TONGHAM TAPAS FIESTA REPORT

Another great sell-out event in Tongham Village Hall! For the fifty guests who came and need reminding or for those who couldn’t make it, this is what we served at the Tongham Tapas Fiesta / Spanish Wine Tasting evening.

Olive and Red Pepper Tapas

Wine and Tapas Course No.1
Dry Fino Sherry
DO Jerez. South West Spain.
Marks and Spencers by Bodegas William Humbert
15% - Bone Dry and Crisp. Made from Palomino Grapes.
Ideal or as an aperitif or with Tapas. The salty, green olive and lemon taste goes extremely well with olives and egg dishes.
John’s notes – A really good value Fino Sherry and great pairing.
We served this with Tortilla Espanola (Spanish Omelette), garlic and red pepper Olives and an amazing Chorizo.

Wine and Tapas Course No.2
Val do Salnes Albarino Sobre Lias 2009
Bodegas Castro Martin
DO Rias Baixas Galicia North West Spain
12% - Light, Dry and Fruity. Albarino Grapes.
Available in Marks and Spencers.
Peach & pear flavours and high acidity. Ideal with seafood.
John’s notes – Very good Albarino with a lovely spritz.
We served this with a shot glass of Gazpacho (Spanish tomato soup) and prawn & seafood tapas (fish was available for those with seafood allergies)


Great artisan made Chorizo from acorn fed pigs

 Wine and Tapas Course No.3
Storks Tower Rose 2009
Tempranilla Shiraz Grapes
Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y Leon.
Hijos de Antonio Barcelo
12.5% - Fresh and crisp dark rose. Available in Tesco’s.
Ripe red berry fruit flavours makes this ideal for salmon or spicy food.
John’s notes – Always lovely, an almost perfect easy drinking rose.
We served this with warm Chorizo and garlic mayonnaise plus mushrooms marinated in white wine with chillies, garlic & paprika.

4 of our special wines

Wine and Tapas Course No.4
El Chaparral De Vega Sindoa 2008
Old Vines Garnacha (Grenache) grapes
DO Navarra. Bodegas Nekeas.
14% - Balanced expression of this grape from north Navarra.
Lovely red wine that goes well with any red meat dishes especially those that involve a little spice. Available in Majestic.
John’s notes – A really nice red wine, probably the best Garnacha I have had.
We served this with medallions of pork in herbs and white wine and the classic Patatas Bravas, a spicy potato dish.

Wine and Tapas Course No.5
Marques de la Concordia 2005
DOC Rioja Reserva.
13.5% - 24 months in American oak and a further year in the bottle.
Was available from Majestic wines but they may not have it any more..
A classic Rioja taste that matches well with most red meat dishes.
John’s notes – A typical Rioja taste and good for the price– we got this when on special at Majestic.
We served this with another Tapas classic – Albondigas meatballs plus a side dish of broad beans with onions and paprika.

Wine and Tapas Course No.6
Camins del Priorat 2008
DOC Priorat
Alvaro Palacious – one of the best wine makes of the region.
14.5% - A wine that attempts to bring Priorat to a wider audience.
This wine is made from Carinena, Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah grapes. From Berry Bros & Rudd (also available from Waitrose).
A wine to be savoured with good food and cheese.
John’s notes – Wow! Very powerful and really great taste. This will be a contender for wine of the month.
We served this with a selection of Spanish & Basque cheeses. A lovely Maese Miguel Manchego from Sainsburys, a Istara P’tit Basque Brebis from Waitrose and a lovely Mahon from Waitrose.

7 chocolate chorizos

Wine and Tapas Course No 7
Williams and Humbert Sweet Pedro Ximinez Sherry
Bottled for Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference
DO Sherry aged for 12 years.
18% - Luscious Sweet full bodied dessert wine.
Caramel and Raisin flavours.
Silver medal & best in class IWSC awards.
John’s notes – a syrupy prune flavoured delight that pairs well with chocolate. You don’ need much!
We served this with Chocolate Chorizo – an amazing chorizo shaped chocolate confection.

All in all a great night and one that raised over £1,000 for Tongham Village Hall
I can’t end this report without a bunch of thanks –
To Jane and Christine for their wonderful cooking.
To Bob, Patricia and Carol for doing the serving.
To Ruby, Jeremy, Carol and others who worked so hard to prepare the hall.
To everyone, including Hampton Estates, who brought along the raffle prizes.
To Alain Murchison who contributed our auction item that raised so much money.
And to everyone who contributed to the evening’s success.

Some comments (gratefully received) from those who came:

Our own master chef Jane

Very many thanks Jane and John for a superb night of Spanish wines and
Tapas. Chris and I enjoyed it all immensely and both agreed it was the best
one yet! You and the team did a superb job, and despite no doubt, all the hard
work in preparation, you made it look slick, and professional. Very
well done.We can't wait until the next one.

What a fantastic evening. Great food, fine wine and lovely company -
what else could you ask for? Raising money for an excellent cause of
course! I hope all your hard effort is appreciated - keep up the good work -and see you at the next event.

Well done to you both for a fab evening, we really enjoyed ourselves.

Keep watching this blog to find out when our next spectacular will be.