Puerto Rico celebrate Sips from Spain & London

Surrounded by Cardenal Mendoza Solera Gran Reserva, Borja Leal, Sales Director of Bodegas Sánchez Romate feels right at home in Puerto Ricos ´El Atelier´ as he prepares for the highly anticipated gastronomy event Sips from Spain and London. 

Over the course of the tasting event held at ‘El Atelier,’ a school-laboratory for culinary enthusiasts in Condado, each guest had the privilege of trying the exquisite confections of César Pérez, Chef from Cocina Abierta and Arnaldo Silva, renowned mixologist and member of The Perfect Serve program. The theme of the evening was an interactive one. Everyone not only witnessed all dishes and cocktails being elaborated before them, but also had the chance to contribute to their production.

Each dish was exclusively designed for the occasion and prepared by Chef Pérez. For starters, he served oysters in Sherry vinegar and shallots in agar followed by a main of dish fish and chips and alioli of black basil. For dessert, a floating mountain – a biscuit crisp served on a layer of sugar and cream.

Meanwhile, Arnaldo Silva prepared an original selection of cocktails that were paired with each dish. The creativity of this cocktail artist was left to flourish, and was seen in his take of and Old Cuban, renamed Old Cardenal, mixing Cardenal Mendoza with the digestive, London Call, a tipple from London that is typically enjoyed for afternoon tea here prepared with Fifty Pounds Gin.

The evening celebrated Cardenal Mendoza, Romate Solera Reserva and Fifty Pounds from Bodegas Sánchez Romate Hermanos, all of which are distributed in Puerto Rico by Ballester Hermanos.

Romate Solera Reserva brandy is our Brandy de Jerez aged for four years which emits clean and round aromas with a taste that evokes memories of wine and aged oak. Cardenal Mendoza, left to mature for fifteen years, is the symbolic brandy from our Bodegas. It has round, clean and elegant aromas of wine, with an array of notes in harmony that produce profound hints of plums and raisins.

Fifty Pounds, a gin born out of a family of distilleries in London, maintains a recipe that has been left unchanged for generations. This recipe combines eleven different plant based elements. Translucent with predominant aromas of juniper berries and coriander, balanced with citric notes. This was an occasion when guests could appreciate the versatility of our spirits and the diverse ways which one can produce new and exciting pairings in cocktails and when served with food.