[Abbylovi]

The Despaña Website.

Before going to La Pollada de Laura, Daisy and I visited Despaña Foods. If you love Spanish food ingredients, this is THE place to go. I believe they supply all the major Spanish restaurants. Their products are not just stunningly delicious, they are CHEAP.

Serrano ham -- it is pre-sliced and wraped so you'd think it would be bad. No way. I think we ate the entire package in about 90 seconds.

Caña de cabra cheese -- Around $9 a pound, this goat cheese is sharp, creamy and addictive. We first had this at Tia Pol.

Chorizo -- the best I've had in the US.

Other purchased items not yet sampled: sherry vinegar ($8 for a huge bottle), roasted pepper mousse, spanish tuna in olive oil, a container of anchovies.

The girl manning the counter could not have been sweeter: "Are you guys going on a long road trip?"

Daisy and Abby: "Um, no were just like to food shop."

She also threw in a couple amusing boxed soups.

They have tastings every Saturday. I can't wait to go back.

They also offer mail order.

[Daisy]

A big jar of sea salt is $2.50, versus about $6 to $9 in WF, Citarella, etc. A jar of arbequina olives was to be had for $1.50.

The soup boxes bear a photo of four be-toqued chefs, including Arzak and Adria.

[banh cuon]

Sounds fantastic! I'm going to try heading out there before the end of the week. I can't wait to get my hands on a nice hunk of Campofrio lomo embuchado for a fraction of what Garden of Eden has been charging me.

[Abbylovi]

Just beware that they close around 5pm on weekdays. On Saturday they are open til 4pm.

[g.johnson]

The website promises iberico ham in 2007 (a new USDA directive apparently).

Do you have to buy an entire ham?

[Daisy]

No, it comes presliced in vacuum-packed envelopes. I was a little sceptical of this packaging but the ham is delicious, and moist yet firm. I should have bought 2 packages because we made quick work of the one this weekend. It goes very nicely on grilled asparagus, and the leftover asparagus and bits of ham made for a delicious frittata. I got jamon serrano but I think there was one other variety on offer.

Are you going to cross water for this ham, Glyn?

[Abbylovi]

Why cross water when you can mail order?

[Daisy]

Abbylovi, on Jun 28 2005, 03:23 PM, said:

Why cross water when you can mailorder?

For the free boxes of soup?

[Abbylovi]

And lunch at La Pollada de Laura.

[Wilfrid1]

The Mouthfullers who ate Spanish food at my house earlier this year were eating Despaña chorizo, both in the clam dish and in the callos con garbanzos. And I am still cooking with their Spanish paprika.

[omnivorette]

The chorizo is really, really good.

[porkwah]

wow, thanks for the tip. i can't believe that i have not heard of this place before, and i can't wait to go.

[porkwah]

well i and mrs. porkwah went today. we really liked the place. there were crackers, cheeses, and meats out for tasting -- the spicy chorizo was excellent and so we bought some. we also bought some miscellaneous stuff -- some cheese, and olives, and some pulpo, all still opened. and some serrano ham, which is delicious. the chorizo ended up in the freezer, i'm afraid, for now.

some still remains in the refrigerator, and i bought some as a present for my spanish teacher.

it's really small -- mostly a wholesaling operation; the retail area is small and most of the goods are behind the counter. today because of the tasting there were about 8 people in there standing around, shopping, and sipping on wine (the owner came out and supplied us with a glass) and chatting. it was so, so un-new york (i.e. unhurried).

they gave us free soups too. one chicken and one cream of mushroom, in rectangular cartons. haven't opened them.

so: muchas gracias for the tip.

[omnivorette]

What time were you there??? A few of us were there yesterday afternoon. What a great place. I bought a whole bunch of stuff, some of it was what we tasted. A very intense vinegar, among other things. What a treat.

Followed by a leisurely meal at La Pollada de Laura...did you check that out as well?

[porkwah]

we were there early, around noon, & didn't go out to eat after that. we would have recognized some of you from previous bbqs and chowhound things (i'm "babar ganesh" on chowhound).

haven't been to la pollada de laura yet. looks interesting, though. maybe will try to hit it after work one of these days -- it's more or less on the way home from work.