Sunset in a Glass: Adventures of a Food & Wine Road Warrior in Spain: Master Florida Chef Norman Van Aken, Godfather of Fusión Cuisine, Who Wrote: "One of the most knowledgeable people I’ve ever known on the gastronomy of Spain, Gerry Dawes."

 

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“No one knows the world of food and drink of Spain like Gerry Dawes!” Having Gerry guide you around Spain as my wife Janet and I have done is one of the greatest ways imaginable to take in what is white-hot or classic regarding all things gastronomia. Treat yourself and those you love to the real insider's tour and read Sunset in a Glass!"--Norman Van Aken, Chef, Restaurateur and author of Norman Van Aken’s Florida Kitchen and No Experience Necessary, the Culinary Odyssey of Chef Norman Van Aken. (From the quotes for Sunset in a Glass: Adventures of a Food & Wine Road Warrior in Spain (Volumes I, II, III & IV; publication of the first two volumes in Fall 2021.)

 

Jose Andrés shows Norman Van Aken how he fries at egg in Juan Suárez's kitchen, after a doay at Madrid Fusión 2006.  Photo by Gerry Dawes©2006.

 

Madrid Jan 12-15-06 Chef Norman Van Aken, Juan Suárez, Janet Van Aken, Chef José Andrés, Chef Mark Miller, culinary historian and scientist, author Harold McGee and Esmeralda Capel at the home of Juan and Esmeralda, when Juan showed all of them how to properly fry an egg Spanish style in Spanish Extra Virgen Olive Oil.  Photo by Gerry Dawes©2006.
 

Chef Norman Van Aken normanvanaken on Instagram "Happy #tbt! Here we were in Madrid for @MadridFusion2006. We had been invited to a small but memorable gathering at a private home. Along with us were Chef Jose Andrés @chefjoseandres, Chef Mark Miller and among others Harold McGee @mcgee.onfood.onsmells. (Juan Suárez and Esmeralda Capel, one of the directors of Madrid Fusion, were our hosts).  Photo by one of the most knowledgeable people I’ve ever known on the #gastronomy of Spain, Gerry Dawes."

 

In 2006, the Bar at Casa Rafa Marisquería legend began to kick into high gear, when the likes of Charlie Trotter, Norman Van Aken, Tetsuya Wakuda and Don Alfonso Iaccarino were all at Madrid Fusión.  That year, I arranged to meet them all–three of the chefs with their significant others with them, along with star Spanish food journalist, Juanma Bellver–at the Bar at Rafa for some stellar shellfish tapas, a bit of bubbly and some conversation. 

 

  Gerry Dawes, Tetsuya Wakuda, Rochelle Smith, Livia Iaccarino, Janet Van Aken, Charlie Trotter and Norman Van Aken at Rafa.  Photo by Don Alfonso Iaccarino.

 

 

 

 Chefs Charlie Trotter and Norman Van Aken at Casa Rafa Marisquería in Madrid during a evening break from Madrid Fusión 2006.  Note Norman´s reflection in the mirror as he looks at his "brother" Charlie.  Photo by Gerry Dawes©2006.

 

 

Chef Norman Van Aken contemplates a whole rodaballo (turbot) at Kaia restaurant in Getaria, Spain on another outing with me in 2005.   Photo by Gerry Dawes©2005.

 

Chef Elena Arzak, Restaurante Arzak, San Sebastián with Chef Norman Van Aken on another adventure with me in 2005.  Photo by Gerry Dawes©2005.

 

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Sunset in a Glass: Adventures of a Food & Wine Road Warrior in Spain (Volumes I, II, III & IV; publication of the first two volumes in Fall 2021. 

 

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 Constructive comments are welcome and encouraged.

 

 Help Support Gerry Dawes's Spain & Its Content

If you enjoy these blog posts, please consider a contribution to help me continue the work of gathering all this great information and these photographs for Gerry Dawes's Insider's Guide to Spanish Food, Wine, Culture and Travel. Contributions of $5 and up will be greatly appreciated. Contributions of $100 or more will be acknowledged on the blog. Please click on this secure link to Paypal to make your contribution.

