TRAVEL WISDOM LYNNE CHRISTEN

PLANNING HELPED MAKE TRIP TO MADRID A MEMORABLE ONE

 

This Column is an excerpt from “Travel Wisdom – Tips, Tools and Tactics for All Travelers” written by local travel expert Lynne and Han Christen. Contact the Christens at travelwisdom@cox.net. You may purchase Travel Wisdom at www.travel-wisdom.com or by calling 244-2523

 

 

Favorite walking tour: Walks of Spain tour director Andres Jarabo's knowledge and pride in his city and culture coupled with his excellent English are assets for visitors. We met Andres at 8:30 p.m. for a walking and tasting tour of Old Madrid at night.

 

Our first stop was a historic tavern where we sampled the ancient pairing of Valdepeñas wine and Manchego Cheese, an almost white, semi-firm cheese made from sheep's milk. It has a slightly sweet and nutty taste that melts in your mouth.

 

The highlight of the evening was our "tasting"  at ●● ●●●●●  ●●●●●. We began our feast with glasses of Manzanilla San Leon sherry. Unique to Spain, its surprisingly slight salty taste was the perfect compliment to large platters of Iberico meats including Jamón Iberico, paper-thin slices of cured ham from specially bred pigs fed only acorns. Next came a paella rich with seafood and chicken, accompanied by Canals Nubiola Cava, a sparkling Spanish wine.

 

Later, small gas burners arrived at the table topped by stone slabs several inches thick. We were presented platters of top-grade, thinly sliced beef, bread and a bowl of coarse salt and instructed in the art of cooking "carne a la piedra". When the stones were glowing hot, we sprinkled them liberally with salt and placed the beef and slices of bread on the "grill". A few minutes later, we enjoyed the sizzling fruits of our labor with a hearty red Aalto 2001, one of the top wines of Spain.

 

Finally, no one would resist dark chocolate-dipped fresh figs and a nightcap of 30 year old Don PX Gran Reserva sherry. The memories make my mouth water!