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Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Scottish Sun
The campervan trip to Spain's least visited region that finally turned me into a grown up
If you're looking for a trip that's a bit off the beaten track, this Spanish region is a winner PINCHOS-ME MOMENT The campervan trip to Spain's least visited region that finally turned me into a grown up I HAVE the palate of a schoolchild. Before embarking on any trip, I often load a supermarket trolley with Monster Munch and a Fray Bentos pie-in-a-tin. So how exactly did I end up sipping silky reds and nibbling padrón pinchos on a charming cobbled street this summer? 6 I had travelled through northern Spain, in a Bailey motorhome, to the Rioja region Credit: Getty 6 Tuck into pinchos tapas on a stick, it is a genius way to enjoy the dessert Credit: Alamy Advertisement I had travelled through northern Spain, in a Bailey motorhome, to the Rioja region which, unbeknown to me, would soon shake up my tastebuds. Parking up at Camping de Haro, a leafy campsite in the heart of La Rioja (Spain's famous wine country), meant I had hearty cuisine right at my fingertips. From here, it's just a ten-minute stroll into Haro, a pretty town surrounded by vineyards and packed with wine bars, restaurants and ancient wineries. A recent report from the Spanish tourist board revealed that Rioja is one of the least-visited regions in the country. Advertisement That meant fewer crowds and therefore more time to scrutinise the menus. And I can say with certainty that the menus here are nothing short of impressive. I had visited the bars on Haro's lively main square with one simple mission: to try proper food. Not pot noodles, not tinned ravioli – real local fare. Advertisement Of course, tapas is well-known across the country, but in northern Spain, they serve pinchos. The name comes from 'pinchar', meaning 'to poke' or 'to skewer', which explains why each of the snacks I devoured at various bars had been neatly stacked on bread and skewered with a toothpick. Inside the Spanish town begging for Brit tourists They're keenly priced and ridiculously tasty. I started my food crawl safely with Spanish tortilla (or omelette, as it's sometimes known), followed by serrano ham, until I got braver. It turns out that Lomo ibérico, a type of ham made from cured pork loin, is a gateway food to another culinary dimension as by the time the night was over I had eaten my way through all manner of bizarre foods, even pig's ear pinchos. Advertisement Not something my under-educated palate had considered before, but it was a surprisingly tasty way to broaden my dietary horizons. Each bar had its own twist on the traditional pincho, making it easy to sample a variety of small tasters. It's customary to order a glass of wine and a pincho or two, then move on to the next bar – and by the third stop, I was a convert. Although savoury pinchos are the most popular, a dessert alternative is available to round off the evening. Pudding on a stick? Genius. The tasting was top-notch, and my host tailored the description of each wine to suit my inexperience The next morning, with a clear head and a mild cheese regret, I took a tour of Gómez Cruzado, one of Haro's oldest wineries. Advertisement Being largely a lager-only lad until this trip, here's where the grown-up wine lessons began for me. I learned about grape varieties, the use of different oak barrels, and how to properly assess a Rioja's aroma and evaluate its legs with a degree of confidence. The tasting was top-notch, and my host tailored the description of each wine to suit my inexperience. 6 Lee was able to treat his taste buds by sampling the local delicacies in Rioja Credit: Supplied 6 Haro is a pretty town surrounded by vineyards and packed with wine bars, restaurants and ancient wineries Credit: Getty 6 It's customary to order a glass of wine and a pincho or two Credit: Getty Advertisement Over a couple of hours, I sampled smooth whites and rich reds with names I couldn't pronounce but wanted more of. I picked up a bottle to take back to the campsite, along with some proper deli treats, and ditched the Fray Bentos for the night. Back at the motorhome, uncorking my new favourite wine and laying out some local cheese and ham, I watched the sun dip behind the stunning scenery that surrounds the campsite. It turns out you can still enjoy the great outdoors, but without the canned custard and tastes of home. If you're looking for a trip that's a bit off the beaten track, Rioja's a winner And if you're looking for a trip that's a bit off the beaten track, Rioja's a winner. Advertisement Gorgeous scenery, friendly locals, and incredible food and wine. I came here to shake up my comfort zone and ended up discovering a whole new side to travel, and to myself. The Fray Bentos? Still tucked in the back of the van. But for once, it stayed unopened. 'Travel broadens the mind' is a well-worn phrase, but I can now confirm it broadens the palate, too. 6 I had travelled through northern Spain in a Bailey motorhome Credit: Alan Bond Advertisement
