September 2, 2024 Snack in Cabazon de La Sal Lunch - Bodegas Miradorio Dinner - Leftovers at the Posada

September 2, 2024 Snack in Cabazon de La Sal  Lunch - Bodegas Miradorio   Dinner - Leftovers at the Posada

It was another rainy day that started out slowly but built to an amazing finish at lunch.

We ate a yogurt on the terrace of the posada and then at 9:30 drove to Panaderia Frances in the center of town and picked up two croissants and two pain au chocolat.

We then drove east to Comillas and beyond to Bodegas Miradorio today on the old road trying to explore the high points where there might be a house with a view to rent next year, which is the purpose of this part of our trip.

We stopped at a mirador (scenic view point) just west of Comillas, which is the next big village east of San Vicente on the coast, where we finished eating our pastries.  Here is what the coast looks like.

                                     

We then drove to one winery recommended by the owner/chef of Sotovento Restaurant yesterday but it was closed.

As we drove up the hill out of Comillas we saw that there was new construction at some lovely condominiums we saw last year high on the hill overlooking Comillas. We turned around and drove up to the condos and asked a tradesman the name of the Company building the new Condominiums and he told us “Puerta Comillas”” when we asked him where the builder’s office was he told us “Cabezón de La Sal”.

Cabazon de la Sal, there was a mountain of salt found there a long time ago, is now a moderately large industrial town inland from the coast. So we drove by the sequoias again to Cabazon de la Sal and parked near the center and walked toward a real estate office along a walking street beside a river that was pretty.

When we arrived at the center at 11:45 I was hungry again, so we stopped at a sidewalk cafe named Cafe Avenida where I ordered a ham and cheese sandwich and two La Aquila draft beers. Restaurants do not open until 1:00 or 1:30 in Spain, so most of the breakfast and morning dining is done at bakeries, bars, and cafes.

Soon the waitress brought me a grilled cheese and ham sandwich with two slices of cheese and two slices of ham that was delicious, especially with the beer. 

After the snack we walked back toward the car stopping at a real estate office that was no help. Soon we came to a Lupa supermarket near the train station. I wanted to do some grocery shopping, so we went in and I replenished the basics, a Milka Maxxx chocolate bar and Greek yogurt, plus we bought a Cantabrian tomato for tomato and Mayo sandwiches, a wedge of aged firm goat cheese, and a slice of duck mousse pate’. 

We then walked back toward the car until we came to another real estate office on the street where we had parked.  The lady in this office was much more helpful. She gave us the name of the developer and showed us a condo in the development for rent for $600.00 per month but not for rent in July and August. She also told us the development was located in the village of Canales. I felt like we had met one of my goals for the trip; to find out more information about that specific development high above Comillas that I found so attractive.

We then turned our attention back to wine, the other goal of the day.  We drove to Bodega Miradorio. It was not only open for tasting, it was serving lunch. We each did a 10 Euro tasting of its three wines, Tussio (a slightly acidic 2022 Albariño blend), Mar de Fondo (a luscious 2022 four grape  white blend), and Oureas Crianza (a lovely 2019 Rioja Tempranillo). The lady who assisted us said that Mar de Fondo won an award as the best white wine in Spain and a rating of 96 points.

The spoken wine notes emphasized the importance of the vineyard”s proximity to the sea.  Here are the Winery’s notes for Mar de Fondo:

“Mar de Fondo

GRAPE VARIETIES: Riesling, Hondarrabi Zuri, Albariño and Godello | Vintage: 2022 | Designation: IGP Costa de Cantabria Wines | Winery: Miradorio

Mar de Fondo combines the following grape varieties: Riesling, Hondarrabi Zuri, Albariño and Godello.

Aged 6 months on lees, which contributes to a greater intensity of colour, flavour and aromas, making it an ideal wine to pair with fish and seafood.

The sea influences the grape in such a magnificent way that the result is a fresh and aromatic wine, at the same time subtle, of great elegance, complexity and balance, whose structure is a surprise to taste.”

When we moved from the tasting room to the outdoor dining area and reviewed the menu, two items stood out to Suzette: the Morcilla sausage with caramelized onions and a stew of the Mountains, so we ordered them.

The first to come was the morcilla sausage cooked in a sauce and  garnished with caramelized onions. On our first  bite we both agreed that this was the best morcilla sausage we had ever eaten. It is fantastic that at every one of our lunches for the last four days, we have eaten a dish that is the best we have ever eaten.

Three days ago: the baked artichoke in La Soldreria in Potes

Two days ago: the baked whole monkfish in Ribadesella 

Yesterday: the confit Leeks on a bed of seafood salad at Sotovento in San Vicente.

Today: the morcilla sausage garnished with caramelized onions at Bodegas Miradorio.

The Stew of the Mountains was a bean stew that contained the three meats of Fabada but a different smaller white bean and was of a thicker consistency.

I consider Suzette and myself seasoned gourmands, but every day Spain has a way of surprising us with fascinating food.

After lunch we bought three bottles of Mar de Fondo and drove back to San Vicente on the old N634 stopping at a high point on the coast  near San Vicente, named Gerra, to take in the breath taking view of the coast.  Unfortunately, the wind and light rain were blowing at gale force which discouraged us from getting out of the car or considering staying in Gerra.

We returned to the posada at 3:45 and ate a couple of squares of chocolate with a sip of brandy and took our daily siesta until 5:30.

At 8:00 we took the leftover morcilla sausage and Mountain stew from lunch out to the terrace and a friendly traveler staying at the Posada who heard me tell Suzette we did not have a red wine in the car gave us a bottle of Merlot to drink with dinner.  Thanks for the kindness of strangers.

This evening was darker and more overcast than usual with more moisture in the air, which was to my skin’s liking. 

I love the atmosphere in San Vicente a lot, but we decided if we wished to stay longer we would try to find a house with a view, not an apartment in a condo development and never again be without a kitchen

Bon Appetit