Hi all,
How are you doing on this lovely Sunday night? It snowed earlier today, yaay! The bulk of it has melted, but I’m a hopeful soul and I’m looking forward to more flurries of snowfall this week.
As a self-confessed foodie, I can usually be found in the kitchen, trialling out new recipes and ogling my KitchenAid. I’m finding I’m cooking a lot with extra virgin olive oil. It’s great as a dipping sauce, as a base for making ragu, or just vials of the amber liquid filled with bright red chillies for a stunning centre-piece when hosting a dinner party.
Which is why I read about an Olive Oil Tasting Masterclass with avid interest. Organised by Ibérica, it’s all about Pago Baldíos San Carlos Olive Oil.
Now, I didn’t know this, but since the 17th century, Pago Baldíos San Carlos has been the legacy of many generations of olive oil producers appreciated for their caring of olives and dedication to obtain products of a superb quality.
These olives, showered with TLC are grown in the foothills of Sierra de Gredos in Cáceres, Extremadura, where they’re harvested, ground, stored and packaged with modern and sophisticated machinery that allows them to obtain the best oil quality.
Ibérica Restaurant have placed delicious oil on the Mancunian map by welcoming Pago Baldíos and your good foodie selves, to a Masterclass where you will discover their range of delicate olive oils. You’ll also learn how to pair them with Ibérica’s canapés – how cool is that?
Also, on the day of the event at Ibérica, Pago will launch their exclusive Balsamic Vinegar Transparent Grand Reserve San Carlos Gourmet. Now, this is the grand-daddy of delicious olive oils. If you appreciate great food, love finding out about the staples in any self-respecting foodie’s kitchen, then you should totally get booked onto this Masterclass.
When & Where? Well, there are a range of Masterclasses occurring across the country. On Monday 25th January 2016 from 6pm, get down to Ibérica Marylebone. To reserve a space at Marylebone please email [email protected].
On Tuesday 26th January 2016 from 5.30pm pop down to Ibérica Victoria. To reserve a space at Victoria please email [email protected].
On Wednesday 27th January 2016 from 6pm get down to Ibérica Spinningfields, Manchester. To reserve a space at Manchester please email [email protected]
*Please note, there is a £10 reservation fee for this event which can be redeemed against dining or Delicatessen products on the night of the event only. Spaces are limited so please book fast to avoid disappointment!
So what’s so great about the Pago Baldíos San Carlos? This is an oil with a golden colour and a strong fruity flavour, very rare in the market, with touches of apple, almond, green banana and freshly-cut grass. Light in the mouth and with a bitter and spicy touch. 100% pure Arbequina varietal and harvested 15 days prematurely when the olive becomes purplish-blue. Ideal for salad dressing, tomatoes, ham, cheeses and deserts. Winner of the Extremadura Golden medal for the last 7 consecutive years and more than 40 international awards. This would be great as a dipping oil, lovely with a wodge of sourdough.
The Oro San Carlos olive oil has an intense green colour from the fruitiness of the olive and its flavour is light-bitter with the perfect touch of spiciness providing a sensational taste. This olive oil is made exclusively with olives collected on the first day of the harvest and of Arbequina and Cornicabra varietals. It’s the ideal combination for carpaccio, fish, rice, pasta and salads. Oro San Carlos has been awarded in 14 international contest and TOP 10 on World’s Best Olive Oils 2014. This would be great drizzled over pastas, for that very special pasta salad, or included in the base of a delicious, earthy ragu.
The San Carlos Gourmet has a golden-green colour as well as an intense fruitiness, a smell of freshly-cut grass, banana and green apple with a spicy touch. San Carlos Gourmet is produced from olives collected on the first harvest from Cornicabra varietal with a light touch of Arbequina. An ideal choice for potatoes, roast, stew, barbecues and cheeses; why not use this a marinade too?
The Balsamic Vinegar Transparent Grand Reserve San Carlos Gourmet Vinegar has an extraordinary flavour of raisins, caramel and honey, combined with a delicious sweet and sour taste that make this vinegar an exclusive condiment. Elaborated with the best selection of Pedro Ximénez sweet grapes, following the method of leaving them on the sun for their passerillage (the French term for air-drying to increase sugar concentration) followed by a long process of acidification, maturation and aging for 5 years. Due to this multi-faceted taste of this, I’d recommend pairing with brie or a creamy cheese, or mixed with a spoonful of honey for a sweet and sour kick with a punchy aftertaste.
If these Masterclasses sound right up your street, check out Ibérica now. See you there.
RAxx