The 2017 Holiday Gift Guide
Wine Enthusiast Staff
Behold! This year’s end-all list of the best-of-the-best wine gifts. From gorgeous glassware that’s guaranteed to impress, expert corkscrews and pour-saving caps to books that will help teach everything that happens from grape to glass and an innovative new way to decant a bottle instantly, these items represent the most impressive and most coveted wine-centric gear on the market.
Trust us, we’re actually the authority on this.
Red Wine Infused Cheese
Made in La Mancha, Spain, this gift marries two of life’s greatest things: wine and cheese. Each artisan wheel is made by the Alvarez Valera family, who infuses red wine with fresh goat and sheep milk early in the cheese making process.
The Best Snacks Come in Cans and Jars
When you go to a wine bar and order some plates to snack on, you might not realize it, but most of those tasty snacks come in a can or jar. Those tasty, tangy piquillo peppers smeared over toast? Canned. Briny sardines covered in shaved radish? Canned, too. Whether they’re tinned or preserved in small glass jars, these shelf-stable foods bring flavor to your meals at a moment’s notice. And it’s all just one yank of a pull tab, or twist of a jar, away. Shop online and you can stockpile a case of tuna-stuffed peppers or spiced beets for more refined snacking.
Ortiz Piquillo Peppers Stuffed With White Tuna
The delicate Spanish peppers are fire-roasted before being stuffed with fatty Spanish tuna. Its gently smoked flesh levels up any cheese-and-cracker game. Swap the Ritz for a toasted, sliced baguette and look at you making tapas.
Matiz Gallego Sardines in Olive Oil
Take a tip from all the best tapas places in New York and start snacking on tinned fish. These mild sardines hail from Galicia, Spain, an area renowned for its seafood, and their purveyor packs these little guys when they’re at their freshest. Try them on an open-faced sandwich with lots of butter.
La Tienda Peregrino Brand Anchovy Stuffed Olives
This salty, umami-rich snack raises the question: Why haven’t we been eating olives stuffed all along? The buttery, extra-large Manzanilla olives are an ideal vessel for carrying bites of mild white Spanish anchovies into your mouth.
Taste, Amplified: José Andrés' Spanish Pantry Staples
Food & Wine Staff
Want to know how to cook like a chef? First you have to shop like one. José Andrés gives us his 10 essentials for your home pantry. "To me, there is nothing better than that moment when paper-thin slices of sweet, nutty Ibérico ham melt on your tongue," he told Food & Wine.
Jamón Ibérico
“I can’t get enough jamón and I have three favorites that are available in the US—Cinco Jotas (from $35), Covap (from $25) and Fermín (from $10)—all from southwestern Spain. That region has lots of delicious acorns to fatten up the pigs.” All from latienda.com.
Sherry Vinegar
“Vinegar from Jerez, like Vinagre de Jerez El Majuelo (which you can sometimes find online), is so complex and bold. It’s a key ingredient in my gazpacho. Cepa Vieja sherry vinegar by Vinagres de Yema ($26; latienda.com) is another to seek out.”
Canned Seafood
“Spain’s most delicious conservas come from the Galician coast, close to where I grew up. Razor clams, mussels, octopus, sardines and more are preserved right on the coast to keep the beautiful taste of the ocean. My wife knows this about me: I only bring out the best tins when my close friends are visiting!” Ramón Peña, from $15; Los Peperetes from José Andrés Foods, from $20; both from latienda.com.
Piparras
“Packed in vinegar with a tangy, sharp flavor, these long and thin peppers are traditional to the Basque region. Their brightness will light up your taste buds.” El Navarrico, $15; latienda.com.
Thinking Global
Sarah Bruning
A look inside Spain’s only ham museum — a worthy temple to the country’s most delicious export
“Hey, how much do you think this bone-in leg of jamón iberico costs?” I ask my girlfriend, as I sit in our living room casually paging through the newest catalogue of La Tienda, a Spanish specialty foods store that imports the premium ham from the Spanish regions of the Iberian Peninsula. This is a new game we play — jamón pricing — similar to the way couples may guess which property on House Hunters the bedraggled two-bedroom seekers settle for. Since our vacation in Spain last spring, we have become total ham nerds.
