En Orce hay más tranquilidad y mejor clima que en Newcastle

This is us posing for a photo amongst some of our ceramics for a journalist of the IDEAL newspaper after a visit to our new warehouse.  He came to talk to us about life here in Orce, why we came here, what we do, what we like and the differences in our way of life compared to our old home town of Newcastle in north east England.  The weather was an obvious point to bring up, especially as we are in the height of summer but we also mentioned how safe our boys are running around in the campo, how friendly and helpful people in our small village are and what we enjoy but also what we still find bemusing even after almost 10 years of being here. 

One point which we brought up was the infamous Spanish breakfast time when at 10 on the dot, no matter what people down tools, shut shop and disappear for half an hour for their bocadiilo!  Now there is nothing wrong with having a break and of course it is vital but when you choose to go to the bank (imagine a bank being shut with a notice on the door 'Gone for Breakfast)' at exactly that moment or a tradesman finally arrives after some days of waiting only to pop his head round the door, plug in an extension and then go away again for the best part of an hour, it can be very frustrating! Having said that we fully accept that this is how it is and it is part of the charm, our comments highlighted are more of an observation which has attracted a few comments since sharing the link!  Plus we wouldn't be without all the amazing tradesmen who have turned our new warehouse into a fantastic environment to work in and who probably wouldn't have been able to do so without a fortifiying breakfast...!

See the link HERE (in Spanish)

Comments welcome:)

Spanish Recipe Book

Two Old fools - Ole.  

The much awaited second book by acclaimed author Victoria Twead is now available. The book is all about Victoria and Joe's life and adventures living in a small village in the back of beyond in rural southern Spain and the sequel to her first book, 'Chickens Mules and Two Old fools'   Full of amazing and sometimes hardly believable incidents which can happen here daily, Victoria has written a masterpiece which will have you laughing out loud and wanting more.  Victoria has a fantastic comedy writing style which is down to earth, refreshing and makes us all want to read on and on.... As with her first book, we at Orce Serrano Hams have been honored to be asked to contribute our Spanish recipes to the  first book and the sequel which we did with pleasure.  In the picture exert you can see Victoria's acknowledgment by dedicating a whole page to us - how exciting!

What is even more exciting though is that we have been working closely with Victoria and Joe over the past three months to produce a unique, rustic and completely new book of Spanish recipes.  The book, 'Mouthwatering Spanish Recipes' which will be available to download via Amazon kindle, Sony, iPad, Kobo, Diesel and more...,  very soon, incorporates some of our best and most popular recipes featured in both of Victoria's books - Plus some brand new local Spanish recipes, never published before courtesy of our local village bars and thanks to the local chefs here in our village of Orce.  We have chosen the best from tapas dishes and salads to main meals, vegetable dishes, drinks and desserts, plus the most amazing Paella Recipe you will ever try - direct from our local village chef, this recipe will never disappoint and upon reading it, we guarantee you will want to try it!

The book  'Mouthwatering Spanish Recipes' will be available to download soon so look out for it on Amazon, WHSmith, Diesel, Sony etc - it will also be available on our own websites orce serrano hams  and Victoria Twead

Happy Cooking!

Kids Tapas

Kids tapas... tapas are great for kids, its the kind of finger food that even us adults love even to the extent that classy Spanish restaurants and tapas bars take the whole tapas culture way further and begin to dress up their tapas dishes, make them as fancy as can be and, dare I say it charge a fortune... This is not the way the tapas culture was expected to go, after all, in Spain tapas are just tapas but with the advent of celebrity chefs, modern times and the constant strive to make restaurants different with usp's, menu strategy, approaches to eating and all that stuff in this day and age could we expect any different? perhaps the whole 'tapas' culture is beginning to get a little lost in whole gastronomic scheme of things...

Of course our little feller Nico (18 months) pictured on the left doesn't understand any of that, he's just content with a plate jamon, a few crisps and an orange juice! The kind of simplicity kids love...and lets face so do the grown ups. Tapas are great for kids, an introduction to good food, a Spanish culture and in most cases healthy eating although I doubt Nico would be bothered about any of that either!

