Granizado de Cava
Editor's Note: This recipe, introductory text, and author's tips are excerpted from Marina Chang's book Tastes of the Pyrenees, Classic and Modern. We've also added some tips of our own below.
For a complete guide to Basque cuisine, click here.
Generous amounts of sparkling wine or cava are downed in the northeast of Spain every day. Unlike Americans, who reserve a touch of the bubbly for special occasions, in the shadows of the Spanish Pyrenees it is a favorite aperitif before lunch or dinner. This beverage is produced by essentially the same method as French Champagne, and sells for a small fraction of the price. Driving through towns in the Penedès area, one will find producers of excellent cava on virtually every block. When you can drink cava for almost the same price as a soft drink, it's no mystery why cava flows freely in the region.
After experiencing a dazzling meal and the gracious hospitality of Martín Berasategui, one of the top Basque chefs, at the restaurant that bears his name in Lasarte-Oria, he gave us a final taste of his talent in a wonderfully refreshing granizado de cava. The following concoction I devised is very nearly the same, and surprisingly simple.
• For a light, fluffy zest that will add a clear lemon flavor and just the slightest hint of texture, a Microplane ® or other rasp-style grater is essential. • A fresh, lively sparkling Vouvray would also work in this recipe.
