El Priorat Cooking

Join us for a three or six day cooking vacation in Catalonia, near Barcelona. Book now for the enchanting Christmas special December 23-28!

Priorat program includes:

Four or eight hands-on cooking classes with Catalan chef
Winery tours and tastings
All meals
Wines paired with meals
Accommodation in restored stone village house
Chef who is your instructor and guide
Visit to Scala Dei Monastery

Your cooking instructor and guide will be Alicia, a beautiful and vivacious Catalan chef. The hotel and cooking school are in Catacurian, Alicia’s fourth-generation family house. The house was recently renovated to include all modern comforts, including high-speed internet access. The stone house has three double bedrooms, each with private bathroom. A sitting room provides a common area where guests can read, listen to music, converse, or just relax. The heart of the house is the large kitchen/dining area with its open fireplace, where your classes will take place. Under the house is the barrel filled wine cellar with adjoining wine tasting room. Here is where you will learn of the famous Priorat wines. A separate bar area provides yet another space where aperitifs or after dinner drinks are served.

The hotel/cooking school is located in the small town of El Masroig (population 500), in the region of El Priorat, eighty miles southwest of Barcelona and twenty from the Mediterranean coast. It is the perfect place to get introduced to Spanish cooking and the prestigious wines of the Priorat region.

Cuisine and Wine Experience in El Priorat–Three or Six Days

Four (eight on the 6 day program) hands-on classes of approximately three hours each and a combination of restaurant meals and class preparation meals, two visits to local Priorat wine producers and vineyards, along with wine tasting, will allow you to discover and appreciate the fantastic denominación de origen calificada (DOC) Priorat and denominación de origen (DO) Montsant wines of the region. An official olive oil tasting presentation will let you discover the incredible DO Siurana olive oils. A trip to the Scala Dei monastery will enable you to learn of the areas history as well as indulge in the landscapes of this beautiful and unspoiled region.

Included in Six Day Program

Six hands-on cooking classes
Four winery visits
Trip to a local ceramics producer
Gaudi architecture route in Reus
Market visit in Reus

All winery visits are very extensive and include full tastings and tour. The vintner will accompany you on your visit.

Special Harvest Tours

Grape Harvest Tour September 17-23 (FULL)
As part of the six day cooking and wine vacation, you spend a day picking grapes, learning how wine is made, and having a traditional outdoor lunch with the whole winery crew.

Olive Harvest and Olive Oil Tour November 5-11 (FULL) and November 19-25 (Space available)
As part of the six day cooking and wine vacation, spend a day learning how olives are picked, indulge in a traditional outdoor harvesting lunch and watch the whole process of olive oil being produced.

Catalan Cuisine

Catalan cuisine is a form of cooking that still closely reflects its medieval origins. Occupied for nearly seven hundred years by the Romans, followed by several centuries of the Visigoths, and then four hundred years by the Moors, the influences were certainly varied.

The first ones brought the wine, the olives and the bread, and the Moors brought exotic ingredients such as saffron, oranges , dates, raisins, almonds and the combination of sweet and savory.

Products Used in Catalan Cuisine

Vegetables: onions, garlic, eggplants, tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms.
Fish: salt cod, monkfish, tuna, sardines, anchovies, herring, trout, squid, octopus, shrimp, prawns, mussels.
Meat: rabbit, chicken, quail, veal, lamb, pork, duck, cured pork meats and sausages, snails, tripe, liver.
Grains and legumes: rice, fava beans, lentils, chick-peas, white beans, black-eyed peas.
Other: eggs, potatoes, olives.

