Reviewed by
Evelyn
Having enjoyed the French food boxes from La Gourmet Box for the past few months, they decided to send me their popular Spanish Iberian Box to try out this time around. I’m a huge fan of Spanish food, and I’ve been lucky enough to spend many of my summer holidays abroad in various parts of Spain. It’s a beautiful, vibrant country and I absolutely love their food. Honestly, there is nothing better than sitting in a cafe outside in the sunshine with a group of friends, having a catch up over some tasty tapas!
The Iberian Box is packed full of delicious food and drink which has been expertly sourced directly from local artisan producers throughout the Spanish Iberian region. The area is world-famous for its fine produce and I couldn’t wait to open it up as it promised a ‘culinary journey through Spain’, with the contents of the box providing everything that you need for a grand evening of premium Spanish hors d’oeuvres to share with your family and friends.
The box was shipped via courier to the UK, and all of the contents arrived in perfect condition with lots of cushioning to protect the products during transit.
Tobia Selección Rioja 2014 (14%)
A good glass of wine is an essential part of a Spanish tapas evening and this fine bottle from the Bodegas Tobia winery was a perfect choice for this box. La Rioja is one of the most famous of the Spanish grape producing regions in the world, and I don’t think that I’ve ever had a glass that I haven’t enjoyed. This one is a strong and fruity infusion of a red wine that’s made from three of the main grapes that are grown in La Rioja (Grenache, Tempranillo and Graciano). It has a beautiful dark berry red colour and is bursting full of flavour with notes of Prunes and Blackberries that are subtly blended with Mint and there are more spicy notes of Black Pepper and Nutmeg to finish. A fine bottle of Rioja indeed!
Sánchez Romero Carvajal – Iberian Lomo de Bellota (Iberian Pork Loin) and Paleta de Bellota (Iberian Foreleg Ham)
It wouldn’t be an Iberian box without some of their most famous Iberian ham, and here were have two packets of Iberian Pork Loin and Iberian Foreleg Ham, both of which have been sliced ready to serve with your tapas. They are produced by the artisans Sánchez Romero Carvajal who have been producing Iberian pork products since 1879. The pigs are all free-range and raised on vast open woodlands of the Iberian Penisula where they can graze on the region’s abundant acorns.
These two packets were very popular with the meat eaters in my household and my sister especially enjoyed them as she always has Iberian ham whenever she visits Barcelona, so this was a real treat for her! Everyone seemed to like the Paleta slightly more than the Lomo as it had a milder taste, and it worked well with some fresh crusty bread.
Fussimanya Extra Fine Fuet Sausage
This huge cured sausage comes the Fussimanya delicatessen and is made from the finest select cuts of pork that’s then blended with pork lard, seasoned with salt and spices and stuffed in an all-natural casing for an indulgent meaty experience. It’s a traditional sausage from Catalonia and can be used as a snack with tapas, or sliced into a sandwich. Like the Iberian hams above, this was also popular with my housemates.
Les Garrigues Fried Lightly Salted Corn Nuts
The last time that I was in Barcelona, I visited a cocktail bar that had small bowls of these corn nuts on the tables for drinkers to enjoy whilst they were waiting to be served. They’re a popular snack throughout Spain, and they’re kinda like big chunks of crunchy salted popcorn! These ones from Les Garrigues are an all natural product that’s free from preservatives and made from just whole corn kernels, extra virgin olive oil and salt. They’re super tasty and quite addictive!
Fruita Blanch Olives
I love olives and this jar is from the delicatessen, Fruita Blanch. These olives are the Arbequina variety, which are smaller and have a much more intense flavour so you only need to eat a few to satisfy a craving. They are really delicious, and like the corn nuts above, are made with only all natural ingredients with nothing else added. I will have to look out for these the next time I find a Spanish delicatessen over here.
La Chinata Extra Virgin Olive Oil
I use a lot of Extra Virgin Olive Oil at home as I like to make my own salad dressings with it, so I was very pleased to find this high-quality bottle from La Chinata in the box. This oil has a lovely flavour that’s wonderfully versatile and it tastes great drizzled over just about anything! 
Rosara Tomate Triturado
To complete the Iberian Box, the last product that I pulled out was a jar of homemade tomato sauce from Rosara. This tomato sauce can be used in pasta dishes, on pizzas, and it’s been included in the box so that you can make the classic Catalonian snack, ‘pa amb tomàquet’ – a simple but utterly delicious mix of toasted country bread and natural tomato sauce/puree that’s finished off with a generous drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. The perfect afternoon snack – Spanish style.
