The children of San Ildefonso sing lottery numbers, the nougat is back on the table and the article of our most popular eating and drinking products of the year. We have published this list of recommendations so many times that it has already become a Christmas classic. Whether preserves, drinks, cheese, sausage or sauces: 365 days gives you time to try out a lot of things, and as on previous occasions, we try to bring variety to our selection. Comidists, here are the delicacies that made the El Comidista team cry like Dolorosa:
Eat
Dias handcrafted fried potatoes
“No matter how skeptical you are about white label products from a supermarket like Dia, these potatoes will eliminate your Finolis prejudices in one fell swoop,” says Mikel López Iturriaga about the first product on this list. “Crisp, full-bodied and pure in flavor, they may not reach the excellence of the most artisanal/premium brands, but they surpass them in terms of value for money,” describes the food guide over the phone as crunches can be heard in the background , as if he were on a 16th century Spanish galleon. Price: 1.75 euros for two bags of 150 grams each.
CrunchyDIA%
Cheese dairy made from aged Cebreiro DOP Santo André
The editor-in-chief Mònica Escudero chooses this Galician cheese as one of her products of the year: “We have already spoken to you more than once about the fresh version because we love it, but about the aged version, made by Carlos Reija.” of the Santo cheese factory André in Castroverde (Lugo), has nothing to envy.” “In the minimum two months in which it matures, it becomes more compact and grainy, retains some of its acidity and freshness and at the same time is more intense and powerful, with a certain yeast flavor,” explains Escudero, who assures that he loves it. Whether on a board or crumbled over a vegetable cream. Price: around 40 euros per kilo in online shops that specialize in cheese.
Serrat Gros goat cheese
The general coordinator of the Comidista party also has his milk recommendation: “The offer of artisanal cheeses in Spain is so overwhelming that it is difficult to choose one, but I particularly like Serrat Gros because it has given me a lot of pleasure. “ ” “It is fine and subtle, it has a captivating creaminess and develops many of the most pleasant aromas that you can find in a goat cheese,” describes Mikel López Iturriaga, who recommends a visit to the cheese factory for two reasons: “The family is charming, and Josá del Cadí, one of the cutest towns in Alt Urgell (Lleida).” Price: It will be available next spring for around 50 euros per kilo (they ship to all mainland Spain).
Carsodo country sausage
“Since I was a child I was addicted to fuet, and since I was an adult I was addicted to all Catalan sausages. “To me they seem to be the best charcuteros in the world,” says David Remartínez. “This farmer's sausage is simple, but it has turned me into an absolute junkie; I can't live without it. I'm so addicted that my mother prepared one for me when I come home and another for when I leave,” admits the food journalist. “It's very tasty, well cured, with a sweet touch, good fat… My mouth is watering just describing it.” Price: It is available in many physical stores and sometimes online for around 15 euros per kilo.
Addictive.CARSODO
Iberian products from BEHER
A few months ago I was able to try out several Iberian products from BEHER and was thrilled. The Cular chorizo has a very intense flavor but is not at all heavy, as does the acorn-fed loin, which is of excellent quality. I also tried the acorn-fed Iberian ham, neither too fatty nor too salty, that this company from Guijuelo (Salamanca) sells in blister format. In short: a great brand to satisfy the gluttony that many of us suffer from from time to time. Price: several, check out the brand's website.
Chourizo cream with cheese from Casa da Avoa
This selection mixes sausage and dairy in one spread: “Chorizo + cheese sounds like a great combination, and we're not kidding ourselves, this cream is not for the faint of heart. However, the mixture works because the cheese chosen is fresh and the chestnut and wine act as intermediaries with pork, garlic and pepper,” says Mikel López Iturriaga. And he concludes: “With good toast, in a sandwich or in a mixed sandwich, it is a good drug.” Price: about 4.75 euros for a 120 gram jar in Galician product stores.
