Hey everyone! My group that I'll be traveling with has decided to have our farewell dinner at the Botin Restaurant. What would you suggest to order? :b:

Hey Smiley, been there a few times and loved it The restaurant is right domn the street from me so I expect you to give me a buzz (cell # is 656266844 when dialed from within Spain) and let me know when you will be eating there (the night and time) so I can at least pop over and say "hola"

The "croquetas caseras" RULE!...



If you look closely at the logo on the plate at bottom right hand corner of the image you will see that these are THE croquetas from Casa Bot�n itself

They have so many good plates, it is hard to choose but their salads are also great.

Saludos,
jer...

Jeremy you're killing me !
First the picture of that delicious looking tortilla and now the croquetas caseras!I'm going to die if you continue in this vein!

But anyway, if I were there I would order the croquetas as Jeremy suggested, then an order of cochinillo and finish with a nice flan! Wash it down with a nice glass of Sangria.

P.S. see if they still serve the Sangria in the Botin pitchers, about 7 inches high and six round. The waiter let me keep mine for souvenir and of course a very nice tip!

Hey Jer! Just wanted to let you know that I only know that my group will be at the restaurant April 27th, if everything works out ok. We won't know what time we'll be there until probabaly the day before! But I will give you a call when we get there...in 7 months!

Hey Booklady, YES! Last I was there about 4 months ago they were still serving the sangria up in those "jarras" (jars)

I second your recommendation of "cochinillo" (baby suckling pig) as it is sooooooo tender, delicious but not as good as those served up in Segovia.

Cool Smiley, hope to hear from ya by phone that day or the day before

I know 7 months seems like a long time but we are here for you to get your virtual Spain fix until your trip. Just think of my site and this board as a Spain lover's support group (SLA = Spain Lovers Anonymous )

In the meantime, hang in there and here is a pic to tide you over...



Click HERE for a close up of the tiles above the restaurant entrance.



Saludos,
jer...

p.d. and if the waiter does not let you take the jar home as a souvenir, just shove it down yer pants like I did

Hey guys. Ok, forgive me for being a little dumb, but I'm on summer vacation here in America and so the brain has temporarily shut down. This sangria that eveyone is talking about, isn't that a form of alcohol? Wouldn't that pose a problem for a 17 year old tourist, such as myself?

Hey Smiley, not a dumb question at all.

Yes Sangr�a has wine in it, red (typically "Rioja") or white depending on the type of Sangr�a. It can be strong or weak depending on where you have it.

Not sure if you know this but while people under the age of 18 can not legally buy alcoholic beverages, the legal drinking age is 16 here in Spain (now Smiley is planning a way to stay here for good ).

Check out the page at HERE for drinking ages of other countries

Drinking in Spain for the most part is cultural and not to get "blasted". I know this is going to begin a MEGA thread and much discussion but the U.S. legal drinking age is the highest in the world and I feel that this causes the teenagers "let's go get drunk" attitutedes and so many alcohol abuse problems amongst young people.

Here in Spain, it is not out of the ordinary to see parents giving even the smallest of children a sip of beer, wine or other alcoholic beverages once in a while.

So, on your trip it will be up to your teachers, group leaders, parents, etc... to allow you to or prohibit you from drinking Sangr�a.

Personally, when I was a group leader for high schoool students living for a month in Granada years back, I allowed them to drink Sangr�a and other typically Spanish drinks that contained alcohol when we went out as a group. It was controlled and I had the permission of most of their parents anyway who obviously valued the cultural and gastronomical experience of it all

Saludos,
jer...

p.d. Check out THIS PAGE for loads-o-sangr�a recipes

jer
ultimate madrid nut !
member # 1

posted 03 september 2002 16:45
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Hey Smiley, not a dumb question at all.

Yes Sangr�a has wine in it, red (typically "Rioja") or white depending on the type of Sangr�a). It can be strong or weak depending on where you have it.

