I have nothing against yeast. Quite the opposite, I think it is a truly remarkable fungus. It is almost alien in its ability to make things grow out of all proportion, seemingly out of nothing. So when I have been messing around with bread making, not using yeast has not been a priority. But even using yeast I could never get the result I wanted – the chewy, aerated, elastic crumb of a dark caramelly crusted loaf. I am aware that the modern par-baked stuff can be very good but I don’t trust it so I want to make my own.

Photography by Annie Peel

I made up my own recipes, I followed others, I kneaded and I baked and still The Loaf eluded me. I had learnt that in order to get the holes and the chewiness, wetter dough was required but still I failed. After many failures I changed tack again and went back to the sourdough starter.

Photography by Annie Peel

Ever since arriving in Ibiza I have been trying to attract wild yeast with a view to keeping a sourdough mother alive. Each time I have come a little closer but never close enough to actually be of any use. I have used grapes, I have used figs, I have used pears, peaches, pomegranates and persimmons. All of them gurgled up, thinned out and died. And now after all this time I have managed to make one work without even trying…

Photography by Annie Peel

I made up the flour and water mix as usual only this time using wholegrain spelt as I had read it has a stronger reaction than white flour. I went to put in the putrefying pineapple with which I proposed to prove it and found it had been thrown out by the over zealous Lucrezia.

Photography by Annie Peel

The next day I noticed the disregarded mix I had left above the fridge. I lifted it down and there they were; bubbles – unsolicited bubbles, live bubbles. I quickly fed it with a little more flour and water and returned it to it place. That evening I fed is some more and so on for three more days till I had me veritable fizzling goo. I made up a sponge mix ie, a very, very wet bread dough, with warm water, organic strong white flour and a ladle of the starter before going to bed and leaving it overnight.

Photography by Annie Peel

Following a recipe the next morning I added more flour and a heartfelt quantity of salt. I stirred the goo and attempted to knead it for ten minutes. Its liquidity resembled wet cement and the drops that missed the bowl later set to almost the same solidity. I scraped it off my hands, put it back in the bowl and dusted it with flour being careful not to add too much. It seems that if you add enough flour to make the dough manageable then you aren’t going to get the aeration required.

Every hour for the next four I turned it out, stretched it and rolled it back into a ball and returned it to the bowl. I then poured it into a floured ceramic bowl and let it prove for a further three hours. Then I baked it. I spent a fretful 40 minutes biting my nails and walking up and down the corridor. What if it failed to rise? What if it was close textured? What if it was not chewy? I worried that the whole grain starter would make it a worthy loaf. Worthy of hippies and chickens.

Finally the pinger went and I pulled it out. Burning my hands I ripped it open and there it was – The Loaf I had been searching for. The steam betrayed sourness before I had even got a piece to my lips. I blew and blew and blew so I could get it into my mouth without then having to visit the hospital for first degree burns to the kisser. I pulled it apart further with my hands – the holes were there. I bit it and tore it with my teeth. The chewiness was there. THERE IT WAS: The loaf of my dreams.

Mumak by Kumharas has been constantly evolving ever since its inception in July 2011. Sitting in the very heart of Playa D’en Bossa – smack in the middle of the beach – yet covertly shrouded by sand dunes, it’s a hideaway haven where laidback luxury meets rustic chic, filling a much-needed gap in the market for quality Asian cuisine all year round. Read more.

In keeping with the infamous Kumharas style, Mumak’s sun-drenched outdoor beach lounge features rustic chic wooden daybeds and a priceless view of the Med, while inside takes on a more sleek, modern approach. It is behind the scenes in the kitchen however, where Mumak really shines, taking Asiatic dishes and adapting them to modern taste buds, using healthy, fresh and local (where possible) produce.

Read the full article on White Ibiza

Having extended their 2011 season all the way through November, the time has finally come for iconic Ibiza restaurant Bambuddha Grove to go into hibernation… but not without one final dinner extravaganza, with the ultimate closing dinner consisting of a set three-course menu for just 35€ this Saturday night, followed by a closing party of sorts with the Black Sheep Tribe DJ Gang and more bringing the beats until late… Reservations recommended.

Book your table at Bambuddha Grove on White Ibiza

Reopening March 31, 2012.

It was a sunny afternoon and we were navigating our way along a bumpy camino just outside of Ibiza town. I had absolutely no idea what was beyond this dusty trail, given I was about to be the first of my friends to try an all-new Ibiza restaurant – Es Trull de Can Palau, set in the luxury rural hotel of the same name – for the very first time, but the promise of high-end gastronomic cuisine already had my stomach rumbling!

What a find! At the base of the lush green hill, a gorgeous white refurbished finca sits proudly, with uninterrupted views across to the sea and with the beautiful silhouette of Dalt Vila on the horizons. The terrace looks to be the perfect place to dine alfresco in summer, while for winter, the cosy, intimate indoor restaurant space has the potential to become a power lunch destination by day or a romantic hotspot by night!

After the initial oohs and aahs over the views, plus a personal greeting from chef Borja, it was time to get down to the business of the food. We opted to try the house specialties, as much time and effort has gone into designing the menu, and let me tell you, the presentation of the food was like an artwork in itself. As were the flavours…

We started with the ‘interesting’ pairing of a battered egg and caviar, not something I would ever have thought to order, yet once I’d tasted it I knew I would recommend it to every single person in Ibiza (and beyond!). The perfect tasty partnership, topped with a teensy dollop of crème fraiche, a tiny toast slice balanced with delectable caviar and on a bed of creamy mashed potato, garnished with gorgeous yellow flowers – think like a super posh coddled egg, fluffy, light and oh-so-delicious. Tick!

Photography by AIEBE Fotografía

Next up was grilled foie – again, not something I would automatically order off the menu, but so happy to have had it suggested – served with ducle de leche and pistachio and dried yoghurt, providing the perfect crunchy texture to complement the smoothness of the rich foie and the sweetness of the caramel. I suddenly got the feeling that behind those unassuming kitchen doors was a full-scale scientific kitchen, where flavours were measured and tested until everything was j-u-s-t right. Another tick!

Photography by AIEBE Fotografía

A picture perfect row of plump scallops served atop a bed of violet potatoes (dyed with beetroot!) with fresh strawberries was next, a sweet and sour combination of flavours that showed the true passion for food (and perfectionism) of chef Borja. Ticks all round.

Photography by AIEBE Fotografía

Milk-fed baby lamb chops was my favourite course – ohhhhh my mouth is watering as I type, just remembering the way the sweet, tender meat melted in my mouth – cooked in a traditional Mediterranean style ‘el punto’, which in English is the equivalent of ‘blue’ – just a few seconds on each side on the grill. I generally like my meat well done, but after tasting this, I am going to reconsider my options in the future. Simply divine – as were the grilled-tp-perfection Mediterranean veggies it was served with. So far, straight As in my score card.

At this point I have to say, I was full. So full, I wanted to say no to dessert, however (greedy little piglet that I am) my sweet tooth overruled my stomach, because I was so in awe of this kitchen that I had to see if their desserts lived up to the main course. And boy, oh boy, was I glad that I did because the proof was, quite literally, in the pudding – a perfectly sculpted white and dark chocolate mousse, served with exotic fruit carpaccio that despite its rich looking appearance was light, and very palate cleansing.

Especially when washed down with a sweet glass of dessert wine!