Anchovy fillets in Revilla butter
For 10 years, the well-known former Cantabrian President Miguel Ángel Revilla has named a canning factory in Santoña that produces cans as good as the one I selected. The anchovies are very clean and with the right amount of salt, and the combination with the milky note of a Ditto flavored butter is amazing. The price is not very affordable, but it is undoubtedly the best jam I have tried in 2023. Price: 16.95 euros per can of 12 to 14 sirloins on the company's website.
Relanzones in vinegar from Doña Emilia
“I came to them to buy their top anchovies at a reasonable price, but later when I tried the relanzones – also known as needles in other parts of the country – in vinegar, they left me in stitches,” admits Mònica Escudero. The jam contains only the specific fish, olive oil, vinegar, garlic and parsley and, according to Mònica, “it doesn’t need anything else”. “Now if you want a sprinkle of salt flakes and freshly ground pepper and want to make this an epic snack, some chopped chives or sweet onions and chopped parsley.” Price: 5.20 euros per 165 gram can in the cannery's online shop.
Mackerel fillets with Espelette pepper from Conservas Ana María
The person in charge of the food networks, Patricia Tablado, keeps this can from the Santoña company Conservas Ana María: “This year I tried these mackerel loins with Espelette pepper and I was delighted with their taste. An aperitif is enough and it's not the usual typical jam.” “The sirloins are whole and the combination of pepper and a touch of vinegar is totally addictive,” says Patricia as she orders two pallets. Price: around 7.50 euros for a 260 gram can in the online canned food store.
Mackerel fillet in Tejero olive oil
“It may sound silly, but one of my basic raw materials in the kitchen is Andalusian mackerel from Tejero,” says David Remartínez about this cheap, simple supermarket can, “but of an exceptional level.” “I love eating canned sandwiches for dinner , and you have no idea how many nights it has saved me. “I usually mix it with chilies and cucumbers or to make tortillas,” explains David about the tejero, which doesn’t trigger coups. Price: 1.99 euros for a 120 gram can on the brand's website.
Vitello Tonnato from La Finca
Mònica Escudero says she loves to cook, but also likes to have something on hand to make a meal for those days when she doesn't feel like doing anything else. “In such cases, this Vitello fulfills everything I want: you can eat it on its own, turn it into a sandwich if you're really hungry, or add it to a salad with green leaves or a slice of tomato,” explains the editor-in-chief. Chief Commisioner. “The meat is of high quality, it is to the point and well seasoned, the sauce is not exactly mayonnaise but it is delicious, with a hint of anchovy and a hint of lemon and capers that are refreshing,” describes Mònica. Price: 9.99 euros for a 150 gram pack in the La Finca online shop.
Harry's nut butter
“If you are looking for a peanut butter that is sound from a nutritional perspective, you may not have come to the right place,” warns the Ayatollah Comidister. “But if you have a sweet tooth who just wants to have fun, Harry's Nut Butter is for you thanks to the addition of small amounts of agave syrup and salt,” says López Iturriaga. “The Smoked Paprika variety also contains smoked paprika, garlic, sesame oil and chili, and when you get your hands on it you think about it for a long time until the bottle is empty.” Price: These Irish butters are sold in the BouiBoui Shop for €8.90 per 330 gram jar.
La Peladilla deer cake
“I love Murcian food more than myself, and my latest discovery in this area is the sumptuous Cierva cakes,” says Mikel López Iturriaga. “This specialty from Confitería La Peladilla in the capital Murcia is quite strange for foreigners because it is sweet but has a filling of eggs and meat. Its ingredients do not include large game: it is named after Juan de la Cierva, a Spanish monarchist politician from the time of Alfonso XIII,” explains Mikel. Price: You have to go to Murcia to try these cakes. They cost 2.20 euros if they are small and 3.20 euros for large ones.
For seasoning and cooking
Eggs from Pazo de Vilane
This year, Pazo de Vilane made the chef Diego Domínguez Almudévar happy: “The eggs of this brand have a uniform shape, fresh protein and a firm structure, as well as a resistant, creamy and aromatic yolk.” And the price is indeed higher than the average price for a dozen in the supermarket, but still acceptable for eggs of such good quality.” “Add all these things that are available in many supermarkets, and the result is that I don't buy others.” “Everyone always asks me : 'Where are these eggs with these crazy colored yolks?'” Diego confesses. Today he revealed his secret: Pazo de Vilane. Price: about 3.70 euros per dozen in some large stores.
