Highlights

Culinary Adventure in Mediterranean and Central Spain

Discover the food and wine of the Mediterranean and central regions of Spain with Gerry Dawes. Eat in the restaurants of Spain’s best chefs. Visit wineries and meet renowned winemakers in the Priorat, Valencia, Alicante and La Mancha regions. You will receive the warmest welcome into uncommon Spanish culinary experiences with your personal expert guide.

Expertly Guided Travel

Epicurean Roads trips are led by Gerry Dawes. Explore the stunning cuisines and wines of Spain while traveling with Gerry. As a food and wine writer and expert on Spain, Gerry’s knowledge and insights, not to mention his gold-star contacts on the ground in Spain, mean your experience in Spain is that of an insider or one of the family. You will be welcome in wineries, restaurants, tapas bars and markets across Spain.

Gerry Dawes writes on Spanish food and wine for Wine News, Decanter and Food Arts. His awards include the 2009 Association of Food Journalists award for second best food feature in a magazine for his story on Spanish celebrity chef Ferrán Adrià, “Over the Foaming Wave”, published in Food Arts and the Premio Nacional de Gastronomía, Spain’s National Gastronomy Award. He is a contributor to the Culinary Institute of America Worlds of Flavor Spain website. See Gerry Dawes’ article on the wines of Valencia The Surprising Wines of Valencia.

Traditional and Avant-garde Cuisines

Some of Spain’s most innovative cuisine is happening in the Mediterranean region of Spain. From Barcelona to Valencia, Alicante and Denia the cuisine is born of the area’s vibrant rice-growing and fishing traditions near the coast, and the affinity for game and wild foods inland.

Barcelona is one of the hotbeds of modern Spanish cuisine, while traditional Catalan cuisine with its emphasis on fine fresh ingredients is gaining popularity. Michelin starred restaurants, contemporary bistros and traditional seafood restaurants and recipes of yesteryear are found throughout the city. In Valencia and Alicante a number of restaurants are creating astounding traditional fare and first-rate modern cuisine. Inland from the coast the focus tends to be on traditional cooking and ingredients.

Valencia and Alicante are traditional winemaking regions; both regions produce traditional sweet dessert mistela wines made from moscatel grapes and Fondillón, a Monastrell-based vino rancio (a purposely oxidized, slightly sweet wine)–once nearly extinct. Fondillón is one of the five luxury wines acknowledged by the European Union. Wines from DO Valencia, DO Utiel Requena and DO Alicante are becoming increasingly known and sought after. Monastrell is the most widely used grape in these regions with Garnacha Tinta, Tempranillo, Bobal, and others used as well.

Paella Valenciana

Paella recipe from the paella master Chef Rafael Vidal of Restaurante Levante.

Ingredients for 10 people
1700 gr. CHICKEN
500 gr. RABBIT
30 cl. OLIVE OIL
500 gr RIPE CHOPPED TOMATOES
500 gr. WIDE GREEN BEANS (bajoqueta de Ferraura)
500 gr. LARGE WHITE LIMA BEANS (garrofó)
1000 gr. VALENCIAN RICE
3750 cl. WATER
SAFFRON
SALT
FRESH ROSEMARY

How to cook
Place the pan (“paella”) to the fire with the oil. When the oil is hot enough add the meat (chicken and rabbit), except liver. Now the fire should be at medium/high temperature. Fry the meat until it is lightly browned. Add the liver and vegetables, about 2 minutes later, the chopped tomatoes (always natural fresh tomatoes), keeping the medium/high level fire. Once
the frying is well done and homogeneous, add water, fresh rosemary, and increase the fire heat at maximum level. Add salt and saffron. As soon as it starts boiling, add the rice and take the rosemary out, the fire shoud be now at maximum power. During some minutes, distribute the ingredients throughout the pan (“paella”), by delicate but firm movements with the spoon.
.
Keep the fire at maximum heat for 8 / 10 minutes, after this time, reduce the fire level gradually, and finally keep only the hot coal, that will help to obtain the steemed “socarrat”.
Take the paella off the fire and let stand for some minutes. That’s time to enjoy it !!!!
Notes & curiosities
Snails are very esteemed at season, specifically the variety called “vaqueta”, very well watered and treated can be added to the paella, at the moment you pour the water. It is convenient to use fresh and tender vegetables, although out of season it is possible to use dry vegetables, for example, large white lima beans (garrofó) previously re-hydrated and
boiled, pouring it when the rice is almost cooked. It will need more or less water, depending on the water quality and even the geografic zone altitude. We always use rice type “Senia”or “Bahía”, of course, with “Valencia Origin Nomination”
Chef Rafael Vidal