Getting kids in the kitchen always provides entertainment, its messy, challenging on occasion but always great fun. Spanish tapas are a great way of introducing non complicated but delicious food to the kids menu and us adults always know its better when you've cooked it yourself!

Spanish Recipes

Discovering the art of Spanish cooking need not be a daunting task, Spanish cuisine by its very nature is both versatile and very simple. Spanish recipes let the flavours of the ingredients do the talking so when it comes to the simplest of tapas to the more in depth asado or other regional dishes then the slightest sprinkle of smoked paprika or addition of the humble olive an make all the difference. For the cook, Spanish cooking is the perfect way to get started and there is of course the complete tapas culture to learn and experiment with, after all cooking is about experimenting and blending flavours. We believe that pushing the boundries is a necessity!

Since 2005 we have been nurturing and adding to on a regular basis a bank of Spanish recipes. The list includes some of the more popular Spanish recipes such as paella, gambas al pil pil, bacalao fritters etc to the more unusual ideas which are normally offered by either Spanish neighbours, originally from Madrid and Barcelona or from the local bar owners in Orce and other surrounding villages.

It is worth saying at this point that the recipes on the Orce Serrano Hams website were originally designed to be a point of reference to the Spanish food enthusiast, a few authentic Spanish favourites bundled into one page… however as we kept cooking the list kept growing! After catching the Mediterranean cooking bug shortly after moving to Andalucia the recipe bank has grown into something of a passion which now has (at the time of writing) nearly 300 recipes published. Ideas are always forthcoming from the locals, the resident butcher or fishmonger which all makes for good cooking and the chance to make and publish the more unusual – something special from the butchers grandmother is always a real treat!

Many (if not most) of the ideas given use local produce, as a small village Orce is like its own little economy. You can quite often see bar owners visit the pescaderia, perhaps on a Tuesday or more commonly Friday to purchase a large bag of anchovies which will then be marinaded or fried for tapas over the weekend, or the restaurant owners buying the famous “Cordero Segureno” for a lunchtime special or “Menu del Dia”. There is no buying in fresh meats or fish or getting up at 3.00am to be the early bird at the traders market, this rural village just seems to manage with businesses supporting each other in what must seem an pre industrial environment to urban areas, the noticeable thing is – it works and it works very well.

Your Spanish recipes have been split up into categories:

Tapas

Meat

Fish

Poultry

Vegetarian

Spanish vegetarian recipes may seem like an unusual category to have and indeed the list is shorter but with the likes of Catalan Calcots in Romesco salsa, char grilled escalivada, stuffed mushrooms, tortilla and poor man’s potatoes  to name but a few your Spanish veg section certainly deserves its own status.

The Spanish also love to cook outdoors, especially over the barbeque so if you are a fan of outdoor summer cooking there are plenty of ideas to browse through. You will also find emphasis on “rustic” cooking, in a what you see is what you get type of format many of the recipes on this website have been traditionally prepared over naked flame and adapted to being cooked over the open fire. One typical example would be “escalivada” (char grilled onions, pepper and tomato) a super recipe that is cooked on the fire then wrapped in newspaper before the vegetable are skinned, chopped and served with extra virgin olive oil either as a salad or side dish with barbequed meats – the bits of black are crucial to the rustic outdoor flavour!

Keep an eye on your recipe section over the coming months as new recipes are added on a regular basis, some of which are quite unique, others traditionally rustic and all with a great Spanish flavour!


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Spanish Paella & Outdoor Spanish Cooking

Why Orce Serrano Hams is going rustic and taking inside, outside... Spain has over 300 days of sunshine annualy and good weather is the cooks best friend when cooking outdoors whether it be the traditional barbeque, the paella or a simply a table spread of tasty Spanish tapas.

Now we understand that our customers in the UK don't get as much sunshine as Spain, however when the sun does decide to get his hat on and the Spanish food enthusiasts among you decide to cook outdoors then thats when some rustic cooking comes in... The good old paella was traditionaly cooked over an open fire and still can be, forget that bag of charcoal from the supermarket, DIY store or local garage and go find yourself a few kindling sticks...

