Monday, October 24, 2011

Codorniu Barcelona Supper Club, London

A new supper club is coming to town and this one has a twist to it. Not contented with just sitting and eating and would love to know more about the food too? This is where Codorniu Barcelona supper club comes in.

The 'Barcelona' supper club is a starting point to introduce diners to the wonders of Barcelona by way of three masterclasses. My interest was definitely piqued when I received the invitation for the preview session.

Upon arriving, I was greeted with a glass of cava, a nice way to relax and forget about the cold wintry weather outside. When it was time to start, we were given an introduction and brief descriptions of each masterclass. The large group were divided into three and I was placed in the first group.


Jamon



Our group were led to meet Chus Valvor to learn about Jamon. The Jamon on display is Jamon Iberico which we learnt is from a black Iberian pig. Chus was full of passion in explaining to us and I left with a better understanding of the origins, process and tips on what to look for when selecting my Jamon. The masterclass doesn't stop there, saunter up and try your hand at carving this buttery melt-in-your-mouth baby.

Jamon

Before you know it, the Jamon masterclass was over and we were ushered to the queen of Catalan Cooking, Rachel McCormack for a cooking class. Our group was tasked with making the first course, wild mushroom and smoked bacon soup.


(Image courtesy of Codorniu Barcelona Supper Club PR)

Mushroom mix


So off we went to wash our hands and don our aprons and set to work with cleaning and slicing mushrooms while another started frying the bacon. Add a bit of mortar and pestle action coupled with some slicing going on and we were nearly done. You get rewarded with another glass of cava while watching the gentle simmering of the soup.


Cordoniu cava


After all that cava drinking, it's time for the cava masterclass by Codorniu. It was interesting to hear from Nick Mantella about how Codorniu started and what it takes to be labelled as cava. We got to sample 5 different varieties and I have to say that my favourite is the Codorniu Extra Rosado.

Three masterclasses later and the place was setup for us to enjoy the Catalan dishes that were cooked.


Wild mushroom soup with smoked bacon


We started of course with the Wild mushroom and smoked bacon soup which was delicious and brought a gentle warmth to the body. This was my favourite.


Duck breast with Codorniu cava soaked pears

For mains we had Duck Breast with Codorniu soaked pears served with spinach, pinenuts & raisins.

The dinner ended with walnut custard cream for dessert.

Highlights for me were the interactive masterclasses which imparted a whole wealth of knowledge. It also brings a greater appreciation when you're tasting the produce. Plus it ends with a 3 course dinner and more cava. At £40, it makes for an entertaining evening.

For those who tire easily, there was quite a bit of standing involved so grab a chair when you can? And to the early dinner peeps, we started eating around 9.30pm so maybe grab a small bite before it starts to tide you over or alternative is to start with a liquid cava diet.


The first date is on the 16th November, click here for more information.


Chopstix2Steaknives was invited to the preview session.

2 comments:

  1. This sounds like a fun event. I really like the idea of cooking your own supper too. And of course the your mushroom soup was the best ;)

    Love your description of the jamon too. Buttery indeed.

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  2. Grubworm - I had to stop myself from eating the entire plate...they were that good! =)

    ReplyDelete

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