Celebrating the Sea: Spanish Seafood

The sea has always been a blessing to the people of Spain. With hundreds of miles of coastline, Spain’s culinary traditions are based on the bounty that comes in on fishermen’s boats. Squid, octopus, tuna and clams all make their appearance in the famous paellas, seafood salads, stuffed peppers and stews that Spain is known for.

We want to highlight three of our vendors who provide us with exceptional quality seafood. Conservas la Gaviota, located in the Basque region, produces extraordinary bonito tuna and anchovies in oil under the Arroyabe brand. Siro & Xavi, just north of Barcelona, uses only the freshest anchovies to cure delicate white Matiz boquerones. And Connorsa from the coast of Galicia produces award winning canned fish, such as Matiz Sardines, Pulpo (Octopus), and Berberechos (Cockles).

As with all of the vendors that Matiz sources from, these companies uphold responsible business practices that support both the health of their employees and the environment. Conservas la Gaviota uses only rods and live bait to catch their delicious bonito tuna that is famously used in Spanish stuffed piquillo peppers. They also employ mostly women in their factories and set wages on a collective model with the lowest wage being double that of Spain’s minimum wage.

Siro & Xavi is a family-run business that started in 1975. They produce amazingly flavorful boquerones that are free of any preservatives. They use simply sunflower oil, wine vinegar and salt. The company is run by the grandsons of the original founder, and produce an impressive 13% of Spain’s boquerones.

Siro & Xavi founder with grandsons

If you haven’t tried Matiz Sardines, Pulpo and Berberechos then you’re in for a treat. Connorsa has been canning flavorful seafood since 1985, using sustainable methods of harvesting and working with the natural cycles of sardines to maintain healthy fish stocks. Canned seafood is a favorite at tapas bars all over Spain and, with little more than a few grains of salt and a toothpick, they are the perfect answer to a glass of minerally white wine!

Spanish Fruit Breads and Cheese - A Perfect Pairing!

Chances are, if you’re lucky enough to be in Spain during the holidays and are invited to share a meal, you’ll be offered all sorts of traditional holiday sweets. Maybe some almond turrón or a few alfajores... but you also might be offered a slice from a large, solid round reminiscent of a wheel of cheese. However, this wheel is dark in color and more solid – it is comprised solely of dried fruit and nuts. Spanish “fruit breads” are the essence of sweet simplicity.

The “fruit breads” of Spain aren’t really bread at all, but a sweet compressed round of dried fruits and nuts that are eaten in slices. Fruit breads are most typically eaten around the holidays, but are also enjoyed year-round as a simple dessert or as an accompaniment to cheeses. Our Matiz Fruit Breads are made from figs and apricots paired with walnuts and almonds. We source our fruit breads from a family-owned Spanish company called Biovera. The Sanchez family cultivates fruit trees in La Vera, located in hot, arid Extremadura in central Spain.

Figs and apricots were originally brought to Spain by the Moors. These fruits are original cultivars of the Middle East and northern Africa, but were natural transplants to the desert-like climate of southern and central Spain. In fact, Spanish dates are the most northern dates grown in Europe. Figs are picked and dried in the fall months, preserving them for winter. Once these fruits are dried, their nutritional properties remain intact. Figs and apricots are high in fiber, and apricots are high in vitamin C.  They are an all-natural, delicious treat that you can feel good about!

This holiday season, may we suggest this “recipe” for a festive cheese course with fruit breads and other fine accompaniments from Matiz. !Buen provecho!

Matiz “Just Add Cheese” Course

Lay out an array of some of our finest Spanish cheese accompaniments, add a few good hunks of Manchego, Idiazabál or Mahón and your cheese course is complete!

Matiz Fig Bread

Matiz Apricot Bread

Matiz Date Bread

Matiz Picos and Tortas de Aceite

Matiz Quince Paste

Matiz Marcona Almonds

Dequmana Cured Olives

Matiz Piparras

Arvum Sherry Vinegar