Book your table at Es Trull de Can Palau on White Ibiza

The first rule of cooking club is, don’t talk about cooking club. Well, that’s what successful graduates of Ibiza’s cooking classes may say when they wish to pretend their newfound cooking skills came naturally, or those who’ve sampled the delights of a supper club experience and want to keep it their little secret, but we say the second rule of cooking club is ignore rule number one! As Ibiza’s gastronomic reputation continues to grow, with the introduction of winter cooking classes and local celebrity chef dinners, the next Jamie Oliver may just spring forth from our own front yard!

Nagai photography by Ana Lui

Nagai Cooking Classes
Adding further to the winter appeal of San Juan restaurant road favourite dining destination Nagai are the all-new cooking classes, taking place every Wednesday from 4pm until 6pm with Nagai’s master chefs teaching you the tricks of their trade… Learn to cook inspiring, healthy and most importantly incredibly tasty dishes in a beautiful environment – and of course the best bit is getting to enjoy your creations in the gorgeous restaurant at the end of the class – and then getting to show off your new skills at home to impress family and friends.

Reserve your place with Nagai Cooking Class

M Wellness healthy cooking photography by Ana Lui

M Wellness Healthy Cooking Masterclass
Ibiza health club, gym and spa M Wellness takes a totally holistic approach when it comes to improving your health, and that includes the introduction of weekly health cooking classes in their kitchen every Saturday afternoon from 2pm. In-house personal trainer and expert chef Brian Talbot knows a thing or two about healthy cuisine – in fact, he was taught by none other than celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay – and he’s not afraid to share them with you, starting with a trip to the market to buy your ingredients and finishing over a lovely glass of organic wine as you tuck into your fresh, light and tasty meal. Places limited to eight per class.

Reserve your place at M Wellness Cooking Masterclass

Photography by Geoff Fenney

Raco Verd Supper Club
A cooking club of a different kind, Raco Verd doesn’t require you to participate in anything but the joy of eating, as special guest local chefs (changing weekly) preparing a three course menu (choose 16€ for two courses or 20€ for all three) every Friday night for Supper Club. First chef off the ranks this year is Simon Smyth, presenting a menu that includes roast garlic and saffron soup or dill and salt cod terrine to start; moving onto roast salmon with potato and parsley gratin, lamb shank with a mint and Harissa sauce or squash and radicchio risotto for the main course, followed by a delectable white chocolate panna cotta or deliciously sweet walnut treacle tart for dessert.

To book a table at Raco Verd click here or call +34 680 650 183

Seven days, seven unique Ibiza dining destinations. From the classic, romantic French restaurant to an über-cool, modern MediterrAsian temple, including legendary restaurants that have been revived to much success in 2011 and encompassing the latest and greatest eateries to have wowed our palates this year, this is a weeklong gastronomic journey of the highest international standards… all here on our doorstep, and open throughout winter!

Monday: Start your week off on the right note, with a delectable dinner at iconic Ibiza restaurant Bambuddha Grove. Open every night throughout November from 7pm and serving up its full summer menu of delectable MediterrAsian morsels, deluxe Thai-Sushi fusion plates and exotic cocktail list, there’s also the impressive 25 percent Ibiza Resident Discount off all bar and restaurant bills for cardholders, plus company staff dinner parties. Book your table here.

Tuesday: Passionate foodies will adore Es Trull de Can Palau, set in the luxury rural hotel of the same name and where your meal is as beautifully presented as a work of art. Much tastier though! The intimate restaurant is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week and boasts stunning views across to Dalt Vila – a must-try dining experience. Book your table here.

Wednesday: As the weather cools down, Nagai is primarily serving the new Winter Fusion menu plus a sushi menu in the evenings. And when we say fusion, we mean a veritable melting pot of flavours hailing from all over the globe – Japanese, Italian, traditional Spanish, Thai, Indian and much, much more. Something to tempt all taste buds. Book your table here.

Thursday: Take a leisurely drive through the countryside until you reach the village of San Juan, where The Giri Café awaits, a modern escapist’s haven in the middle of the quaint village. Our top tip – try the Giri steak sandwich for lunch – it’s the stuff legends are made of! Book your table here.

Friday: Making the most of the fresh, seasonal produce available in Ibiza, Sandy’s Bar & Restaurant co-owner and chef Benedict Gorman changes his menu daily on the blackboard. Book a table for dinner then stick around for the live music in the bar – some of Ibiza’s finest ‘off-duty’ musicians are booked in to perform over the winter. Book your table here.

Saturday: Looking for a new location to spend ‘date night’? Look no further than legendary Ibiza restaurant El Clodenis, sitting at the top of a beautiful hill in San Rafael. Loved by Ibiza locals and the gastronomic jet set for over 25 years, for its romantic setting and outstanding French Provencal and Mediterranean cuisine, it’s a classic for a reason. Book your table here.

Sunday: Craving a good old fashioned Sunday roast? Cicale is the place to be, serving up delicious roasts with all the trimmings from 1pm until 5pm until November 27. And just because the kitchen closes, doesn’t mean you have to clear out – far from it! DJs hit the decks to inspire you to dance off your dinner! Book your table here.

One of our favourite Spanish traditions to embrace in winter is the lunchtime ‘menu del dia’ – a three-course, fixed price meal served up in many Ibiza restaurants, always great value for money and a fab way to sample multiple menu items!

For those chefs lucky enough to still be in the kitchen over the winter period, the quieter months give them the chance to really hone their culinary skills, test new recipes, ingredients, methods and flavours as the pace slows down, and the ever-changing menu del dia provides them with the perfect platform. Here are some of our tried and tested favourites – of course, you never know what next week will bring, so we’ll be back again… and again… and again!

La Cava
La Cava’s cleverly crafted menu del dia selection rotates on a weekly basis – with five selections for each course, you could dine here every day and never eat the same thing – gold! The varied selection offers something for everyone: starters ranging from smoked salmon and chickpea stew to chicken and pineapple salad; mains encompass plenty of comfort foods like homemade meatballs, seafood tagliatelle and roast chicken and chips while dessert covers every type of sweet tooth known to man! All for just 11.50€!

Café Sidney
Served from 1pm until 4pm from Monday to Saturday, the Café Sidney menu del dia (13.50€)is as diverse as its global clientele. Starting with potato and leek soup, confit of duck or green bean and asparagus salad, this is but a mere warm up for the main event! Mains being vegetarian Nasi Goreng, pork ribs with cous cous, seafood stirfry or a pizza chosen from the a la carte menu. And anyone who’s ever seen the mouthwatering Café Sidney dessert cabinet will know that the daily selection of desserts are all taste sensational.

Mint Lounge
At just a mere 11€, the Mint Lounge menu del dia (served daily until 4pm) has so many amazing options that are also great to share, so if you tend to suffer from food envy in Ibiza restaurants, this could be your chance to try the lot! For starters, choose between bite-sized snacks like crostini with pear and gorgonzola, rocket salad with ham, figs and cherry tomatoes or a hearty soup of the day. Then for mains, there are two choices of pasta and two pizzas, plus chicken skewers with stir fried vegetables in teriyaki sauce for those with a taste for the exotic. To finish off, there’s a daily homemade selection or three choices of ice cream… Sticking around for sunset is recommended, as it’s difficult to roll home after such a hearty feast!

A good clam is hard to beat. And as in all things seafoody, there are many different types to choose from. And many different prices to pay. In the market you can pay up to 20€ a kilo for the same clams that sell in the next door stall for 12€, which in turn are sold in the super(?)market for 9€.