As a recovering kosher vegetarian returning to Spain for my first time since embracing the omnivorous lifestyle, I made sure a visit to Barcelona’s Jamón Experience, a ham museum located directly across from the Boqueria, one of Europe’s most famous open-air markets, was on our itinerary. Pork has been an important protein source in the region even since Roman times, and the tradition of curing pork to turn it into different varieties of ham dates back just as long. In Spain today, it’s nearly impossible to avoid a shop, bar, restaurant or gift shop offering some type of the prized legs of cured meat. As someone who had previously spent a good chunk of time in Spain avoiding all things ham, I was eager to jump on the pig ship.
Those who have traveled to Madrid or other parts of Spain may be familiar with the Museo del Jamón, a chain of delis that serves Spanish ham. Unlike Barcelona’s Jamón Experience, it’s not an educational institution. While the bright red sign and Jamón Experience’s inclusion on the city’s official tourist pass, Barcelona Card, may scream tacky traveler trap, passing up this opportunity to visit the Spain’s only ham museum seemed like a huge mistake.
Upon purchasing our 19 euro tickets to gain admittance for a tour and tasting, I was nervous that this would, like the midtown Manhattan dancing sushi restaurant we’ve been to, be yet another cheesy tourist trap. Instead, we both became enraptured by the process of making Spanish ham, eating Spanish ham and pretty much everything Spanish ham-related.
The experience starts in the dimly lit basement of the multi-floored modern building, where spotlights illuminate gold-coated ham hocks dangling like exquisitely tacky pork chandeliers from the ceiling. A small group of English-speakers (tours are also available in Spanish) are then corralled into a dark, nearly empty gallery, where a spotlight dramatically illuminates a few white tablecloth-covered tables with empty chairs.
The setup looked as if it were primed for a high budget high school production of Death of a Salesman rather than a ham experience. As we lingered in the awkward setup, not knowing whether to sit or stand, restaurant sounds started playing over hidden speakers and a narrator started slowly reciting the joys of jamón iberico. The entire jamón experience, billed as “where Iberiam ham becomes art,” started to make sense. Having visited Barcelona’s Museo Erótico on a previous trip (a drag Marilyn Monroe lured us in with free cava), this wasn’t the first time I’d witnessed this odd recreation of real life for the purpose of cultural education in a Spanish museum — and I was ready for it.
The recorded guide’s voice ushered us through a series of rooms, where we learned about the special black pigs in the Iberian Peninsula who are fattened with acorns (bellotas) each autumn to become the premier class of ham hocks, otherwise known as jamón iberico de bellota. Video footage of this fattening season, called the montanera (or in some gases, the engorde — this tour is full of fun vocabulary), is enhanced with the delicate sound effects of the pigs snorting up the abundance of fallen acorns, a sound that’s hard to forget as you watch a masterfully trained jamón master slice a thin piece of cured pig leg.
Still, despite the videos of cute animals and a glossing over of exactly how the pigs are slaughtered, the educational part of the tour left me more curious about what this special ham actually tastes like. Of course, the tour is set up to transition the museum portion into a seated tasting. After watching more video footage of the curing process (lots of salt!) and testing process (a man sniffs an animal bone inserted into the shrinking pig flesh to know when the jamones are ready) it was time to try a curated selection of Spanish hams.
Upstairs, branded plates burnished multiple slices of hams of various fattiness, thickness, reddish hue and soon-to-be discovered scent and taste, all separated by a grid our tasting guide patiently led us through, encouraging us to sniff and taste the acorn flavors in the prized jamón iberico de bellota, the most expensive, and rarest type of jamón that can only be made from pigs who reach 160 kilograms (about 353 pounds) during the montanera (think foie gras, but a little more free range).
The tasting guide poured everyone exactly one alcoholic beverage (a refill will cost you) as he chatted through the occasions certain hams would be eaten for — everyday lunch, a wedding reception, etc. — and helped us see why splurging on the de bellotas, just like a fine wine or artisanal peanut butter, would indeed make our time in Spain tastier.
