Introducing Bat's Blood! Our wine for Halloween

Here at Spanish Trading Co. we have been tasting some deicious wines for our restaurant and shop. Along the way we came across this little gem!  It's not Spanish but this time we really don't care!

When we saw the coffin box, I have to admit to thinking that this was just a promotioanl trick, but when you taste Bat's Blood, it is surprisingly delicious and well worth a second glass!!!  It is a merlot, grown and produced in Transylvania, the central area of Romania. Delicious and  full bodied with hints of forest fruits and a good tannin finish. 13% ABV.

Great for Halloween but fantastic for any occasion where you want to bring out your inner Goth and brilliant for Steampunk events! It also makes a lovely gift in the coffin shaped box.

You will all be especially pleased to know that no bats are ever harmed in the production of this lovely wine!

Tapas at Arnold's

Here at Spanish Trading Co., our new tapas bar "Arnold's" is proving popular with customers old and new.  Our menu has many Spanish tapas favourites and our daily specials change regularly so there is always something new to try. Many of the specials are our own recipes, inspired by our travels around Spain.  On our return I would attempt to re-create the simple dishes we had enjoyed and over the years the dishes developed into the ones you can enjoy at Arnold's now.  Our braised potatoes topped with chicken in Manzanilla Sherry, garlic and smoked pimentón is a popular choice when we have it on the Specials menu.

Delicious with an ice cold glass of our draught Estrella Damm or lovely with a chilled glass of the very same Manzanilla sherry used in the dish.
Other dishes on the specials menu include our lovely home made Ablóndigas, spiced with cumin, corriander and cinammon, these little Moorish meatballs are served in the classic style with a subtly spiced tomato sauce with peas. The beef slowly braised with mediterranean vegetables, and potatoes is another great dish that is proving popular, served with crusty bread to mop up the juices.
These dishes are great to share as part of a mixed tapas.

Spanish tapas and pinchos

We have a large selection of hot Spanish tapas and cold pinchos made fresh every day! 

A pincho is a piece of bread with a selection of meats,cheeses, peppers and tomatoes on top with a small cocktail stick to hold it all together 

Spanish After Dinner Liqueurs

A digestif after dinner is a tradtion in Spain. Whether taken in a resturant or simply at home,  a little glass of  a favoutite liqueur is a popular after dinner treat.  Often poured over ice, these liqueurs are sipped to aid digestion of the meal and often accomapnied with lively animated conversation.

 Many are infused with herbs, fruits and spices resulting in a wide variety of flavours. Probably one of the most famous is Ponche, in its distinctive mirrored silver bottle, this fruity liqueur is enjoyed all over Spain by natives and tourists alike.  Orujo De Hierbas, the minty tasting herb liqueur is also popular as are the sweet sloe infused Pacharan and the delicious aniseed flavoured Anise.

Sherry, a whole new world of flavour

Sherry has, in the past been given a bit of bad press, and you could be forgiven for thinking that it is only reserved for putting in the trifle or getting your Nan drunk on Christmas Day! If this is your attitude, maybe you should read on....

Made in the south of Spain, sherry comes in many different guises from bone dry to intoxicatingly sweet.  Here is a little insight into the main types;

Fino Sherry is pale in colour with a bone dry nutty tang and notes of of citrus and apple. This is amazing served chilled with tapas, olives or some marcona almonds

Manzanilla sherry is made near the sea where the salty air gives a distinctive tang to this bone dry pale sherry. Again, best served chilled, this goes well with taps, ham and seafood.

Amontillado sherry is  amber in colour with a semi-dry flavour with hints of hazelnut and almond. Best served at cool room temperature this goes beautifully with cheese, fish and white meats.

Oloroso sherry is amber in colour and smi dry with an intense complex flavour and notes of caramel and chocolate. Ideal served with cheese and red meats.

Pedro Ximenez is deliciously rich and sweet with a dark mahogany colour.  Lovely with strong cheeses such as the blue Valdeon, this also goes well with deserts and chocolate.

Sherry is becoming a popular drink in the UK and rightly so.  Maybe next time you fancy some tapas, give one of these a try. We stock them all in the shop and we will be happy to advise you. You won't be disappointed!

Spanish Cider

If you fancy a refreshing change from the usual British Cider, why not give the famous Spanish "Sidra" a try?
Produced in Asturias in the north of Spain, these ciders offer a refreshing change from beer or wine and they go really well with Tapas or a meal.
There are two kinds of Sidra, The natural still version and the Sparkling "Champagne version"  Each with its own special charicteristics and flavour. Both are presented in generous 700ml bottles - great for sharing!

The natural still cider is a little cloudy with a dry, tart apple flavour and great tannin finish.  It is traditionally poured a little at a time, from a great height into the glass to introduce air and bring out the complex flavours and aromas of the drink.  The glass is topped up regularly until the bottle is finished.  In Asturias,  it is generally served in a "Sideria" or cider bar, where the barmen are very skilled at pouring.

The second type of Asurian Cider is known as "Champanada" due to the way in which the cider is fermented in the bottle and topped with a cork just like Champagne.  This is lighter both in colour and flavour than the still cider but still retains fantastic dry, apple kick and delicate sparkle.  This also comes in a generous 700ml bottle.  We love to serve this with some good artesan made manchego cheese!

Next time you fancy a change, why not give one of these a try?
We have them both in stock at the shop and available also on line.