All language subtitles for Secrets.Of.Spain.2023.720p.BluRay.x264.AAC-[YTS.MX]

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[Gioconda Scott]
Spain has world
renowned cities

like Madrid, Barcelona,
and Seville,

but there is a Spain that
everybody is missing out on.

Official YIFY movies site:
YTS.MX

To really experience a place,

you have to go off
the beaten track.

If you travel just 20 minutes
outside of any major city,

you'll experience a deeper,
more authentic Spain

filled with great gastronomy,
wonderful characters,

and a history of many
different cultures.

My brother and I grew up
in Andalucia,

the largest and southern most
region of Spain.

the largest and southern most
region of Spain.

It has a rich and fascinating
culinary heritage.

And we want to show you
where to eat the best food

in this magical slice
of our country.

George and I are setting off

on a gastronomically inspired
road trip to the coast.

We'll be starting in the hills
where we live,

driving into the marshlands
on the delta,

and we'll end up in Sanlucar
near the ocean.

Here we will host
a dinner for our friends

who provide the produce,
fish, and wines

we serve in my restaurant.

We want to show you
how to travel here,
what to look for,

We want to show you
how to travel here,
what to look for,

and more than anything,

how naturally hospitable
and welcoming this country is.

We will start this journey
in our hometown
of Cazalla De La Sierra.

A typical Andalucian village

of white washed cottages

and orange blossoms,

nestled in the hills
of the natural park
north of Seville.

City dwellers retreat
to Cazalla

for fresh mountain air,

a slow pace of life,

and in search of the various
gastronomic delicacies
that are from here.

and in search of the various
gastronomic delicacies
that are from here.

My name is Gioconda Scott,

and I am a cook.

I've been cooking
professionally for 25 years.

For ten of those years,

I've travelled
around the world

cooking in the kitchens
of the chefs

that most inspired me.

I realized at a certain point

that the best job I could do

was to bring all that
knowledge and experience

was to bring all that
knowledge and experience

and invest it in the place
where I belong.

And having promised
that I was never gonna
open a restaurant,

I just did,

in Cazalla,

this town that I was born
and raised in,

within this
incredible building
called the Casino.

[speaking Spanish]

[Gioconda in English]
My restaurant
is located in a casino.

Casinos in Spain

are not what we traditionally
associate

with a word that conjures up
images of slot machines
and gambling tables.

Casinos here are social clubs,

Casinos here are social clubs,

they're often
the cultural center of a town

and a great place to get
into a local scene.

-[Gioconda speaking Spanish]
-[man speaking Spanish]

-[speaking Spanish]
-Si.

[speaking Spanish]

[in English] In my restaurant,

we serve many traditional
Andalucian dishes.

We use Iberico pork products
from the nearby farms,

mushrooms foraged
in the woods,

and we serve a selection
of classic tapas
like tortilla Espanola,

the famous Spanish omelet.

the famous Spanish omelet.

Tapas has become a,
sort of, form of eating,

an informal way of eating
socially in the bars,

and generally,
it's now referred to as

a small version of whatever
the bigger dish might be.

Tapa means to cover,
so what it was,

normally, it was a slice
of bread with something on it,

like, maybe a piece
of chorizo,

or a bit of, you know,
sausage or cheese,

and it will sit on top
of the glass, tapar,

and it would stop the flies
from going into your wine.

You don't fill yourself
with a tapa,

you kind of just, you know,
share it with some drinks

with friends or alone,

with friends or alone,

and it could be more
of a kind of social thing.

Luisa runs the kitchen with me
here in the Casino.

She is the master fryer,

and what she's going over here

is she's sifting the flour
out of the boquerones.

They are little anchovies,

fresh anchovies,

and they're just
tossed in flour,

which is a mixture
of chickpea and wheat flour.

And the chickpea flour gives

a little bit more texture
to the fish when you fry it,

so you get a nice
crispy bite there.

[speaking Spanish]

[speaking Spanish]

Mmm, Luisa.

-[Luisa speaking Spanish]
-[in English] Delicious.

[speaking Spanish]

[speaking Spanish]

[in English] My brother George

shares my passion for food.

My name is George Scott.

I was born in Spain,

and although,
I have an English name,
I'm as Spanish as it gets.

[Gioconda] George
produces olive oil

and takes people on journeys

and takes people on journeys

through Andalucia
on horseback.

He works with
many local farmers

and artisans in the region.

[George Scott]
I'm passionate about food,

about travel, and my country.

On my own doorstep,

I'm still discovering
new places and new people.

You have so much
to learn for not only

in their gastronomy,
but in their ways of life.

