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Hello Spanish Table friends!

Sometimes working on this newsletter makes me really hungry!!! But before we move onto delicious cheese, Spanish-style halibut, & new rose I wanted to remind folks that tomorrow night is the flamenco performance of the summer... Maria Bermudez y Sonidos Gitanos have traveled all the way from Spain to Edmonds, & it's so rare that we get live flamenco of this caliber in the Northwest. We're hoping the show will be a great success so that more people come to our area!

Here's Sharon's enthusiastic recommendation: "There are two amazing flamenco dancers coming to Seattle in July for a one night show. They express the soul and beauty of flamenco that is rarely seen outside of Spain. Rafael Campallo is a young dancer – he’s sexy and strong, with amazing footwork that has taken my breath away. Maria Bermudez’s lithe gracefulness gives full expression to the feminine side of flamenco. They are bringing top musicians from Spain to accompany them. It will be a legendary night and it is so rare for Seattle to ever have authentic flamenco performed here, by absolutely top notch dancers. I recommend you don’t miss this show, and please pass the word to anyone and everyone that might be interested." -Sharon

Friday July 27th @ 8 pm Edmonds Center for the Arts 410 Fourth Avenue North Edmonds box office phone# 425-275-9595 Tickets: $19 - $38 www.mariabermudez.com Salud! Catherine

CHEESE OF THE WEEK: Serrat del Triado $6.25/quarter lb. Did you know that during Franco's rule, all but the three major cooperatives were banned from making their traditional cheeses, forcing artisinal cheesemakers to go underground or give up? While some cheeses were lost during this time, the return of democracy in the 70's slowly allowed the artisinal movement to recover & now there is a full-on revolution. Enric Canut is a tireless ambassador for Spanish cheeses & he drove around the countryside encouraging farmers to revive their traditions but also to invent new ones like Serrat del Triado. Made with raw cow's milk, this cheese hails from Lleida where it's made by a cooperative of five herders. The slightly granular texture reminds me of a Parmesan with a lick of sea salt & an earthen essence at the rind. A savory delight on its own or shave over jamon serrano & arugula salad for a light supper!

HALIBUT "STEW" WITH SAFFRON BROTH from Big Small Plates by Cindy Pawlcyn Last week I celebrated my birthday & since I've been eyeing this cookbook forever, I decided to finally buy myself a copy. Flipping through the pages, it's nearly impossible to decide where to start, but since I'm always trying to fit more fish into my diet I think this is the recipe to christen the cookbook. The halibut is actually prepared outside on the grill, while the flavorful broth can be made a day ahead. If halibut is not available, you can also substitute grilled prawns, steamed mussels, cracked Dungeness crab or a combination of fish & shellfish. Cindy also suggests to serve this with thick-cut French bread brushed with olive oil & grilled--a delicious & easy mid-summer meal!

Serves 6 broth 1/2 sweet onion (Georgia, Vidalia, Maui, or white) 1/2 bulb fennel 1 to 1 1/2 Tbs olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced to a paste 3 strands of saffron 1/2 to 2/3 cup 2 juicy vine-ripened tomatoes, peeled & minced 2 cups clam juice, fish stock, or water 1 bay leaf Salt & freshly ground black pepper

12 oz halibut or sea bass Olive oil, for brushing Salt & freshly ground black pepper garnish options Finely chopped green olives Minced parsley leaves Torn or pinched fennel fronds Aioli or Garlicky Romesco Sauce

For the broth cut the onion & fennel bulb into 1/4 inch dice, reserving some of the fennel fronds for garnish, if desired. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat & saute the onion & fennel 5 minutes or so, until they are barely tender. Add the garlic & cook 1 minute more. Add the saffron & stir to toast 1 minute, then add the white wine & reduce by half. Add the tomatoes, clam juice, bay leaf, salt, & pepper, & simmer for 20 minutes.

Shortly before serving, brush the fish with olive oil & sprinkle with salt & pepper. Grill the fish to desired doneness, 2 to 3 minutes per side. The fish can also be seared in a skillet with the tiniest bit of olive oil. Ladle the broth out into warmed bowls, then flake nice-size pieces of the fish into each. Garnish as you like & serve steamy hot.

NEW & NOTABLE

Castillo de Jumilla Monastrell Rosado 2006, Jumilla $8.99 The rose's keep rolling in & this one sure caught my attention... Our only rose made with Monastrell, I didn't know what to expect, but this made me sit up straight in my chair! Electric watermelon color in the glass with hints of clay & wild red fruits this is bone dry with puckery refreshment. Take this to the beach or enjoy with a summery dish such as Salmon & Asparagus Paella with Capers & Dill from "Paella! Spectacular Rice Dishes from Spain" by Penelope Casas.

