Cooking in Cava

Cava had its second one one one cooking class yesterday and all (I am told by Szymon) went well. The girl, called Michelle, who was in for the half day did bread making, stocks, tapas, desserts, mains course, and starter. She also learned different knife techniques and prepared squid and lamb for the tapas. I called in around lunch time and found herself and Szymon enjoying a glass of one of our best whites (number 12/100 in Spain)! The wine is called Jose Parinete and is made by two women called Victoria. The wine is also on the house wine list in ElBuilli.

It was good to see Szymon helping her relax into her new environment!

For any one else interested in cooking in Cava you can give the restaurant or myself a ring.

Jp.

Upcoming events

Just to let you know about upcoming events in Cava:

1. This Saturday night (Halloween) Cava will open until 1pm for tapas and wine. Their will be a live DJ also from 11pm onwards.

Hope to see you there.

Jp.

Crazy Mondays and Tuesdays

With graduations this week, the week has started well with a busy Monday and Tuesday. The Paella night is still as popular as ever (€15 for Paella and glass of wine), but many had Tapas too. Szymon had some really nice special too that sold well: a Rack (yes, I said rack) of Lamb with Morcilla, rocket, and Potatoes.

FYI: Anyone who wants a good cookbook on Spanish food - you could do no better than this one by the Hart's.

Wish I had time for more, but must to bed as up early in the morn with my daughter.

Tomorrow doesn't look as crazy but famous last words.

Jp.

Xmas parties

The Christmas party menu will be available this week and we have details regarding our opening times over the Xmas.

We'll have a special Xmas party menu running from the 1st of December to the 30th of December.

We'll have a special Xmas lunch on the 24th.

We'll have a special Stephen's night (26th) set Tapas menu.

And finally we're going to have a big new year's eve celebration with both music, DJ and lots of Cava.

Jp.

Back from the U S of A

Last week, as many of you know, I was away from cava for the first time in over a year. A queer feeling of anxiety cross several time over as I suffered from separation anxiety from the restaurant. But by all accounts the week was very busy and all the boys (and girls) did a wonderful job.

Unfortunately, the food in the States was less than satisfactory. The only good thing to report about the food in Cincinnati was that the Mexican food actually Mexican until many a Mexican in Ireland.

The food was often a queer taste of sweet and savory (for example sweet potatoes which were really sweet?) and sweet dressing and sweet bread and on and on.

Sweet on the brain.

The ham in Cincinnati was good though as they have some good ole pigs flying around there.

Jp.

A good start to the week and an end to Cava week

Monday has come and gone and it passed well. We are still awaiting that winter Monday when little or no-one (or some of their friends) will pass through the door.

It was indeed busy for a Monday many in, most notably Jess Murhpy who is starting a new venture in No.8 on the docks.

We hope she does well and that many flock down to experience her gastro pub.

On another note, for anyone who was in on Friday night and receiver their free cava as part of Cava week we hope you enjoyed it. Unfortunately we had hoped to get more cava from our suppliers (but this did not happen) so it was a limited run.

However, many did get to have a glass.

I am away in America for the week practicing my other life (Phd and that) and will report from there in a food capacity.

The new menu will be out at the beginning of November. It will include lots of game (venison, rabbit, pheasant) and some other new Tapas. There will also be new main courses to choose from.

Jp

The end, or only the begining?

Well! That was some week. Looking back now on a week of madness (due no doubt to Tom's review) I am wondering whether or not it will continue. Not that I want it to stop. Last week, we saw what Cava could be, given all the right circumstances. It is amazing what the words of one man can do. It will be interesting how the week pans out. I already know Saturday is going to be crazy with tables of 26, 15, and 10 all coming in at the same time. But how the rest of the week will go remains to be seen.

Monday was not too bad with a steady stream of punters in. Lots of tapas, particularly the scallops and black pudding, confit of porkbelly, and cod cakes.

Really nice people in with lots of nice things to say about the nice things they we do and try to continue to do.

The November menu is in cererbal production. Thinking of game tapas: venison, rabbit, pheasant.

I think we'll also change some of our fish. We had some great sardines on the special board over the weekend which we got from Stefan. Served with romesco and rocket. Really good. Some nice Bonito also.

Anyway.

I saw a really nice Jamon custard served with Iberico, also some truffle foam with cecina.

Szymon would that I presume.

Jp.

Oh That it Would Contintue

Cava does wish it would continue.

The whole has been made, like something out of July, no doubt due to good ole Tom, but still, I do hope it continues, then it may be ok, it may be alright.

We had a group of women in today celebrating their 50th. Very loud. Singing alot. Some customers were indeed very unhappy. To those of you I apologise. To the women, well, I hope you had a good time. It is not often you see 13 women consume 15 bottles of wine at lunch time.

But still.

All in days work in the cava machine, curing and cooking and chopping and cursing.

All in a daze.

All in a daze work.

All in.

All.

Thanks again to Tom!

Jp.

P.S. We have some lovely fresh sardines from Stefan the fish man!