Like any good museum, the Jamón Experience boasts an impressive gift shop, nearly overflowing with porky treats, including whole ham legs. Sadly, these are illegal to bring back through U.S. customs. (You can, however, order cured ham back in the U.S. from certified importers like La Tienda, which sells brands including Cinco Jotas.)
While the entire Jamón Experience lasted under 90 minutes, our appreciation of jamón iberico de bellota will last a lifetime. As we traveled through Barcelona’s many neighborhoods, and then up through Zaragoza, Pamplona, San Sebastian and Bilbao, we kept an eye out for jamón iberico de bellota, served on sandwiches and charcuterie platters and stuffed in croquettes and sold at markets throughout the country.
Our last morning, I was stuffing just one last jamón sandwich into my mouth before I had to say goodbye to the precious meat. Had we not embarked on the delightfully tawdry Jamón Experience, I sincerely doubt we would have fully appreciated the Spanish treasure of a cured meat. Nor would we spend our free time guessing the price of ham hocks.
Pork lovers: If you’re going to Spain, and going to be inundated with Spanish hams wherever you look, the least you could do is learn a little bit about them.
Correction: Aug. 9, 2017
An earlier version of this article misidentified the certified importers that ship jamón iberico to the U.S. La Tienda is an importer that sells Cinco Jotas, a jamón iberico brand.
Inventive Chips for the Sophisticated Snacker
Keep your barbecue-flavored potato chips. A Spanish company, Torres, is far more inventive with flavors that convey an air of luxury. Iberian ham is nicely meaty, sparkling wine is alluring and a trifle sweet, black truffle is slightly funky, and caviar definitely has a fishy flavor.
You Can Get Cecina, Spain's Excellent Cured Beef, in the U.S. for the First Time
Max Bonem
Spain has made many important contributions to the culinary world: tapas, paella and, of course, jamón,—Spain’s incredible take on ham. While jamón ibérico and serrano have both taken America by storm over the past 20 years, there is another form of Spanish charcuterie, cecina, that has yet to receive the same attention. That is, until now.
For the first time ever, cecina, tender, smoky, deeply red, cured beef, is now available to American consumers. Cecina has long been absent from the U.S. due to the trade war over beef between Europe and America that has stopped the import of cecina to this country. So, since they couldn't bring it in from Spain, La Tienda, the largest online retailer of Spanish foods in the U.S., decided to make its own in New Jersey. “After finding Warren Pala’s gourmet meat company Braaitime, we started developing our cecina in April of 2016,” says Harris. “After about seven rounds of samples with different cuts of beef and quantities of salt, we really felt like we nailed it and it tasted super similar to what I’d tasted in Spain previously.”
While cecina isn’t as well known as it’s porky cousin, it has been a staple of northern Spain, where cows far outnumbered pigs, for a long time. However, it was only recently that the Spanish government began regulating cecina production and which meats are used for it. “Traditionally cecina was made with any cut of meat that was available, including donkey, horse or even rabbit,” says Harris. “Until the last 20 years, there wasn’t a lot of quality regulation. Now, however, the Spanish are producing some amazing cecinas and our aim is to meet that same level of quality.”
La Tienda’s cecina is made from the eye of round, which cure master Warren Pala chose because its fat-to-protein ratio allows the meat to cure while still being tender and flavorful without being overly fatty. Harris adds that the eye of round cut is fairly uniform and can cure rather quickly.
Additionally, the regulated cecina produced in Spain is required to come from cattle that are at least five years old, which is illegal in the U.S. due to threat of mad cow disease, and the cecina is often aged for 18 months or more. La Tienda uses much younger cattle (humanely raised) and cures their beef for just one month using only salt and Oakwood smoke. While La Tienda takes a slightly different approach to making cecina, the final product is absolutely delicious and pairs very nicely with a slice of manchego and a glass of tempranillo.
To try out some of La Tienda's cecina for yourself, please visit their website here. For more tapas tips and recipes, check out our recommendations here.