These are common or garden ‘Almejas Japonicas’, mass-produced mainly off Italy or France. They have beautiful shells and are delicious but have nothing on the undisputed king of clams – ‘Almejas de Carril‘. These mothers are monsters of delight. But they also have a voracious appetite for the contents of your wallet.

Of course exaggeratedly, but also tellingly, they sell for €25 for just eight clams in some of the island’s seafood restaurants. They are however always expensive wherever you go (with the exception of Carril, I am told, where they sell year round for 10-12 a kilo) and rightly so. Wild seafood of this quality should be expensive, it should be a treat. And as with so many things of this quality it should not be messed around with. Let the clam do the talking. A very simple and completely excellent recipe follows below.

But before that, another thing about clams – they are so sexy. So sexual. Don’t get me wrong; I don’t want to do it to a clam, but I can’t help thinking about doing it when I am… savouring? sucking? a clam. Next time you eat one, a big one mind, a big, phat, juicy one, you have a good look at it sitting there in its pearly palace; plump, inviting, oceanic and then tell me your thoughts don’t veer off.

To go back to the many different types of clams – you can go from tiny ones (chirlas) to those gigantic ones Tarzan had to keep rescuing Jane from in the Johnny Weissmuller black and whites. There is also the Venus clam. Venus meaning ‘love’ and ‘sexual desire’ in Latin. Botticelli chose to put his Venus in a giant clam shell so I think it is pretty clear what was on his mind when he chose that for a platform for the Goddess of Love.

Almejas de Carril with fino
Serves 1

Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic – sliced and peeled goodfellas thin
• ½ a dried guindilla
• 200g approx Almejas de Carril – they should be without grit but soak them in very cold water for an hour beforehand just in case
• A chupito of fino
• A grind of black pepper
• Maybe  some salt
• A warm plate

Method:

Gently saute the chilli and garlic in the oil in a pan big enough to hold all the clams. When the garlic is soft turn up the heat and add the clams and the fino.

After a minute or two the clams will begin to spring open one by one. This wont take long so be on hand to remove them to the warm plate as they open. When they have all opened there will be a whole load more licor in the pan. Turn the heat right up and shake the pan continually until you have reduced it to a lovely, viscous sauce. Try it for salt and then pour over the clams.

If you can only get standard clams the below video is a good thing to try:

This week is your last chance to sample many of the fresh Mediterranean catches in Ibiza’s best restaurants, and one of our favourites is the delectable local white fish Sirvia, cooked in a delicious chilli and lime butter and served with a crunchy herb and marinated melon salad at alternative sunset restaurant Kumharas, closing for the season this Sunday.

Reserve your table at Kumharas on White Ibiza

Photography by Polly Alexandre

As many other Ibiza restaurants begin to wind down for the season, our friends at Bambuddha Grove throw their doors open an hour earlier every night, opening from 7pm throughout October and November with special offers for company and staff dinners also available. All the more reason to stay on the island longer, my dears…

Read more about Bambuddha Grove

Photography by Ana Lui

Healthy Cooking Class at M Wellness: Saturday October 1, 2011 (and every Saturday)

From 11am until 4pm, join M Wellness personal trainer and Gordon Ramsey trained chef Brian Talbot‘s healthy cooking classes. Easy to follow, easy to learn, easy to cook and of course, amazing to eat, you’ll discover new, fresh, light and tasty ways to prepare food, starting with a trip to the market to buy the ingredients and finishing by dining in the M Wellness kitchen, over a glass of organic wine (or two!). Places are limited to eight per week, so book early to ensure you don’t miss out.

Reserve your place in the class

Photography by Gypsy Westwood

White Ibiza recommends: Lemon-scented linguine at Aura

Now the nights are getting just that little bit chillier (just a little mind you! We’re not exactly wearing jackets yet), we’re more likely to indulge in a pasta dish rather than constantly craving light bites! But the lemon-scented linguine at Aura still somehow manages to tick both the light AND the comfort food boxes thanks to it’s light consistency and hint of a delicately citrus flavour, courtesy of excutive chef Caroline Seely... the perfect choice for an autumn evening, and a very vegetarian friendly option too!

Reserve your table at Aura

Blushing buddhas

Stroll beneath a canopy of bamboo, past watchful stone statues and make your way around the grand estate that is Bambuddha Grove, where flushes of Ibiza luxe and an über cool crowd sit amidst ancient sexual artefacts and sultry, sumptuous furnishings. Read more.

Lovingly created by owner John Moon, Bambuddha Grove is a temple – thriving since 1999 – in which to host deluxe dinners, private events, monumental parties and everything in between.

Read the full article on White Ibiza

Photography by Geoff Fenney

White Ibiza recommends: Spanish tapas plates at Raco Verd

No holiday on the white isle is complete without sampling a selection of traditional Spanish tapas plates, and our favourite place to indulge is San Jose hotspot Raco Verd, at any time of day or night! A few of our ‘most ordered’ dishes as seen above: Jamon Serrano with pan con tomate (that’s cured ham and bread smothered in the freshest tomato and olive oil!); Pimientos de Padron (small fried green peppers – about one in five is oh-so-very spicy!) and Boquerones (fresh anchovies marinated in oil, garlic, lemon and parsely) – all washed down with a glass of chilled rose wine of course.

Reserve your table at Raco Verd on White Ibiza

]]> http://blog.white-ibiza.com/ibiza-restaurant-dish-of-the-day-spanish-tapas-plates-at-raco-verd/feed/ 0 http://blog.white-ibiza.com/ibiza-restaurant-the-giri-cafe-now-open-for-lunch/ http://blog.white-ibiza.com/ibiza-restaurant-the-giri-cafe-now-open-for-lunch/#comments Wed, 21 Sep 2011 23:02:20 +0000 Miss W http://blog.white-ibiza.com/?p=7729

Photography by Geoff Fenney

Our favourite northern haunt just got even better! The Giri Cafe is now open for lunch, and what an amazing lunch it is! An ever-changing (and by this we mean daily) selection of  honest, homemade, hands-down tasty food, made with homegrown and organic ingredients where possible, The Giri Cafe lunch menu is great value for money and a simple yet delicious option in San Juan.

Now open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, from 9am until late every day (except Mondays) we could easily come for one meal and stay for the lot!

Reserve your table at The Giri Cafe on White Ibiza

Photography by Geoff Fenney

]]> http://blog.white-ibiza.com/ibiza-restaurant-the-giri-cafe-now-open-for-lunch/feed/ 0 http://blog.white-ibiza.com/ibiza-things-to-do-thursday-september-22-2011-club-de-gourmets-at-atzaro/ http://blog.white-ibiza.com/ibiza-things-to-do-thursday-september-22-2011-club-de-gourmets-at-atzaro/#comments Tue, 20 Sep 2011 22:04:28 +0000 Miss W http://blog.white-ibiza.com/?p=7618

Photography by Ana Lui

Club de Gourmets at Agroturismo Atzaró: Thursday September 22, 2011

The International Club de Gourmets de Ibiza invites you to the enchanting gardens of Atzaró from 9pm, where Maître Miguel Lugones’s team plans to spoil you with a specially devised menu created by Chefs Marta Luquin and Toti Bertotti for just 60€ per person, including drinks. Their creative, avant-garde cuisine is an experience for connoisseurs and gourmets alike and Miguel has selected suitable wines full of character for each course, all from the famous Atzaro’s wine cellar. Following dinner is an after party featuring a performance by Pushtronic with famed Swedish pop star Viktorious.

