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Today we talk to Patricia Dawn Severenuk from SpanishCyclePaths.com – who in March 2008 is leading the Trans-Iberian Express, a 1,500 kilometer, 6 week cycle ride from one corner of Spain to the other.

If you would like to ride from the Basque country all the way down to the depths of Andalusia, then guess what, you’re invited! Contact Dawn via her site if you want to join her for some or all of the trip, and if you can’t make it, then you can always follow her progress on the trip via her blog, www.trans-iberian.blogspot.com.

In today’s guest post, Spanish wine expert Ryan Opaz from Catavino.net says go with the Champagne from Spain!

So often, when we think of the holidays, our thoughts immediately turn to Champagne. Living in Spain, Spaniards also tend to follow the same train of thought, and in truth, it’s just plain sad. Cava is to Spain what Champagne is to France, typically of equal quality and always at a lower price. While the most expensive Champagnes will push 200 or more euros a bottle, you’d be hard pressed to find a Cava over the 50 Euro mark in Spain, and I swear to you, the quality is often times just as good.

Frexeinet is the largest producer of Cava in the world making a wide range of wines and styles. Often known as the “black bottle Cava”, their trademark black bottle is a perennial favorite party wine, affordable and well made. This year, in an effort to market their wines to a broader audience, they’ve commissioned Martin Scorsese to create a short film about one of their other value wines, Carta Nevada Reserva.

The Key to Reserva is a short, simple, yet entertaining, 10 min film in the style of Alfred Hitchcock. I’m not sure if it will sell any Cava, but at the least we all now have something to kill another 10 minutes worth of time with!

Tasting Note:
Carta Nevada Non-Vintage Reserva
Relatively large bubbles as compared to other cavas with a nice light golden color overall. The nose has a a light toasted quality with some almond aromas, pineapple and lemon zest. In the mouth, the wine is fully dry with a softness that leaves a refreshing feeling on the finish. Not a strong wine, delicate flavors of lemon, melon, toast and minerals. Good value for a large gathering. Pair this wine with a variety of lighter dishes. Personally some Gambas a la plancha would be my ideal choice!

Ryan’s blog Catavino.net covers the wines of Spain and Portugal. This December is dedicated to Cava, so check them out for more information.

Some ideas and observations…

1. When you buy fruit and veg from the market or small grocery stores, ask for some parsley, they’ll always throw in a bunch for free.

2. Food is generally cheapest in the markets, but:

3. You are highly likely to get charged higher prices in the market once they detect that hint of a foreign accent. Avoid this by checking prices at a few stalls before buying.

4. Everywhere but the supermarkets, ask for recipe advice for whatever you are buying. The grocer will tell you exactly how to make the best ‘revuelto‘ (scrambled eggs) with those ‘setas‘ (wild mushrooms), the meat guy will enthusiastically explain how best to stew his beef… and they all love to tell you.

5. The wise Spaniard always has a can of Fabada Litoral in the cupboard. Litoral is a brand that does an incredible job of putting Fabada, that famous Asturian bean stew, into a can. A lifesaver when the fridge is empty.

6. If a shop only sells one thing, always buy that thing from that shop. There is a shop around the corner from us that only sells eggs and only opens on Wednesdays. Best damn eggs in Madrid!

7. Spanish shoppers always carefully check their receipts, even in supermarkets, looking out for those few unscrupulous shopkeepers that still slip the extra item onto the list every now and again. Do the same, and argue as vehemently as they do when you spot a ‘mistake’.

8. Never buy bread from Chinese shops or supermarkets, it’s crappy. Look for the local bakery with the biggest line and queue up with the grannies.

9.Chinese shops, the corner shops of Spain, never shut. The tired Chinese girl behind the counter has been there 18 hours a day, 7 days a week, all her adult life – hence the Spanish phrase ‘trabajar como un chino‘, to work like a Chinaman, i.e. very very hard. When everywhere else is shut, Chinese stores are great places for essentials like beer, milk, and crappy bread.

10. No self-respecting Spanish housewife ever buys fish on a Monday – it’s left over from Saturday. The fresh stuff comes in from Tuesday onwards. Oh, and fresh fish has bloody eyes.

How does this compare to your neck of the woods? What have I missed?