The Sun
3 days ago
- The Sun
The campervan trip to Spain's least visited region that finally turned me into a grown up
I HAVE the palate of a schoolchild. Before embarking on any trip, I often load a supermarket trolley with Monster Munch and a Fray Bentos pie-in-a-tin. So how exactly did I end up sipping silky reds and nibbling padrón pinchos on a charming cobbled street this summer? 6 I had travelled through northern Spain, in a Bailey motorhome, to the Rioja region which, unbeknown to me, would soon shake up my tastebuds. Parking up at Camping de Haro, a leafy campsite in the heart of La Rioja (Spain's famous wine country), meant I had hearty cuisine right at my fingertips. From here, it's just a ten-minute stroll into Haro, a pretty town surrounded by vineyards and packed with wine bars, restaurants and ancient wineries. A recent report from the Spanish tourist board revealed that Rioja is one of the least-visited regions in the country. That meant fewer crowds and therefore more time to scrutinise the menus. And I can say with certainty that the menus here are nothing short of impressive. I had visited the bars on Haro's lively main square with one simple mission: to try proper food. Not pot noodles, not tinned ravioli – real local fare. Of course, tapas is well-known across the country, but in northern Spain, they serve pinchos. The name comes from 'pinchar', meaning 'to poke' or 'to skewer', which explains why each of the snacks I devoured at various bars had been neatly stacked on bread and skewered with a toothpick. They're keenly priced and ridiculously tasty. I started my food crawl safely with Spanish tortilla (or omelette, as it's sometimes known), followed by serrano ham, until I got braver. It turns out that Lomo ibérico, a type of ham made from cured pork loin, is a gateway food to another culinary dimension as by the time the night was over I had eaten my way through all manner of bizarre foods, even pig's ear pinchos. Not something my under-educated palate had considered before, but it was a surprisingly tasty way to broaden my dietary horizons. Each bar had its own twist on the traditional pincho, making it easy to sample a variety of small tasters. It's customary to order a glass of wine and a pincho or two, then move on to the next bar – and by the third stop, I was a convert. Although savoury pinchos are the most popular, a dessert alternative is available to round off the evening. Pudding on a stick? Genius. The next morning, with a clear head and a mild cheese regret, I took a tour of Gómez Cruzado, one of Haro's oldest wineries. Being largely a lager-only lad until this trip, here's where the grown-up wine lessons began for me. I learned about grape varieties, the use of different oak barrels, and how to properly assess a Rioja's aroma and evaluate its legs with a degree of confidence. The tasting was top-notch, and my host tailored the description of each wine to suit my inexperience. 6 6 6 Over a couple of hours, I sampled smooth whites and rich reds with names I couldn't pronounce but wanted more of. I picked up a bottle to take back to the campsite, along with some proper deli treats, and ditched the Fray Bentos for the night. Back at the motorhome, uncorking my new favourite wine and laying out some local cheese and ham, I watched the sun dip behind the stunning scenery that surrounds the campsite. It turns out you can still enjoy the great outdoors, but without the canned custard and tastes of home. If you're looking for a trip that's a bit off the beaten track, Rioja's a winner And if you're looking for a trip that's a bit off the beaten track, Rioja's a winner. Gorgeous scenery, friendly locals, and incredible food and wine. I came here to shake up my comfort zone and ended up discovering a whole new side to travel, and to myself. The Fray Bentos? Still tucked in the back of the van. But for once, it stayed unopened. 'Travel broadens the mind' is a well-worn phrase, but I can now confirm it broadens the palate, too. 6
Daily Mail
13-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Aldi launches new British snacks range - but there's one VERY divisive item everyone's talking about: 'They really did Aussies dirty'