Reserve your table at Agroturismo Atzaró

Gastronomic Week of the Truffle at The Jackpot Restaurant: Wednesday September 21 – 25, 2011

One of the world’s most renowned foods for its deluxe, rich flavour and aphrodisiac properties, not to mention how rare it is to find, the not-so-humble truffle is a chef’s delight to work with, and next week, Ibiza Gran Hotel’s Jackpot Restaurant has developed an entire menu to to honour the gritty looking yet delectable fungus, which they have dubbed ‘the diamond of the kitchen‘! Starters include veal carpaccio with truffle shavings and parmesan cheese or ravioli with spinach and ricotta in truffle and foie gras sauce while mains include the mouthwateringly delicious truffled eggs with Iberian cured ham shavings or roasted coquelet stuffed woth vegetables and truffle among others.

Reserve your table at Jackpot Restaurant

Photography by Geoff Fenney

Balearic banquet

Yemanja is an Ibiza restaurant where the view a-l-m-o-s-t betters the food. Located along the southern rocky-shores of the expansive and glamorous bay of Cala Jondal, Yemanja is the 15-year old sun-drenched pride and joy of the Roig Family, whose equally famed Ibiza restaurant is Dalt Vila’s Plaza Del Sol. Read more.

An open-all-year sign (yes, Christmas Day and new years day included!), plus five-star stress-free service are just two of the highlights provided by this seaside chiringuito, famous for one of the best seafood paellas in Ibiza.

Read the full article on White Ibiza

Photography by Geoff Fenney

]]> http://blog.white-ibiza.com/ibiza-restaurant-2011-update-yemanja/feed/ 0 http://blog.white-ibiza.com/ibiza-restaurant-foodie-blog-tortilla-espanola/ http://blog.white-ibiza.com/ibiza-restaurant-foodie-blog-tortilla-espanola/#comments Sun, 18 Sep 2011 23:17:06 +0000 Mark Watkins http://blog.white-ibiza.com/?p=7574

Photography by Annie Peel

Potatoes, onion, eggs, extra virgin olive oil and salt. That’s it. You can make a tortilla with all sorts of things – peppers, spinach, courgette, aubergine, tomato and chorizo and it may taste fine, but I have never made nor tasted one that really comes close to this Spanish classic.

There are also several different ways to cook a tortilla but the one I always use is simple, never fails and is the least time consuming, with perhaps the exception of Ferran Adria’s. This may seem incredible given the man’s renowned for the creating the most complex dishes every eaten but it is true nonetheless. In a book made in conjunction with Consum, a supermarket from the mainland (and the owners of Eroski I believe) he makes ‘the fastest tortilla ever.’ Basically, he smashes up a bag of salted crisps, mixes it with beaten egg and fries it. I tried it and it is very good, but only as a stop-gap or gimmick.

To make a really good one the only things you need apart from the very simple ingredients are a frying pan big enough to hold everything, a bowl to mix it in and a plate with a circumference bigger than the pan. It is a very cheap dish to make, so don’t skimp on the oil or eggs – make sure the oil is extra virgin and the eggs free range.

Photography by Annie Peel

The Spanish have a great word, meloso (meaning soft and melting) and a good tortilla is always that. The tortilla is so satisfying. It is filling without being heavy. It is great as a snack, fantastic for breakfast and useful as lunch. As a bocadillo filling on the go it is untouchable. Always eat it with pan con tomate and if possible drink a beer with it. (Bocadillo, by the way means little bite but the bocadillo de tortilla served up in Ibiza workers cafes is anything but little – great big slabs in a baguette the size of a torpedo).

Its provence is unclear but it was first mentioned in Spain’s earliest cookbook El Libro de Gilipolleces (1492) after Spanish king, Miguel de Cervantes IX returned from at trip to Ireland to rally up support for his planned invasion of the British Isles. The mission failed – the Irish were broke – but the king was unwittingly instrumental in the tortilla’s creation. The Libro mentions the king’s delight after his cook accidentally poured eggs into a potato dish his Irish counterpart was preparing as part of a feast. Serendipity indeed.

Enough useful info. The recipe:

Photography by Annie Peel

Ingredients

• 3 potatoes, peeled and sliced uniformly about the thickness of a one euro coin. You can use any type of potato but my favourite is of course the Ibiza red
• 1 onion, peeled, halved and cut into crescents
• 100ml extra virgin olive oil
• 8 free range eggs, beaten
• Salt

Photography by Annie Peel

Method
Heat the oil gently in your chosen and trusted pan that doesn’t stick. Put in the sliced potatoes, turn them over to coat and cook on medium low for five minutes. Occasionally pour them into the bowl to turn them (doing it in the pan is annoying). Peel and slice the onion as the potato softens.

Photography by Annie Peel

Pour the potatoes into the bowl again, add the onion and season generously. Pour all of it back into the pan and cook until the potato and onion are soft.

Photography by Annie Peel

Break the eggs and beat them, add the potato mixture and turn it until the egg is coating everything. If it is dry add more egg – the mixture must be distinctly runny.

Photography by Annie Peel

Now pour it into the pan and fry it for a few minutes on medium low. Shake the pan to see if it is loose (if not run a spatula between the egg and the pan, lifting it slightly from the sides).

Photography by Annie Peel

Pick up the pan with a cloth in one hand and cover with the plate, flat surface down, with the other. Deftly* turn it upside down. Slide the half cooked tortilla back into the pan so that the cooked side is facing you. Poke the edges in to form a seal.

Photography by Annie Peel

Now it is a question of taste. If you like it soft, only cook it for another couple of minutes, if you like it firm, cook it some more.

Photography by Annie Peel

Turn it out onto a clean plate, go somewhere quiet and eat it all yourself.

*It is always best to do this over a flat clear surface just in case there is spillage.

An angel at your table

Sitting at the top of a beautiful hill in San Rafael, with stunning views of the neighboring church is legendary Ibiza restaurant El Clodenis, loved by Ibiza locals and the gastronomic jet set for over 25 years, for its romantic setting, expansive, beautifully lit terrace and outstanding French Provencal and Mediterranean cuisine. Read more.

After a four-year hiatus, El Clodenis was given a new lease of life by new owners David Oliel and Didier Macia in 2010. Upon discovering the passion and dedication of its many followers for the restaurant’s heritage, they vowed moving forward to retain its soul, aura and charm.

Read the full article on White Ibiza

Photography by Annie Peel

Colonial class

Located in one of the island’s oldest houses, originally built in 1904 and sitting in pride of place overlooking the recently redeveloped port and harbour area, Ibiza restaurant Villa Mercedes is an oasis of style and sophistication in the brash and brazen town that is San Antonio. Read more.

The décor is reminiscent of a colonial palace at the turn of the century – lavish furnishings, candle-lit tables and seductive lighting plus an impressive white façade with the modern touch of electric blue windowsills. Opened in 1999, it attracts a stylish, international crowd by day and by night, lured in by the romantic and relaxed atmosphere.

Read the full article on White Ibiza

Photography by Annie Peel

]]> http://blog.white-ibiza.com/ibiza-restaurant-2011-update-villa-mercedes/feed/ 0 http://blog.white-ibiza.com/ibiza-restaurant-passion-healthy-living-activating-your-nuts/ http://blog.white-ibiza.com/ibiza-restaurant-passion-healthy-living-activating-your-nuts/#comments Thu, 15 Sep 2011 12:11:25 +0000 Lana Love http://blog.white-ibiza.com/?p=7451

The next instalment in our healthy living blog series, written by (self-confessed ‘health nut’) Lana Love, owner of Ibiza’s favourite healthy cafe, Passion Cafe.