11 Days/10 Nights

Barcelona

Day 1 - Barcelona

Two days in Barcelona. The group will meet at La Boquería Market in the late morning for a tour followed by a xuxo (Catalan pastry) and café con leche at Pinotxo Bar. Lunch in a seafood restaurant in Barcelona’s traditional fisherman’s district called La Barceloneta. Siesta until evening, when you will have a tapas dinner.

Moderniste Barcelona

Day 2 - Barcelona

Morning free for shopping and touring in Barcelona.  You will meet in front of the Cathedral at 1:00 to see Sardana dancing. Afterwards you will have lunch in a Barcelona restaurant specializing in modern cuisine.

Afternoon tour of Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia, Parque Guell or other Gaudí monuments, or the Picasso Museum in the Borne District.

Evening free for dinner.

Priorat Wines

Day 3 - Barcelona - Priorat - Valencia

This morning you leave early for the Priorat. You will visit a winery in backcountry Priorat and taste their wines followed by a wine country lunch.

After lunch, you head for Valencia and check into your hotel in the historic city center of Valencia. Dinner at one of the greatest restaurants in Spain. You will meet the chef, a personal friend.

Market Shopping and City of Arts and Sciences

Day 4 - Valencia

You will start the day with a tour of Valencia’s superb Mercat Central, visiting a spice stand, a horchata stand and a colorful stand that sells paellas (the pans), ceramic cacerolas and other kitchen goods. You will then stroll on to other emblematic Valencia sights such as La Lonja (Valencia’s 15th century Silk Exchange and a UNESCO World Heritage Site), the Cathedral and Valencia’s extensive old quarter.

In the evening, we will have a superb tapas dinner and a tasting of wines from Comunitat Valenciana regions (Valencia, Utiel-Requena & Alicante D.O.s) at the ambience-filled Casa Montaña, whose owner Emiliano is a long-time friend.

Modern Architecture

Day 5 - Valencia

Today you will have a tour of the spectacular City of Arts and Sciences, designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, followed by lunch at Submarino, a spectacular underwater restaurant in the L’Oceanografic, the largest aquarium complex in Europe and part of the City of Arts and Sciences. Calatrava’s spectacular project contrasts dramatically with the historic core of the city, and highlights Spain’s ultra-modern architectural leap, taken in cities and wine regions across the country.

For dinner you have the option of a tapas crawl in Valencia’s Old City or fine dining at one of the city’s renowned restaurants.

Paellas on the Lagoon

Day 6 - Valencia – Denia (Alicante)

This morning you will drive to the southern shore of the Albufera lagoon and visit a village that has some 20 paella restaurants. Depending on the weather, you will take a small shallow-draft boat, whose owner will pole you for a short ride out on the Albufera lagoon where the eels and other fish for some of the local restaurants come from. 

After your boat ride you will see how paella is made and sample different types of paellas at lunch at one of the great rice restaurants around the Albufera lagoon.  You will also sample a typical dish made with eels (depending on availability) fished from the lagoon, accompanied by regional specialties.

After lunch, you will drive along the Mediterranean to Denia, a coastal town in Alicante province. You will stroll on the beach and visit the fish auction. Lodging is a beautifully renovated hotel in the Port area of Denia.

That evening, you will have dinner and a cooking demonstration with two-star chef Quique Dacosta at El Poblet Restaurant in Denia. Quique is widely regarded as one of the hottest young chefs in Spain.

Wineries in Alicante

Day 7 - Denia - Alicante

In the early morning, after a walk through the shopping streets of Denia, you stop for breakfast in a lively market bar. Afterwards it’s a visit to Felipe Gutierrez de la Vega, an unusual winemaker who plays opera in the background as he works in his award-winning winery where he produces the luscious sweet wine, Casta Diva.  You will have a chance to taste the dessert wine served at the wedding of Prince Felipe and doña Leticia of Spain.