Cooking over a naked flame is how its done in rural Andalucia, the smoke adds a real rustic "campo" flavour as well as a fire being a focal point for outdoor eating. Gas burners are good, metal tripods do the job but the problem is its all a bit too modern. For a real paella it needs to be cooked over a fire. We are not talking about November the 5th here either, that tin barbeque sitting in the back of the garage or at the end of the garden will do quite nicely, a metal tripod that sits over the flame actually "in" the fire will support your paella pan leaving you to simply add a few kindling sticks to generate some heat when required.

There is no need for a layer of hot coals, using kindling sticks is actually a very good way of regulating the heat, add more or take them away, what the paella needs is flame under the pan, hot coals are simply too hot. Other dishes that can be cooked in the same way are Spanish "migas" and also anything that can be cooked in a terracotta cazuela - the versitile clay dish that is perfectly at home over a fire (gambas al pil pil is delicious over flame)

Our aim here is to get back to good old fashioned rustic Spanish cooking and as such we have created a very different paella and bbq page on the online deli. Catering for the adventurous cook you can now discover a range of outdoor cooking utensils including paella pans, tripods, terracotta cookware, migas pans and few other, typically Spanish table top accessories designed to complete your outdoor summer dining experience in real Spanish style. Designed for paella lovers and barbeque enthusiasts everywhere we hope that the new and ever growing "rustic range" may tempt the authentic Spanish cook among you. Afterall, when its outdoor eating weather why not do it the Andalucian way?

Visit the new page

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Spanish tapas up in smoke?

With the introduction of the smoking ban in Spain earlier this year there has been a significant difference in the number of clients in the local bars these days - or at least in the rural village of Orce in Granada. When the first ban came around bar owners and clients never really took that much notice as there where too many rules and regs (establishments of certain square meterage etc etc) to consider, in places like Orce such new regulations take time filter through and given the relaxed nature of the place many chose to ignore the rules until it became "the norm" to smoke again in bars where people had done so for years previously.

This time though it is very different, bar owners are in fear of being fined and the new smoking ban has been enforced with immediate effect. Nobody really agrees, even the local Orce "non smoking" residents, afterall, smoking in Spain is like a national pastime so the ban has taken some getting used to. The offset of this of course is that bars in the village are much quieter, particularly during the day after lunchtime when people would go out or have a bite to eat after finishing work. Put a mornings graft in and it was customary to relax and have a beer before going home for a couple of hours, now though people are skipping the bars as the new ban means they have to spend 5 of the 15 minutes they would normally have had standing outside...

All of this does mean less trade for the bar owners and fewer tapas. Having spoken to a bar owner today who tells me his trade is down 20% he also blames the recession but mainly the smoking ban, he is also wishing along summer where, in his opinion trade will return to normal given the fine weather and is making arrangments for additional chairs and tables so his clients can smoke outside. What he is dreading is next winter...

It is well known that the Granada region is one of the few areas left in Spain to serve free tapas with an alcoholic drink. A beer is around 1.00 euro in rural parts so volume and the popularity of your bar is paramount to success. Tapas ingredients and the time taken to prepare them eats into profits and I dare say that during the colder months of the year the humble tapa will suffer, we may still get them but its more likely to be a small plate of crisps instead of fresh marinated anchovies or something cooked. Time to support the local watering hole...

Do you live in rural Andalucia? Leave a comment and tell us how the smoking ban has effected your local bars.


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Caves for sale

Andalucian caves for sale.

Sometimes, in fact most of time in this part of rural Granada its a case of "Its not what you know its who you know..." this can be relevant in all walks of life but no more so than in rural Spain. Having arrived as a new expat into the far depths of the Andalucian "sticks" we have on occasion, had the fortune or misfortune of being approached by locals who have quickly recognised the value of cave houses in the area. We were lucky enough to grab a bargain back in 2004 when we moved to Spain and almost as soon as we arrived offers were coming in from roundabout cave owners... "Mine is only 30k, do you want to buy it?" Seems the fact that an English family might not have any money falls on deaf ears - afterall we are all apparently rich according to the average local Spaniard.

