Arrope

Summer is almost finished in Córdoba, in South of Spain, fields are colored by yellows and browns as sun has been drying the harvests to make everything ready for a new crop. September is almost done but autumn seems not to have a place with such a high temperatures in this sunny area. Crop is almost done and late harvested grapes from sweet Pedro Ximenez variety are dried facing the last sun rays from the summer.

Men and women place carefully the grapes over lined up mats, turning upside down when dried to repeat the sun dehydrating cycle once again. Field seems to be combed of grapes curls, a ritual repeated since centuries, this landscape is called LA PASERA, where grapes are turned into PASAS (raisins) gently, slowly, with no time scale, nature commands.

Once they’re ready they’re brought to the press, same ones as has been used by few generations. Montalban, a 5.000 people town placed in Campiña of Córdoba is perfumed with raisins aroma, Bodegas del Pino seems to be a house open 24 hours, everybody is welcome to come and see, to experience the bless of the very sweet PX (Pedro Ximenez) raisins.

Maybe you never thought about it (or maybe yes) but common sugar is refined, so it has a chemical alterations during production.

La Tapia Arrope is a whole natural sweet syrup. Just raisins from PX variety must (GMO free) slowly cooked, simple and tasty and overall, whole natural. No refining, no additives, no preservatives. It’s a whole natural liquid sugaring that will make your recipes healthier and tastier.

Tuna sashimi with soja sauce and arrope

Lamb ribs with olive leaves and arrope reduction

Chef Jose Mª Blanco. Best Young Andalusian chef 2011. Blanco Enea Restaurant, Cordoba

“Yummie” thought the chef

“Yummie, yummie” said the knife first

Alejandra Vanessa poem for Chef Jose Mª jacket

Arrope La Tapia and boiled tapioca to make caviar like arrope drops

In average, each 100 Kg of any kind of grapes gifts 60 to 70 Kg of must. Arrope La Tapia is a little bit more special. As we sundry the grapes, instead of 70 Kg we just get 29 Kg of Pedro Ximenez sun dried raisins juice. This juice is slow cooked to get our great Arrope and the volume is reduced once again by 25%. This a true reduction, from 100 Kg of Pedro Ximenez grapes we just get 7,5 L of Arrope La Tapia!

Arrope It’s a natural syrup with hints reminding raisins and grapes. It can be used with sweet and savory dishes, cooked or as a sweet dressing

Ice cream topping

Goat cheeses counterpart

Dropping foie mi cuit

Fruit dipper

Vinegar or Soja sauce partner

We’re lucky to have young chef Jose Mari González with us, he is a very good chef (best new chef of Andalucia 2011) and a better friend. He has develop delicious and easy to do recipes for Arrope La Tapia. We will be pleased to share with you any time.