The latest is to drink the sea: crab 'brandy' and tuna bone pomace cream

The non-alcoholic cocktail 'Vinagreta Sour' is inspired by the popular culture of harvesting and contact with nature, based on the plant 'oxalis pes-caprae'.

Not content with flooding their plates with sea currents, the Cádiz chef Ángel León and the leader of the sommelier team, Cristina Navarro, have brought the sea to the glasses, giving diners an experience where they not only taste the sea, but which is also drunk.

With a multidisciplinary crew made up of biologists, chefs, waiters and sommeliers, among other profiles, Aponiente constantly challenges expectations in its search for gastronomic innovation. Every year, they introduce new concepts, in 2023 they surprised the world by incorporating the sea into desserts in a surprising and sustainable way. Now, in the 2024 season inaugurated on March 13, they have gone one step further, incorporating drinks that are truly “pure sea”.

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In collaboration with Carles Bonin, founder of La Destilateca, a microdistillery based in Terrassa, they have developed several drinks that can be classified as surprising and unusual. Among them, the coñeta

brandy

stands out (a crab common on the Andalusian coast, especially on the Cadiz coast), made with shells of the aforementioned crustacean. Its tolerance to changes in salinity allows it to colonize estuaries and marsh channels, and it represents one of the species included by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) among the 100 most invasive in the world. This liquid proposal captures the gustatory essence of the crab and masterfully transfers it to a base of aged brandy, creating a round, unctuous and mineral sensation. The coñeta

brandy

is served in a stemless glass, along with a preparation composed of American coñeta sauce, very reduced,

beurre blanc

(a sauce of French origin made with butter, with a reduction of white wine and shallots)

and vanilla.

Another addition is the tuna bone pomace cream, which combines the toasted and

umami

flavor of the bones, with the softness of the pomace cream. The result is a creamy, silky experience that highlights the qualities of tuna bones that are normally discarded. This drink is served in desserts, with the sequence of chocolate and tuna ice cream accompanied by

katsuobushi (

obtained from dried and smoked fish shavings) of tuna caramelized with cocoa.

New line of marine cocktails from Aponiente. Image provided by the restaurant.

The Vinaigreta Sour non-alcoholic cocktail aims to evoke the childhood memories of brothers Ángel and Carlos León, inspired by the popular culture of harvesting and contact with nature. Based on the

Oxalis pes-caprae

plant

, known as citrus and classified as an invasive species, it reflects the minerality of the soils near the restaurant, in the Puerto de Santa María marsh. Through this drink, the culinary possibilities offered by this invasive plant are highlighted, taking advantage of its complex aroma and flavor full of nuances, where notes of fruits such as kiwi or green apple intermingle with vegetal and acid touches.

A special mention deserves the room service, directed by Jorge Ponce, who stands out for his interactions and presentations in front of the client. It is a classic French style service, which incorporates a large number of plating techniques, where the waiter finishes preparations in the room and cooks emotions for the diner. The team has carts that house a wide variety of tools, from a deep-freezer machine to make instant ice cream with unimaginable textures, to different infusions and extraction methods for specialty coffee and teas.

Once again, Aponiente introduces culture, science and marine

terroir

in unexpected ways, far from what we expect in a tasting menu. In this new season, she invites her guests to embark on a journey through the seas, with a unique gastronomic experience, where the sea is eaten, felt and now also drunk.

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