 

Text and photographs copyright by Gerry Dawes©2021.  Using photographs without crediting Gerry Dawes©2021 on Facebook.  Publication without my written permission is not authorized.

 

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  Shall deeds of Caesar or Napoleon ring
More true than Don Quixote's vapouring?
Hath winged Pegasus more nobly trod
Than Rocinante stumbling up to God?

 

Poem by Archer M. Huntington inscribed under the Don Quixote on his horse Rocinante bas-relief sculpture by his wife, Anna Vaughn Hyatt Huntington,

in the courtyard of the Hispanic Society of America’s incredible museum at 613 W. 155th Street, New York City.

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In 2019, again ranked in the Top 50 Gastronomy Blogs and Websites for Gastronomists & Gastronomes in 2019 by Feedspot. (Last Updated Oct 23, 2019) 

"The Best Gastronomy blogs selected from thousands of Food blogs, Culture blogs and Food Science blogs in our index using search and social metrics. We’ve carefully selected these websites because they are actively working to educate, inspire, and empower their readers with frequent updates and high-quality information."  

36. Gerry Dawes's Spain: An Insider's Guide to Spanish Food, Wine, Culture and Travel

 
About Gerry Dawes

My good friend Gerry Dawes, the unbridled Spanish food and wine enthusiast cum expert whose writing, photography, and countless crisscrossings of the peninsula have done the most to introduce Americans—and especially American food professionals—to my country's culinary life." -- Chef-restaurateur-humanitarian José Andrés, Nobel Peace Prize Nominee and Oscar Presenter 2019

Gerry Dawes is the Producer and Program Host of Gerry Dawes & Friends, a weekly radio progam on Pawling Public Radio in Pawling, New York (streaming live and archived at www.pawlingpublicradio.org and at www.beatofthevalley.com.)

Dawes was awarded Spain's prestigious Premio Nacional de Gastronomía (National Gastronomy Award) in 2003. He writes and speaks frequently on Spanish wine and gastronomy and leads gastronomy, wine and cultural tours to Spain. He was a finalist for the 2001 James Beard Foundation's Journalism Award for Best Magazine Writing on Wine, won The Cava Institute's First Prize for Journalism for his article on cava in 2004, was awarded the CineGourLand “Cinéfilos y Gourmets” (Cinephiles & Gourmets) prize in 2009 in Getxo (Vizcaya) and received the 2009 Association of Food Journalists Second Prize for Best Food Feature in a Magazine for his Food Arts article, a retrospective piece about Catalan star chef, Ferran Adrià. 

In December, 2009, Dawes was awarded the Food Arts Silver Spoon Award in a profile written by José Andrés. 

". . .That we were the first to introduce American readers to Ferran Adrià in 1997 and have ever since continued to bring you a blow-by-blow narrative of Spain's riveting ferment is chiefly due to our Spanish correspondent, Gerry "Mr. Spain" Dawes, the messianic wine and food journalist raised in Southern Illinois and possessor of a self-accumulated doctorate in the Spanish table. Gerry once again brings us up to the very minute. . ." - - Michael & Ariane Batterberry, Editor-in-Chief/Publisher and Founding Editor/Publisher, Food Arts, October 2009. 

 

Pilot for a reality television series on wine, gastronomy, culture and travel in Spain.
 

Experience Spain With Gerry Dawes: Customized Culinary, Wine & Cultural Trips to Spain & Travel Consulting on Spain  

Gerry Dawes can be reached at gerrydawes@aol.com; Alternate e-mail (use only if your e-mail to AOL is rejected): gerrydawes@gmail.com

Packing, getting ready to head for Madrid tomorrow evening

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Packing, getting ready to head for Madrid tomorrow evening, nine days in Madrid, Madrid Fusion, then to La Rioja, Navarra, a week on the wine roads of Galicia, down to Cigales, then back to Madrid to pick up Kay and on east and south to Alicante, Valencia,  Granada and Mijas, spending nights in my favorite, Chinchòn, on each end of the trip!! More reports to follow.

