FINALLY. Fresh Padrón peppers are here! Grown locally in our cool evening temperatures which is similar to Spain’s Galicia, the origin of these peppers. Our local Padróns taste completely different from the grocery store offering which is grown in Mexico. The Mexican Padróns are very spicy, which is great if you like hot food. However, Padrón Peppers in their native state typically have a mild and earthy flavor, although about every tenth pepper has a bit of a spicy kick, which is part of the fun. Fry them in olive oil until blistered on all sides, toss with sea salt and enjoy this seasonal delicacy!
French Macarons – We now carry five flavors of macarons, produced in France. Made with almond flour, they do not contain wheat. Frozen at the French bakery immediately after cooling, they retain moisture and intense, satisfying, yummy flavor. Our assortment includes Raspberry, Pistachio, Chocolate, Almond, and Lemon; look for them in our freezer case. Sold individually or in a five flavor assortment. Excellent with ice cream!
Spanish sandwich bread – When I step off the plane in Madrid, I head straight to the coffee bar for an expresso and a chorizo bocadillo (sandwich). With the first bite, I know I’m back in Spain. Ahhhh. The Spanish torpedo-shaped bread, used everywhere for these sandwiches, has just the right amount of substance to hold any amount of protein in place, including juicy chorizo. We now carry this bread in our freezer. Grab one of these breads and some sliced meat and cheese and make your own Spanish-style bocadillo. Some favorite combinations are sliced jamon, jamon or chorizo with Manchego cheese, Manchego and piquillo pepper, Spanish tuna and green olive. Give it a French flavor by spreading the bread with French Payson butter, and layering it with pâté or French Jambon de Bayonne. We’ve got over twenty other salamis to choose from, so you can put together a toothsome combination of sandwiches.
Bandol Rosés in stock: The explosion of pink wine this summer runs the gamut from cheap and cheerful party wines, to rosés that invite contemplation. On the contemplative end of the scale, French rosés from Bandol offer serious concentration, structure, and acidity. By law, these wines must contain at least 50% Mourvedre, a late-ripening varietal that is the hallmark of Bandol, and a grape rarely used in rosé outside of this region. And, because Mourvedre is resistant to oxidation, wines made from this grape age very well.
Domaine Le Galantin Bandol Rosé 2017 ($21.99) From 30 hectares of terraced vineyards growing directly on the coast. The Domaine is practicing organic viticulture, and blends 55% Mourvedre, with the balanced Cinsault and Grenache, aged in stainless steel with no malolactic fermentation. Fresh and complex with notes of wild strawberry, a touch of grapefruit and delightful mouthfeel. Intense minerality is thirst quenching and brings one back for another glass.
Domaine Tempier Bandol Rosé 2017 QUANTITY LIMITED! 12 BOTTLES AVAILABLE Domaine Tempier is an iconic estate in Bandol, producing age-worthy wines of great character. The estate is certified organic,and they also practice biodynamic viticulture. Lucien Peyraud began managing the estate in 1936 upon his marriage to Lucie Tempier. Lucien recognized the unique terroir that suited production of the Mourvedre grape like no other region in France and worked with neighboring vignerons to establish Bandol as its own AOC in 1941. The 2017 rosé is made from 20-year-old low-yielding vines and is a blend of 55% Mourvedre, 25% Grenache, and 20% Cinsault. 50% is fermented and aged in stainless steel tank and 50% in concrete tanks, and it undergoes malolactic fermentation. Shows concentrated fruit, complexity, and roundness on the palate. Fruity aromas of peach and pomegranate, followed by delicate spice notes and fresh acidity. Domaine Tempier is widely considered to be the finest rosé produced in France. Our annual allocation of one case is now here, so pick up a bottle before it sells out!
Sharon