Times however have changed - quite significantly which is why we are detailing this particular cave for a local bar owner in the village who needs to sell at a reasonable price... The price is 75k euros and its well worth the dinero (63k GBP at time of writing). Many of the local cave owners now realise that the boom time has gone, it took a while but the serious sellers recognise the market and they need to offload a property or two, afterall Spain, as with the rest of Europe is experiencing a "Crisis".

Where is it? The cave is situated in a small hamlet on the outskirts of Orce called "Fuente Nueva". The property is only just around the corner (100m) from our own cave overlooking the Sierra de Maria mountain range.

The owner is selling due to the present climate (2011) and needs to expand his tapas bar in Orce village.

Features: 3 double bedrooms, large kitchen, living room, bathroom. Gas fired heating and full electrics installed. The cave also has a HUGE garage equipped with log burning stove which could be converted into a further 3 rooms or large workspace. There is also potential to easily open up a window at the rear of the cave to expose via doorway access to a very large roof terrace.

For the price, this cave house is excellent value for the money, one of those unknown bargains that tends to slip by. The cave is fully habitable and has been lived in until 2010, however with a little paint and some new funiture this property could be spectacular either for full time living, holidays or rental.

This cave house is available for private sale via the owner, we do however recommend a full survey and to speak to the owner personally (translation available by request)

So what does this have to do with tapas? The vendor happens to own the local tapas bar just a few doors down from from our office in Orce so we are always happy to help in any way we can. We get the same back so throwing his "Se Vende" ad on this blog is the least we can do. - A knees up paella is guaranteed for the buyer!


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Jamm'in it up

Andalucian jam... or conserves. Last Sunday turned out to be quite an eventful day. We had been invited to the "Orce Eco Exhibition" to see and sample some of the produce made by small local businesses.

By no means the BBC Good Food show but still very much worth a couple of hours on  a Sunday afternoon. Stalls were organised by local producers of organic food from the locality including an impressive display of hand made leather crafts, cured meats, extra virgin olive oils, liquors, ceramics and other crafts.

The kids were particularly happy taking part in live demo's of pottery which rendered them bound in clay for the rest of the afternoon! A successful event which for us resulted in meeting a broad range of new suppliers and also tasting some exceptional olive oils, liquors and conserves. Black olive pate was a big hit and a tuna conserve that was absolutely delicious. Tapas in every sense and an abundance of home made, home grown organic flavours.

Washed down by cream lemon liquor and with a generous plate of cordero segureno organised by the village the afternoon was a big hit - plus we discovered some delicious goodies ready to hit the virtual shelves in January 2011. Find out more.


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Spanish Tostada - Whats your Topping?

The Spanish tostada, Spain's most famous breakfast perhaps? It may get overtaken in the popularity stakes by churros during the winter months but for the rest of the year the humble tostada is favoured by most Spaniards as their preferred quick breakfast in the mornings.

Walk into any Spanish bar before lunchtime and you can order "tostada de tomate", this is the most popular version consisting of a French stick cut in half then half again lengthways, toasted then spread with tomato frito. To serve you allways receive the customary olive oil and some salt. For the braver you request a tostada de tomate "con ajo", this puts a whole different twist on your toast with the addition of raw garlic cloves being rubbed to within an inch of their life over the toast before the tomato is spread on top, a nice combination but maybe not if your on your way to the next board meeting.

Tostada (like pizza) is open to all kinds of ideas and toppings so it is allways tasty to deviate from the norm and try something different. Plain old vine ripened tomatoes, sliced and peppered work a treat as does thinly sliced serrano ham or you could try devilled mushrooms, kidneys, spinach, manchego, sobrasada, chorizo or lightly fried pancetta. The key is variation and with tostada's being so versitile you can choose almost any topping you like.

For tapas, if you are going to serve them as a starter immediatly cut the bread into cross sections to make "mini tostadas" (pic above), with a selection of ingredients and toppings handy you can create a plate of real Spanish flavour and present something both colourful and delicious for the guests.

Just don't forget the olive oil...


