The world’s best croquetas, Danish herring, olive caviar and defragmented tortilla. The annual gastronomic summit, Madrid Fusión, gave us a hint of what and where to eat if we want to keep up with the latest gourmet trends.
I was invited to the Madrid Fusión by Turespaña. The organisation had no influence on the content of the article.
Every year, star chefs from Spain and around the world gather at the Madrid Fusión congress to demonstrate what we should be eating and drinking to keep up with the gastronomic trends of the day. Food and wine producers from all over Spain will also come to hand out samples of their delicacies and top wines in the hope that they can make their mark with the star chefs. Top Spanish designers also offer their views on the latest trends in kitchen design. Here’s the list of the year’s biggest gastronomic trends, some of which were honoured with awards at Madrid Fúsion.
1. The world’s best croquetas
This year, the prize for the world’s best croqueta went to chef Javier Ugidos. Ugidos makes its perfect version of the Spanish classic with tasty Iberian ham and creamy bechamel sauce wrapped in Japanese panko (fresh bread that is grated and dried) instead of the traditional breadcrumbs that make it extra crispy. Ugidos himself claims that the secret of his recipe is that it is created with the heart. If you want to try the delicious croquetas, visit Ugido’s restaurant, Tobiko, in Toledo.
2. Nordic food at Kadeau
Nordic food attracts visitors from all over the world to Denmark – including Spain. This year the trip will be to Bornholm’s best restaurant, Kadeau, which also has a branch in Copenhagen. Kadeau is owned by chefs Rasmus Kofoed and Nicolaj Nørregaard, and at Madrid Fusión Nicolaj Nørregaard demonstrated how the couple transforms Bornholm’s raw ingredients into exquisite gourmet dishes.
Kadeau’s menu includes herring, smoked salmon, pickled vegetables, horseradish and figs in simple, aesthetic versions.
3. Saponified olives
For a hip snack with vermouth, serve celebrity chef Albert Adrià’s version of the spherical olive drops, Caviaroli. Adrià’s olive caviar is available in three versions: green, spicy and black, which is the latest addition to the range. The black is made from olives from Aragón and Kalmata. Each drop contains as many as eight olives, and the flavour is intense and surprising. A glass with 20 pieces costs 12 euro.
4. Barcelona bread for the ham
Triticum from Cabrera de Mar in Barcelona won the prize for the best bread of the year to accompany Carrasco ham, baked by baker Marc Martí. The bread has added ham fat and has a sweet and airy crumb and crispy crust. Triticum’s other quality breads, baked both with and without gluten, are also available in a few bakeries in Barcelona and in restaurants. The bread will also soon be available online.
5. Culinary star experience in the capital
One of Spain’s hippest, the two-star Michelin restaurant Coque in Madrid is run by three brothers, Mario, Diego and Rafael Sandoval, who provide a sensory, surprising and refined evening. The Q19 gourmet experience takes you all the way from the cocktail bar through the wine cellars to the kitchen, where cocktails, wines and beers are served with snacks like Bloody Mary ice cream and defragmented tortilla. The tour ends with a six-course menu in the restaurant, including grilled prawns, tuna, suckling pig and spiced chocolate, accompanied by really good wines.
6. Use the To Good to Go app
The Danish app, To Good To Go, is enjoying increasing success with businesses and consumers in Spain. Through the app, you can buy a good-luck bag of near-expiry items from supermarkets and bakeries or surplus food from cafes and restaurants, helping to reduce food waste and protect the environment. You buy your lucky bag and pay via the app, and then you can pick up the goods at the time specified in the app.
If you’re holidaying in an apartment or holiday home in Spain and you’re doing your own cooking, the To Good To Go app is the perfect choice. Then the local produce in today’s bag can inspire you to make Spanish dishes, while making your holiday more sustainable by reducing food waste.
Here you can download To Good To Go for iPhone and for Android
7. Kitchen with personality
Is the kitchen tiny or huge? Should it be minimalist with a lounge area, nostalgic with a mini office in the corner and plants above the stove, or should it fold up like a caravan? At an interior design exhibition at Casa Decor in Madrid, a number of interior designers gave very different stylistic and design ideas on how Spanish kitchens should look in the 2019 version. However, with a clear trend. Design your kitchen the way you want, as long as it expresses who you are. And we can take inspiration from that in Denmark.
Read also about Spanish design trends in 2019 and sustainable design trends in 2020