 

(This trip turned into five weeks, with a return to Madrid, a night in Tordesillas and a return trip to Galicia: Valdeorras, Ribeira Sacra, Lugo, Santiago de Compostela and Cambados, a cancelled flight from Santiago to Madrid, a six-hour run to Madrid Barajas airport Terminal IV with Spanish journalists Carlos Maribona and Rosa Rivas, checking in (miraculously with only 45 minutes to spare) and making the 16:55 plane to New York, where I was greeted by a monster snow storm (Feb. 25) and a harrowing ride in a limo up to Kay's house in Putnam County.)

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About Gerry Dawes

Gerry Dawes's Spain: An Insider's Guide to Spanish Food, Wine, Culture and Travel


Gerry Dawes was awarded Spain's prestigious Premio Nacional de Gastronomía (National Gastronomy Award) in 2003. He writes and speaks frequently on Spanish wine and gastronomy and leads gastronomy, wine and cultural tours to Spain. He was a finalist for the 2001 James Beard Foundation's Journalism Award for Best Magazine Writing on Wine, won The Cava Institute's First Prize for Journalism for his article on cava in 2004, was awarded the CineGourLand “Cinéfilos y Gourmets” (Cinephiles & Gourmets) prize in 2009 in Getxo (Vizcaya) and received the 2009 Association of Food Journalists Second Prize for Best Food Feature in a Magazine for his Food Arts article, a retrospective piece about Catalan star chef, Ferran Adrià.

In December, 2009, Dawes was awarded the Food Arts Silver Spoon Award in a profile written by José Andrés.

". . .That we were the first to introduce American readers to Ferran Adrià in 1997 and have ever since continued to bring you a blow-by-blow narrative of Spain's riveting ferment is chiefly due to our Spanish correspondent, Gerry "Mr. Spain" Dawes, the messianic wine and food journalist raised in Southern Illinois and possessor of a self-accumulated doctorate in the Spanish table. Gerry once again brings us up to the very minute. . ." - - Michael & Ariane Batterberry, Editor-in-Chief/Publisher and Founding Editor/Publisher, Food Arts, October 2009. 

Mr. Dawes is currently working on a reality television series
on wine, gastronomy, culture and travel in Spain.

Experience Spain With Gerry Dawes: Customized Culinary, Wine & Cultural Trips to Spain & Travel Consulting on Spain

Gerry Dawes can be reached at gerrydawes@aol.com; Alternate e-mail (use only if your e-mail to AOL is rejected): gerrydawes@gmail.com

Gerry's View - Spanish Food Reports Filed in Foods From Spain News

2006 - Madrid Fusion, Alimentaria & BCN Vanguardia, Salon Internacional de Gourmets, Spain's Ten, CIA-Worlds of Flavor, San Antonio New World Wine & Food Festival

The world of Spanish gastronomy has never been more exciting. Culinary conferences spotlighting Spain, both in Spain and the U.S.; trade shows with a focus on Spanish foodstuffs and wines; and gastronomic promotional events throughout the year offer unique opportunities to sample, savor and learn about both exciting, cutting edge Spanish cuisine and the great cooking based on the rich food traditions of Spain.

In January, as reported in Foods From Spain News (Winter Issue), Madrid Fusión 2006 took center stage in Madrid and dazzled the world press with innovative presentations from Spanish star chefs and culinarians such as Ferran Adrià, Juan Mari Arzak, Martín Berasategui, Thomas Keller, Charlie Trotter, José Andrés and Harold McGee, the author of On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen.