OK, I know what you’re thinking! But I hate to disappoint you… this is not that kind of story! Here at Passion, we offer a superfood breakfast bowl topped with activated nuts, so one of my favourite questions to be asked is when the boys confusingly query what this means! To which my answer is simply: before eating your nuts, you have to activate them first!

It is actually quite simple. Activating only means soaking them in water for hours before eating, as nuts and seeds contain enzyme inhibitors. Soaking them makes them much more digestible, by removing those inhibitors that naturally keep them from spoiling.

It may sound nuts, but soaking nuts and seeds enhances the nutrients and minerals we absorb from them. (I always joke that soaking in a hot tub makes my dear mother more digestible too, as she can have her moments sometimes that can be hard on my digestion! Bless!)

Nuts and seeds are a fantastic resource of unsaturated fats and because they are a more traditional protein source, they actually reduce saturated fat and calories in the body for a well-balanced diet. They are full of vitamins, minerals, good fats, protein and fibre.

Eaten in moderation (and not like you are squirrel stocking up for winter), nuts and seeds are really healthy, best eaten unsalted and raw. A handful or two per day is more or less all you need to get the health benefits. At times, people eating a predominately raw food diet can overdo it on nuts, so if you are on that kind of diet or embarking on a raw food diet or detox, be sure to go easy on the nuts.

Keep your raw nuts in the fridge or freezer, especially macadamias. Have them in desserts, sprinkled over salads, in cereals, stir-fries or as a great healthy snack. I love adding grounded almonds or walnuts to my raw milk or soya milk-based smoothies. You get the creamiest, super satisfying liquid dessert that doesn’t clog up your arteries.

Another amazing thing to do with nuts is to make your own nut milk. I love my vanilla almond milk made from almonds soaked overnight, water and vanilla pods sweetened with dates. Yummy!

Many people aren’t tolerant to all nuts equally, so it’s a good idea to check if some don’t agree with you. I was rather disappointed recently when I found out that because of my blood type, I should avoid sesame, hazelnuts and cashews like I should avoid ex-boyfriends!

When soaking your nuts, only use as much as you think you are going to eat or as much as you need for a certain recipe. Once soaked, nuts and seeds don’t keep well and can go mouldy in just a few days. Almonds and sesame seeds need to be soaked the longest, ideally up to 12 hours, Cashews and sunflower seeds need only couple of hours and around four hours is enough for walnuts. The more dense the nut, longer it needs soaking.

A gluten and dairy intolerant customer came into Passion just the other day, in desperate need of a dessert, but said a fruit salad just wouldn’t do!

 So I blended some activated almonds with raw cacao, agave syrup, peanut butter and dash of water in my high-speed blender and ended up with yummiest nutty peanut chocolate cream. I chopped some banana on the top, sprinkled it with hemp seeds and voila! A super nutritious superfood dessert was created in an instant!

I have admit, one of my virtues is making food, desserts or drinks out of whatever I am left with or presented with! I might be the ideal person to be stuck with on a desert island! The beauty of raw, unprocessed, basic ingredients like nuts, seeds, fruit and vegetables is that with creating dishes from those foods you cannot go wrong in the taste department and the nutrition you get out of those foods is an amazing story itself!

So, venga vamos! Get your nuts swimming!

Photography by Polly Alexandre

White Ibiza recommends: King Prawn Tempura at Kumharas

Whether to share as a starter or enjoy every last bite as a main, the light-yet-crispy king prawn tempura at Kumharas is one of the house specialties. Served with a tangy Amazu Ponzu sauce, a sweet vinegar dressing with a citrus tang that enhances the flavour of the prawn, the presentation makes it seem almost too good to eat… but the aromas make it too tempting!

Reserve your table at Kumharas

Photography by Annie Peel

Hidden treasure

Once you’ve stumbled upon El Chiringuito at Cala Gracioneta – just a matter of driving down a windy road past San Antonio and traipsing down a little tree-lined pathway, or taking a short walk around the rocky coastline from nearby Cala Gracio – it’s quite possible you’ll never want to leave. Read more.

And between the hours of 10am until well after midnight, there’s absolutely no reason you should!

Read the full article on White Ibiza

Photography by Annie Peel

]]> http://blog.white-ibiza.com/ibiza-restaurant-2011-update-el-chiringuito-at-cala-gracioneta/feed/ 0 http://blog.white-ibiza.com/ibiza-restaurant-new-la-cava/ http://blog.white-ibiza.com/ibiza-restaurant-new-la-cava/#comments Thu, 08 Sep 2011 05:10:01 +0000 Miss W http://blog.white-ibiza.com/?p=7281 Cosmopolitan hub

Situated in Ibiza town’s bustling hub of Vara de Rey, La Cava is Ibiza’s premier meeting place and most cosmopolitan tapas experience. Open from 9am until 3am, all year round, it’s the ideal all-occasion location, whether a working breakfast, light lunch, boozy business meeting, birthday party or late night cocktails. Read more.

Start the day bright and early with breakfast ranging from Mediterranean fare, full English, fancy French, or tropical fresh fruit served with a glass of cava, all accompanied by La Cava’s delicious freshly squeezed orange juice and perky coffee.

Read the full article on White Ibiza

Photography by Annie Peel

A jewel by the sea

The concept of Savannah Beach Club is simple: a relaxed environment where you can eat, drink and watch the last twinkling rays of the sun descend into the sea, providing a sophisticated respite from the madness often associated with San Antonio’s sunset strip. Read more.

Perched at the end of the promenade that famously brought a new level of quality to the area, Savannah was built in 1997 by Javier Anadón - owner of neighbouring Café Mambo, Mint Lounge, Kama Sushi and Villa Mercedes among others.

Read the full article on White Ibiza

Photography by Annie Peel

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Photography by Polly Alexandre

The alternative view

In the heart of San Antonio bay, tucked away from the tourist trappings and sitting right on the water’s edge, Kumharas has long been a secret lovingly guarded by Ibiza residents, offering an alternative view of the famous Ibiza sunset… Read more.

Take your place by the pirate tower bar, on rustic wooden couches, deluxe daybeds or simply perch on the rocky coastline to sip on cocktails and sangria, snack on crepes and barbeque bocadillos as the sun melts into the sea before you.

Read the full article on White Ibiza

Photography by Polly Alexandre

]]> http://blog.white-ibiza.com/ibiza-restaurant-new-kumharas/feed/ 0 http://blog.white-ibiza.com/ibiza-restaurant-2011-update-kama-sushi/ http://blog.white-ibiza.com/ibiza-restaurant-2011-update-kama-sushi/#comments Wed, 07 Sep 2011 10:13:03 +0000 Miss W http://blog.white-ibiza.com/?p=7258

Photography by Annie Peel

Eat. Love. Enjoy.

Kama Sushi is an über-cool cocktail and sushi lounge, situated on the San Antonio sunset strip. Open until 1am, highly-trained chefs slice and dice a variety of the freshest sashimi, nigiri, uramaki (inside out rolls) and maki, plus an a la carte fusion menu every night throughout summer… Read more.

Sunset cocktails are the first order of the day, and those in the know opt for Lychee Mojitos, a lush blend of rum, lychees, mint and lime, the sunset strip’s best sangria or flute champagne cocktails like the delectable Koroko, made with fresh peach and passionfruit liqueur.

