Málaga

Table wines return to the Málaga region

Table wines return to the Málaga region

Posted on by Pat and David
There' s a quiet wine revolution brewing in the Axarquía hills between Málaga and Nerja along Spain's southern coast. And it's based on a grape that either the Greeks or the Carthaginians brought here roughly 3,000 years ago. Locals call it Moscatel de Alejandría, though much of the international wine industry knows the grape as Muscat of Alexandria. North African in origin, it requires an incredibly dry climate because the grapes are very prone to mold. That makes it perfect for the mountains just inland from the Málaga coast. It's usually associated with dessert wines. But Moscatel can be coaxed to produce a delicious table wine. Just ask Clara Verheij, the winemaker at Bodegas Bentomiz (Finca El Almendro, Pago Cuesta Robano, Sayalonga; +34 633 049...Read More
The elegant simplicity of fish on a stick

The elegant simplicity of fish on a stick

Posted on by Pat and David
We spent a good part of last month in Spain working on a book update. That's our excuse for the lapse in posting here. This trip involved an extended stay in Málaga. It was the perfect time to get reacquainted with the fish of the Costa del Sol — and with the delights of eating on the beach. The photo above shows the espartero of Restaurante Andrés Maricuchi (Paseo Marítimo el Pedregal, 14, Málaga; +34 952 20 06 12; andresmaricuchi.com). He's broiling fish on a stake against wood coals burning in a rowboat filled with sand on Pedregalejo beach. To be specific, he's broiling sardines because that's we ordered just minutes before. Maricuchi is one of a long line of beach restaurants in this former...Read More
Finca La Beata shows Bobal at its meatiest

Finca La Beata shows Bobal at its meatiest

Posted on by Pat and David
Regular readers know we've been doing a survey of Bobal wines from the Utiel Requena region of Valencia. As we contemplated a dish to eat with the 2013 “Finca La Beata Bobal” from Dominio de la Vega (dominiodelavega.com), we faced a quandary. The sheer weight of the bottle signaled a Very Important Wine. (Empty, it clocks in at 1.2 kg/2.7 lb.) When it arrived at our door, the weather was cold and dank; now it's hot and steamy. Based on the other Bobal wines, we suspected that it would cry out for very beefy beef. But steamy summer is not the time for rabo de toro, the classic Spanish braise of oxtail. Then we remembered that Andalucían superchef Dani García used oxtail in the scrumptious...Read More

What to eat at the airport in Málaga (AGP)

Posted on by Pat and David
Until last year, international travelers at Terminal 3 in Málaga's airport servicing the Costa del Sol were pretty much stuck with international fast food like Starbucks, Burger King, and England's Soho Coffee. So we were delighted to see that Michelin-starred local superchef Dani García had opened Dani García DeliBar. Much of the menu overlaps offerings in García's Manzanilla tapas bar in downtown Málaga, which is one of our favorite spots in a city that has belatedly but enthusiastically embraced contemporary Spanish cuisine. One of García's strengths has been the reinvention of some classic sandwiches by giving them a distinctly Andalucían twist. His bacalao (salt cod) sandwich with tomato sauce and chipotle mayo is heads above the best filet-o-fish. His Burguer Bull (pictured above) has brought...Read More