, add the contents of the tin of squid in ink to that very pan, and continue to warm until you feel good about it.
4. Serve in your favorite bowl, topped with sesame seeds.
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Photo credit: Fullsteam
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Saturday, August 3rd, in Durham, NC, a snack battle of epic proportions will take place.
The ultimate matchup: Fullsteam Brewery vs. Botanist & Barrel--beer vs. cider--in a strange snack smackdown.
Food and beverage writer Jenn Rice guides hosts three rounds of guided tastings at 3pm. We’ve paired some of out cider and beer with strange snacks from around the world. Which one pairs best? You decide!
ROUND ONE:
Patatas Torres Black Truffle chips
"Less is More" Pet Nat Cider vs We Live In A Society dry-hopped pilsner
ROUND TWO:
Donostia Foods Spanish style canned sardines
Ugli Fruit Cider (aka Jamaican Tangelo) vs Brett Lager
ROUND THREE:
Local cracklin's!
Sparkling Strawberry Cider vs Southern Basil farmhouse ale
The event starts at 3pm, for tickets click here.
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Minimal effort, maximum flavor. This healthy tapa comes together in minutes, but is sure to be consumed even quicker. Because it's delicious.
Total Time: 6 minutes, 22 seconds. Serves one.
1. Drain a tin of cockles (berberechos) into a small bowl, brine only.
2. Into that bowl of brine, add a squeeze of lemon juice, olive oil, sherry vinegar, and sweet smoked paprika. Whisk until satisfied all of the flavors are intermingling appropriately.
3. Introduce the cockles themselves to this congregation, letting all marinate together for a bit so they really get to know each other.
4. Serve alongside the necessary crusty bread.
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Photo by Joe Vaughn
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July 27th at frame in Hazel Park, MI, experience Spain’s Greatest Hits (A Casa de Comidas). Upon arrival you’ll start with some of the finest tinned Spanish seafood going (if we do say so ourselves), and the evening just gets better from there over five more courses as you enjoy some of the best dishes and wines from Spain.
Menu by Chef Rebecca LaMalfa. Wine pairings by frame’s resident wine director and sommelier, Bryan Lamorena.
To see the full menu and book, visit framehazelpark.com.
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Thomas Cole's A Pic-Nic Party, 1846, Brooklyn Museum.
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Summer is upon us, and so the season of eating in a park while sitting on a blanket has begun. Picnics are one of the delights of these more leisurely months, offering the opportunity to enjoy the company of our favorite people and share food and drink in the fresh air out of doors. But, the necessity of easily transportable fare sometimes makes the accompanying snacks suffer for quality. To solve this dilemma, look no further than Spanish conservas.
Below you will find five easily prepared, easily transported serving suggestions for your next picnic, so that you can savor every moment of a summer's evening.
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Sardine Rillettes - Make them the night before for supreme ease and even better flavor.
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Olives & Toasted Hazelnut Salad - This is if you're really going for it and featuring utensils.
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Mussels in Escabeche with Goat Cheese - Just open the tin, slather cheese on crackers, enjoy the adulation (yes, those crackers are doing double duty. Space is limited).
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Toasted Marcona Almonds with Piment d'Espelette - Simple, different, delicious.
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A sandwich that can be constructed in minutes (if you have some Korean BBQ bulgogi sauce in your refrigerator).
Total Time: 7 minutes.
1. Add the squid and sauce to a bowl and mix things about for a moment.
2. In a pan, fry up the above, as desired.
3. Toast that bun.
4. Put it all together, with peppers and tomatoes and sesame seeds, and savor each bite like you're in one of those fast food commercials where people really, really enjoy taking a bite of a far inferior sandwich.
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The third Thursday of June is, quite officially, El Día Mundial de la Tapa, World Tapas Day across the globe. To celebrate, eat tapas. But, what truly constitutes a tapa? Let Food & Wine from Spain explain:
Not so, in fact. Though "tapas" is the general term used as a catchall for this gastronomic culture, there is actually a range of different formats when it comes to Spanish tapas. Here is a guide to keeping your tapas straight: tapa usually refers to a small plate of food meant for sharing – just a bite or two to accompany whatever you're drinking. If you want a larger portion of whatever peaks your appetite, order a ración (ration), or its slightly smaller version, a media ración (half-ration); both of these are also intended for sharing. Conversely, the popular pintxos (called pinchos elsewhere in Spain) that are typical of Basque Country and Navarre, are usually intended for individual consumption; each a single morsel of perfectly balanced flavors.
Want to delve into the nuances and history of these delectable dishes? Read more from Food & Wine from Spain.
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Several months ago, we returned to Donostia-San Sebastián to wander from pintxo bar to pintxo bar in a light autumn mist. The Gilda, the preeminent pintxo itself, was of course featured prominently. The photo above, taken at La Cepa, a bar in the heart of Old Town, is a classic example. The bar, the pintxo, and the food celebrate "todo la vida". Celebrate all of life at home with the necessities below.
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If an incredible flavor-to-ease-of-preparation ratio is something you seek, this romesco sauce is for you. Originating from the Catalonia region of Spain, fisherman first devised this superb sauce as an accompaniment to their fresh catch, but it truly goes with just about anything. Fish, grilled vegetables, pork... other things. You get the idea.
With the aid of a food processor or blender you'll be done in a quarter of an hour, leaving you with plenty of time to contemplate time itself. Our relationship with it, the constant push yet perpetual lack of it, our propensity to squander it... also, you can make the sauce ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Total Time: 10-15 minutes. Makes a good amount, the number of servings is up to you. About 1 1/2 cups of romesco comes from your hard work.
1. Pulse the first 8 ingredients in a food processor until finely chopped. Then, with the motor still slowly running, add the olive oil with similar slow determination and continue to process until as smooth as desired.
2. Above is it. No more directions. You're on your own, henceforth.
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Below, you'll find three simple and serving suggestions for romesco sauce: one meat, one vegetarian, and one fish, so all (most) can savor the sauce regardless of dietary restrictions or preferences. Fresh, crusty bread is the foundation for these montaditos.
Chorizo sausage, manchego cheese, romesco sauce.
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White asparagus, flat-leaf parsley, romesco sauce.
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Bonito del Norte tuna, guindilla pepper, romesco sauce.
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Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit.
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Looking for a simple yet delicious lunch? Try this tinned take on the classic Louisiana po' boy, with spiced sardines standing in for fried seafood.
Total Time: 6 minutes, 34 seconds.
1. Open a tin of spiced sardines. place appropriately amongst other chosen ingredients in the bun. You know how to make a sandwich.
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