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Lamb Salad on Potato Cakes

Andalucia, although not famous for it actually produces some of the finest lamb in the world. "Cordero Segureno" is a rare breed of sheep which over many years and generations has become accustomed to the harsh rural Andalucian conditions. In fact the breed is so adapted to the long dry summers and cold winters of Spain a flock sent to the south of France a few years ago for breeding didn't flourish, seems the French countryside was too kind, green and forgiving for what must be the toughest sheep in Europe!

Orce village and surrounding areas are famous for their "Asado de Cordero" a slow baked lamb dish with potato, garlic onions and herbs. These tradaitional dishes are served in the center of the table in an enourmous metal baking tray - everyone of course then gets stuck in, crusty bread and red wine ready to mop up and wash down.

You can of course make an asado yourself, there are usually leftovers so here is what to do with them, that garlic and herb infused meat makes a great summer salad. Leftovers from a roast leg of lamb in rosemary also work equally well. Lamb salad on potato cakes, nice and easy.

Ingredients:

Leftover potatoes
Leftover swede or turnip
1 Onion, diced
Cracked black pepper
1 Garlic clove, diced
Squeeze lemon juice
Olive oil
Leftover roast lamb
Fresh salad, peppers, Tomatoes etc

Cooking:

1. Combine the swede, potatoes and diced onion in a large cazuela and mix well along with the seasoning.

2. Add the garlic, and a splash of milk, continue to mix then shape into patties or “potato cakes”.

3. Fry each cake until golden brown on each side then set aside onto a plate.

4. Cut the lamb into thin strips and arrange over the potato cake then add the mixed salad.

5. Drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil.

Persistent Rain Threatens Spanish Caves

Spanish caves don't like rain... in truth water (and snow) is the caves worst enemy.  Most caves hold up to water very well, the fact that Spanish caves have been around for decades and in some cases centuries proves that adverse weather conditions are not particularly dangerous for caves. However prolonged weeks of rain can take its toll and this is exactly what has happened since late 2009 until now ~ basically there has been no sun and fine weather to dry out the landscape.

Renovated cave room

Spanish caves by their very nature have no foundations, the foundation is the hillside and rock from which they have been "dug out" this means that caves move all the time as the terrain around them moves too. This may sound quite off-putting but in reality is nothing to worry about, it simply takes minor maintainence little and often such as cosmetic plastering and perhaps filling in the odd crack on a rendered facia.

Rain however can seep through the roof, this takes unusual and adverse weather conditions. Many Spanish caves do not have this problem as they are terraced with plenty of earth on top with a gradient so any water simply runs off. Caves like our own though which have a flat roof are vulnerable to seepage as the water effectively has nowhere to go. The same can be said for heavy snow which ideally needs to be shovelled of the roof before it melts...imagine 150m2 of snow 2 feet deep all turning into water.

We have been living in "Cueva Esperanza" since 2004 and it is the first time we have experienced any water damage. According to the locals Andalucia of late has had three time the average rainfall over the past few months - hence the problems. Luckily a little damp simply needs drying out before re-plastering but this takes time as there may well be water working its way through the rock for a good few weeks yet.

 Water damage

Persistent rain has also been problematic with the terrain in and around the village of Orce and its outlying hamlets. Small landslides partially blocking roads have been frequent as have the odd (and rather large) falling boulders. Pictured above is a small abandoned cave opposite our own, the front slid off during the early hours, now exposed to the elements it probably won't be long before there is a collapse.

The other issue for cave owners is that many of these dwellings are used as holiday homes so with nobody being "in" the cave during the recent weather the rain has been able to cause more damage through damp. Come the summer though all will be well again, the Andalucian heat will bake the caves and revert the rock above to becoming impervious to water once more. The other upside of course is that the resevoirs are full and the region has enough water now to last for the next three years.

For more information on Spanish caves visit Livinginacave.com

"Flamenco Eggs"

Spanish Flamenco! That most famous of dances from Andalucia, my better half informs me that it is a lot harder than it looks too so I'll just stick to the tortilla and a bit of clapping. A few years ago after finishing the renovations on the cave house we organised a small fiesta for the neighbours who had kindly helped and offered all sorts of advice upon our arrival. In usual Spanish style a few more people turned up - the sound of music on a still summers evening attracts some of our more colourfull locals like bees around honey...