The hills surrounding Cazalla

are famous for olive groves

and for their Mediterranean
oak forests,

which produce the acorn,

the perfect habitat
for the Iberico pig

and for its famous
pata negra ham

and for its famous
pata negra ham

and other cured meats.

These secret treasures
can be found for sale

in many little local
butcher shops,
just like this one,

a block away
from my sister's restaurant.

[speaking Spanish]

[George in English]
This is quite something.

A small shop you'd probably
walk past in the street,

you've got a gem.

The peculiar thing
about this particular
family business

is the Jamon.

They not only raise
their own pigs,

but Paco here, in 2015,

became the champion
of Spain Jamon Carver,

which is a huge thing,

which is a huge thing,

it's a price that you get
once in your life,

he's kind of a national hero.

[Diedre speaking Spanish]

[George in English] The year
that he won top carver,

he also won in presentation.

For example, here,
with the first layers
of fat on the pig,

he's created a rose,

but every plate
is completely different
as you can see.

In Jamon itself,

the things that
you wanna look for

is that it has
a very thin wrist,

which means,
it's 100% Iberico,

and the incisions of fat,

so it shows that the pig
has actually eaten acorns

in the right quantity.

What that's so important
about this pigs?

It's the only pig in the world

with a metabolism
which can turn the acorn

into a fat which is beneficial
for you,

[chuckles] it's fantastic.

So you can eat as much
as you like of it,

and even doctors
recommend it to people

with high cholesterol
in Spain,

which is, can you imagine
what a delight?

which is, can you imagine
what a delight?

Talking about
family businesses,

I went to school with Diedre.

[speaking Spanish]

[in English] He went to school
with my brother,

so we've known each other
since we were children.

I do wanna, well,

ladies and gentlemen,
the most important thing

in Spanish gastronomy
in my view.

I wish you could
taste this right now.

[speaking Spanish]

[George in English]
You'll see this
everywhere in Spain,

but everybody has
their secret recipe,

but everybody has
their secret recipe,

and this particular shop

have a very, very good one.

People come up from Sevilla
and stock up.

Well, this is also
a cured meat,

so you can hang it in your
pantry or where ever for ages

And this is Paco,
who is the father,

so he's been here
for 59 years in this shop.

-[chuckles] Which is--
-[speaking Spanish]

[George speaking Spanish]

[in English]
Since he was 11-years-old.

-He's--
-[speaking Spanish]

[George speaking Spanish]

[in English]
So I think we should
probably buy some stuff

and take them back
for Gioconda, so...

[George speaking Spanish]

[George speaking Spanish]

[Gioconda] In addition
to Iberico pork products,

Andalucia
is the largest producer
of olive oil in Spain.

My brother makes
organic olive oil on his farm,

and I'm hoping he might've
saved some for me.

I've come to make
dinner tonight,

celebrating the local
ingredients of the season.

Now, we are surrounded
by wild aromatic herbs,

olive trees, and cork.

Everyone is on their way back
from a trail ride.

I'm making Sunday supper
for our friends
from the village

I'm making Sunday supper
for our friends
from the village

before George and I head out
of town in the morning.

Tonight, I'm making
a lamb dish.

It's a really simple dish
and typical of the area.

The lamb roams
all the country side
around here,

and I'm convinced

that they marinate themselves

as they ruminate the hills

with all the beautiful
wild herbs.

Wild thyme, wild oregano,

delicious,

and bay leaves.

We're gonna roast the lamb
in the wood fired oven here

using the last
of the summer tomatoes

using the last
of the summer tomatoes

and adding some fresh herbs
that grow wild in these hills.

Before I braise it, I'll add
a slug of George's olive oil

and some beautiful sherry wine
that is typical of the area.

So, I thought the perfect way
to end dinner tonight

would be with another fruit

which is optimum
in this season,

the quince.

Quince is a widely used
fruit in Spain

and a sort of cross between
a pear and an apple.

Scatter a generous amount
of sugar on top

and straight
on to the plancha.

and straight
on to the plancha.

just like that.

Wonderful.

Look at this wonderful

golden caramel on the quinces,
it's fabulous.

And what we're gonna do
is serve that

with a lovely touch of acidity
from the Greek yogurt...

...a scattering
of roasted almonds,

and some fresh mint
just to finish it off.

Absolutely beautiful.

[speaking Spanish]

[speaking Spanish]

[speaking Spanish]

[George speaking Spanish]

[Gioconda in English]
Oh, my God,
that looks so delicious.

[Gioconda in English]
Oh, my God,
that looks so delicious.

The tomatoes have all confited
in there with the olive oil,

and you can get
this amazing perfume
from all the wild herbs.

It's gonna be fantastic.

