Saturday 11 August 2012

Sensational fiesta at the Flavours of Spain supperclub brunch

Flan with coconut and caramel sauce

Anyone who's read this blog before will know what a fan I am of Brockley Market - the most fun you can (legally) have in a carpark. No visit to this chilled-out foodie haven is complete for me without a stroll past the Flavours of Spain stall to check out the tapas treats on offer.

I'm always stunned by the rush of rosemary that smacks your senses as soon as you bite into their herb-crusted Manchego cheese, and their piquant cooking chorizo is so addictive that it dominated week 22 of #Project366.

#213 - Flavours of Spain spicy chorizo and Manchego cheese with rosemary

So I was intrigued to discover how Ana Gomez and Teresa Holmes, the duo behind the Spanish deli, planned to incorporate their artisan produce into fully blown dishes in their first series of supperclubs.

But I must confess that the £30 ticket price made me resist my desire to snap up a seat straight away. Could I really justify spending that much on a few slices of meat and chunks of cheese? Thankfully Flavours of Spain solved this dilemma for me, by inviting me to join a handful of supperclub stalwarts and fellow foodbloggers for a promotional brunch. I felt a bit guilty for being so swayed by the offer of a freebie…but not enough to refuse!

The saying in the world of business is that you’ve got to speculate to accumulate. Clearly Ana and Theresa had sussed out that we gourmands are a greedy bunch, guided by our stomachs and our noses, and realised that a few of us had testing their wares would be likely to induce a feeding frenzy amongst the rest of London's culinary community.

And I genuinely hope this is the case, as I was totally blown away by the Spanish feast we enjoyed, worthy of the finest fiesta. To describe their dishes as "a few slices of meat and chunks of cheese" would be an absolute insult, and I’m ashamed that the thought ever crossed my mind. Given the quality and quantity of the food the 12 guests eagerly devoured that afternoon, the £30 ticket price was actually a steal. I’ll certainly be booking a seat at the table of a future Flavours of Spain supperclub, and will gladly cover my own bill next time.

I'm not sure that I can truly do the meal justice, but hopefully my photos will give you a taster of the experience, before you try it for yourself...

Strawberry Mojito

Bubbly hostess Hannah (aka Chuchibum) welcomed us into her dining room…and kickstarted the festival spirit with these syrupy iced strawberry Mojitos

Cup Serrano ham with fried egg and Manchego

Fantastic idea for an all-in-one all-day breakfast…cheesy muffins wrapped in smoky Serrano ham and topped with a perfectly fried egg. I managed to capture a snapshot of my solo serving for Day #197 of #Project366 before frantically tearing it apart and gobbling it up!

Tomato gazpacho shots

Refreshing palette cleanser of tomato Gazpacho “with a twist”…you will have to visit the supperclub to find out what the secret is! This cold soup was bursting with tonnes of flavour, I literally refilled my shotglass 7 times…there was even a moment when I seriously considered drinking it straight from the jug, it tasted that moreish!

Boquerones salad

Tinned sardines like you’ve never tasted before…salty fish and oily roasted peppers combined into this delicate boquerones salad

Beef Cecina on toast with Spanish cheese and dried fruits

So much more than just a slice of meat and a few chunks of cheese…rich and crispy beef Cecina served on crunchy toast with nutty diced cheese and sweet dried fruit

Creamy Iberico Bellota croquettes

With a crumbly outer coating and gooey filling, these Iberico Bellota croquettes melted in the mouth…I’m trying (unsuccessfully!) to convince Ana to give me the recipe so I can recreate them in my own home

Chorizo al vino

It’s impossible to make this dish look pretty, but I think this image sums up its rustic nature…when chorizo tastes this good, the only thing that can enhance its powerfully spicy flavour is a good hearty red wine

Arroz con leche

I never liked rice pudding when I was a little girl, but since my love affair with risotto began I’ve been tempted to try it again…I enjoyed the consistency of this chilled version of the classic Arroz con leche, and thought the strong cinnamon topping mixed well with the mild vanilla-scented rice grains

Slice of flan with coconut base

You know that you’ve had an exceptional meal when you’re served not just one giant dessert, but two…soft and creamy flan with a deep caramel sauce, which contrasted brilliantly with the coconut base

1 comment:

  1. Ana Gomez from Flavours of Spain has kindly pointed out a couple of alterations for me...

    * The eggs weren't actually fried, they were just cooked in the oven around the same time as the muffin with a sprinkling of paprika on top for added punch...if you ask me that required very skilful work by the chef to get those timings right so that everything was cooked perfectly!

    * The boquerones salad I was served actually contained fresh anchovies

    * The top of the Arroz con Leche was caramelised to produce the dark honey colour, and provided added sweetness alongside the rich scents of cinnamon and vanilla

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