Degustation Menu at Divinum in Girona

May 16, 2012 by Andrea 2 Comments

The 9 course degustation menu at Divinum restaurant in Girona would have to be one of my favourite meals in recent memory. Each course was a modern take on a traditional Catalan dish using simple seasonal ingredients and each course was delicious.

The meal started off with my first ever glass of cava (and not my last) and a shared plate of patatas bravas. Patatas bravas is my favourite tapa of all time and the patatas bravas at Divinum is the best I’ve ever had. I so wish we hadn’t had to share that dish!

February to April is calçot season in Spain. Calçots are a type of Catalonian onion traditionally eaten at a calçotada where they are cooked over hot coals and dipped in Romanesco sauce. Divinum’s calçots were a little more refined and cooked tempura style. I’m not a huge fan of onions but these were very mild and tasty.

Next up was artichokes with a kind of jam/sauce made with sobrassada. I don’t usually eat meat but I’m trying to be more adventurous so gave it a go. Sobrassada is a kind of sausage and it gave the dish such an intense flavour. I loved it!

One of the most popular tapa in Spain is tortilla española and it’s something I order all the time. However, the deconstructed tortilla española at Divinum was not like anything I had tried before. Caramelised onion, poached egg and pureed potato served in a bowl rather than in the typical omelette. Let’s just say it was unique!

For me the dish of the night was the ravioli. It was outstanding! Once again I put aside being vegetarian but did not regret it for a second. Not sure exactly what was inside the ravioli but it was sweet, smooth and delicious.

I haven’t eat much tuna in my time so I’m not sure how this dish compares on the tuna scale but it was voted as the least popular dish of the night by my fellow diners. I didn’t mind it though.

As much as I’m trying to be more adventurous when eating out I couldn’t bring myself to eat this huge chunk of braised veal but it was quickly taken off my hands so I suspect it was good.

I should make a special mention of the freshly baked bread that was provided alongside the meal. It was served with a variety of flavoured salts which were incredible. It would be worth going to Divinum for the bread alone!

The meal ended with a cheese plate including a wonderful Livarot (which is French not Catalan) and sumptuous hand made chocolate truffles. A fantastic way to end the meal.

This meal was the the highlight of my trip to Spain in February and I can’t wait to return when I go back to Girona in September.

Special thanks to Charming Villas Catalonia for hosting my stay in Girona and for organising this amazing night.

Filed Under: Spain Tagged With: degustation, girona, spain, tapas

Taps Cakes from Cadaques

March 12, 2012 by Andrea Leave a Comment

The sleepy seaside village of Cadaques in the Catalan region of Spain is an adorable little village worth visiting for a day or two. The old town has narrow, winding streets you can easily get lost in and the waterfront area is lined with pretty white washed houses. I love little towns like this and Cadaques will always have a special place in my ~~stomach~~ heart due to the wonderful bite-sized taps cakes which are a specialty of the town.

Taps are little sponge cakes made in the shape of a champagne cork and dipped in icing sugar for extra sweetness.

They melt in your mouth and trust me when I say it’s tough to stop at just one. If you don’t eat them within a day or two, which is almost impossible, then you can dip the taps in your coffee or a little rum (!) to moisten them.

Where to Buy: Taps are available from a few places in the region (including in some restaurants) but Pastisseria La Mallorquina on the waterfront in Cadaques is home to the original taps which they’ve been making since the 17th century.

Visiting Cadaques: Cadaques can easily be reached on a day trip from Barcelona or you can rent a villa in Cadaques if you want to take a few days to explore the region.

Filed Under: Spain Tagged With: cadaques, cake, catalonia, spain

Making Seafood Paella in Besalu

February 27, 2012 by Andrea 6 Comments

One of the highlights of my recent trip to Catalonia was staying in a restored villa in Besalu where a private chef joined us to explain the finer details of making seafood paella. I’ve made vegetarian paella before which, while delicious, was perhaps not that ‘authentic’. This seafood paella recipe however is definitely the real thing made by a local Catalan.

It’s up to you what ingredients you use in your seafood paella but it’s best to pick whatever is freshest in your local market. A typical seafood paella includes prawns, langoustines, muscles, clams, cuttlefish, pork chops and chicken on the bone. As far as vegetables go, you’ll need garlic, red onion, capsicum, green beans, chilli and tomato but you can add whatever you like. Of course you’ll also need olive oil, paella rice and salt.

Start by cooking all the main ingredients separately in a paella pan. Cook the prawns and langoustines then brown the pork and chicken pieces as well as some red capsicum in olive oil and put aside.

Add a little more olive oil and cook finely chopped garlic over a low heat so it doesn’t burn.

Add diced red onion, green capsicum, beans and a couple of dried chillies. Don’t forget to season with a little salt as you go.

Once the veges have softened, add some cuttlefish.

Let the cuttlefish cook through then add tinned or fresh tomatoes.

Add water and finally the paella rice. Check the seasoning and add more salt if you need to.

Then add the ingredients cooked earlier including the pork, chicken, seafood and some fresh muscles and clams.

Let it simmer until the rice and the last of the seafood is cooked. Turn off the heat and let it rest for 5-10 minutes then serve!

That is how you make authentic Spanish seafood paella and the best way to enjoy it is outside in the Spanish sunshine with friends and a glass of rosado.

Filed Under: Spain Tagged With: catalonia, paella, seafood, spain