Spanish Reflections - Volume 1

Every year as another winter season approaches, I am always reminded of the magical trip that I took to Spain many years ago. As a company that is strongly influenced by my travels to Spain, I draw much inspiration from this European country during my creative processes and production of my products.

Here are some of my reflections and thoughts on a few of my favorite things from Spain on this bright winter day.

ANDALUSIA: Located in the southern part of Spain, this region of Spain is comprised of the eight provinces of Almería, Cádiz, Córdoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaén, Malaga, and Seville. Seville is the capital city of Andalusia. Along with its culture, a keen sense of history, and excellent food, the Andalusian region also offers numerous remarkable architectural sites and locations that have been designated as UNESCO World Heritage sites. Visitors to this region may enjoy exploring the Cathedral, the Alcázar Arab fortress and the Indias Archive in Seville. A trip to the Granada province will allow visitors to discover the magic of the Alhambra palace, the Albaicín region and the Generalife gardens. The Jaén province may be famous for its olive oil, but it also offers the towns of Úbeda and Baeza which have been selected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Meanwhile, the Huelva region will present beautiful natural landscapes in the form of the beaches of Costa de la Luz, also known as the “Coast of Light”. The National Park of Doñana is another place which has been chosen as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

ALBARIÑO WINE: It is absolutely my favorite Spanish white wine and possibly of all wines. It is composed of a white wine grape that is grown in the northwestern regions of Spain and Portugal. I was first introduced to this white wine many years ago at an Italian restaurant in Toronto, Canada and it has remained one of my favorite wines ever since. This crisp, dry, fruity, acidic, and refreshing white wine is best served chilled.

BOOK: Currently, I am reading a book titled Recipes from Andalusia (Hardie Grant, 2023) which was written by the renowned Spanish chef José Pizarro. Originally from the Cáceres province in the Extremadura region of Spain, Mr. Pizarro worked in some of the best restaurants in Spain before he relocated to London, United Kingdom, where he has now been based for more than 20 years. He runs multiple successful establishments in the United Kingdom which include the José Tapas Bar located on Bermondsey Street, restaurant Pizarro in London, restaurant José Pizarro in Broadgate Circle, London, José Pizarro at The Swan Inn in Esher in Surrey, and two other restaurants situated at The Royal Academy of Arts. Along with delectable Spanish recipes, Recipes from Andalusia is filled with beautiful photography overflowing with the warmth and the inviting ambience the region is known for. These stunning photographs of the Andalusian region captured by photographer Ms. Emma Lee allows the readers to feel as if they have been really transported to the southern region of Spain. Mr. Pizarro has also written several other cookbooks including the award-winning Seasonal Spanish Food (2009), Spanish Flavours (2012), Basque (2016), Catalonia (2017) and The Spanish Home Kitchen (2022).

Wishing you a wonderful winter season and a marvelous start to the new year!

Eiko