While virtually wondering the vast reaches of the Internet, you will occasionally stumble upon something that makes you pause, albeit briefly, and consider a moment in time. The below image dates from 1846, a view of San Sebastián that feels familiar even 170 years later.
Donostia Foods Octopus in Olive Oil was featured on The Feed Podcast (2015 James Beard award-winner for best podcast) from Chef Rick Bayless and 13-time James Beard award winner food journalist Steve Dolinsky.
As Rick says, "I love the chewiness of that octopus. It’s chewy in the right way, not in the wrong way, it’s not like rubbery or anything, it offers a little bit of resistance so it doesn’t just melt in your mouth. It would be just wonderful, I want to go home and turn these into simple things that I can put with some bread. I’m thinking about that octopus I want to put a little bit of red chili on it, and perhaps a little bit of mayonnaise to mix in with it, some fresh herbs. Oh my god, it would be so good."
A high-protein, flavorful snack straight from the tin, if you're looking for additional recipe and serving suggestions for octopus in olive oil look no further than our Pinterest board dedicated to exactly that.
Want to cut through the confusion in choosing an olive oil? Articles to come will delve into further detail, but here are a few major points on the different types:
Those are the three basic options you'll be confronted with in any grocery store aisle. When in doubt, go with a real extra virgin olive oil and you'll be satisfied with the results, however you use it.
Donostia Foods Gran Reserva Sherry Vinegar D.O. Vinagre de Jerez is not just a long name, but a superior ingredient in numerous recipes. What recipes, you ask? These recipes. Soups, salads, and sauces; appetizers, sides, and mains; even desserts and pastries. Follow our board on Pinterest for a continually growing collection of serving suggestions from the likes of Bon Appétit Magazine, the New York Times, the BBC, food bloggers, and of course, us.
Gran reserva sherry vinegar, denomination of origin Vinagre de Jerez, is produced with the traditional solera system in the Jerez region of Spain and aged a minimum of 10 years. A rich mahogany color and silky texture develop from the traditional solera process which begins with sherry wine and consists of oak barrels stacked atop each other, the bottom row home to the oldest vinegar, or the "solera". As the vinegar matures the original flavor of the wine takes on notes from the oak barrels and eventually realizes the intense flavor chefs seek.
If you wander about the Internet, on occasion you uncover something delightful from long ago. This postcard of Donostia-San Sebastian is one of those delightful things. We're not sure of the exact date of this photo, but it captures the charm of the city in a bygone era.
The full postcard:
Donostia Foods products are on the shelves of the award-winning Southern Season, a culinary destination in the South since 1975. Located in Chapel Hill, Charleston, Raleigh, and Richmond, and soon in Atlanta, Southern Season offers a vast array of the finest foods, wines, housewares, and cookware, along with a knowledgeable, friendly staff to help you seek out exactly what you're looking for or discover something new. Also, there's an old-fashioned soda bar, a wine and beer tasting bar, a coffee and tea bar, and a restaurant; needless to say, all ages will leave satisfied.
Featured in Travel + Leisure, Southern Living, Gourmet Retailer, and on the Food Network, a New York Times food critic summed up the store nicely, stating that Southern Season is "wall to wall and floor to ceiling... a visual and gustatory delight!"
Cantabrian anchovies change people's minds. While many may hold fast to the notion of hold the anchovies whenever confronted with the small fish, this habit is most likely born from experience with poor quality examples found in massive grocery stores or atop cheap pizzas, not the umami imbued fillets originating off the coast of northern Spain.
Make sure to eat the good ones. As chef Frank Camorra says in Emily Naismith's article, "Food We Fight About: Anchovies":
People hate anchovies because they have never tried a quality anchovy fished from the Atlantic rather than the Mediterranean. The Atlantic anchovies are plumper, with a higher fat content, making them much firmer in texture and more delicious, as well as less salty.
To help you experience our quality Cantabrian anchovies in the finest fashion, below are a few recipes and serving suggestions:
All you need to concoct this culinary delight are Donostia Foods Cantabrian anchovies, authentic piquillo peppers D.O. Lodosa, and your favorite, fresh crusty bread brushed with olive oil, garlic, and toasted.
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Charles Chusseau-Flaviens was a French photojournalist working in the 1890s to 1910s. Little is known of the man, but he is given credit for establishing one of the first photo press agencies, distributing photos for publication from an office in Paris. Above is one of the images credited to Chusseau-Flaviens from ca. 1908 from the George Eastman House Photography Collection. Donostia-San Sebastián, over 100 years ago.
If you haven't visited donostiafoods.com recently, until this moment, you may notice a new look. We've refreshed the site's appearance with a few key improvements to make all of our authentic Spanish food for pintxos and tapas look even more appetizing and easier to order. Your brand new hi-resolution monitor will appreciate all of our tinkering.
Take a look around, see all the new photographs, read all the new blog posts, visit the recipes and serving suggestions page for culinary inspiration for your next social gathering, or just your next snack. Some are so simple they are an easy way to make an otherwise ordinary Tuesday afternoon bite between lunch and dinner a gastronomic delight. Or something.
