My wife and I booked the Iberico Ham, from Farm to Fork tour from May 27-29 and had an amazing... read more
My wife and I booked the Iberico Ham, from Farm to Fork tour from May 27-29 and had an amazing... read more
My wife and I along with another couple, our long time travel partners, recently completed 2... read more
Where do I begin? The country side Iberico Pig farm in the Dehesa was the perfect place to come back to at the end of our long and exciting days touring other local farms and jamon producers.
The days were structured but also had enough flexibility to adapt to any activity the group found interesting.
The family living on the farm provided us with traditional breakfasts and dinners which amounted to one of the most authentic farm to table experiences I have ever had. Mostly everything was either a product of the farm or came from a neighboring farm or town. The family themselves were so selfless and accommodating. The daughters of the parents spoke english fluently and were happy to answer any questions asked about the farming practice.
The property offered itself to early morning and sunset strolls and jogs with rolling paths through the century old farm scape.
The stars in the evening were the clearest i've seen in a while if not ever.
We were even able to collect our own grill-ables one day and use the families home made outdoor kitchen in the courtyard.
The traditional Matanza, or "pig slaughter" was a raw and unfiltered experience which allowed our group to become part of something the host family has been practicing for hundreds if not thousands of years. We got the opportunity to help process the harvest and were very well fed throughout the days. The experience was rounded off with traditional and local music by the campfire.
There are to many great memories to recount in this review. I'll leave those up for you to discover on your own!
I recommend this trip and this trip organizer for those who seek authentic food experiences, sustainable agriculture, and a lesson in the culture of Southern Spain and its cuisine.
I don't tend to write reviews but after my experience with A Taste of Spain, I was compelled to share my amazing experience.
I have been working on a long-term photography project about jamon iberico and this project would not have gotten as far as it has with A Taste of Spain. The professionalism has been A1 and I have learned so much. Their accommodations and services are excellent and have always delivered on my expectations.
If you are looking to deep dive into the culinary culture of Spain, look no further. A Taste of Spain will be all you need and money well spent!
I just returned from "A Taste of Spain" hosted trip in which we dove deep into how the finest ham in the world is made. We started by staying on a farm where Iberico pigs are raised in the dehesa(oak tree forest/pasture). Every morning we feasted on bread toasted over the fire and served with preserves, tomatoes, pate and of course an array of cured meat all produced on the farm. Our hosts could not been better and made us feel part of the family. We then visited several producers of Iberico jamon learning the various steps in production and aging. Interspersed were some of the most amazing meals I have eaten in quite some time. Our final two days were at a traditional mantanza(pig butcher) where we were welcomed as if again we were one of the family. For anyone that does charcuterie at any level, raises animals or just loves jamon this trip can not be beat
Thanks so much James! you did great connecting with the local family of farmers and helping them out during the matanza, After this experience you can consider yourself a true Ibérico expert, un abrazo
We are doing the first the Olive Tour and after that we are doing the ham Tour, Both of them are great!
Very interesting tour of a top ham producer and then a visit to a farm where the pigs are raised, including a great lunch. Everyone involved were helpful and eager to see that we had a good time. The farm visit is a chance to spend significant time with local people involved in something that interests you and that was very valuable to me and my family. To sit on a family’s patio with their dogs and eat a long, and delicious, lunch while talking about their lives and business is the type of singular travel experience that we will never forget.
We just completed a 10 day tour in Northern Spain organized for us by A Taste of Spain and our experience can be summarized in a word “amazing”!
Everything was simply outstanding: transportation, hotels, local guides, restaurants and cooking classes worked like clockwork and were at the highest level. Marta provided incredible support while we were traveling and she even organized our last minute request of a private tour of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao.
If you are a food lover and you are thinking of visiting Spain don’t waste your time with other travel companies: A Taste of Spain is the way to go!
Great job!!
Laura & Giancarlo Bisone