Music was played from the cave, settees were brought outside and the food was flowing nicely. As with most parties it came alive later on once everyone had been been plied with cerveza or the local (and somewhat powerfull) "tinto"



Then came the flamenco, a strange first time experience watching from the sidelines, one of the neighbours was a pro in the literal sense teaching my good lady some of the moves. In the background though there were those (like me) that had absolutely no idea at all. The image of inebriated grown men clutching bottles of red wine trying to dance flamenco was rather amusing at the time, particulary when feet were stamped with all manner of serious expressions on faces.



Cavehouses themselves are synonymous with old Spanish gypsy culture and you can still visit the caves of Sacramonte in Granada city today to experience the real flamenco first hand inside a cave dwelling. I must say that watching talented experienced dancers is a real joy, you become engrossed in whole culture of it all, the music, the food, and the participation.

Now then, "flamenco eggs" an easy and very colourfull dish:

Ingredients

1 Large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 Red pepper, chopped
1 Green pepper, chopped
1 400g can chopped tomatoes
2 Boiled potatoes
4 Large fresh eggs
Olive oil



1. Cut the potatoes into cubes and par boil until almost soft.

2. Fry the onion, garlic and peppers in olive oil until soft.

3. In a large cazuela heat up the tomatoes, season then add the cooked potatoes, onions, garlic and peppers. Mix well.

4. Using a wooden spoon create four indents in the mixture - crack one egg into each one.

5. Cook in the oven at 180°C for around 15 minutes or until eggs are done.

6. Serve with fresh crusty bread and a glass of good red wine.

A Spring in the step

Spring in Andalucia? Surely the rain has stopped now! The south coast of Spain has had a real battering weather wise over the past few months. One of our neighbours claimed that the region had received three times the normal rainfall since December last year and we can well believe it, Spanish cave houses and indeed conventional houses have collapsed due to the constant drenching over the past few months.

The recent storm that rattled Southern Spain as well our European neighbours in France and the UK arrived early Sunday evening with 85mph winds and driving rain. Its always good to have a storm that clears the air but this was this the last one to see off Granada's "rainy season"?



(Below) the morning after. (Above) Almond blossom high up in the Sierra de Umbria, Fuente Nueva, Orce.



Wood collecting time... After enjoying a hefty delivery of slow burning almond wood mixed in with a bit of peach wood it was time to gather just a few more of those fast burning sticks to generate some heat. Sunday mornings (or indeed today being Andalucia day) are great to get out and grab some fresh air, get some wood take some photos and get fit after a lazy winter in the cave house.

This year being as wet as it has been has attracted the "processional pine caterpillar" in large numbers - stay clear, these are one of natures beasties that rank quite highly in the dangerous category. Aside from the caterpillars the views were fantastic from the top of the mountian, an old haunt for us if you like as when its not wood collecting time we usually take the kids up to the same spot for a picnic during the summer and relax for a couple of hours.



There is something quite wonderfull about being out in the campo at this time of year, barren wasteland is prepping itself up to change into a sea of colour with wild flowers and the fields quickly turn green as well as the mountains, for a short window of time it could almost be Scotland. Easter or Semana Santa is just around the corner and that means a visit from the Spanish neighbours, the "cocinero" in the family makes the absolute best romesco sauce which are accompanied by barbequed onions, wrapped in newspaper the Spanish neighbours serve them on upturned roof tiles. "Calcots" ~ the absolute business!

(recipe coming soon)

Images of Andalucia

Images of Andalucia muster up the idea of flamenco, paella, perhaps the world famous and incredibly impressive "Alhambra" or sleepy white washed rural villages where locals go about their daily business of laid back siestas, the odd spot of shopping, washing the doorstep to a shine and chatting with the neighbours across the street.