Read the full article on White Ibiza

Photography by Annie Peel

]]> http://blog.white-ibiza.com/ibiza-restaurant-2011-update-kama-sushi/feed/ 0 http://blog.white-ibiza.com/ibiza-restaurant-new-raco-verd/ http://blog.white-ibiza.com/ibiza-restaurant-new-raco-verd/#comments Tue, 06 Sep 2011 09:53:17 +0000 Miss W http://blog.white-ibiza.com/?p=7155

Photography by Geoff Fenney

The green corner

Perched under an enormous ancient olive tree and serving fabulous food, fresh juices and expertly crafted cocktails from morning till night plus bringing live music to the stage, Raco Verd’s 50-year reputation as the place to be in San Jose is very well deserved. Read more.

By day, it’s a juice bar and breakfast hotspot for switched on holidaymakers, accessing WiFi while recharging for the day ahead over a detoxifying juice of melon, lime, celery and mint, the hangover SOS (apple, carrot and lime) or ecological muesli with natural yoghurt and honey.

Read the full article on White Ibiza

Photography by Geoff Fenney

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Photography by Geoff Fenney

White Ibiza recommends: Caramelised French toast with orange ice cream at Ama Lur

If you’re blessed with a sweet tooth like we are, the dessert menu at classic Ibiza restaurant Ama Lur is nothing short of paradise! We love the super-sweet caramelised French toast, served with a refreshing scoop of homemade orange ice cream – well worth saving room for after dinner!

Reserve your table at Ama Lur on White Ibiza

]]> http://blog.white-ibiza.com/ibiza-restaurant-ama-lur-dish-of-the-day-caramelised-french-toast/feed/ 0 http://blog.white-ibiza.com/ibiza-restaurant-new-la-escollera/ http://blog.white-ibiza.com/ibiza-restaurant-new-la-escollera/#comments Wed, 31 Aug 2011 23:05:24 +0000 Miss W http://blog.white-ibiza.com/?p=7102

Photography by Ana Lui

Fit for a king

In a location truly fit for a king – on the cusp of always sunny Es Cavallet – and serving cuisine truly fit for a king, it’s no surprise the philosophy behind long-serving Ibiza restaurant La Escollera is that the client is king! Read more.

You want it? You got it. Panoramic views across the Mediterranean Sea, multiple shaded wooden-decked terraces, a cool, open plan indoor dining space, tables in the sand, a chill out lounge area, cocktail bar, the friendliest staff and a warm, family-run vibe – and then there’s the food!

Read the full article on White Ibiza

Photography by Ana Lui

]]> http://blog.white-ibiza.com/ibiza-restaurant-new-la-escollera/feed/ 0 http://blog.white-ibiza.com/ibiza-restaurant-jockey-club-dish-of-the-day-stuffed-spider-crab/ http://blog.white-ibiza.com/ibiza-restaurant-jockey-club-dish-of-the-day-stuffed-spider-crab/#comments Thu, 25 Aug 2011 23:05:48 +0000 Miss W http://blog.white-ibiza.com/?p=6911

Photography by Ana Lui

White Ibiza recommends: Stuffed spider crab at Jockey Club

Lunches don’t get much more indulgent than the stuffed spider crab at Jockey Club in Las Salinas... so fresh it looks like it could almost crawl off your plate! Cooked, then stuffed with a dough made from with onion, garlic, red and green pepper plus milk and fish stock. Served with parmesan gratin, and we recommend a crisp glass of vino blanco to go with that of course!

Reserve your table at Jockey Club through White Ibiza

Photography by Ana Lui

For most people, August in Ibiza is all about house music and crowds of tourists who want to get their bling on. For me, August is all about the secret hideaways to which I can escape, relax and enjoy hot summer nights, with fantastic food and great company. Las Dos Lunas has that covered.

This family run institution sits on the road from Ibiza to San Antonio (or vice versa!), just past Amnesia. Steeped in history, its legendary owners have been wining and dining more than just Ibiza royalty for years – the real, live king of Spain sits at the table opposite me! I had the feeling we were going to eat well…

Photography by Ana Lui

Everything at Las Dos Lunas has a personal touch. We drank a bottle of crisp white wine (not too dry, just as I’d requested) from the restaurants own vineyards in Tarragona Catalunya, Doni Barrica, in beautifully embossed wine glasses. Nice touch. We oohed and aahed over the gorgeous fashion in the pages of Le Cirque magazine – brought over by a family friend from Buenos Aires – whilst tucking into an appetiser of fresh mortadella and salami to further oohs and aahs.

What I love about Las Dos Lunas is it’s a restaurant which makes ‘normal’ food taste outstanding. We started with a traditional Italian salad with avocado, corn, rocket and the most exquisite tomatoes from the restaurant’s own veggie garden, literally bursting with flavor. I don’t often fight over tomatoes, and tonight we managed to settle the dispute over who would eat the last tomato on the plate amicably… We cut it in half.

Photography by Ana Lui

Next were the pastas… I’m not normally a one pasta girl let alone a two pasta girl, but then again, I’ve never eaten pasta like that at Las Dos Lunas before. I’m also not normally a Carbonara fan, in the modern sense of the word. It’s all cream and fatty bacon, – a moment on the lips, lifetime on the hips, right? Here you can think again… Carbonara is a dish best served old (style). Pasta (rigatoni) served perfectly al dente, almost crunchy, no cream, just the egg, ultra crispy pancetta with absolutely no fat. The generous portion of rocket topping this dish was the perfect peppery partner. Quite frankly, I think it’s the best Carbonara on the planet.

Photography by Ana Lui

Despite wearing my tight bandage dress, I almost begged to try another dish, Spaghetti Marinara, after the Carbonara. I wanted to see how those delectable tomatoes fared in a home made tomato based sauce. Once again, delicious. Not too garlicky either, a regular complaint for me in the marinara department. Perfect for a romantic dinner date then!

Photography by Ana Lui

As we took a breather from the feast to make room for our main course (that’s right, the pasta was just an entrée) I was enchanted by the cosy atmosphere on the colorful terrace, with its hand-painted floor. In strolled the families, one by one, youngest to oldest dressed up to the nines. I couldn’t help but think about my own family dinners, however, I’m rather sure our behavior was slightly more rowdy than the impeccably behaved children in Las dos Lunas!

My choice: the freshest of fresh sea bass (no overly sweet fish farmed fish here) served with scallop potato and vegetable strips – fresh and succulent, delicate flavors, but still quite a nice meaty piece of fish, with crispy skin. Naughty but nice, retaining the taste of the sea.

Photography by Ana Lui

My companion’s choice: veal medallions with a Mediterranean sauce of olives, capers and tomatoes. Mouthwatering tenderness, exquisitely complemented by those legendary tomatoes. What stood out for me most of all, all night, were the vibrant, vivid colors of the food, matching the intensity of the flavour perfectly.

Photography by Ana Lui

Another standout for me was the music. An eclectic selection taking you from jazz and flamenco to Jack Jones, and (yes you heard it right) Take That! A real trip down memory lane. Much like my father’s music collection, it reminded me of times gone past and the warm, cosy feeling that being with family gives you… a feeling I get with every visit to Las Dos Lunas.