On October 14, Madrid Fusión will make its debut in New York appearance with Spain's Ten, a day-long "mini Madrid Fusión"as a part of the events surrounding the inauguration of the new International Center for Food & Wine, an offshoot of the long-established French Culinary Institute. Invited to the event are ten top Spanish modern cuisine chefs including Adrià, Arzak, Berasategui, Joan Roca and Paco Torreblanca. Several of these same chefs will also cook at a gala dinner for the James Beard Foundation on Oct. 12 and for the press and invited American chefs on Oct. 13 in the kitchens of the International Center for Food & Wine.

In March, far less well-known that Madrid Fusión in international gastronomic circles, but quite spectacular for professional culinarians and aficionados was the superb BCNVanguardia ‘06 Congreso Internacional de Gastronomía de Alimentaria that was featured during the huge Alimentaria trade fair, a bi-annual event with thousands of exhibitors, which took place in Barcelona from March 6-10.

In May, late this year because of the Easter holidays, the Salón Internacional del Club de Gourmets (May 8-11 at the Casa del Campo) featured in three different exhibition halls some 1,000 exhibitors showing 35,000 products to more than 50,000 visitors. 2006 marks the 20th Anniversary of this stellar trade show. Grupo Gourmets, the organizers of this annual event is also celebrating 30 years as the publishers of Club de Gourmets magazine and an outstanding, indispensable guidebook series that includes the annual Gourmetour Guía Gastronómica y Turística de España, the Guía de Vinos Gourmets wine guide and GourmetQuesos, a guide to Spain’s superb cheeses. During the Salón Internacional de Gourmets each year, the Bocuse d’Or prize for the best young chef in Spain is awarded, as well as Gourmetour prizes for the best restaurant, best chef, etc. There are also competitions of national significance for the best Cortador de Jamón (Ibérico ham-cutting championship), sponsored /Dehesa de Extremadura, and the Cata-Concurso de los Mejores Quesos de España, a judging of Spain’s finest cheeses that has been narrowed to ten finalists in each of seven categories.

On May 15 and 16 in New York and May 17 and 18 in Chicago, at a series of tastings the government of Navarra’s trade mission to the United States presented a range of Navarra food products such as pimientos de piquillo, asparagus and a wide variety of quality conserved vegetables and fruits, olive oil, cheeses and wines–charming Chardonnays, superb rosados, world-class reds and luscious dessert wines. For more information about products from Navarra, contact: José Guerra (mailto:jose.guerra@mcx.es from Foods From Spain or Miguel Moncada (mmoncada@camaranavarra.com) from the Cámara Navarra, the Chamber of Commerce of Navarra. Tasting & Touring in Navarra.

Also on the calendar are at least two other exciting Spanish-oriented gastronomic events, both of which will take place in November, 2006. The Culinary Institute of America's 9th annual Worlds of Flavor International Conference & Festival, will take place at their Greystone campus (a former monastery and winery) in Napa Valley from November 2-4, 2006. Widely acknow-ledged as the America's premier annual forum on world cuisines and culinary flavor trends for chefs, food journalists, and other food service, beverage and hospitality industry professionals, this year’s Worlds of Flavor event will be dedicated to Spain. Greg Drescher, Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Culinary Institute of America told Foods From Spain News, "This year the CIA will stage the largest and most comprehensive conference ever held in the United States on Spanish food and wine, and the contribution of Spain to world menus past and future. Our 2006 program, Spain and the World Table: Regional Traditions, Invention and Exchange, will bring together more than 50 guest faculty, leading chefs, cooks, cookbook authors, and other culinary and beverage experts from throughout Spain as well as from across the United States and elsewhere around the world. Conference presenters will lead seminars, tastings, and demonstrations and collaborate on special meals and the spectacular food bazaars and cultural events at the World Marketplace held in Greystone's historic 15,000 square foot Barrel Room."