The most common Catalan cooking techniques use either a cassola (a thick, low sided, earthenware pot), or a paella pan ( a low-sided metal pan with two handles located on opposite sides). Also very common is to cook al caliu (on hot coals), or a la plancha (on the griddle).
Many dishes start with a sofregit, a base of mainly onion–but can also use garlic, tomatoes and peppers–that is cooked slowly in olive oil until it is caramelized. Also typical is the use of picada. This is a mixture of garlic, olive oil, almonds or other nuts, fried bread, herbs and spices crushed together in a mortar and used to thicken and add flavor to many dishes at the end. The most widely used accompanying sauces are the famous allioli,– olive oil and garlic mixed together until creamy–, mayonnaise (most Catalans still make this fresh and by hand), romesco– a thick sauce made with olive oil, vinegar, garlic, almonds, hazelnuts, bread, tomato, parsley and nyores (a dried pepper), and samfaina, a mixture of onions, garlic, tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, and peppers cooked in olive oil.

Catalan Dishes

Faves a la catalana: Fava beans, black sausage, pork ribs, mint, spring onion, garlic, rancid wine
Sopa de peix de roca: Rock fish, crabs, saffron, parsley and garlic
Escalivada: Peppers and eggplant blackened on charcoal, peeled, topped with olive oil and salt
Calcots: Large green onions blackened on open fire and served with Romesco sauce with allioli
Amanida tebia: Escarole, spring garlic, aceite de olive oil and balsamic vinegar reduction
Xato: Salad of salt cod, fresh tuna, escarole, black olives, anchovies, tomatoes
Esqueixada: Cold dish of salt cod, olives, tomatoes, onions, red peppers, chopped garlic and parsley
Musclos de la barca: Mussels cooked with whole garlic cloves and rosemary
Truita amb suc: Omelet of cod, spinach, red peppers, white beans, paprika, parsley
Coques de Trempo: Mallorquin “pizza” with diced green peppers, onion, tomato, pimenton (paprika), garlic and parsley.
Ensalada con queso de cabra y avellanas: Escarole with goat cheese and hazelnuts
Carpaccio de gambas: Shrimp, olive oil, lemon, Fleur de Sel salt, and chive Carpaccio
Almejas a la marinera: Clams with white wine, garlic and parsley
Sardinas rellenas de sobrasada: Sobrasada (a soft sausage from Mallorca) stuffed sardines
Atun en escabeche: Tuna fish marinated with onion, aromatic herbs, garlic, vinegar, white wine, salt and pepper
Gambas a la sal: Shrimp cooked in kosher type salt
Trempo: Typical salad from Mallorca made with green peppers, tomatoes, onions, tuna fish, and olives
Tumbet: Tomato sauce, garlic,eggplant, red peppers, zucchini, potatoes and cinnamon
Samfaina: Tomato, peppers, eggplant, onion, garlic, white wine, and vegetable stock
Espinacs amb panses i pinyons: Spinach with raisins and pine nuts
Sopa de cebolla: Onion, chicken broth, toasted baguette slices, grated emmenthal cheese
Paella mixta: The quintessential Catalan rice dish with both meat and seafood
Arros amb rap i carxofes: Rice dish with Monkfish, artichokes and spring garlic
Bacalla a la llauna: Desalted cod with tomato sauce baked in a Terra Cotta casserole
Bacalla amb samfaina: Cod cooked and served with “samfaina” (Catalan Ratatouille)
Suquet de peix: Fish soup/stew of shrimp, monkfish, hake, mussels, clams, garlic, parsley, tomatoes, white wine, fish broth, paprika, saffron, and nyora
Arros amb conill i moixernons: Round grain rice cooked with rabbit and moixernons (a small dried type of mushroom)
Tripa de bacalla amb sepia: Cod and Cuttlefish with a Moscatel and savoury chocolat sauce
Pollastre de pages amb gambes: Free range chicken cooked in sauce with shrimp
Pollastre de pages amb prunes i pinyons: Free range chicken cooked with prunes and pine nuts
Anec amb naps i peres: Duck cooked with turnips and pears
Colomi amb vi ranci i botifarra negre: Quail made with black sausage and rancid wine
Vedella amb llenegues (Fricando): Veal prepared in sauce with llenegues ( a type of mushroom)
Xai a la brasa amb farigola i romani: Lamb marinated in rosemary and thyme, cooked on coals
Calamars amb samfaina: Squid cooked with “samfaina”
Llom amb col: Pork medallions, white cabbage, sobrasada (a soft sausage from Mallorca), raisins, pine nuts, and chicken broth
Truita amb suc: Spinach and white bean Tortilla with tomato sauce, cod, and red peppers