Photography by Ana Lui

Reserve your table at Las Dos Lunas through White Ibiza

]]> http://blog.white-ibiza.com/ibiza-restaurant-review-las-dos-lunas/feed/ 0 http://blog.white-ibiza.com/ibiza-restaurant-aura-dish-of-the-day-pan-fried-sea-bream/ http://blog.white-ibiza.com/ibiza-restaurant-aura-dish-of-the-day-pan-fried-sea-bream/#comments Wed, 24 Aug 2011 11:59:08 +0000 Miss W http://blog.white-ibiza.com/?p=6908

Photography by Gypsy Westwood

White Ibiza recommends: Pan-fried sea bream at Aura

The almost-stifling August heat in Ibiza can sometimes mean it’s difficult to satisfy your appetite. Light, fresh dishes are the order of the day and we love the simple yet delicious sea bream at Aura before a night on the dance floor (like Guilty Pleasures tonight!) Lightly pan-fried in a warm chive dressing, it’s served with a refreshing watercress and pink grapefruit salad, not to heavy, but not too light… as Goldilocks would say, it’s j-u-s-t right!

Reserve your table at Aura Ibiza

Photography by Annie Peel

The pincho moruño is, or can be, a delicious thing. Moist, tender flesh, oiled and rubbed with spices – my favourite. Its origin is set in Andalusia and judging by the name it is a Moorish invention dating back to before the reconquest in 1492. I have done some googling and found very little background to this meaty gem but given its form and its spicing there is little doubt it’s from North Africa.

What is odd however is that nine times out of ten the cube of meat you will chew off its stick will not be the more likely lamb but pork; and as we know our Moorish brethren do not dig on swine. It would not surprise me if weren’t a little Spanish ‘fuck you’ to the vanquished. A bit like the two fingers the English flaunted at the retreating French at Agincourt. Maybe not but it’s a nice thought.

The traditional recipes all have pimenton, a smoked dried and powdered pepper so my theory is either a crock or this spice was added later. Peppers did not arrive in Spain until Columbus returned from the Americas for the second time, some years after the overthrow in Granada.

Bringing this slightly back to date, I recently did the food for a wedding. The brief being very Spanish meant that amongst many other delights I put pinchos on the menu. At the tasting I made both pork and lamb being unable to decide between the two and hoping the happy couple would do that for me. But no, they couldn’t decide either so I ended up doing both.

Photography by Annie Peel

I got hold of some neck cut of Iberian pork, which is the byproduct of the pata negra style ham. So these pigs are reared outdoors and have, in varying degrees, a good diet. The meat is so much more flavoursome and the fat is much less, well, fatty than the god awful factory stuff. If you haven’t tried it in a grill restaurant yet, order ‘secreto iberico’ and you will enjoy it. If you want to buy it then the place to go is Hipercentro on the San An road, they have a whole section of a counter dedicated to it.

The lamb wasn’t a worry, Spanish lamb being so utterly wonderful. I got some leg and chopped it into cubes.

Photography by Annie Peel

I rubbed both with:

Toasted then pulverised cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds and saffron
Crushed garlic
Pimenton de la Vera
Lemon zest
Salt and pepper

I let it sit for some time before I skewered those mothers and grilled them over charcoal. You try it and see if you can decide.

Photography by Annie Peel

]]> http://blog.white-ibiza.com/ibiza-restaurant-foodies-blog-dirty-heathens/feed/ 0 http://blog.white-ibiza.com/ibiza-lifestyle-2011-update-sa-capella/ http://blog.white-ibiza.com/ibiza-lifestyle-2011-update-sa-capella/#comments Mon, 22 Aug 2011 08:00:12 +0000 Miss W http://blog.white-ibiza.com/?p=6750

Divine dining

Nestled in the peaceful hills outside San Antonio is Sa Capella, one of Ibiza’s most divine dining experiences, housed in a 400-year-old monastery chapel that legend says is haunted and where locals rub shoulders with famous visitors and blissful tourists alike. Read more.

Step through stone arches into the grandiose hall, and feel transported to the tranquility of ancient Ibiza. Meanwhile, the surrounding gardens are an oasis of countryside calm, with flickering candles and bright bougainvillea swathing the walls.

Read the full article on White Ibiza

The next instalment in our healthy living blog series, written by (self-confessed ‘health nut’) Lana Love, owner of Ibiza’s favourite healthy cafe, Passion Cafe.

Believe it or not, life without sugar is sweet! Sure, you may be asking yourself how that can be possible. If someone had told me – the biggest cake lover out there – that only a few weeks ago, I would have told them: impossible!

However, I hadn’t been feeling great for a while, yet I have a healthy café and a very healthy lifestyle. Eating superfoods and so on wasn’t helping with all the emotional and stressful crap that was happening to me. My energy levels dropped, I was bloated all the time and just not excited about anything at all… I was scared when I felt my passion disappearing and I just could not allow that to happen. Because without passion in my life, without that drive and stimulation, I just don’t function. I just don’t enjoy my life without it.

As I am lady of action, I was eager to find what could I do to make my old happy self return, get my energy back and make that tummy flatter again! A consultation with an alternative medicine doctor suggested I remove all the sugar from my diet… even fruit! No sugar whatsoever.

I felt like a five-year old who’d just been told she couldn’t have a new Barbie. Bottom lip stuck out, sad puppy eyes, big sigh… But then I snapped out of it! It was a new challenge!

I haven’t been consuming white sugar for quite a while, I use dates as my sweetener, sometimes agave or maple syrup. But I ate lots of fruit. Lots and lots of fruit. Whole honeydew melon for breakfast, papayas and mangoes are my absolute weakness.

The first few days were hard as you just naturally reach for sugary things purely out of instinct. You chop fruit in the cafe, you eat a piece, you are frosting a cake, you lick the bowl at the end, you are about to blend a smoothie and first thing you reach for is a banana…

If anyone out there thought getting of wheat, gluten or dairy from your diet was difficult… try getting rid of sugar! Bad habits are like comfortable beds – easy to get into and difficult to get out!

Sugar is also everywhere!

I went to the health food shop to buy some snacks that were sugar free and also gluten free (I don’t consume that either – nasty stuff). In the biggest health food store in Ibiza I couldn’t find one single product that was gluten AND sugar free. When you take the time to read the labels you notice sugar and other sugar substitutes are everywhere! Plain, gluten free bread even has sugar in it! Why?

So I turned to my own kitchen and tuned in to my cooking skills. I was not going to let this stop me from enjoying my food and I was determined to find solutions and to create my sugar and gluten free desserts! I’m proud to say that I have succeeded and not only were some of them a success with me but also with Passion customers!

All the gluten and sugar free chocolate chip cookies I baked disappeared in just one day! They do say the proof is in the pudding… or cookie as the case may be!

When your diet is sugar free, it’s easy to reach for artificial sweeteners, but that utterly horrible stuff is just not going to pass my lips. To me, the only option is Stevia, a 100 per cent natural sweetener that takes time to get used to, because if you overdo on it leaves very strange overpowering sweetness in the mouth. I use it rarely and sparingly when I need just a little bit of sweetness in a dish I’m preparing.

Stevia can help lower blood pressure and is a digestive aid that also reduces gas and stomach acidity – it is even used for treatment of obesity.

So after the initial shock of my sudden break up with my lifelong partner, sugar, dealing with living without him, and finding a suitable substitute… the most amazing thing happened. I started to glow like almost never before! It was like, this is the formula for me!

I have given up on all kinds of stuff in my life, many times, such as dairy, coffee, gluten, white sugar, all boxed and canned foods and more, but never sugar entirely.

I’m no longer bloated, my skin is glowing, weight is dropping off, my eyes are clearer, I have more energy and just overall I feel fantastic! So you can imagine after feeling terrible for so long how sweet it is to feel this way!

Of course, I’m not suggesting you all cut out sugar completely but try to reduce it to absolute minimum that you can, to get real results.