[speaking Spanish]

[speaking Spanish]

[Gioconda in English]
Gatherings like this
at George's farm

only happen
a few times a year,

and I love creating a menu

that's an expression
of the season in the area.

This evening
is a true celebration
of this time of year.

This evening
is a true celebration
of this time of year.

[speaking Spanish]

[speaking Spanish]

[speaking Spanish]

[in English] Everybody,
thank you for being here.

Thank you for this
incredible dinner that
you have fed us all.

[woman speaking Spanish]

-[speaking Spanish]
-[woman speaking Spanish]

[George in English]
We can't linger
too long tonight.

Tomorrow, our journey
to the coast begins,

and there are so many more

secrets to the region
to discover,

there is so much to explore.

there is so much to explore.

Don't you find it unbelievable

how varied the landscape
is here,

-it's just incredible.
-In Andalucia, no?

[Gioconda]
Yes, you come from Cazalla,

it's hills, cork trees,
olive trees,

-forests, green, you know?
-Rice fields. Yeah.

And then you come down,
and you got this,

-like, marshlands, flat,
the skyscape.
-Coastal.

It's a pretty a pretty
special place.

[Gioconda] Many things you may
think of as distinctly Spanish

like flamenco
and bull fighting

are Andalucian in origin.

are Andalucian in origin.

But in Spain, we know that

Andalucia is recognized
for its raw material

and the purity and quality
of its ingredients.

And we are off
to meet the people responsible

for making
this wonderful food.

Our journey will end
in Sanlucar de Barrameda,

a beautiful town
on the Atlantic coast

situated right at the mouth
of the Guadalquivir River.

Not only of enormous
historical importance,

but also home to a very
special variety of wine

unique to this area.

Not to mention that this
is where the explorers set off

to discover the new worlds

in the 15th
and 16th centuries.

But before we get
too far down the road,

we want to share a favorite
food secret of ours,

the Venta.

A Venta is our version
of a truck stop

or roadside diner.

What's so surprising
about these humble
and unassuming canteens

is how well you eat here.

They originated
in the 11th century

They originated
in the 11th century

and are virtually unknown
outside of Spain.

The are small,
no-frills restaurants

found off the highways
or country roads.

A place where many people
pass through

to have a quick coffee,
a snack, or home cooked meal,

you'll even see fruit
and vegetable vendors

coming in with
their fine produce,

families gathered
for a big lunch

or celebrating
a birthday party.

George and I
love a good Venta,

and they tend to be lively.

Even amongst us Spaniards,

knowing a good Venta
is sacred local knowledge.

knowing a good Venta
is sacred local knowledge.

The word venta
translates literally

from the word to sell, vender.

-[Gioconda] Yes.
-Venta, a place
where you sell.

[Gioconda] Venta, exactly.

And normally it will have,
like, a very simple
menu of the day,

-maybe eight or ten euros.
-Yeah.

That's what I would recommend
anybody to order.

-And this, this is a,
this is a great thing.
-Even the table cloths.

A nice paper table cloth,

-you know you're
in the right place.
-Yes.

You know you're
in the right place.

-Neon strip lights.
-Yeah.

A lot of noise.

How would you
describe this one,

-it's like marisco,
some stew, no?
-It's like a--

Yeah, like a fish stew
with corvina,

which is a wonderful fish
from the area,

which is a wonderful fish
from the area,

and little gambitas, shrimps.

-Let's have a little,
-And plenty of garlic
by the looks of it.

Mmm.

This potato salad
is absolutely delicious.

It is a very good one.

I mean, I would travel
for a potato salad.

-We got a big lunch, no?
-People, people travel--

I know, but I couldn't let
the moment go by
without ordering one.

[man singing flamenco]

Can you hear that?

Yeah, that's incredible.

So great, man. [stammers]

[speaking Spanish]

-I don't think you'll get this
anywhere else in the world.
-No.

-I don't think you'll get this
anywhere else in the world.
-No.

It's fantastic.

[man singing flamenco]

[all applauding]

We better hit the road, no?

-We really better.
-Okay.

[George] That was really good.

[Gioconda] Another
favorite insider tip.

Don't be shy to approach
the local farmers

you see along the road
selling their wares

maybe under a canopy stand
or from the back of a van.

maybe under a canopy stand
or from the back of a van.

It's sure to be inexpensive,
fresh from the farm,
and delicious.

We're heading south away
from the Sierra Norte hills

and into the flat lands
surrounding Seville.

This is home
to the rice paddies
of Andalucia,

the biggest in all of Europe,

a great secret that,
even here, many do not know.

But before head
into the marshlands
and our lunch destination,

we have to pull over
to fill up.

we have to pull over
to fill up.

