Can Ramon Party

Welcome to the 2nd annual Can Ramon Party
www.canramon.biz/

It's a first for Maria and Mini Maria. David is a cofounder of the party!

Catalunya is known for it's beautiful women-check out these two.
Lola Martinez y Maria Martinez Junyet.

Here are 6 more beauties! (We snuck in one American ringer).

Joan is a perfect host and winemaker...

...as is Manel. Pictured here with a very happy Chicagoan.

The wines of Manel and Joan are from their winery Finca Can Ramon. (www.canramon.biz/) These wines are of the highest quality and can actually be purchased in the Chicago area. It's more fun to drink them at the winery, but you'll need a long weekend. Shown here are their white, red, and cava.

The ladies of the house know their way around this country kitchen blindfolded.

They made wonderful toppings for the Catalan Xato salad-tuna, cod and anchovies.

OMG! (Dios Mio!)

Party cofounder and celebrity guest chef Florencio's house cured salmon and papaya,

and FOIE GRAS, (so irresistable that David and I pinched a piece or two before dinner),

and pequillo peppers stuffed with a rich cod mixture.

This is Florencio's marinaded tuna. A first for me and delicious!

A rookie coaxing a caracol (snail) from its shell.

A Catalan delicacy - a stew of Caracoles. Here's looking at you kid.
Yummmmmmmmmmmm!

Catalan pastries for dessert paired with 2 amazing ten year old dessert wines: a Chardonnay from Navarra, Spain and a Selection des Grande Nobiles from Alsace, France plus Can Ramon's own after dinner wine.

Food's ready and the room gets quiet-well in Spain the room is never really quiet. There's so much to say about the food and wine and friends.

Food and wine fit for the King of Spain himself. Or should I say the Counts of Catalunya.?

David pours cava for his sister and mother. Notice-that's a magnum he's pouring one-handed!
David is also a winemaker...you can follow his Vins Caseta de Fusta on Facebook. Also David has a blog: http://casetadefusta.blogspot.com His xarel.lo premiered this March.

Master chef, Florencio Martinez, and master winemaker, Manel Avinyo, - I don't think they're discussing the weather.

The Chicago/Sitges connection.

Can Ramon as viewed from atop Mont Gros.

It all starts with the vines, just beginning to leaf out in April.

Thank you to our friends at El Velero and Can Ramon for a perfect day. We welcome mini Maria to the 1st of many parties to come. To finish our day a breathtaking rainbow over Sant Pere de Ribes on the drive home. I swear I'm not making this up.