Filed under: Culture, Tempra Tantrum, Wine | Tags: Airplane, Autism, korks-4-kids, non-profit, Recycle Corks, Recycle Wine, Stelvin, Tempra Tantrum, Wine Corks
Usually when flying, I like to catch up on my sleep, or catch up on reading my book. But on the last airplane, I met my seat neighbour, and somehow ended up talking about wine! She told me about an organization called Korks-4-Kids which I think is very special.
Korks 4 Kids
Korks-4-Kids is a non-profit that collects wine corks of any shape, size or quality and sells the material to recycling plants for a profit. Then they use the money collected to donate to the Autism Foundation. This organization hopes to expand and support other causes for children in the future.
Tempra Tantrum wines don’t use corks, instead they use stelvin-caps. But next time you’re drinking a Montecillo, or any wine with a cork, remember to save it. What could be better than a delicious and environmentally friendly way to help kids!
-Rocio
Filed under: Food, Food Recipes | Tags: Brazo de Gitano, Holiday Dessert, Recipe, Spanish Tradition
One of the desserts that I have eaten since I was a tiny girl, and before I could even speak, is the Brazo de Gitano, which translates as “Gypsy Arm”. Last harvest I had a laugh with winemaker Adam Richardson because of the name , it’s pretty odd, isn’t it? It is a sponge cake with a filling of cream that is so good. This is not just a holiday dessert, but it is a traditional dessert for any special occasion. I love to drink it with a glass of bubbly. Try it!
Brazo de Gitano
Ingredients:
5 eggs separated
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup of flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 tbsp. sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 cup heavy cream, whipped
1 1/4 tsp. rum extract
*1 tablespoon superfine sugar
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Beat egg yolks and 1/4 cup sugar until thick and smooth.
- Stir in flour, cocoa and vanilla extract.
- Whip egg whites until stiff, but not dry.
- Fold into yolk and flour mixture.
- Butter a 15 x 8-inch baking pan and line with wax paper.
- Butter well again (on top of paper), and dust lightly with 2 tbsp. of the confectioners’ sugar.
- Pour batter into the pan and spread out evenly.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes.
- Turn cake onto a cloth to cool for 10 min.
- Peel paper off
- Combine whipped cream, rum and sugar.
- Spread over cake and roll cake like a jellyroll, starting with the long edge.
- Sprinkle powder sugar on top, and chocolate powder if you wish!
Filed under: Spain, Travels, Wine | Tags: Spain, Tempranillo Texas, Tempranillo Wine, Texas, Texas State of mind
Texas Sign
Traveling through Texas, I became very amazed by the size of the state. Did you know that Texas is around 75,946 sq. miles – 196,699 sq. kilometers -larger than entire Spain?? As they say, “everything is bigger in Texas!”
When I was speaking with a wine rep, he told me that “Texas is a state of mind.” I didn’t really understand what that meant, but it hit me when I was in a mini market and saw Texas flags for sale, everywhere!! In all my travels, I had never been to a place that constantly reminds you of where you are, like Texas does.
I also found out that Tempranillo is a very popular varietal for Texas wine, which makes sense because of the hot climate conditions. I’m sad I wasn’t able to try one, but maybe I can find one in California, my next destination, in the midst of all their wines!
- Rocio
Filed under: Architecture, Art, Travels | Tags: Dallas, Hearst Tower, Margot and Bill, New York, Norman Foster, Swiss Re Building, Torre Caja de Madrid, Winspear Opera House
As I’ve mentioned many times, Norman Foster is one of my favourite architects. I’ve seen many of his buildings in real life including the Swiss Re Building and the Millennium Bridge in London, the Torre Caja de Madrid, and recently, the Hearst Tower in New York. When I came to Dallas, I was so happily surprised to see one of his latest projects.
Foster designed the newly opened Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House, which is incredible! It is an environmentally conscious, state-of-the-art building in the Arts District in downtown Dallas designed as a 21st century interpretation of the traditional horse-shoe style opera house.
pc: Ivan Baan
Isn’t it amazing? I would love to experience a performance!
-Rocio
Filed under: Art, Tempra Tantrum, Travels, Wine | Tags: Cowboy's Stadium, Dallas, Nasher Sculpture Center, Nebraska Football, Norman Foster, Park Dallas, Tempra Tantrum Wines, Texas, Texas Football
Dallas Lunch
Texas vs. Nebraska football match
At the new Cowboy's Stadium
Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas
Filed under: Culture, Travels | Tags: Dallas, Hermes, Lisbon, New York City, Shower, Wine Tasting
I’ve been traveling a lot lately, and the last thing I thought I’d miss from home, is my shower. But after trying to so many different ones, I have to say: I MISS MY SHOWER!!