What most people don't realize

is that in Spain,

unassuming gas stations
like this one,

especially independent ones
or in rural areas,

sell incredible food.

Olive oil, dried beans,

honeys, preserved fish,
wines, liqueurs,

and locally made cheeses
unique to the area.

They can make for some
of the best fine food shops,

and George and I
are unable to stop at one

without stocking up
for local produce.

During hunting season,
partridge here is plentiful.

During hunting season,
partridge here is plentiful.

It's usually cooked
in a light sauce with
a touch of vinegar,

and it's so popular,
they even sell it by the tin.

What I love is also
getting all the things like

the honey, for example,
just from here,

which has been awarded.

I've even saved a couple
of Sunday lunches coming here.

-Also?
-Yeah. [laughs]

You know, I think
we should definitely get
the Iberico sausages.

-Yeah.
-Absolutely, I want to do

a little picadillo
with chorizo and egg.

[George speaking Spanish]

-[speaking Spanish]
-[Gioconda speaking Spanish]

[shopkeeper speaking Spanish]

[Gioconda speaking Spanish]

[speaking Spanish]

-[shopkeeper speaking Spanish]
-[George speaking Spanish]

[George in English]
What I love is that

you can buy all these things
at a gas station,

even a five liter
extra virgin olive oil

produced down the road,

and it's here
at the checkout counter

[speaking Spanish]

Okay.

[speaking Spanish]

So many, everybody
who comes to Cazalla

takes some of the stuff
from the town,

and it's such a great gift
to take back

without having to...

without having to...

I mean, people come
when they come
on the holidays,

and they, like, stock up,

-and they take it
to where ever else they live.
-I do.

That's what's so great about
travelling around Spain,

it's picking up
all the things,

and then you take them back,
put them as gifts,

but you have your little
selection of things that
you want for yourself.

[speaking Spanish]

All right,
let's get on the road.

This is our favorite thing
about this country.

You find quality ingredients
at every turn.

We're back on the road.

I have surprise for George

in a sleepy little town called
Villamanrique de la Condesa.

Located 45 minutes
south-west of Sevilla,

it's a town you'd probably
never hear about.

I was recently introduced

to an extraordinary
tavern here

called El Bolero,

a 300 year old wine dispensary
full of character,

and a place most tourist
might overlook.

For a few euros,

you can enjoy
a home cooked meal

and glass of house wine
with the locals.

This is a guaranteed
slice of authentic life
in rural Spain.

This is a guaranteed
slice of authentic life
in rural Spain.

[indistinct chatter]

[singing in Spanish]

[Gioconda] So we're in this
completely unbelievable place

that I've just bought
George to,

and I'm with my friend, Manri.

He has a restaurant about
20 minutes away from here,

and on his days off,
he decides to come and cook.

And today, he's gonna make

this incredible duck
with rice.

It really is the dish
of the area.

It really is the dish
of the area.

You've got the rice paddies,

the duck fly down,
they eat the delicious
grains of rice,

and so they make
the perfect marriage
for the pot.

Manri is cooking the lunch
that is served today,

and I'm here to help him.

I'm preparing
a few simple tapas
to open the appetite

using the delicacies
we picked up the gas station.

I thought it would be
interesting

to serve something refreshing
with this rich duck rice.

To drink, there is Mosto
on the menu.

Mosto is a young wine,
a fermented grape juice
with low alchohol content,

it's light and refreshing,
and will pair perfectly
with a rich rice.

it's light and refreshing,
and will pair perfectly
with a rich rice.

[speaking Spanish]

[Gioconda in English]
So what Manri does

is he makes the broth at home,

and he comes here
with his ducks and his broth.

So this is smelling
amazing now.

[speaking Spanish]

[speaking Spanish]

[in English] I've just thrown
some onions into the ashes,

and I'm going to cook them
in there in their skins,

and then I'm gonna
make the most incredible
salad with them.

[George speaking Spanish]

[man speaking Spanish]

[man speaking Spanish]

[man 2 speaking Spanish]

[in English]
No, no, I'm playing
here with the--

I'm never gonna win this game.

[speaking Spanish]

[George speaking Spanish]

[Gioconda] So, Manri has
poured the rice,

and it tastes so delicious.

Mmm.

[George] What's going on here?

-Ooh...
-Manri's just made this
unbelievable duck with rice

-Ooh...
-Manri's just made this
unbelievable duck with rice

that he's bought
from the arrozales.

[George] I can
already taste it.

-Yeah, you can.
-[in Spanish]

[Gioconda] So simple.

So...

[in Spanish]

What else have you made here?