Andalucia is a beautiful region of Spain, the largest and also the most southerly with influence from the Moors to be seen in stunning castles, re-enactments of Christian battles from days gone by and also an strong influence with food and cooking. Andalucia is also famous for its caves ~ in fact we ourselves bought one back in 2004 and find it to be one of the most secure and relaxing ways of living, difficult to explain perhaps unless you have had the pleasure of staying in one of these unique dwellings.



Spanish cave homes are found mostly in rural Granada, East of the city in small pockets of old Andalucian villages many of which are made up predominantly of century old cave homes. Rural Spain means the countryside or to be strictly correct "El campo". Scorched during the summer months the campo can become very dry - almost like a wasteland, however the views are nothing short of spectacular.



Bring the rain! Boy when it rains it rains, drops hammering down the chimney onto the stove top, towels by the door just to be safe and if a venture out is required plastic bags tied around the footwear. Campo dust becomes a muddy sludge you could almost make cazuelas out of. Everyone loves a good downpour - clears the air and it never takes long before the sun dries out the deluge, during early spring it takes but a matter of days for what is soon to be dust transform into a lush meadow like a carpet of flower and fauna, a brief but spectacular event in nature's calendar which never ceases to amaze.



A year ago I invested in a Panasonic Lumix (cracking camera) a DSLR was just of reach but the Lumix performs superbly for what we need. Primarily for food photography the photo bug bit well and hard so whenever time allows I try and capture whatever is offer which is usually quite a lot, Andalucia tends to deliver almost every day with its seamless beauty, ever changing weather, character and cultural apsects. A great place for the budding photographer.



All photos © Copyright 2010 Orce Serrano Hams

2010 Tapas

There is no doubt we are looking forward to 2010! A fresh year, new recipes and local ideas. For the month of January we will be concentrating on a few Spanish winter warmers including some great tasting dishes such as Spanish beef casserole and pork with chestnuts... Delicious!



We will also be talking a little more about the Spanish cave houses here in Southern Spain including the culture and tradition surrounding these unique dwellings. Food of course plays an important part - take this "Casserole de la Cueva" for a delicious yet rustic example.



The Spring and Summer months will see your tapas recipes back in full swing, from the ultimately simple to those little Spanish dishes with a touch of complexity.



For now though, we would like to wish everyone a prosperous and healthy 2010. Enjoy what is left of the seasonal holiday if Jack frost is outside remember to keep warm!

Next up: Spanish beef casserole, just right for a winter evening...

Why not pop into the deli >>>

Iberico Hams from Cordoba

Without doubt the Iberian ham is recognised as one of the finest, if not the finest ham in the world. Cordoba lies north east of Andalucia's capital Sevilla and is home to the valley of "Los Pedroches" The valley of Los Pedroches is famous for its Iberian hams and is one of only a few regions to have been awarded the Denominacion de Origen - this guarantees only the finest, most authentic produce, in this case the Iberian ham. Buy a Pedroches Iberian ham and you are buying the very best.



Pedroches hams are submersed in quality, culture and enviable reputation. See here for some prime examples and expert ham carving...


Ver mapa más grande

... and the hams themselves, this particular example is a "Paleta de bellota iberica" the smaller front leg/shoulder. Front legs weigh around 4.75 - 5.00 kilos for an exquisite entry example but for the real Iberian experience the back leg is the ham that has the quantity weighing in from 7.00 kilos up to 9.00+ kilos. Gourmet flavour with every slice.



Pedroches hams are among the best due to hertitage and will rival any other Iberian ham for flavour, texture, aroma, colour and price.

for many years now other areas in Spain which also produce Iberian hams such as Guijuelo, Huelva and Extremadura used to purchase their pigs for production directly from the Los Pedroches county.

View Los Pedroches hams >>>

Local Spanish Olive Oil

Locally produced extra virgin olive oil. Something at the forefront of the Orce Serrano Hams vision is to support local producers. In fact most of the stock in the online delicatessen is locally produced and olive oil is no exception.

This extra virgin oil comes from the town of Huescar in North East Granada. The town itself is only 18km from Orce village.





You may think that an olive oil produced on a smaller scale could be inferior in flavour and quality. However the town of Huescar lies on the edge of the "Jaen" region - the olive oil capital of the world...

