The Girona Sandwich
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We talked to Will Frischkorn, co-owner of Cured Boulder to get his take on the perfect Spanish picnic. It begins with the Girona sandwich.
Describe the inspiration behind the Girona sandwich? The Girona is inspired by the place that we called home for a handful of years, Girona, Spain. A town now familiar for many cycling enthusiasts, Girona easily captured the heart of most young Americans headed to race their bikes in Europe with a combination of great riding, easy travel, but more importantly, great culture—including an amazing food and wine scene. The Girona sandwich is a take on the classic Spanish snack, pan con tomate y jamon, but with a few twists. We take a great baguette, slice it in half and rub each side with a juicy tomato and a drizzle of olive oil. Rather than jamon Iberico, an expensive sandwich ingredient here in America, we use a delicious Calabrese salami and add a classic Spanish manchego cheese. Simple, delicious and incredibly satisfying for lunch, or post ride.
Can you suggest a wine or two to accompany it? With a touch of spice in the Calabrese, I either look for an aromatic white grape from northwestern Spain, like Godello or Albariño, or a hearty Spanish rosé from the Rioja region to balance things out.
What else would you include to complete the Spanish picnic? For a quick lunch picnic, a handful of Marcona almonds, a slice of membrillo (quince paste) and a bottle of sparkling water always take me back to simple patio lunches in Girona. That said, a full selection of Spanish cheeses, meats, olives and almonds certainly wouldn’t hurt.