[Gioconda] We've made
some little tapas.

I really wanted to bring Manri
some products from where
we're from, from the Sierras.

He doesn't have
the Iberico pork that we have.

So I made probailla,

spicy chorizo
with fried egg on top

and with a bit of fresh mint
to lighten it up,

and with a bit of fresh mint
to lighten it up,

some of that
delicious white cheese
with the anchovies,

and got a couple
of delicious refreshing salads
to have with the duck.

I put the onions in the ashes
and served it with that
lovely sherry vinegar,

and this is just my type
of salpicon,

just a very simple
vegetable salad.

That's very nice.

All right, you've got
quite a hot crowd here,

so I'm interested to see
what they think.

[singing in Spanish]

-I mean, this is just...
-How did this happen
on a Monday?

-[laughs]
-On a Monday.

[Gioconda] Sevillanas are
a type of folk music and dance
unique to this area.

We learn these
songs and dances
when we're children,

and they're danced
at any given opportunity.

Whether in a small
neighborhood plaza

or at a wedding
or family party,

everyone present will join.

everyone present will join.

It's sort of like a classic
square dance of the Americans.

[men singing in Spanish]

The trick in sevillanas is
just if you don't know
how to dance,

you just copy what the person
next to you is doing.

[singing continues]

[Gioconda] We're
back on the road

and fast approaching Sanlucar,

about an hour south
of Sevilla.

This is a favorite area
of ours.

It's just brimming
with culture, history,

delicious food and wine,

and we'll be setting off
to explore all of it.

[George] What is so special
about this region

is how much award-winning
produce it is known for.

From its fish to its wines
to its salt,

all are unique to this area.

Sherry is
a very particular thing,

Sherry is
a very particular thing,

as only the wines produced
with the grapes from here
can be called sherry.

[Gioconda] The salt
is the cleanest in Spain

because it's cultivated
in a national park
called Donana.

Even the common potato has
its own varietal

that makes it as unique
as a truffle.

George is taking me
to meet Juancho,
a local farmer here,

and he's excited
to show us around.

[in Spanish]

Oh my God, George,
that's amazing!

[in Spanish]

[Gioconda] Seashells.
This is amazing.

[Gioconda] Seashells.
This is amazing.

[George] Like digging up gold,
isn't it?

[Gioconda] Oh, George, this is
the most exciting thing

-I think I've seen all year.
-[George chuckles]

[in Spanish]

[Gioconda speaking]

-[George] You just
peel it with your thumb.
-[Gioconda] It's amazing.

Do you know
what was really cool?

In all the cooperativas,

they always have a canteen

which is where
they go and eat,
and I had this...

They made patatas there
in different ways,
like a la plancha.

Have you ever had
patata a la plancha?

Never had patata a la plancha.

[in Spanish]

[in Spanish]

[George] I'm taking Gioconda
to a recent discovery of mine,

a cantina found
at the local farmers' co-op.

[man speaking Spanish]

[George] Most cooperatives
in Spain, whether vegetables,
olives, or grapes,

[George] Most cooperatives
in Spain, whether vegetables,
olives, or grapes,

will have a local cafe
where the farmers and people
from the area stop by

to have a quick bite
or sample the recent harvest.

All who know
to look for these places
are most welcome here.

Imagine, we've been
where all of this is grown.

The first place
it arrives is here.

So fresher than here,
you couldn't have it.

So we have courgettes,
the new first potatoes
of the season,

they're sweet potato,

and some of those
delicious tomatoes.

Top quality raw material,

-bit of olive oil and salt.
-That's it.

-bit of olive oil and salt.
-That's it.

-All from the area.
-And you can do it at home.

-[in Spanish]
-[George laughs]

[Gioconda] The jewel
in the crown.

-[Gioconda] Peel it...
-[George] Little bit,
and open it up.

[Gioconda] ...and scatter it
with a little bit of salt

which comes
from the salt plains
in the area.

-Chin-chin with the potatoes,
I like this.
-Cheers.

[both laugh]

Mmm. Sublime.

Perfectly seasoned.

-I'm gonna offer some of these
to our friends, eh?
-Yeah, definitely.

-I'm gonna offer some of these
to our friends, eh?
-Yeah, definitely.

[in Spanish]

[all laughing]

[Gioconda] When we travel
in a town or city,

I always like to find
the central markets.

Aside from visiting castles,
churches, and museums,

I find the way
I truly enjoy drinking in
the life of a place

I find the way
I truly enjoy drinking in
the life of a place

is walking its streets
and going to its markets.

Sanlucar has
a splendid market,

and I'm off there now
to collect ingredients

for the dinner
I'm preparing tonight.

Isn't this amazing?