I love Aubocassa oil
“I used this oil to prepare my summer toasts and salads. It is a bomb with perfectly balanced taste and aroma, intense, a little spicy, fresh and delicious,” says Mònica Escudero. “Its virtue rests on a series of meteorological coincidences that led to very few olives being harvested from certain olive trees, but the fruits that survived were exceptional (here they themselves tell it in detail).” Mònica warns that it is not is cheap right now but goes a long way because of its performance. “I assume that something that requires 8.5 kilos of these olives to produce has a justifiable price (which unfortunately I can only afford now and then).” Price: 19.50 euros for a pack of two 250ml bottles on the brand's website.
Hida Double Tomato Concentrate
Among the major tomato brands, Hida seems to me to be one of the most reliable on the market. For this reason, and because it is not so easy to find such specific Italian products where I live, this year I have often used the double concentrated tomato of this brand from Murcia. It seems to me to be one of those everyday lifesavers that you should always have at home: a stir fry can do the same thing in no time and helps add a good hit of umami to a sauce. If you haven't tried it yet, do it: it's cheap, versatile and easy to use. I just have to eat it by the spoonful, come on (something a certain editor of El Comidista does, whose name starts with M and ends with -ònica). Price: around 1.50 euros for a 170 gram can in large supermarkets.
Dough for Buitoni Empanadas
“This year I started making empanadas of all kinds: vegetables, meat, mixed, with tuna… and what I always have in the fridge are the waffles from Cocinera (now Buitoni),” explains Patricia Tablado, highlighting two virtues: them are affordable and you can get a great deal in a second. “I have already measured out the filling because I always add more or less beforehand. Of course, I spent a year perfecting it. Price: about 1.90 euros for a 280 gram pack in large chains.
Chilipum sauces
“A hot sauce could not be missing from my selection, and this year there are three: that of Chilipum, made with jalapenos, habaneros and Carolina Reaper, grown biodynamically in Mont-Roig del Camp (Tarragona),” explains Mònica Escudero . “The fact is that the sauces are great because, in addition to the respective chilies, they contain other vegetable ingredients and spices that give them flavor and aroma, and the hotter the sauce, the more complex,” he emphasizes about our product with the most of the year Capsaicin. . “The mildest is Sriracha, which you can add directly to anything by the spoonful. I use the Habanero a lot for marinades and the Carolina Reaper, which is really good for mixing with mayonnaise or stews and casseroles where very small amounts add a lot.” Price: 33.90 euros for a pack with the three sauces in the Chilipum online shop.
Drink
Colina Triste white wine from Vinos Sinceros
“It seems to me to be a very special wine, tasty, complex and fresh at the same time, but above all fun,” says chef award winner Claudia Polo. “The work of Vinos Sinceros speaks for itself: great care in the selection, processes and production,” he says. Apparently, this bottle owes its name to the fact that the Peña Carazo, in the Sabinares del Arlanza Natural Park, was the setting of the cemetery where the mythical film “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” was filmed. And yes: the wine is as good as the film. PriceAlso read: A box of three bottles costs 37 euros on the winery's website.
Picofino Gin Cream with black truffle
Rounding out our list of our favorite products of 2023 is this gin cream with hints of distilled black truffle – really not the thing that smells like exhaust – vanilla and Ceylon cinnamon. “A very creamy drink, perfect to extend with ice and a little conversation,” explains Mònica Escudero. “I don't confirm or deny that I've ever mixed it with coffee, just in case the purists come and tell me you can't do anything with it,” says Mònica in a voice that confirms rather than denies. Price: 19.47 euros for a 70cl bottle on the Picofino website.
Follow El Comidista on TikTok, Instagram, XFacebook or YouTube.