Travels with a Gourmet

After mass at the very quaint Capilla de Guadalmina, my mom, A and I went to dinner at La Veranda for their six-course Cena de Nochebuena (Christmas Eve Dinner). We started out with a glass of Jané Ventura Brut Nature with our amuse-bouche of Bacalao al pilpil (cod pil pil) followed by a traditional cold Andalusian soup of Ajo Blanco de piñones (White garlic and pine nut soup) with marinated mackerel and seasonal mushrooms.

A 2007 Marques de Riscal Sauvignon Blanc accompanied the warm and creamy Porcini mushroom soup garnished with tiny cubes of melt-in-the-mouth foie gras and crispy croutons. This was followed by monkfish with sauteed pea pods, potatoes and spinach. A small vodka-orange sorbet was served as a palate cleanser before the meat course was served.

My mom had hand-carried a bottle of 2004 Château d’Armailhac , a fifth-growth and traditional Médoc blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot which we had with our main dish of Solomillo a la brasa (Charcoal-grilled tenderloin) with a potato-bacon terrine and a grainy mustard sauce.

For our dessert, we continued with the Château d’Armailhac and the flavours of red berries and cassis present in the wine complemented the bitter chocolate of the soufflé served with caramel ice cream. We skipped the traditional Bûche de Noël (Christmas log cake) which we asked to be wrapped up and went straight to the tiny petits-fours of Dulces Navideños (Christmas sweets) of a turron (nougat), polvoron (powdery shortbread), chocolate-covered orange rind, candied fruit financier and a tiny slab of liquorice jelly with short espressos. We rushed home to bring the chocolate log cake for our son and to open our presents around the tree.