London enjoys food and music laced with Seville passion

by Bruce McMichael
Seville oranges and Ibérico cured meats
Seville oranges and Ibérico cured meats

Santa Semana is a special time in Seville, the heat soaked capital of Andalucía in southern Spain. It takes place in the week leading up to the Christian celebration of Easter and involves hugely popular processions of so-called pasos, truck-pulled floats full of life-like wooden sculptures highlighting the Virgin Mary or scenes from the Passion.

Music for Seville Tourism
Music for Seville Tourism

Ahead of this year’s Holy Week a celebration event was held this week in Westminster Cathedral Hall in central London hosted by Spanish Tourism and the city of Seville.

Tuna tartare with citric and mustard dressing
Tuna tartare with citric and mustard dressing

Launched with words from the deputy head of the commission from Spain’s London ambassador, the evening focused on Seville-based pianist Germán Garcia and some extraordinary singing by Sevillano Álex Ortiz.

Álex sang Saeta, a type of song associated with the procession of the Virgin Mary through the streets of Seville. Saeta dates back several centuries in Catholic Spain and today includes elements of Flamenco. Álex’s signing was incredibly intense, plaintive and emotional. It’s normally sung to a statue sung from a Seville balcony as a statue of Jesus passes on a pasos, but in Westminster Hall was embraced by a hushed audience.

Pouring Brunaj Espumoso de Naranja, an orange juice flavoured sparkling wine
Pouring Brunaj Espumoso de Naranja, an orange juice flavoured sparkling wine

The city is famous for orchards of orange trees and spring blossom. Thirty-one thousand trees are thriving today. The scent of orange blossom is like no other, and the scent fills the air in early March. The small, bitter tasting fruit is used in marmalade making and to flavour the most delicious Brunaj Espumoso de Naranja, an orange juice flavoured sparkling wine. Along with the soulful passionate singing of Alex, the orange-flavoured sparkling wine was the discovery of the night. Well, along with tables laden with well chosen tapas. ‘Iberica cured meats; chorizo and Salchichon from Andalucía served with ‘pan con tomate’ and ‘picos’ bread.

Crujiente de quesos: Toffee flavoured filo pastry with Spanish cheeses
Crujiente de quesos: Toffee flavoured filo pastry with Spanish cheeses

An usual flavour combination that would grace the early rounds of Masterchef was Crujiente de quesos, toffee flavoured filo pastry with a blend of Spanish cheeses was far tastier than it sounds with toffee dominating but gently cut with the warm, tart cheese. Other tapas included ‘Cucharita de tarta de atún rojo’ (tuna tartare with a citric and mustard dressing), served on small metal spoon and tasting fresh, salty and carefully prepared.

A selection of sweet bits and pieces made the most of Seville’s association with oranges and included Tortas de aceite Inés Rosales (flaky orange flavoured biscuits), orange candies from family-owned producer Huerta de Montelerio and Tacos de Tarta de Santiago (almond cake).

The music, food and flavours conjured up the heat and passion of the southern Spanish city and I’m sure had many guests promising to visit the city this year, if only to drink a glass of Brunaj Espumoso de Naranja in a café in on the edge of a heat drenched plaza.

http://www.visitsevilla.es

http://www.welovepeople.es

 

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Bruce McMichael

Food writing, discovering food stories, meeting producers, chefs and food enthusiasts are all part of desire to inspire, inform my readers and fellow food lovers. I am a freelance writer, journalist and published author focusing on the international world of food and drink, culture and travel. In 2019 I graduated from the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo, Italy with a Masters in Food Culture, Communication and Marketing. I am now a visiting Professor at the university teaching Food & Drink Writing. Based in London I travel widely, particularly across western Europe. I have chaired many conferences and meetings, spoken at conferences and events and often appear on radio and TV talking most about food, the business of food and being an entrepreneur. In 2017 I won an episode of the ITV (the UK-based national television channel) cooking competition show, 'Gordon Ramsay's Culinary Genius'. I took my children on holiday to Sicily with the prize money. As an experienced farmers' market manager and operator of a small marmalade/ preserves company, I am very familiar with the issues surrounding local food, farming, enterprise and the environment.