Crema catalana: A Catalan custard with sugar caramelized on top using a special hot iron
Gato d’avellanes amb gelat de vainilla: Hazelnut cake with vanilla icecream
Yogur con agua de Azahar: Yogurt with orange blossom water
Fruits del bosc amb Mistela: Wild berries macerated with sweet Mistela wine
Maduixes al pebre rosa: Strawberries with pink pepper
Peres amb vi: Pears cooked in red wine
Mel i mato: A soft unsalted creamy cheese with honey
Panellets: A small round pastry made of almonds, sugar, eggs and pine nuts
Postres de music amb porronet de moscatell: Toasted almonds, hazelnuts, and dried figs served with moscatel wine
Torro de crema cremada: A typical Christmas dessert made of almonds and Crema Catalana formed into a rectangular block
Arrop: Fruits that are cooked very slowly in their own juice without sugar, until the juice thickens to a caramelized consistency

Three Day Trip

Day 1
Pick-up in Barcelona at airport or central meeting place. Arrival at Catacurian. Time to settle in before tapas lunch (this is actually almost a meal). Visit to either the Capçanes winery or the Coperativa de El Masroig winery. Cooking class followed by dinner.

Day 2
Visit to the Costers del Siurana winery (producers of Clos de l’Obac) in Gratallops. Lunch at the Cellers de Gratallops restaurant. Private olive oil tasting presentation. Cooking class followed by dinner.

Day 3
Visit to the Scala Dei monastery followed by a visit to the La Conreria de Scala Dei winery. Lunch at the El Cairat restaurant in Falset. Cooking class followed by dinner.

Day 4
Breakfast followed by drop-off in Barcelona.

All winery visits are quite extensive and include full tour of the premises, complete explanations of how their wines are made, wine tasting, etc…

Six Day Trip

Day 1
Pick-up in Barcelona at airport or central meeting place. Arrival at Catacurian. Time to settle in before tapas lunch (this is actually almost a meal). Cooking class followed by dinner.

Day 2
Visit to the Bodegas Ithaca winery and vineyards in Gratallops. Lunch at El Cairat restaurant in Falset. Cooking class followed by dinner.

Day 3
Visit to the Costers del Siurana winery (producers of Clos de l’Obac) in Gratallops. Lunch at the Cellers de Gratallops restaurant. Private olive oil tasting presentation. Cooking class followed by dinner.

Day 4
Visit to the Scala Dei monastery. Visit to the Conreria de Scala Dei winery. Lunch at Catacurian. Cooking class followed by dinner.

Day 5
Visit to Reus where we follow the Gaudi route. Time for some shopping. Tour of the Reus food market. Tapas lunch in Reus. Cooking class followed by dinner.

Day 6
Visit to the Joan d’Anguera winery in Darmós. Visit to an artisanal ceramics store in Miravet. Cooking class with combined lunch and dinner.

Day 7
Breakfast followed by drop-off in Barcelona.

What We Include:

• Transport to and from Barcelona (1.5 hours)
• 3 or 6 nights accommodation at hotel/cooking school
• 4 or 8 cooking classes
• Cooking class meals
• All restaurant meals
• Winery visits and tastings
• All beverages at Catacurian, including an open bar
• All Priorat/Montsant wines
• Excursions
• All gratuities
• Epicurean Ways apron and Gourmet Gift Bag

Not Included:

• Airfare to/from Spain
• Accident/baggage/trip cancellation insurance

Pricing:

• Three Days
• 1-2 people $2175
• 3-4 people $1985
• 5-6 people $1775
• Single supplement $300
• Six Days
• 1-2 people $3025
• 3-4 people $2650
• 5-6 people $2300
• Single supplement $600

Special Harvest Tours

Grape Harvest Tour September 17-23 (FULL)
As part of the six day cooking and wine vacation, you spend a day picking grapes, learning how wine is made, and having a traditional outdoor lunch with the whole winery crew.