This year’s Worlds of Flavor event, which focuses on the traditional cuisines of Spain–as well as modern cuisine elements–promises to be the most spectacular Spanish gastronomic event of the year. José Andrés, author, Spanish television personality and chef-partner in several Jaleo restaurants in Washington, D.C. will chair the event. For more information see: http://www.prochef.com/WOF2006

Less than a week later, from November 7 to 12, the 2006 San Antonio (Texas) New World Wine and Food Festival will also be dedicated to Spain in general and will highlight the gastronomy of the Canary Islands (many San Antonio area residents trace their roots to the Canary Islands). The festival will feature seminars and tasting on Spanish gastronomy, Spanish wines and cheeses and Canary Islands food, wine and culture. Spanish chefs from both the mainland and the Canary Islands will be invited to do demonstrations, cook at gala dinners, etc.
See: http://www.nwwff.org/

Madrid Fusion 2006: A Personal Behind-the-Scenes View

During the past four years, Madrid Fusión, a conference held every January at the modern IFEMA exhibition center in northeast Madrid, has become the Mecca for cocina de vanguardia, cutting-edge modern cuisine chefs from around the world. Madrid Fusión has become a modern gastronomy pilgrimage destination for such super-star Spanish chefs such as world-famous Catalan, Ferran Adrià of El Bullí, Juan Mari Arzak and Martín Berasategui of San Sebastián; a stellar lineup of emerging stars such as Sergi Arola, José Andrés, Dani García and Andoni Aduriz; and international star chefs such as Tetsuya Wakudi (Australia), Nobu Matsuhisha (New York, London, Las Vegas, etc.) and Charlie Trotter (Chicago).

The three-day conference features science-and-technique orientated presentations by today’s greatest modern cuisine chefs; awards to different culinary stars each year, dinners at some of Madrid’s top restaurants and stands featuring such products as Spanish Ibérico hams, extra virgen olive oils, wines and kitchen implements such as the miracle Termomix food processor.

Madrid Fusión 2006 featured awards to invited American master chefs who had made significant lifetime contributions to the American culinary landscape. They included four American culinary giants: Santa Fe’s Mark Miller, the godfather of modern Southwestern American cuisine; Norman Van Aken, who was the innovator of South Floridian-Carribean Basin fusion cuisine; Louisiana’s Paul Prudhomme, who put Cajun-Creole cuisine on the American culinary map; and Alice Water of Chez Panisse, who is credited with giving birth to new California cuisine. A number of American food-and-wine writers including Michael and Ariane Batterberry, publishers-editors of Food Arts and Judith Miller of Alfred A. Knopf book publishers were also honored.

From ballots given to the journalists attending Madrid Fusión 2006, a selection the Ten Most Influential Chefs in the World was chosen. Adrià topped the list and was followed by Alain Ducasse, Juan Mari Arzak, Michel Bras, Pierre Gagnaire, Heston Blumenthal, Nobu Matsuhisa, Charlie Trotter, Thomas Keller and Tetsuya Wakuda.

The long sought-after Thomas Keller, the superstar chef of The French Laundry in Napa Valley and Per Se in New York, came with Jonathan Bento, his chef de cuisine at Per Se, to cook a demonstration, as did José Andrés, executive chef-partner in several Washington, D. C. restaurants, including three Jaleo Spanish cuisine spots, Zaytinya (Eastern Mediterranean), Oyamel (Mexican) and the highly acclaimed Café Átlantico, where his Ferran Adrià-style minibar has drawn wide acclaim. Andrés has also become the star of the flourishing daily television program in Spain, Vamos a Cocinar, and seems well on his way to becoming the Spanish Emeril Lagasse.

As usual, Ferran Adrià played to packed house of culinarians, many of whom hung on every word during the presentation of his 23-point “manifesto” (some in Spain call his culinary philosophy, Ferranismo), which began with “Cooking is a language through which one can express harmony, creativity, happiness, beauty, poetry, complexity, magic, humor and provocation” and ended with “The knowledge and/or collaboration with experts in different fields (the culture of gastronomy, history, industrial design and science) is primordial in our evolution.”

Madrid Fusión kicked the 2006 conference at a party at the Casa de America celebrating ICEX’s superb GOURMETOUR gastronomic magazine, which celebrated its 20th Anniversary this year.