Perhaps the best time to visit Seville is for the Spring Fair. Each year in April, thousands of people visit the largest and most celebrated festival in Andalusia. The Seville Fair; or as the locals call it – Feria de Abril. It’s a great fiesta where people drink, eat, dance, socialise and experience this unique event. During this time you can visit Seville taking in the historical sites of the city. The main ones are the Cathedral, Alcazar or Maria Luisa Park. But during this special week you can also enjoy the amazing atmosphere of this colourful celebration. Seville Fair This ex ..read more

Granada Vegetarian + Vegan Options Granada vegetarian and vegan options have improved greatly over the past few years. Although the choice isn´t huge there some tasty options if you know where to go. Of cause some of the typical tapas in Granada are local favourites such as Ham Croquettes (croquetas de jamón) or pork in tomato sauce (carne en salsa). For a vegetarian or vegan visitor it can be tricky to order food. Especially for non spanish speakers. Stating that you are a vegetarian doesn’t always get the message across. Tuna (atún) bacon (beicon) and Ham (jamón) may be handed to you. (belie ..read more

As Christmas draws nearer, we plan, craft and shop to lay plans for the festivities. Festive food is a big part of Christmas celebrations. So ensuring sure we have everything in supply for family visits and parties is a challenge. Stores each year come out with new creations to tempt us. We choose new flavours and dishes to impress guests. Yet sometimes the most familiar and traditional foods are best. Wrapped up in nostalgia of christmasses gone before. The family favourites are true staples over Christmas. Of course depending on which country you are from or the traditions you have they may ..read more

As the year comes to an end I always take time to look ahead at the upcoming tendencies in the Food and Drinks sector. This has become an overview I look forward to writing up. The Food Trends 2024 have a clear links between themselves. Health, Local and Environmental. Consumers are more health conscious than ever and considering the impact on the environment in each purchase. So plant based, local, zero mile and sustainability are all present in these ten trends identified to be popular over the next year (at least).  Plant Based The focus on Plant based food gains strength. Whether it´s ..read more

Albaicin Lemonade Not so well known, a glass of Albaicin lemonade is an old tradition in summers of years gone by. It´s a refreshing spritzer style drink, like a fruit punch with apple in it. An ideal drink for the long hot days of July and August in Granada.  Also known as ´Limonada Granadina´ it´s not just lemonade. This recipe was popular in the Albaicin quarter of Granada. Made of white wine, lemons and apple.  It turns out that this drink has been popular with locals since 1967. Typically made at 8pm on Saturdays throughout summer, this tradition lasted throughout the seventies ..read more

Spanish Churros On the 7th Series of the Great British Bake Off (Series 7 Ep.4) the showstopper challenge was Spanish Churros. I noticed quite a few blips when they talked about Churros throughout the programme. The trend for churros in the UK even hit the supermarkets. One offered Churros with a savoury red pepper sauce this season. Not exactly authentically Spanish. So lets take a look at Churros in more detail. Where does the tradition come from and how are they really eaten in Spain. Churros for Breakfast In Spain Churros are typical for Sunday breakfast or on festival days. It´s also popu ..read more

Does it happen to you? Mealtimes get repetitive and boring for me at times. Getting stuck into a routine where we serve the same meals over again. Hear the same grumbles from our family members or be a little disheartened with the food we have on our plates. Mealtimes should be all about coming together as a family and enjoying home made food.   Especially after this year spending family time has never been so important. We are starting to appreciate the little things in life and learn how to make the most of them.   How can we really do that? Maybe it is down to making the time we ..read more

For the past years, Hospes Palacio de los Patos in Granada have hosted the Annual Rice Days. This gastronomic event coincides with the arrival of spring and celebrates traditional Spanish Rice dishes. It is a real treat, it almost feels as though the Costa Blanca region (Alicante and Valencia) is transported through these dishes to Granada. This year the XI Edition of las Jornadas de Arroz is from Wednesday March 8th until Sunday 12th March 2023. Valencian Chef Although the local Granada cuisine isn´t well known for Rice dishes. The five star hotel Hospes Palacio de los Patos have been perfec ..read more

Autumn in Granada is a strange season. Temperatures fluctuate dramatically from mid 30ºC to a maximum of 15ºC in November. Seasonal food comes into season like Persimmon, pomegranates and of course wild mushrooms. Local Autumn dishes appear on Andalusian kitchen tables and in the best local eateries too. Recent snowfall on Sierra Nevada mountains chills the air, making these hearty Autumn foods even more appealing. Although the sun stills shines every day Autumn temperatures are cooler even though the sky is still blue above. Autumn Dishes in Andalusia Oranges are coming into season in Lecrin ..read more

Food Trends 2023 As head closer to the end of the year, I take a look a emerging Food trends 2023. COVID and other world events have had major impacts on the way we source our food and our patterns when eating out. With restaurants increasing their take away services and home delivery reach. People have also choose to cook at home more. Also reaching for more healthy choices in supermarkets. Food trends have evolved recently in ways no one could have forecast. 2023 will no doubt see lots of innovation and movement to harness the shift in consumer preferences. Hopefully the butter board trend w ..read more