Olive Harvest and Olive Oil Tour November 5-11 (FULL) and November 19-25 (Space available)
As part of the six day cooking and wine vacation, spend a day learning how olives are picked, indulge in a traditional outdoor harvesting lunch and watch the whole process of olive oil being produced.

Upcoming Dates:

• 3 Day Trip
• September 10-13–FULL
• September 25-28–Wine Tour and Cooking–2 rooms available
• October 7-10–FULL
• October 22-25–2 rooms available
• December 3-6–3 rooms available
• December 10-13–1 room available
• 2009
• January 21-24–3 rooms available
• February 11-14–3 rooms available
• February 25-28–3 rooms available
• March 11-14–3 rooms available
• April 15-18–3 rooms available
• April 22-25–3 rooms available
• May 6-9–3 rooms available
• June 10-13–3 rooms available
• June 24-27–3 rooms available
• July 8-11–3 rooms available
• 6 Day Trip
• August 13-19–FULL
• September 17-23 Special Grape Harvest Tour FULL
• November 5-11 Special Olive Harvest and Olive Oil Tour FULL
• November 19-25–Olive Harvest–2 rooms available
• December 23-28 Christmas Special Five-day program–3 rooms available
• 2009
• March 18-24–3 rooms available
• May 20-26–3 rooms available
• July 22-28–3 rooms available
• 

Reservation

All reservations are subject to our Terms and Conditions.

Please fill out the form below to reserve or to inquire about a tour. If you prefer, call us toll-free at 866-642-2917 or email us at .

Once we confirm your booking by email a deposit of $500 per person is required. We will send you an invoice for the deposit. You may pay securely through PayPal via credit card or bank transfer.

Full payment for the trip is due 60 days before the program begin date. For reservations made less than 60 days before the program begin date, full payment is due at the time of booking.

We strongly recommend that you purchase travel insurance to protect your travel investment. A number of companies offer travel insurance. Epicurean Ways offers our travelers AIG Travel Guard travel insurance. See our Travel Guard ProtectAssist Gold (pdf) or Essential Expanded Silver plan brochures (pdf). Call or email us with any questions regarding travel insurance.

We are very pleased that you have decided to travel with us. We are available to answer any questions you might have. Please email or call 866-642-2917. In Spain call 951-190-478 or 669-109-292.

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Credit card payments and bank transfers will be securely processed through PayPal.Payments may be made in currencies other than U.S. dollars.

Trip Info for Cuisine and Wine in the Priorat

Preferred Dates	Select a date: 3 Day Trip September 10-13–FULL September 25-28–Wine Tour and Cooking–2 rooms available October 7-10–FULL October 22-25–2 rooms available December 3-6–3 rooms available December 10-13–1 room available 2009 January 21-24–3 rooms available February 11-14–3 rooms available February 25-28–3 rooms available March 11-14–3 rooms available April 15-18–3 rooms available April 22-25–3 rooms available May 6-9–3 rooms available June 10-13–3 rooms available June 24-27–3 rooms available July 8-11–3 rooms available 6 Day Trip August 13-19–FULL September 17-23 Special Grape Harvest Tour FULL November 5-11 Special Olive Harvest and Olive Oil Tour FULL November 19-25–Olive Harvest–2 rooms available December 23-28 Christmas Special Five-day program–3 rooms available 2009 March 18-24–3 rooms available May 20-26–3 rooms available July 22-28–3 rooms available ">
Number of travelers:	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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Room Type:	Select a Room Type: double single

If you are a single traveler, do you prefer a single room (single supplement applies), or would you like us to pair you with another traveler of the same gender to share a room if possible?

single room share a room

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