Sorry, Jer, but the reality is that no one, makes Sangria from Rioja wine, except some really perverted types;-}, who might make it that way at home. Rioja is just too expensive to be profitable and practical for making sangria. Because of the sugar, fruit, casera, etc. that goes into to it and because it is a high profit item, it is usually the cheapest red table wine (in jugs or garrafas) available that goes into sangria. And into "vino de verano."

I guess I am just an optimist and an idealist

I think I meant to say that with Rioja is the way it is SUPPOSED to be made, just like the Kalimotxo (just kidding).

Take it for what it is worth Gerry, either way it is good to see you posting somewhere else but the Spanish Wine thread (even if this is wine related).

Saludos,
jer...

p.d. Gerry, I (as others for sure) would love your take on Casa Bot�n

Hey Jer. Thanks for all the great informtion. To be honest, I've had literally two sips of beer in my entire life and I've "choked" down a half glass of champaingne on my uncle's 50th wedding anniversary, just to be like everyone else. The thing is, I can't STAND the taste of ANY alcohol . Don't ask why cause I dunno. But I was just hoping to get a true "taste" of Spain by trying a sip or two of Sangria. Thanks again for the help.

Hey Smiley, I have never enjoyed the taste of alcohol either (except the occasional beer) but Sangr�a is well worth a try. I love the stuff :l: !!!

The strength of it will vary from place to place so try it at a few different places and don't get turned off to it if it is tastes too much like alcohol at the first place you try it in, give it a few more chances, you may be pleasantly surprised

I just may have to go out and do some taste testing to find the perfect sangr�a for you to try, oh the sacrifices I make for my board members

Saludos,
jer...

jer
ultimate madrid nut !
member # 1

posted 03 september 2002 19:50
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I guess I am just an optimist and an idealist

"I think I meant to say that with Rioja is the way it is SUPPOSED to be made, just like the Kalimotxo (just kidding)."

Sorry, again, Jer, but Sangria was never SUPPOSED to have been made with Rioja, which is relatively expensive. It has always generally been made with cheap red jug wine from La Mancha mostly. And most "Valdepe�as" that has supposedly been served in all the bars & restaurants in Madrid has long been pretty raw plonk, also from La Mancha. This is high-profit stuff. Sangria is just sweetened wine punch with fruit and doesn't really need great wine in it. (Some sangria can be quite good, if it is on the drier side, and refeshing in summer. I like a well-made white sangria.)

Gerry

I love Botin, not because it has the greatest food in Madrid, but because it is good, typical, and one Hell of a scene for foreigners, especially. It embodies old Spain. The gazpacho is very good, the pollo al ajillo is first-rate and the pig is good. I usually take most group that I lead on gastronomic and wine tours there, just because it is so colorful and so Madrid. The owner is a friend of mine, so I usually stop in on ever trip, sometimes for a late dinner with him and other friends.

Thanks for your scoop on Bot�n.

Jejejeje, you can beg to differ with me and be "sorrry jer" all you want but the pros know that sangr�a is IDEALLY and BEST with Rioja for exactly the reason you quoted, it is a great wine! I am not speaking of the massivly served sangr�a for huge profits since we know in that case you never get the best (of anything).

So, in your opinion, which would be better, sangr�a made with Rioja or with Don Sim�n tinto in a tetra brik from d�a

Personally, I would prefer the Rioja

Saludos,
jer...

jer
ultimate madrid nut !
member # 1

posted 04 september 2002 21:45
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Thanks for your scoop on Bot�n.

Jejejeje, you can beg to differ with me and be "sorrry jer" all you want but the pros know that sangr�a is IDEALLY and BEST with Rioja for exactly the reason you quoted, it is a great wine!"

Care to quote some of those "pros who know?" Of course you can make a sangria out of better wine and it will taste better, except for the fact that in sangria a wood-aged wine like a Rioja will not necessarily taste better that a well-made young wine with good fruit. I suppose a $300 bottle of Vega Sicilia or a $150 bottle of Priorato would be better still by your reasoning. And, though there are exceptions to every rule, few sangrias are made with real Rioja. It is just a waste of good wine. It also stands to reason that Sangria was invented to make plonk drinkable, not to make good wine taste like sweetened fruit punch.