I haven't been here.
I can't believe it.

[Gioconda] You're not
gonna believe it.

-Each stand looks better
than the other, doesn't it?
-[George chuckles]

[George] Look at this one.

[in Spanish]

[laughing]

-You want some?
-Yes.

[man speaking Spanish]

Mmm.

He's showing us
all the different varieties

of tomatoes that are
grown in the area here,

so we're gonna buy
a selection of everything.

These are the sweet potatoes
that along with the potatoes

are grown locally
in this area.

-Look at that. [laughs]
-[Gioconda] And they were
just roasted this morning

in a wood-fired oven.

There's one man, apparently,
who's responsible for roasting
all the sweet potatoes

There's one man, apparently,
who's responsible for roasting
all the sweet potatoes

that are sold in the town.

Delicious
vegetarian breakfast.

Mmm.

It's sweet, caramel,
a little bit salty,

and you've got
the aroma of the wood-fire
coming through, as well.

Absolutely delicious.

[George] I get too excited
in these places.

[in Spanish]

I've got Cristian to prepare
a couple of fish

-that I'm gonna bake
in salt for dinner.
-Oh, lovely. Oh, lovely.

Look at these. Fantastic.

This is one of the king
products of this area,
of Sanlucar.

It's famous for it,
the langostino.

I'd like to give you
a little tip

when you come to markets

on how to cook your fish
if you don't have my sister,

and that is ask
the fishmonger.

The fishmonger knows
the amount of time
it needs to be in the oven,

the temperature
it needs to be,

and how much salt
if you're cooking it in salt.

and how much salt
if you're cooking it in salt.

They really know
what they're doing,
and they've learned...

They're multi-generational,
as well.

So they are
40-year-old recipes
from their grandmothers.

-[in Spanish]
-[chuckles]

So we're here
at this amazing stand,
Yuste, of Juan Carlos,

and he sells
a little bit of everything,

and everything is delicious.

and everything is delicious.

-Look at the hams.
We should learn to...
-[George] Wow.

[in Spanish]

Mmm.

That's a really good
olive oil.

You can tell
how green it tastes.

In olive oil, you talk
about the greens in olive oil.

It could be green banana,
it could be artichoke,

green apple,
freshly-cut grass.

It's always a green,

and this one is what I would
call a green leaf olive oil.

and this one is what I would
call a green leaf olive oil.

So if you bit the leaf
of the olive tree,

it's got that taste.

It's more of a bitter type
of olive oil.

In Spain, there's about
300 varieties of olives.

[in Spanish]

Gracias, mmm.

The delicious products
we just bought made us
a little hungry.

We're gonna pull over
and build a sandwich

before we take you
to the most unexpected

and authentic place
for dessert.

[George] Let's just
make it here, no?

Yeah, perfect. Why not?

[George] The easiest places.

-So you can do this anywhere
in Spain is the great thing.
-[Gioconda] Mmm.

They're the best, the markets.

You go shopping to buy
everything to make your lunch,

-and you've already had lunch
before you've left it.
-Fresher stuff.

-Exactly.
-[Gioconda chuckles]

-[George] So we've got
the delicious tomatoes...
-[Gioconda] Mmm.

[George] ...the tuna,
this delicious manchego.

-It's like a manchego, yeah?
It's a cured goat's cheese.
-[Gioconda] Yes.

[George] No, it's
sheep's cheese, yeah?

-[Gioconda] From those
payoya goats.
-[George] Mmm.

-Perfect! Wow.
-[Gioconda laughs]

[in Spanish]

-Wonderful, cheers.
-Chin-chin.

-Wonderful, cheers.
-Chin-chin.

Mmm.

[Gioconda] Here's a secret.

Convents make
delicious sweets.

Sanlucar has many convents,

and this particular one
is cloistered.

How to buy sweets
from a lovely nun
you can't see?

An ingenious system
called the torno,

just like a lazy Susan.

[in Spanish]

Place some money
on the turntable
and spin it around.

On the other side
of the panel,

a nun collects the payment,

places sweets on the turntable
and spins it back to you.

The thing that's so special
about Sanlucar and Jerez
in this area,

is that what they make is...

-[in Spanish]
-My favorite.

And it's because
they have such an excess
of the egg yolks

because they use
the egg whites to clarify
the fortified wine

-and the Manzanilla sherry...
-No way.

Yeah, so they clean it.

So all these excess yolks come
to the nuns of Sanlucar.

So all these excess yolks come
to the nuns of Sanlucar.

Similar to a rich
caramel custard,

this traditional Spanish
dessert dates back
to the 1300s

and originates in this area.

It's a wonderful thing
to know, support, and enjoy.

