Big news: Beginning Saturday, March 12, 2022, wearing a mask indoors at Paris-Madrid Grocery will be optional. It’s such a relief that Covid-19 cases are declining. However, we will continue our infection prevention measures at the shop which include: Running our fan and air cleaners to filter out air particles smaller than Covid-19’s; sanitizing surfaces, door handles, and shopping baskets; providing free hand sanitizer and masks. For those who prefer to shop online and pick up at curbside, our website shopping platform will still be available. To order from our website, click online ordering and from our website’s homepage, click on the orange “Order & Pick Up” button to bring up a menu of products. When we receive your order, we will call you for credit card information, verify the pickup time, and you’re all set.
Flavored Extra Virgin Olive Oils (EVOOs) – Add a depth of flavor to recipes with these oils. They also make great gifts for cooks.
NEW – Castillo de Caneno Arbequina EVOO finished in Lustau Amontillado sherry casks – This delicate, aromatic and nutty flavored oil is excellent tossed with salad greens and marcona almonds. It’s also spectacular for dipping bread, or as a drizzling oil over nutty pasta dishes.
Castillo de Caneno Harissa Olive Oil – Spicy and hot, Arbequina EVOO is infused with Harissa peppers, paprika, cayenne, caraway, garlic & coriander. It adds amazing flavor to chicken wings, french fries, or corn. Include it in taco ingredients to amp up the heat, and use it in salsas or pasta sauces.
Castillo de Caneno Smoked – Arbequina EVOO is delicately smoked with selected oak wood. It is exceptional when drizzled over grilled asparagus, pork chops or mashed potatoes.
PONS EVOO flavored with Lemon or Orange – Both of these citrus oils are superb. Use your choice in salad dressing for sliced orange & bitter greens, in a garlic-oil sauce for shellfish, or drizzle over grilled salmon.
Taramasalata is back in stock – A Greek meze made from tarama, the salted and cured roe of cod or carp. mixed with lemon, olive oil, bread or potatoes. Generally eaten on pita bread with other meze spreads and it’s also great served right alongside French or Spanish appetizers.
WINE CORNER:
Kripta Cava Brut Nature Gran Reserva 2011 ($89.00) A legendary Spanish sparkling wine made from 40 to 60-year-old vines of the classic cava grapes Macabeo, Xarel-lo, and Parellada, raised organically. Aged 8 years on lees in a hand-blown amphora-shaped bottle. Inside the gorgeous bottle, this cava delivers incredible complexity after 96 months of aging with aromas of apple and brioche. Delicate on the palate with a creamy texture, it offers a fine mousse with notes of yeast and buttered toast. The lengthy finish shows exceptional balance with hints of almond and a touch of earth.
Branco Vulcanico, Azores 2019 ($33.00) 50% Arinto dos Açores, 50% Verdelho, from vineyards planted from 2004-2015. Tended in volcanic basalt at sea level in the Azores islands, less than 50m from the Atlantic Ocean. Vulcanico is an unoaked white that delivers creamy citrus and salty mineral notes. Very fresh and bright, it is light on the palate with dusty notes on the lengthy finish. The low 12% alcohol, its salinity, and minerality make it fabulous with any seafood. “The 2019 Branco Vulcânico is elegant, fresh, and lively, it dances across the tongue with a light touch in terms of weight, but it enlivens the palate with its acidity. There’s a hint of spice on the finish.” 91 points Wine Advocate
Lopez Heredia Bosconia Reserva Rioja 2010 ($44.00) Wines from the iconic R. Lopez Heredia winery, established in 1877, are in a class of their own. Located in Haro, Rioja, these artisanal wines are aged much longer than other Rioja wines, in vats and barrels built by their own coopers, resulting in astonishingly silky, textured wines. The flagstaff wine Viña Tondonia is in such demand that the current price for the Reserva 2008 has increased to $63.00 (very reasonable given that it ages for close to 10 years at the bodega before being released.) When the delicious Viña Bosconia 2010 arrived with a price of $44.00, we snapped it up. Each wine made by the winery is from a single vineyard, hence the names: Tondonia, Bosconia, and the younger wine Cubillo. 2010 Bosconia Reserva offers up deep dark fruit with notes of clove and cranberry. Fresh and bright, it has some grip with excellent balance and a mineral finish. 80% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacho, 5% Mazuelo, and Graciano fermented with native yeast, aged 5 years in 225L oak vats, then an additional 4 years in the bottle before release. “Dried flowers and dark fruit on the nose with some mahogany and bark. Medium-bodied with fine tannins and lovely polish and length. Compact and long. Tangy, too. Special wine, showing its age and tradition. Decant an hour before serving.” 95 points -James Suckling
Château L’Escart Eden 2020, Bordeaux Superieur ($22.99) A blend of 60% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Malbec. The grapes are certified Biodynamic, fermented with native yeast, and aged in 50% new oak. Flavors of dark cherry and cassis have hints of road tar and vanilla. Plenty of complexity here, with pleasing structure and grip. Smooth and bright with a persistent finish, this is an excellent value and wonderful with grilled meat. I really like how the Malbec fruit in this wine adds smoothness and balance.