At home on World Chaîne Day we prepared ham hock (pork knuckle) accompanied by a very rich red from Bodegas Pesquera, courtesy of Andrés Barsumian. It was so delicious that nothing was left!

When the Celtiberians settled in our country they introduced the breeding of pigs. If there is a predominant product in the history of Spanish gastronomy it is pork. Either in the form of fresh or cooked meat, or sausages and derivatives, both cured and salted.

Today there are no regions in Spain where pork and the pork tradition are not present. A white meat, versatile, affordable, healthy and delicious, pork is a true star of Spanish cuisine. Dishes have been created as tasty as this ham hock, cooked and baked, which you can enjoy at home using a recipe offered by INTERPORC - the Interprofesional del Porcino Español de Capa Blanca.

Regarding the wine, Alejandro Fernandez Pesquera Original is a pioneer in Tempranillo winemaking methods. The wine was named in honour of Pesquera de Duero, the town where the winery is located. It is the ackknowledged gold standard for wines from this region.

Spain’s Chargé de Presse, Andrés Barsumian (Monsoon Trade) was a member of the Bailliage of Venezuela until 2017. He is passionate about food markets. Andrés advocates the purism of gastronomy. A student of Escoffier, he has developed a long history of recipes from various cultures.

Given his wealth of gastronomic experience Andrés shares his knowledge in a general culinary adviser capacity with the Bailliage of Spain. Currently a member of the Spanish Association of Wine Journalists and Writers for whom he is a gastronomic advisor, in this capacity Andrés is responsible for covering culinary and wine events in Europe.

Abel González Martín
Chargé de Missions