After driving through the bountiful Vera valley dotted with fruit trees and modest farms, Tim and I were greeted heartily by two millers, José María Hernández and his son, Alvaro.&nbsp; I always appreciate the "down to earth" quality of people whose livelihood is tied to the soil.&nbsp; Soon Alvaro proudly showed us group pictures of the three generations who&nbsp; pioneered the production of pimentón de la vera, the famous smoked paprika of Spain.&nbsp; He identified&nbsp; each member of their family, one by one!&nbsp;Eva came down from Madrid especially to greet us.&nbsp; Speaking in flawless English she guided us through their warehouse, which was a virtual working museum of paprika mills dating back to the early twentieth century. The mills were engineering works of art and José María was particularly proud that La Dalia paprika was still&nbsp;produced using the original granite millstones.&nbsp; The unique properties of granite assure the amazing fineness of the rich red powder that came from the little smoked peppers the farmer brought from the field.&nbsp;<a href="/food/smoked_paprika.html">See our artisan smoked paprika ►</a>

José María Hernández - Paprika Miller

We asked María Angeles to provide La Tienda’s saffron, because within gourmet circles her family has an impeccable reputation. Their saffron is certified as D.O.P. La Mancha, guaranteeing quality in an industry rife with counterfeit products.&nbsp; We visited her in their modest farmhouse on the plains of La Mancha.&nbsp; There her husband, Juan Antonio, explained how they carefully maintain the highest standards of this precious spice – as a matter of personal pride.&nbsp; Along with their children, David and Paloma, the family continues the tradition of planting, hand harvesting and toasting saffron with an inimitable artistry that comes from generations of experience.&nbsp; They only produce a few kilos of saffron per year.&nbsp; Our partnership with them has helped resurrect the saffron tradition within their village of Minaya, where they have recruited neighbors to help harvest this labor intensive crop.<a href="https://www.tienda.com/food/saffron">See our artisan saffron ►</a>

María Angeles and Juan Antonio - Saffron Farmers

Our friend Jaime Borrás is an enthusiastic owner of Catunambú, a coffee roasting company in Sevilla. He is an energetic man whom we first met in the nearby Parador in Carmona, where he regaled us with an immense amount of information about his favorite topic: coffee. A few days later, we met Jaime among piles of cloth and burlap bags of coffee beans in the warehouse of Catunambú, a famous old firm from Sevilla, founded in 1897. It was an amazing experience to stroll around the warehouse with Jaime - the aroma was unbelievable. We saw bags from up to 20 different countries, all ingredients in a bold yet smooth blend that is the signature flavor of Catunambú - the coffee of Andalucía!<a href="/food/pantry-staples/beverages">See our Spanish coffees ►</a>

Jaime Borrás - Coffee Roaster

We've been seeking out a truly authentic Galician empanada for years, so we were excited to visit the artisan bakery called Ternura. Owners Javier and José Antonio run a renowned gourmet shop in A Coruña called La Tienda de Lino. Their handmade empanadas became famous across Galicia for their flaky crust and delicious fillings. So, the friends decided to open a small production bakery to offer a frozen version of their empanadas. They named it Ternura, which means ‘tender,' to represent hands-on artisan methods and the texture of their amazing empanadas. Once we tasted the empanadas, we had to share them with you!<a href="/products/artisan-tuna-empanada-ternura-bd-90">See our Galician tuna empanada by Ternura ►</a>

Javier and José Antonio - Empanada Bakers

Summer 2026 - Paella Photo Contest - Win a $1000 eGift Card!

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We're All About Familia - Our family-run company supports Spains's amazing artisans.

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Glass Porrón Wine Pitcher

La Tienda's Jonathan Harris demonstrates how to use a Spanish porrón wine pitcher

Spanish Porrón Wine Pitcher Video

Mini Tortilla Española Potato Omelets by Peregrino (4 Pieces)

Video describing Peregrino, La Tienda's house brand

Peregrino Brand Foods Video

Jamón Serrano Boneless Center Piece by Peregrino (2 Pounds)

La Tienda's Jonathan Harris demonstrates
La Tienda's Jonathan Harris explains the difference between Jamón Serrano, Ibérico and Bellota

Difference Between Jamón Serrano, Ibérico and Bellota Video

Artisan Cooking Chorizo Sausage by Peregrino

Galician Bread - Barra Española

Galician Bread Video

Bomba Paella Rice by Peregrino

La Tienda's Jonathan Harris discusses the qualities of paella rice from Calasparra Spain

Paella Rice from Calasparra, Spain Video

Butifarra Sausage with Ibérico Pork

Rabitos Royale Dark Chocolate Fig Bonbons (15 Pieces)

Delicious Paella Made Easy - Find all the ingredients and gear you need for a next-level paella.

Paella Photo Contest

Free Sliced Chorizo with $75 Orders

We're All About Familia

It's Grilling Season

Share the Joy of Tapas

Paella Photo Contest

Free Sliced Chorizo with $75 Orders

We're All About Familia

It's Grilling Season

Share the Joy of Tapas

Best Sellers ►

Welcome to La Tienda!

Meet Our Artisans

Learn More About La Tienda

Try Our Best Paella

Get Free Paella Recipe eBook!

Try Our Best Paella

Get Free Paella Recipe eBook!