13 Treats We Can't Get Enough Of
Oprah.com Staff
The Cure
Fermin Trio Sausages
It’s said you are what you eat, and the same goes for the free-range ibérico pigs that produce these complex (read: sublime) sausages. They’re fed natural grains and grasses—no antibiotics or soy here. This set, with mild and spicy chorizo and salchichón, is a tasty gift for your favorite carnivore...er, hostess.
Spanish Jamón’s Forgotten Cousin Is (Finally) Available Stateside
Bacon aside, much of the best cured meat hails from Europe. But trade restrictions have left Americans in the dark about number of regional hidden gems, like cecina, a dry-cured smoked beef from northwest Spain that dates back to the Roman era. Spanish specialty food store La Tienda is changing that, having partnered with New Jersey-based gourmet meat company Braaitime (a purveyor of biltong, a South African jerky) to bring cecina to the U.S. for the first time in nearly two decades.
Made in accordance with long-held traditions of Léon, La Tienda‘s cecina is made from cured, salted, hormone-free cuts of beef that have been cold smoked with oak wood. The beef, deep red in color and high in protein, is sliced thin just before being shipped out. Akin to jamón, cecina is best served room temperature, drizzled with olive oil and paired with a glass of red wine.
12 Father’s Day Gift Ideas For The Foodie In Your Life
Even though Father’s Day is just a few days away, not everyone has purchased their gift(s) yet. For those folks, there is still time to order something and have it in time for Sunday. Food seems to be the rare thing that one can gift yet also share, and with that in mind, here are 12 Father’s Day gift ideas for the foodie(s) most important to you:
La Tienda’s Tapas For Two
Not only are many of us preparing for Father’s Day, but picnic season is among us. La Tienda is a one-stop solution for your picnic needs as its kits and sets will please all sorts of diners. Tapas For Two, priced at $59.95, is full of Spanish meats, olives, nuts, and cookies. The Conservas De Cambados Galician Seafood Gift Box includes sardinillas, mejillones, zamburinas, and pulpo. The Bocadillo Sandwich Kit is a fun take on a DIY sandwich bar. Many of these kits’ items are also available for individual or a la carte purchasing.
9 Mother's Day Gifts for Every Kind of Foodie Mom
Ashley Mason
Mama always said it’s the thought that counts. So as you’re stressing over what to get her this Mother’s Day—especially if she didn’t pass along her Martha Stewart-like knack for homemade crafts—take a few breaths. Whether you opt for a useful new chef knife or an indulgent bagel spread for six, she’s going to love what you pick out. And if she doesn’t, well, at least you can order a lot mimosas at brunch. Here are nine Mother's Day gifts nearly every mom can get behind.
Take a hint and buy her something that’ll remind her of the Andalusian countryside like this cold pressed olive oil duo from La Tienda. Its producers Castillo De Canena make small batches of olive oil from a picturesque 16th-century castle in the foothills of the Sierra Mágina. (Cool story, right?!) This oil is from the orchard’s first day of pressing, which is delicate and more aromatic (they say it tastes like artichokes and rosemary) than other varieties. It’ll pair nicely with that tortilla española you’ve been meaning to make for her.
2017 Mother’s Day Gift Guide
Theresa Pickett
If you’re looking for a special gift for mom this Mother’s Day, you’re in the right place! Whether you are shopping for a mom, a grandmother, or any woman in your life, the Theresa’s Reviews 2017 Mother’s Day Gift Guide offers excellent inspiration. With presents that moms can appreciate, this guide shares some of the best gifts of the year.
The other day, a mom on the radio was talking about how on her first Mother’s Day, she was devastated to receive nothing. You don’t have to wait until after Mother’s Day to mention that you are hoping for something. For moms who secretly have the expectation of opening a gift, share this gift guide! Let someone special know that you have your heart set on one of these products, and you’ll have a better chance of getting it.
Kitchen Essentials
If you plan on having the whole family over to celebrate mom for Mother’s day, check out the La Tienda Tapas Essentials Collection. Not only does it come with appetizers for everyone to eat, but it also has a lovely serving tray for mom to keep. When my family and I ate these tapas, each of us enjoyed a different appetizer. Whether you enjoy the spice of the peppers and the garlic or the more mild flavor of the artichokes and almonds, you can find something for everyone.
