More than 50% of the events registered during the 3rd annual International Sherry Week, featured food and wine pairings. Innovative Sherry pairing menus were created from all over the world from Canada to Australia to Japan to the United Kingdom and social media accounts were buzzing with sumptuous imagery of the perfect Sherry pairing, peaking with more 10,000 unique posts recorded using the hashtag #sherryweek across Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
The judges had a very hard decision to make with the winning criteria to include a creative menu pairing together with high activation on social media, including photographs posted, impacts, reach and user engagement as measured by the source Tweetbinder. However, the judge's decision was unanimous, awarding the prize to AMBIENTE TAPAS, who with four venues in the United Kingdom celebrated Sherry Week with both educational and gastronomy led events every day and non-stop posting of the events on social media.
Ambiente Tapas describe themselves as a Gourmet Mediterranean Tapas with a Yorkshire twist. Their restaurants are inspired by traditional Spanish "tabancos" and their menus provide a wide range of tapas delivered with their very own Ambiente twist to delight all diners.
Here's what they got up to:
The Perfect Pairing for Sherry Week – at all four Ambiente Locations
Throughout Sherry Week, Ambiente’s match of the moment was Boquerones Y Manzanilla – anchovies accompanied by a dry, light sherry with a salty freshness.
5 Course Paired Menu specially created for evening with Valdespino Sherries on Tuesday 8th November at Ambiente Leeds.
Banderillas
Anchovy, Pimiento Peppers and olives
Paired with Valdespino Fino Inocente
X
Merluza Asada
Bbq roasted hake served with spiced tomato chutney & pea & mint puree
Paired with Valdespino Palo Cortado Viejo C. P.
XX
Carrillada de cerdo
Braised pig cheek, caramelised glazed apple & celeriac puree
Paired with Valdespino Amontillado Tio Diego
XXX
Pechuga de Arrachera
Bar marked pigeon served on a bed of foraged sea beets
Paired with Valdespino Don Gonzalo Oloroso
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Salt chocolate delice with coffee mousse & pistachio crackling
Paired with Valdespino PX El Candado
In addition to their gastronomy events, Ambiente Tapas provided staff training to all new staff members on Sherry and offered all customers a Sherry as their first drink when being seated at their tables.
Ambiente Tapas 14 Goodramgate York YO1 7LQ 01904 689784
Ambiente Tapas 31 Fossgate York YO1 9TA 01904 638252
Ambiente Tapas 36-38 The Calls Leeds LS2 7EW 0113 246 1848
Ambiente Tapas 5 Humber Stree Hull HU1 1TG 01482 426 126
Copa Jerez is an international food and Sherry pairing competition in which chef and sommelier teams from eight different countries, compete in a quest to find the most harmonious combinations.