After the winery visit, you will stop off in Monóver, west of Alicante, and meet a very talented local chef who is a friend of ours.

In nearby Xinorlet, lunch at Casa Elias–an unusual restaurant whose thin-layer paellas are made with local rabbit and snails. You will be joined by a local winemaker for lunch.

After lunch, the winemaker will show you his bodega and you will taste his historic wine, Fondillón--mentions of which can be found in Alexandre Dumas’s Count of Montecristo. Fondillón, a vino rancio made from Monastrell grapes, is typically aged in barrels for 6 to 10 years

On the way back to Alicante, you will visit a saffron producer and have the opportunity to buy some of the world’s most expensive spice at wholesale prices. 

By dinner time, you will be in downtown Alicante just a block from the yacht basin and beach. After you check into your hotel and relax a bit, you can explore the port area and stroll along the palm-tree lined, pedestrian street, La Explanada, facing the port.

At Taberna del Gourmet, near our hotel, you will meet Gerry’s friend, Chef María José San Román (and her colorful husband, once the goalie for Spain’s national handball team).  At her next door restaurant, Monastrell, María José will demonstrate some modern cuisine dishes using saffron. María José is writing a book on saffron with American author Peter Kaminsky. Dinner will be at the Taberna del Gourmet, one of the great casual restaurants in Spain, home to authentic traditional valenciana food.

After dinner, you go back to the Explanada (the walking street by the port), try horchata–a popular regional beverage made from chufa or chufa nuts– from the horchata stand, and then settle in at an outdoor cafe or a local night club with your hosts, Chef María José San Román and her husband, the owners of Monastrell and Taberna del Gourmet.

Anís de Chinchón

Day 8 - Denia - Alicante - Jumilla - La Mancha - Chinchón

On the way to Chinchón you will visit a winery in Jumilla Wine Region, followed by lunch in the greatest restaurant in La Mancha.

After lunch, you will stop in a town prominent in Don Quixote, then drive to the magical village of Chinchón, where you will check into a charming hotel just a block from Chinchón’s legendary Plaza Mayor, one of the best preserved and loveliest plazas in Spain; it is like a page out of the 16th Century.

In the evening, you will have the option of strolling around Chinchón and having a quiet dinner or tapas on your own. You will have a chance to try some Madrid D.O. wines in one of the lovely traditional restaurants around the enchanting Plaza Mayor. After dinner, linger in this romantic spot and sample the local liquor, Anís de Chinchón Seco o Dulce (dry or sweet anís).

Toledo Visit

Day 9 - Chinchón - Toledo - Madrid

In the morning, you will drive to Toledo stopping first to sample wines at a spectacular vineyard site overlooking Toledo. You will then visit El Greco’s monumental city and have a traditional lunch of La Mancha. 

After lunch, you will leave for Madrid and check into a city center hotel. You will have the rest of the afternoon free. In the evening, the group will have dinner in one of Madrid’s most elegant restaurants.

Food & Art in Madrid

Day 10 - Madrid

Guided tour of the Hapsburg quarter of Madrid in the morning.

After a tapas stop in the old quarter of Madrid, you will be free to explore Madrid’s restaurants for lunch. Afternoon free to stroll, visit one of Madrid’s many renowned museums, tour the Royal Palace or just have a siesta.

Farewell tapas dinner in a legendary Madrid restaurant. You will be joined by some local madrileños for dinner.

Madrid & Departure

Day 11 - Madrid

Departure after breakfast.

2010 Tour Dates

• October 5-15

Guaranteed departure with 8 people. Private group tours available.

2010 Tour Price

• 3095€ - 3560€

All prices in Euros. Prices are per person, double occupancy. Price depends on the number of people traveling. Call for more information.

What's Included

• 10 nights accommodation
• Meals, tapas and wine listed in itinerary
• Cooking demo with two-star chef Quique Dacosta at El Poblet Restaurant
• Cooking with chef María José San Román
• Paella cooking class
• Winery visits and tastings

Airfare to/from Spain not included. Travel insurance not included.

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We are pleased that you have decided to travel with us. Do not hesitate to call or email with any questions you might have about your trip.

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In Spain: 951-190-478 or 635-468-938

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Trip Info for Epicurean Roads: Valencia

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