Granrojo Rojo / 2005, Vino de la Tierra $9.99 I tracked this wine down after reading about it in Paul Gregutt's glowing report on the values to be found in Spain. Made by a wonderful family in Valdepenas, the of Granrojo appear to be a custom cuvee for the states & their blends are indeed a deal. The Tempranillo/Cab combination is a lively abundance of red fruits with a serious side of dusty old world tannins on the tip of your tongue. "It's really a tempranillo with a splash of cabernet in the blend, making a lightly flavored wine leaning to wild berry and pomegranate fruits. There is a streak of cassis, perhaps from the cab, and enough of a tannin base to serve this with lighter meat dishes." -Paul Gregutt, Seattle Times

Granrojo Rojo Tempranillo/Garnacha 2005, Vino de la Tierra $9.99 Another tasty blend from Bodegas Navarro Lopez of Valdepenas, the lends berry pie aromas of black raspberry & mature cassis leading to a rich & juicy mouthful of fruit. Finely spiced tannins, nice weight, & a plum skin finish all add up to a winning combination. Do as they do in Valdepenas & serve this with a country-style farm meal of tortilla & pisto, the ratatouille of Spain, or with a summer meal of grilled butifarra & white beans.

Rioja Vega Joven 2005, $9.99 No wonder I've seen this as a glass pour around town... This of Rioja Vega's Joven is like an instant chum. No food required, great in warm weather, & gulpable fruit. Youthful black cherries & kirsch fruit set the mood with a tangy suppleness & finely spiced finesse. A great wine to get the conversation flowing at your next tapas or paella party! "The 2005 Joven is a tank aged blend of 75% Tempranillo and 25% Garnacha from young vines. This tasty, dark ruby-colored wine has plenty of spicy cherry and currant aromas and flavors, medium body, and good intensity and length. Drink this excellent value over the next 1-2 years." - 88 points, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Bohigas Cabernet Sauvignon 2004, Catalunya $15.99 Andrew's pick! "What a surprise! Although I generally prefer the more traditional style of , I couldn't deny the quality of this wine. 100% cabernet from the Catalunya D.O., aromas of blackberry jam, eucalyptus and a subtle smokiness are followed by a finish of vanilla and cloves due to the French ageing this wine received. The palate had great balance, with just the right amount of both fruit and oak with neither one being overpowering. What surprised me most was the length of the finish, especially at $15.99 a bottle. I'll definitely be taking a bottle home to drink with the next ribeye steak I grill." -Andrew

COLLECTOR'S CORNER

Casa Ferreirinha Barca Velha, $175.00 2 bottles available, 6 for WA state! Barca Velha is the Unico of Portugal, only at half the price. While I knew that the was extremely selective about their releases, I was shocked to find out that there have only been 15 bottlings since the winery's inception in 1952!!! Barca Velha is traditionally a blend of Tinta Roriz, Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, and Tinta Barroca from three of Ferreira's in the Douro Superior. Ferreira's winemaker was sent to Bordeaux in the early 1950s to decide on a style and he chose the long aging style of Chateau Lafite Rothschild so this is made on that model. This wine is only made in with the potential of greatness. It is aged for 7 years in barrel and bottle and then tasted to decide if the vintage is great enough to "declare" a Barca Velha. Ferreira's Board of Directors has to be unanimous in their decision before a vintage can be declared. Declarations average 2 to 3 per decade and this has traditionally been considered the greatest wine form Portugal. "The 1999 Barca Velha (Casa Ferreirinha) is Portugal’s equivalent of Grange, the seminal cult wine for a nation. The winery (Ferreira; hence, the labeling “Casa Ferreirinha,” hearkening back to a famous owner from days gone by) that first made it has long since been sold to Sogrape, Portugal’s biggest wine corporation. Some younger winemakers openly questioned whether Barca Velha was a bit of a dinosaur. Nonetheless, in this vintage at least, it seemed superlative to me, a blend of a more modern styling than seen in Casa Ferreirinha wines like the 1996 Reserva, together with a slightly old-fashioned air lingering in the background. No one will confuse this wine with some of Portugal’s well-known, high-end, modern reds like the Symington’s Chryseia or Quinta do Crasto’s Maria Teresa. It is powerful, with significant tannins and fine structure. With decanting (which it had here), it can be approached. Deep and intense, it has a focused attack of fruit on the palate, some darker fruit notes like a touch of plum, some earthiness, and grip on the finish from that fine structure. It also manages to have a little brightness and a certain refreshing note, cutting through the muscular presentation. The texture has some velvet and it was a pleasure, too. It also shows some gracefulness and complexity, and it should drink well for a couple of decades, improving steadily in the cellar over the next several years. There were 2,500 cases produced. Drink from 2008-2022." -Mark Squires -94 points, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Catherine Reynolds Seattle Wine Manager

The Spanish Table 1426 Western Avenue Seattle, WA 98101 (206)682-2827