I think that was
the best tocino I've ever had.

Oh!

It really is "lard
of the heavens," isn't it?

[George] While Gioconda's gone
off to start preparing dinner,

I am picking up some wines
to pair with the food.

This part of Andalucia is
known as "the triangle
of sherry,"

and includes the towns
of Jerez, El Puerto
de Santa Maria,

and Sanlucar de Barrameda.

I'm on my way
to one of my favorite
family-run bodegas

in Puerto de Santa Maria
called Bodegas Obregon.

Traveling from town to town
around these parts,

you'll see acres and acres
of vineyards.

There are hundreds
of family-owned wineries here.

There are hundreds
of family-owned wineries here.

Bodegas and tabancos
are two mainstays

to enjoy sherry
in the most authentic
and local way.

Bodegas are places where
sherry is put into casks,

fortified and aged.

You can stop in
for a quick drink
and a homemade tapa

or pick up a bottle
of the many varieties
of sherry

right from the barrels.

It's the perfect stop
for an ultimate sherry
tasting experience.

So I've come to one
of my favorite places

probably in the world,

[chuckles] which is called
Bodegas Obregon,

and it's in El Puerto
de Santa Maria.

and it's in El Puerto
de Santa Maria.

And in these beautiful barrels
sits this [chuckles]
wonderful product,

which we have all over here
which we're about to taste.

I'd like to learn
a little bit more
about what we can pair

with the things
that my sister's cooking
this evening.

So I'm waiting for a friend
of mine who's an expert.

For somebody who's never
tried a jerez before,

how would you
explain it, because...

What is it?

Sherry is a wine.

-Some people forget
that it is sherry wine.
-It's a wine. Yeah.

[Almudena] It's
a fortified wine.

That means that it has
distilled wine alcohol
added to it.

[in Spanish]

[in Spanish]

This is something typical
from this area.

-It's called berza.
-[George] Berza.

[Almudena] And it's got
chickpeas, beans,

broad beans, and peas.

They are stewed with meat.

Then they take the meat out
and it's minced up,

-and that is perfect.
-[George] That is
the perfect thing.

Please, will you take
the honor?

I was never a coward.

You know what I love
about this place?

-Mmm.
-Or any places where
you order a drink,

-Mmm.
-Or any places where
you order a drink,

and they just bring you
a little tapa.

In this part of the world,
you don't serve alcohol

without either olives
or lupins

or even some crisps.

This is an aperitivo place.

You'd never come here
for lunch.

We have this incredible wine
which is so particular,

only from this region.

For me, I always say
it's as important

-as Champagne is
to the French, right?
-Oh, absolutely.

-It's covered by Denominacion
de Origen, a DO...
-[George] A DO, yeah.

...which guarantees quality.

-And it can only be
made here, like this.
-Here, absolutely.

-Unique to this area.
-Because the microclimate,
it's unique to here.

-Unique to this area.
-Because the microclimate,
it's unique to here.

We have a very dry sherry,

-which is the lightest, no?
-Yes.

[George] And they go
in escalation,

and all of it's
to do with the aging

that we're talking about it.

[Almudena] And
the sugar content.

And the sugar content
and the alcohol content.

-So this has,
it's a very dry wine.
-So this is good for me?

-It's very good for you.
It's very good for you.
-[chuckles] Okay.

[Almudena] Okay, so that's
a cream sherry.

[George] Look
at the difference
of the color, as well.

[Almudena] And look
at the different viscosity
of this wine.

Okay, I think
definitely this one.

-The Palo Cortado.
-Palo Cortado
and something sweeter.

And something sweeter,
I would go for medium sweet,

And something sweeter,
I would go for medium sweet,

-which would be
the cream.
-The cream.

-Yeah, yeah, yeah.
-Gioconda will love that,
so we'll take those three.

-So these three.
-Before I forget.

Now while bodegas are
a great place to learn
about the sherry,

tabancos is where
the fun is at.

Tabancos are also
local wine dispensaries

that serve a sampling of wines
from the area,

and you'll even get a tapa
with your drink.

Also, a great place
to see local color.

Our brother Jackson's
come to town to join us
for this dinner,

and we're making
a little pit stop on the way.

[singing in Spanish]

Have you been
to this place before?

I've never seen
this place, man.
Pretty cool.

It's the kind of place where
anything could happen
at any moment.

The great thing about tabancos
is it's like, local people
on a Sunday night...

[in Spanish]

-Yeah?
-But I hope it doesn't
happen tonight.

I had no idea.

Gracias.

-[George laughs]
-[man speaking Spanish]

[laughs]

Cheers.

They're pretty obsessed
with these here.

