RICK STEIN IN LA RIOJA

Rick Stein's Spain

Driving his camper van, which he describes as his Rocinante, Rick Stein embarks on a culinary journey laced with history, literature and stunning photography through Spain. In the next video, Rick Stein visits La Rioja, where he samples lamb chops cooked over vine trimmimgs and accompanied by superb red wine.

"I've wanted to make a series in Spain for a long time.  I love Spanish food, I've been going there since I was a young boy - but until quite recently I don't think people really took the food seriously.  French and Italian cooking was felt to have more finesse.  Thanks to a handful of really dedicated Spanish chefs and a growing enthusiasm for its rugged flavours, that has all begun to change.  No one cooks fish with more respect or grills meat better.

To me the underlying point of journeying to Spain would be to discover the ‘duende' in the cooking.  By that I mean a sense of soul, of authenticity.  The word is normally used for the soul of flamenco but I think it could be equally applied to the art of Spanish cooking because to my mind, in really good food, there is a communication between the cook and diner that amounts to art." Rick Stein