CHISTORRA

Chistorra is a great Spanish product. Similar to chorizo but thinner (because it was normally made with the tripes of lambs) It comes from the North of Spain and it is difficult to find it in the UK, but Brindisa is now selling it (as well as 'presa iberica' which is truly delicious iberico pork meat). All you need to do is to heat a pan (with no oil), cut the chistorra in 2 cms chuncks and fry it for 2-3 minutes until it is crispy on all sides. Just eat it with bread (crusty is best). Serve it as a snack or as an appetiser with drinks or on the side of fried eggs. It is always a success.
 

LESS IS MORE - BLACK SNOWDONIA CHEESE

Let me start by declaring that we are not being paid by the cheese producer for this (or any other!) posts. But this is such a wonderful cheese that we just have to put it into our 'less is more' chapter. I was given it as a present when I visited Montgomeryshire earlier this week.  I have never-ever tried such an excellent cheddar before - it is simply outstanding. So good that we are eating it on its own as nothing else would do it justice. Before I left for more trips later in the week I put it in the fridge behind the broccoli (where there is no risk that any of my children ever looks!)  and yet they managed to find it... So you can see below how quickly it is disappearing.

 

HAND CUT IBERICO HAM

... and another great product that you should enjoy on its own. No need for cooking, no need even for bread with tomato on the side, just eat it as such, maximum with a tiny bit of bread (the beer is mine).

LESS IS MORE - TOMATOES

We were recently in a fishermen village and had the luck to see the fishermen coming back in the afternoon with their catch.  It was great for the kids to learn how to recognise fresh fish by looking at the bright red gills and the transparent eye...something they cannot do in supermarkets because all fish is filleted nowadays.

This led to a discussion about how if you are lucky enough to get a really fresh wild fish (almost impossible nowadays) you should try to do as little as possible to it.

Same goes for any other really good quality product. No sauces, no masking the flavour - just respect the product.

So we are including a new label called 'less is more'.

Our first 'less is more' product is homegrown tomatoes ripened in the full Spanish sun. Just add olive oil, salt and vinegar and enjoy.