Ignite your spark and live like you meant it!

Previous healthy living post: Summer is here

Photography by Geoff Fenney

Basque country

The traditional yellow finca with large patio has become a landmark on the road to Santa Gertrudis over the past 30 years, yet its simplistic exterior gives no clue as to the fine dining experience awaiting within Ama Lur. Read more.

The world famous Basque concept restaurant (one of two in Ibiza) features two classically decorated dining rooms – one with stunning sweeping views across a lush green valley – and has been attracting island locals, international foodies and discerning travelers since 1981.

Read the full article on White Ibiza

Photography by Geoff Fenney

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White Ibiza presents a Full Moon Dinner at Guarana Salinas Beach Club: Saturday August 13, 2011

An exclusive one-off event under the light of the August full moon on Las Salinas beach.

Chic vodka bar with specially designed cocktails by Pravda
Fashion parade presenting new season collections from ‘It’ labels Jenny Packham, Amor & Psyche and Single
Pop up store by new Ibiza boutique Paul & Fred with Summer Collection items available at sale prices
Wine tasting, live music, DJs and more!

Dinner reservations include a specially designed three-course menu and a selection of premium wines from Ibiza’s Can Rich vineyard.

Click here to book your table at this event or phone Guarana on 971 395 444

Photography by Ana Lui

I drive along the San Juan road regularly, and so I’d been waiting with great curiosity to see what born and bred Ibiza resident Melchior Arnold, plus partners manager, Eleonora Carapellotti and chef, Reina Nagai would do with the old Ocho building once he took the reins. A gorgeous, Japanese fusion restaurant was what greeted me tonight, Nagai, a bonsai-esque garden with such a welcoming, comforting feeling that it felt like it had been perched at the start of Ibizas ‘restaurant mile’ forever!

Never one to say no to a cocktail, I started with fresh fruit-laden concoction that was the deepest of red… almost like art in a glass, yet with just one slurp I got distinct feeling we were going to be in for a treat! Paired with an (almost) impolitely large portion of wasabi peas, curried almonds and hazelnuts, I quite literally had to force my taste buds to stop and save room for the main event…

Photography by Ana Lui

My dining companions were star snapper Ana Lui and my four-year old (‘Almost five!’ she interjects) daughter, who the staff accommodated with absolute aplomb, customising menu items to her little person’s appetite and tastes and with quite a few magic tricks to boot! This set the tone for the evening and earned a nod of respect and appreciation from me as a mum, and as a diner, because the staff paid plenty of attention to not only our adult desires but to those of mini-me, whose meal was topped off with an ice cream platter fit for a king. Or princess in this case…

Photography by Ana Lui

For the grown-ups at our table, the two separate menus (sushi and Japanese fusion) were enticing and varied at the same time. Immediately regretting my wasabi pea snack-athon, we took our time perusing the menu while tucking into another appetiser which magically appeared on our table – rice and potato balls with a tempura-inspired, crunchy light batter and a not-too-hot wasabi sauce. Delicious and light, I rather pleased there was just one each because I had the feeling I could spoil my appetite before even ordering! The unusual combination of potatoes, beef and seaweed was a delightful surprise. I’m not sure I’ve ever tasted such succulent buttery beef, which the obliging staff explained it was the finest Argentinian variety – no surprises there then!

Finally, we decided on a mixed sushi and sashimi plate, served with an extremely generous amount of pickled ginger and wasabi (nothing annoys me more than tiny ration of ginger and having to ask for a refill – HUGE props to Nagai for pre-empting what must surely happen to most diners!). Melt in the mouth fish. Tick. Light fluffy rice. Tick. Enough ginger and wasabi for a football team. Tick. Winner!

Photography by Ana Lui

I’m not sure for how long we entirely ignored the deluxe salmon tartare sitting on our table. Don’t get me wrong, I like salmon tartare, it’s just that I was so busy with the amazing sushi, it got a little neglected. Well, until the sushi was finished that is – beautifully presented on a row of raw zucchini shavings, which later proved a lovely fresh and light accompaniment and palate cleanser to what can often be a typically intense dish. What was it about Nagai’s tartare that made it stand out form the many I’d eaten before? The unbelievable lemon, olive oil and dill dressing, tasted like the salmon had been marinated for days. Perfection.

And then there was dessert. But that’s another story entirely… let’s just say you should save room for the sesame ice cream!

Photography by Ana Lui

Reserve your table at Nagai on White Ibiza

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Photography by Geoff Fenney

Bikinis & Barbeque at Ibiza Rocks House at Pikes Hotel: Saturday August 6, 2011

Every Saturday from 3.30pm, join the Ibiza Rocks crew poolside, for an afternoon of fun and frolics at Ibiza Rocks House at Pikes Hotel, aka Bikinis and Barbecue! With a huge selection of barbecue menu items, to suit meat eaters and vegetarians alike at a cost of 25€ per person, including a glass of sangria, book early to make sure you don’t miss out.

Read more about Room 39 Restaurant at Ibiza Rocks House

Photography by Ana Lui

Beachside dining tranquility

Overlooking the azure blue water of iconic Ibiza beach Las Salinas, Guarana Salinas Beach Club boasts an elegant tranquility, flawless service and a mouth-watering menu that is truly impossible to resist. Read more.

Established in 1973, Guarana was the first chiringuito to open on Salinas, and to this day is still run with the utmost pride and professionalism by the very same Ibicenco born and bred family, attracting the A-list and discerning international visitors year after year.

Read the full article on White Ibiza

Photography by Ana Lui

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Photography by AIEBE Fotografía

White Ibiza recommends: Sandy’s vegetable mezze plate

The perfect light, yet oh-so-tasty snack to share from the legendary Santa Eulalia institution Sandy’s Bar & Restaurant: homemade flat-bread with assorted vegetable mezze, including delectable secret recipe hummus and tzatziki and a crisp side salad. Even better washed down with a classic Sandy’s spicy Bloody Mary!

Reserve your table at Sandy’s Bar & Restaurant through White Ibiza

White Ibiza recommends: Supperclub Novum Ibiza Sushi & Sashimi mixed platter

As the summer days get hotter and hotter, light, refreshing meals are the order of the day (or night as the case may be for dinner at Supperclub!) and here at White Ibiza, we love nothing more than a late night Japanese bite on the Supperclub Novum Ibiza beds! The mixed sushi and sashimi platter offers the perfect combination of succulent, freshly sliced and diced sashimi, nigiri and rolls, served up with ginger, soy and wasabi of course! Perfect for the upcoming hot and steamy August nights!

Reserve your table at Supperclub Novum Ibiza through White Ibiza

Photography by Ana Lui

Tasting menu & live music at Nagai: Monday August 1, 2011

The hottest (and coolest!) new addition to Ibiza’s notorious San Juan ‘restaurant road’ is Nagai – a super cool Japanese fusion restaurant offering the finest sushi, sashimi and fusion dishes. Make the most of your Monday night and experience the special tasting menu, complete with live music for your entertainment!

Read more about Nagai

Photography by Ana Lui

Detox Boxes at Passion: Wednesday July 27, 2011

It’s officially mid-season, and by now there are probably more than a few island residents in need of a good detox to help get back in shape to tackle the rest of the season. The health and wellness gurus at Passion Café in Playa d’en Bossa are here to help, with specially designed detox boxes – take your pick between raw and healthy food or pure juices – aimed at getting you back on track. Simply pre-order then pop into Passion each morning to pick up your box of goodness!

Read more about Passion Café