In NYC I had a difficult time trying to get drops of water over my head, and this tiny problem made the shower time very cold and uncomfortable, as there was not enough water to warm me up.
In Dallas, my problem was with the temperature. The water was either way too cold or way too hot. Every little movement of the tap made me scream as I got scalded or frozen!!
Sometimes, there are also those very fancy showers, so fancy that you don’t know how to make them work, and trust me, they don’t come with an instruction leaflet. In a fancy hotel in South Beach, they had a round bath in the middle of the bathroom surrounded by white curtains that were hiding the tap, and made it impossible for me to find! Also, there wasn’t a place for the soap and the shampoo, so they were standing on the edge of the bath like some kind of wire-walker.
An example of a very modern-difficult-to-use-but-cool shower
And of course, how to forget the bath amenities of the hotel in Lisbon!! Hermes, the body wash with the nice and pungent aroma of oranges, followed me all day long and through the wines tastings… I knew something wasn’t right when I picked up orange aromas in a 100% Touriga Nacional red wine!!
Next time I find a great shower, I´ll make sure to let you know. In the meantime, I want to make a love declaration to my shower, I’ve never realized how hard she works to make my time so enjoyable!!
-Rocio
Filed under: Spain, Tempra Tantrum, Wine | Tags: Food and Wine, Red Spanish Wine, Tempra Tantrum Wines, Tempranillo Blends, Tempranillo Garnacha, Tempranillo-Cabernet, Tempranillo-Merlot, Tempranillo-Shiraz
Have you ever thought about wines having different personalities like humans do? Maybe I’m crazy, but I do, and I’ve gotten to a point where I have created completely different characters for each of my Tempra Tantrum wines.
Tempra Tantrum Tempranillo/ Grenache
Tempranillo/Grenache: She’s an easy going girl, very delicate, soft and romantic with a unique personality. She loves the arts, and is pretty quiet. She rather have a handful of very close and good friends, than a big group of acquaintances. Her style is classic and sophisticated. Her personality really shines in intimate settings, so make a romantic dinner at home, and she’s all yours.
Tempra Tantrum Tempranillo/Cabernet
Tempranillo/Cabernet: He is the perfect gentleman, educated, and well-traveled who has friends of many nationalities. He is smart, ingenious, and very stylish. He loves to explore cuisine from other countries and is not afraid to try new things. He is sweet, but strong and masculine, and makes a great dinner companion.
Tempra Tantrum Tempranillo/Merlot
Tempranillo/Merlot: She is kind of crazy, funny, and has an explosive character. She is very open, friendly, passionate and lives on the edge. Her style is very eclectic, and likes to mix a lot of styles all together. When she goes to parties, she becomes the center of attention. With such a bright personality, she’s the kind of girl you want to introduce to your friends.
Tempra Tantrum Tempranillo/Shiraz
Tempranillo/Shiraz: He is a very deep and complex guy who loves jazz and reading philosophical books. His place is quite messy, and he doesn’t care much for material things. He wants to be a writer and spends much time analyzing the world. One of his favourite things to do is to take strolls down the streets of a big city and have lunch at the park.
Do you identify with any of them? If so, with who??
-Rocio
Filed under: Culture, Food, Tempra Tantrum, Wine | Tags: Cheese Party, Entertaining, Liquor de Cassis, Olives, Piquillo Peppers, Tapas Party, Tempra Tantrum, Tuna, Unexpected Visits
Have you ever been at home and suddenly your friends pop in with out any warning?
It happens to me a lot, no matter if it’s to watch a soccer game, to chat or just to hang out. I’m pretty sure my friends do it because they know I always have a lot of wines and a wide selection of spirits. My “house bar” is pretty complete, if you want a Kir Royal cocktail, you bet I have Liquor de Cassis.
Because I experience this many times, I always have a few key ingredients that help me feed my friends when they appear at my doorstep. These are my “must-have” recommendations:
1- Bread loaves: Always helpful, cheap, and go with nearly everything. Also, bread makes people feel full!
2- Olives: Better if they come in a can as they last a long time. The trick is to put them in a bowl, chop some garlic, add a little bit of olive oil and a pinch of oregano.
