Spanish Cuétara Cookies Arrive: Maria Cookies (Spain’s #1 cookie!) are now in stock. Enjoy them with tea or coffee, or serve with ice cream. We also have a limited amount of Campechanas (crisp palm leaf cookies) and Digestives. I personally love Digestives with Manchego Cheese.
Easy picnic foods: NEW! Vegan Artichoke Bruschetta made with artichoke hearts and spices. Dip vegetables into it or spread it on crostini for a tasty bite. Red Pepper & Artichoke Bruschetta is made with roasted Piquillo Peppers, artichoke hearts and spices. It’s an excellent spread. Or, use it on pizza instead of tomato sauce with caramelized onions and mushrooms and savor the depth of flavor. Ferrer Spanish Style Tapas Peppers are roasted and sliced. Toss them with garlic and parsley and a salad is born. They are also excellent in potato or pasta salads.
Ferrer Sofrito and Romesco sauces are back in stock: Sofrito is a basic ingredient in many European dishes and Ferrer’s is the only sofrito that includes traditional ground almonds. It’s made with tomatoes that are cooked slowly with onion and sunflower oil, sugar, garlic, almonds, and salt. Use it in paella, as a flavor base in soups or stews, and as a pasta sauce. Romesco is a Catalan sauce made with Marcona almonds, olive oil, sunflower oil, tomato, vinegar, garlic, salt, paprika, sugar, and pepper. Fantastic on grilled vegetables, shellfish or roasted fish.
Ybarra products are now in plentiful supply, including 3-liter tins of extra virgin olive oil. Anchovy-stuffed olives are here, in large and medium-size tins, along with the “Alta Seleccion” (best selection) anchovy-stuffed olives in jars. Ybarra piquillo-stuffed olives are in stock, as well as large jars of pitted and whole Manzanilla olives.
Tremoços: Ready-to-eat Lupini beans are back on the shelf. Eaten as a salty treat, they are especially great with beer when watching football. We also carry dry lupini beans which need some preparation (soaking in water) before eating to remove the bitterness.
St. Dalfour French preserves: We’re excited by these all natural, 100% fruit preserves sweetened with fruit juice concentrate. They contain no sugar! We’ve got Black Cherry and Thick Apricot flavors in stock. They are excellent on croissants or served with cheese.
Western Avenue now has a detour around the viaduct work at Seneca Street, south of our store. To reach our shop coming from the south, follow Madison Street to the waterfront at Alaskan Way and turn right. Head south on Alaskan Way for three blocks and turn right on University Street, heading away from the waterfront. Go one block on University, then turn left on Western Avenue. The shop is 2 blocks north of University Street. To leave our shop heading south on Western, turn right on University Street and left on Alaskan Way. There are several options on Alaskan Way to get on I-5 (Marion Street) or continue south to get on highway 99.
Last call for Padrón Pepper plants. We have just 24 plants available. Plant now and start harvesting in mid-July! We put our plants outside early this year and the warm May weather gave our padróns a jump start. We’re picking them already, in June, which is a record.
WINES
Muga Rosado Rioja ($16.99) We know it’s summer when Muga rosé arrives! Due to extended time aging on lees, Muga Rosado is released later than many other rosés. And it’s always worth waiting for. A blend of Garnacha 60%, Viura 30%, and Tempranillo 10%, the grapes macerate for 12 hours, then ferment for 15-20 days in neutral wooden vats. The wine is left on the fine lees for 3 months and worked to enhance the wine’s sensory properties, then undergoes cold stabilization before filtering and bottling. It offers up a lovely pale pink color and looks very elegant in the glass. The nose is full of fruity nuances, very intense and complex. On the palate it shows freshness and balance, with good length, perfectly combining its acidity and fruit. Mineral undertones add complexity to this crisp and dry pink wine. Delicious!
Domaine du Terme Vacqueryas 2016 ($22.99) SALE! NORMALLY $26.99 “This estate has been on a roll in recent vintages. The 2016 Vacqueyras, a blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah, offers hints of marjoram, thyme and red raspberries on the nose. It’s full-bodied, rich and concentrated, with a supple mouthfeel and a bright, fresh finish. Drink it over the next 6-7 years.” 92 points Wine Advocate Serve this with barbequed meat or poultry.