A range of British snacks, treats and pantry staples has just launched into Aldi Australia stores - but one divisive item has got everyone talking. The budget supermarket chain has this week revived its popular 'Best of British' themed Special Buys range. Prawn cocktail and Worcestershire sauce crisps, Galaxy Chocolate Blocks, and nostalgic Club Biscuits are among the popular items currently being stocked in the store's middle aisle. But its not just snacks that caught shoppers' attention. One item in particular has raised eyebrows: Steak Kidney Pie in a tin, which costs $9.99. 'They really did the Aussies dirty sending them Fray Bentos pies,' one shopper joked in a TikTok video reply. But shoppers couldn't help but laugh when they spotted the tinned pie placed right next to a can of Batchelors Mushy Peas ($2.49). 'Mushy peas made me laugh', one said. 'Not the Fray Bentos... next to the mushy peas absolutely sent me,' another chimed in. However, some jumped in to defend the divisive British essential, with one proudly declaring the pies are 'so good', while another insisted 'the pastry' was 'chef's kiss'. In previous years, the 'Best of British' range has been a huge hit with UK expats looking to get a fix of the foods that they miss from home. This year's selection has once again stirred up excitement after one Melbourne-based Irish woman shared a video highlighting some of the top picks at her local store. Among the products the Irish expat spots in store are McVite's Club Orange Biscuits, $3.99, Smith's Cheese & Pickles Crinkle Cut Chips, $3.29 and Swizzels Squashies, $3.49. Shopper Rachel Houraghan shared a video, which has been viewed over 1.4million times, with the caption: 'Run don't walk to Aldi for your British and Irish sweet treats'. Eagle-eyed video viewers also saw that Aldi were selling cans of Scottish soft drink Irn-Bru, $2.49 and stew sachets of Guinness Ale & Steak Pie Mix, $2.99. Although quintessential UK supermarket items, many lamented in the video comments that they were not representative of fine British cuisine. For the most part, Aussie-based expats were excited about being able to stock up on some of their sorely missed favourites from home. 'I saw the Club and thought immediately that they're doing it right,' said one person. 'Literally bought one of everything,' confirmed a shopper. 'This got me up off my sofa and in the car to Aldi for the first time ever', added another. An Aldi Australia spokesperson confirmed that the store was excited to welcome back the popular range to the Special Buys aisle – and loved seeing social media videos of customers sharing their favourite finds. 'For those missing home favourites or are British food-curious, it's the time to head over to the middle aisle but be sure to act quickly, as these Special Buys are only here for a limited time,' the Aldi spokesperson told FEMAIL. Any shoppers who want to check ahead of time whether certain British goodies are currently in stock at their local store should visit the Special Buys tracker online ahead of their visit. Interestingly, many British-based people who heard about the sale were surprised that Aussie shoppers were interested in their supermarket staples. 'I never thought anyone would be excited about British snacks,' read one puzzled reply. 'Ýou know, it never occurred to me that we could be an event week,' seconded another. There were also reciprocal requests from UK-based shoppers, insisting that they now needed an 'Aussie week' in their local Aldi stores. 'Can we get an Aussie week in UK Aldi now?' requested a UK shopper. 'I wonder [if] they do an Australian week here, I'd love to get my hands on some Tim Tams,' added another. 'Aussie week in Ireland for the Cherry Ripes, Chicken Salt & Butter Menthols,' read a third request. Aldi Australia 'Best of British' Special Buys Range 2025 Chocolates and sweets Cadbury Double Decker or Wispa Chocolate 4pk/149.2g-94.8g $4.49 Tunnock's Caramel Wafers 8pk/240g $5.49 Tunnock's Tea Cakes 6pk/144g $5.49 McVitie's Digestives 266g/355g $2.75 McVitie's Club 7pk/154g Orange, Mint $3.99 Mars Revels or Galaxy Chocolate Bag 71g/80g $4.49 Galaxy Chocolate Blocks 100g/135g $4.49 Cadbury Dairy Milk Buttons 85g Orange, Caramilk or Milk $4.49 Fry's Chocolate Cream or Orange Cream 147g $4.49 Cadbury Curly Wurly 5 x 21.5g $3.99 Nestlé Aero or Rolo Chocolate 92g/103g $3.99 Nestlé Yorkie 3pk or Lion 4pk 138g/120g $3.99 Swizzels Squashies 140g $3.49 Swizzels Scrumptious Sweets 350g $5.99 Taveners Jelly Babies or Liquorice Allsorts 400g $6.99 each Biscuits and crisps McVitie's Rich Tea Biscuits 300g $2.99 Mr Hamfreys Bacon Bites 60g $2.99 $4.98 Smith's Crinkle Cut Chips 150g Prawn Cocktail, Worcestershire Sauce or Cheese & Pickles $3.29 McVitie's Cream Crackers 200g $2.49 Sauces HP Original Sauce 390ml $4.99 Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce 290ml $3.99 Colman's Horseradish Sauce 136g or Classic Mint Sauce 165g $3.49 each Bistro Favourite or Chicken Flavour Gravy Granules 170g $6.99 each Guinness Ale & Steak Pie Mix 40g $2.99 Hilltop Cut Comb in Acacia Honey 340g $9.99 British essentials Taylors of Harrogate Yorkshire Tea Bags 100pk $4.99 Pot Noodle 90g Beef & Tomato, Original Curry or Chicken & Mushroom $3.49 Branston Pickle 310g $4.99 Fray Bentos Steak & Kidney Pie 425g $9.99 Batchelors Mushy Peas 300g $2.49 Irn-Bru 330ml $2.49
