Painting in Spain
 

Liz is a naturally gifted cook with a lifetime of experience. She is a farmer’s daughter who grew up in the Lincolnshire countryside under the guiding hand of her mother, herself a wonderful cook. The aroma of freshly baked bread, the curing of home grown hams and the constant supply of fresh farm vegetables was the norm and it has influenced her cooking ever since. In her career she has been responsible for the catering in her own hotel and later establishing the cuisine in a new country house hotel and also running her own company Country Fayre all in the Derbyshire Peak district.

She is an intuitive cook with an imaginative flair for developing new ideas always based on the best quality fresh ingredients. It is no surprise that Spain has been a wonderful opportunity to exercise her talents and her creativity. It is Liz’s mission to blend the very best of the wonderful healthy Mediterranean diet with her own philosophy and creative ideas.

The Art course have been a great success with many guests returning annually but it has become quite apparent that the food produced in Liz’s Font Blanca kitchen is a major contributory factor. The lunch served part way through the days painting is superb, eaten on the terrace under the shade of the pergola. The breakfast and evening meal are usually taken in the dining hall with the large antique doors open to reveal a wonderful view of the mountains beyond.

We grow many of our own vegetables and everything else is bought at the local markets. Our friend and local farmer Fernando supplies us with endless quantities of fruits such as lemons, oranges, plums, grapes, avocados and the local speciality nisperos. It has become apparent to us how important the sun is for growing certain vegetables. Courgettes, peppers, aubergines, and tomatoes in particular have a flavour second to none when grown in the hot sun. It is a true luxury to collect a basket full of lemons and figs while going for a walk down the lane. We collect our own olives which are cold pressed in Tárbena to give us good quality virgin oil and with our 120 almond trees we have more nuts than we can eat in a year. Liz’s homemade jam and preserves especially her crema de limón have raised her to guru status amongst the ladies of Tárbena and she is also supplying the local bar/restaurant with preserves for their special breakfasts.