3- Tuna: But the good one, the one that comes in a glass jar where you actually can see the tuna. It might be expensive but because it is cooked and in olive oil, it’ll last quite a long time and it’s very tasty.
4- Piquillo peppers: You can find them in a jar or in a can with olive oil. Place them with the tuna and some slices of bread so your friends can make their own toasts.
5- Cheese: Cured cheeses last more than the others, so make sure you have some cheese in your refrigerator. My choice, Manchego cheese!
6- Almonds: Put a spoon of olive oil in a saucepan and toast the almonds. Add sea salt and serve.
These are few things that are very helpful because you can store them for a while and very easy to make. And don’t forget the drinks, Tempra Tantrum wines are perfect for these casual moments!!
-Rocio
Filed under: Food, Spain, Uncategorized | Tags: Estado Puro, madrid restaurants, Modern Tapas, Paco Roncero, patatas bravas, Spanish Cuisine, Tapas, Where to go in Madrid
@ Estado Puro with my friend Alicia
Last Thursday in Madrid, I went to Chef Paco Roncero’s tapas bar, Estado Puro; the perfect example of the new and modern way to enjoy tapas. Many modern restaurants in Spain are honoring the tapa, but taking it to another level, creating and imagining new recipes, while experimenting with different textures, surprising presentations, etc. It’s wonderful to be able to taste top Spanish cuisine in small bites, as you can try many different items off the menu. And when the menu is good, believe me, you want to try as many things as you can.
Estado Puro makes surprising new versions of the most traditional tapas, not being afraid to change them upside down. Like the tortilla de patatas, I’ve tried many different versions: liquid, foam, ice cream flavoured… but Estado Puro’s creation was great, a soft and creamy potato purée with caramelized onions and an egg yolk, served in a small glass. The patatas bravas were very good, just a little bit hot as they should be. The toast was also quite good, though it’s a pity they don’t have more than 3 different types of bread. For dessert we had a new version of tiramisu, served in a glass, with mascarpone cheese and chocolate powder on top, and amaretto liquor gelatin at the bottom.
Patatas Bravas
Mini Burguers
Estado Puro; A New Tapas TrendTiramisu
The place is very nicely decorated, with many seats in front of a big window facing a busy street. The walls and the ceiling were completely covered by peinetas, an old Spanish flamenco accessory. It looked awesome!
What I didn’t like about the experience is that the waitress seemed quite rude. Maybe it’s because I just got back from the States, where the service is unbelievably nice and attentive. But my friends also complained about it, so I don’t think it was just that.
Other than that, the place is great. If you go to Madrid, don’t miss it, it’s cheap and chic!!
-Rocio
Filed under: Culture, Family, Food, Spain, Tempra Tantrum, Wine, Winemaking | Tags: Lambrusco, Osborne Family, Osborne Wine, Tempra Tantrum, Winemaking, Young Wine Drinker
Today I read an article in www.elmundovino.com about young people and their nonexistent relationship with wine. I’ve been aware of this for quite a long time as my friends mostly drink beer, coke, or just water during meals, and spirits and cocktails at night.
Coming from a family with more than 230 years of tradition in winemaking, it’s very sad for me to watch young people reject wine, something that has always been a part of Spain’s history, and is still a big part of our culture and economy.
Wine has suffered from anti-alcohol campaigns, being compared to spirits that have a lot more of alcohol volume. This is not the solution. Young people (over legal drinking age, of course) must be taught how to enjoy wine, in moderation, and as a part of our heritage. There has been a lot of health research done by doctors, stating that one glass of wine a day is good for the heart and also that red wine is full of antioxidants. Wine is also an element of gastronomy, with food and wine being good partners for hundreds of years, enhancing each other with their flavours.
Many of my friends say that most young people don’t drink wine because they don’t like the taste. I think one of the solutions to overcome this problem is to make more approachable wines, that are easier to drink, with more fresh fruit flavours , and at a reasonable price. This is the reason a lot of young people drink Lambrusco. And I’m not saying we should make Lambrusco to get young people to drink wine, but I believe a more modern and fruity wine will bring them closer to the culture of fine wine and food.
This is why I wanted Tempra Tantrum to be as it is, modern, fruity but dry, fresh and approachable, so people my age could start enjoying and learning about wine.
Enjoy a glass of vino this weekend. Cheers!
-Rocio