A really good potato.

[George] Tabancos
are also known

for spontaneous performances
of music and dance.

And if you're lucky,
you might find one in action.

Hey!

[all singing]

[George] A tabanco
is as fun as it looks,

but we better get going,
or we're never gonna
get out of here.

No, no...

[in Spanish]

[Gioconda] Through
these iconic and beautiful
Mediterranean pine forests

lies our final destination.

In this region of Andalucia

known for producing
some of the best food
and wine in Spain,

it's salt that stands out

as the most ancient ingredient
cultivated here.

The history of salt
in this area goes back
to the second century

when the Phoenicians
discovered that salt occurred
naturally in these marshlands.

They used salt
to preserve food,

a technique that continues
to this day.

I could not think
of a more perfect setting
for tonight's dinner

I could not think
of a more perfect setting
for tonight's dinner

than within these
spectacular salt mountains.

What a place, this.

-How did you find this place?
-[Gioconda] Well, it was
introduced to me

by a fantastic biologist
that looks after this area,
all the beautiful marshlands.

First time I came here,
I knew I wanted to make
a dinner here.

-It's one of the best settings
I've ever been into.
-It's so dramatic.

-Also, your favorite way
of cooking, outdoors.
-[Gioconda] Exactly.

Cooking over wood-fire
is the natural way

we've cooked
throughout the world
throughout time.

In some places,
like South America,

this tradition has
remained strong

this tradition has
remained strong

in a contemporary world.

When I returned from cooking
in Uruguay and Argentina,

I was determined to keep
this way of cooking
alive at home.

It slows you down
and keeps you present

and attentive to what
you're preparing.

The gentle smoke
and rich embers enhances
the wonderful flavors

of the ingredients
from this land.

The first we're gonna do
is we're gonna pack some salt
into these trays.

Wetting a little bit the salt
so that I can pack it down.

With the intensity
of the heat from the fire,

the water's going
to immediately evaporate

and help make more
of a solid crust
with the salt.

We picked these up
in Sanlucar.

They're a very particular fish
local to here.

So what we're gonna do
is we're going to fill this
with some wild fennel

that I found growing
on the roadside

and a little bit
of fresh lemon.

And I'm gonna pack them
into a salt bed like this,

and George is gonna
cover them with salt.

There you have another one.

Perfect.

The way that this
contraption works

is to have a fire underneath
and a fire on top,

and that's what creates
the temperature
you want inside.

We're taking
some of the embers

out from underneath
to cool them down,

and we're gonna cook
the potatoes in the ash.

Now I'm gonna do the salsa.

It's using up the last
of the summer vegetables

which we've picked up
at the cooperativa today.

I'm going to throw them
into the deep heat

on the top of the fire,

and I'm going
to char them entirely.

and I'm going
to char them entirely.

They're going to steam inside,

and they're going
to absorb all the flavors
from the delicious wood smoke.

This is exactly the effect
I'm looking for here.

Now, this is really
a kind of inspiration
of my own

based on a traditional dish.

Sort of ratatouille
of Andalucia, if you like.

When I went to work in Mexico
a long time ago,

I really loved this concept

of a salsa being used
a bit more like a sauce,

so loosening it up a bit.

So I kind of merged
the pisto with the salsa.

So I kind of merged
the pisto with the salsa.

Finally, I'm gonna
dress that with a little
of the fantastic salt

that I literally just pinched
out of the mountain
next to me.

Wonderful, it's exactly
what I'm looking for,

this kind of smoky sauce

that we're going to have
to eat with the beautiful
sweet potatoes

and the divine orata.

Baking the orata
and the sweet potato in salt

means they'll be
perfectly seasoned

and need nothing more
than some delicious
fruity olive oil.

A spoonful
of the smoky vegetables

will finish it off
beautifully.

Concluding our journey
in this extraordinary
saltscape

surrounded by rural,
beautiful nature and sea

seems quite fitting
an end to this chapter.

It sums up so much
of what we've wanted
to express

about how varied
the food, history,
and culture of Spain is

about how varied
the food, history,
and culture of Spain is

and how much there is
to see and experience.

[in Spanish]

[man] You read my mind.

[in Spanish]

[all chattering]

[laughs]

[Gioconda] Sometimes,
the best secrets are not
the ones you keep,

but the ones you share.

Imagine, we've just traveled
through a small corner

of our region here
in western Andalucia,

an area probably half the size
of the state of Delaware,

and yet, there's so much ahead
to discover.

To come back to Spain
and build this story

with you, George,
is such a treat,

and I'm really excited.

[George] Not only a treat,
but it's an honor

and a huge responsibility.

and a huge responsibility.