"USKAR" oil can be found in many small retailers in the area including indoor markets where you find both 1ltr and 5ltr containers of the oil.





Part of any food products integration into the Orce Serrano Hams deli is to taste test and we were more than happy with this olive oil! Fabulous flavour, not too strong with grassy hints, an ideal all rounder for fish, meats, dressings etc. Supporting local business in rural Andalucia is part of what we do, there are many olive oils produced in the region, dozens of which are available but this one made the shortlist and won after many servings of drenched bread and tomato. Flavour is the all important part of any good oil. Until now USKAR olive oil has been unavailable outside Spain and has never reached UK shores.

Available December 2009

View more locally produced oils and olive oils from Jaen >>>

Chicken, Mules and two old fools

You may be wondering why we are talking about a book on Top Spanish Tapas... Welcome to guest writer Victoria Twead, author of "Chickens, Mules and two old fools". This book really is a fantastic read and has already had raving reviews. Each chapter begins with a Spanish recipe (so there is the foodie bit) some of which are our very own!

We are also running a competition in our Christmas newsletter to win a signed copy of the book so get signed up and answer a simple question to enter the draw!

How ‘Chickens’ was hatched.

I’m famous for my lists and records. I can’t help myself; I think I inherited the record-keeping gene from my father. Every day I make a note of the weather, the temperature, the first snowdrop, the day the ants fly, the exchange rate of the euro, everything. I make packing lists, holiday lists, ‘To Do’ lists and ‘Joe, Will You Please’ lists. I even make lists of lists. My nickname at work was Schindler.
Also, I have terrible difficulty throwing anything away. I find my heart racing and my fingers clamp possessively on the object in question. After all, a rusty hostess trolley, or broken watch, or a 1996 calendar, or whatever, may come in useful some day… So I rarely delete old emails and have diaries dating back years.
Both these dubious character traits of mine, for a pleasant change, proved really useful and helped ‘Chickens’ to hatch.
Moving to Spain was undeniably a culture shock. Every new day produced events either hilarious or heart-warming. Food suddenly tasted better, human behaviour was more fascinating, local events more interesting. It was like seeing in colour for the first time, and the book began bubbling in my head.
Of course, Joe often lost patience with me, and rightly so. ‘Stop dreaming, and concentrate! Hold that ladder steady or I’m going to break a leg in a minute!’ But the book was relentless. As soon as I could, I unearthed all my records, notes, old emails to friends, and began to write.
It’s funny where life takes you… When I was a little girl and asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I always answered, ‘A zoo-keeper.’ No, I never realised that ambition, but life in Spain has not been that far removed. Okay, I agree, chickens, mules and all the other animals (including humans) I wrote about may not be very exotic. But their behaviour was just as riveting as that of any grizzly bear or meerkat.
As I wrote, the book made me laugh and cry. When, reluctantly, I showed it to other people, I was astonished to see them react the same way. One may easily imagine my delight when ‘Chickens’ was awarded the HarperCollins Authonomy ‘Gold Star’, and is still today the only non-fiction book to claim that distinction.
I love Spain. I love the Spanish people. I love Spanish food. I hope all this shines through in my writing, even when I’m describing some of the less savoury things that happened to us.

Victoria Twead

Visit Victoria's website >>>

or... Buy the book

Iberico Ham Feria

The Iberian ham fair is held every year in Villanueva de Cordoba. The feria produces quite a turnout too with this year seeing more than 7000 people attending the prestigious event.



One of the main spectacles of the fair is the ham carving competition, taken very seriously and with some of the displays you can see why. Real food art using the worlds finest ham. This years winner was Florentino Mateos, having won this competition results in an automatic pass through to the nationals.



Displays... Iberico ham is mottled with fat, much more than serrano ham and the texture is well, sublime.



You can see the labels detailing which area of the leg the slices were cut from, "Maza", "Babilla", "Punta"



Some truly professional carving requiring a great deal of skill as well some artistic flair!



Discover more on Iberico hams from the Pedroches valley

View the hams >>>