On the 26th January 2008 Brindisa celebrated its 20th anniversary with a party for suppliers, customers and various friends and colleagues who have been associated with the company during these two decades. The venue had been chosen, the caterers booked, the musicians tracked down and the invitations sent out: after a few minor setbacks, disasters and attacks of panic, all was ready for the occasion.
The venue was a great; divided into a spacious high ceilinged area, perfect for the music and dancing, to smaller, more intimate vaulted spaces more conducive to conversation. There was something for everyone’s enjoyment.
Despite the concerns of some about what constituted sufficient alcohol, or indeed “normal” consumption, and fears that the food might prove inadequate for the appetites of all present, there was no lack of drink or sustenance for anyone. The food itself ran from hand carved Joselito hams, to a table tottering with all of our cheeses from suckling pig in a bun to lentil, goats’ curd and greens stew, and many other delicious delicacies produced by our caterers, Arnold and Henderson. Mention must be made that much of the food (and drink) was very generously donated by a number of our suppliers.
There was an excellent turnout for the event with around 400 people in attendance: suppliers were well represented, which was very gratifying when one considered the time and effort involved for them, with representatives from both large and small producers. Customers came from all areas of business, from the biggest of our wholesalers to local deli owners and a good seasoning of chefs who had managed to get the night away from their stoves.
Roberto Pla and his band of 17 musicians played a couple of great sets and got many people up and dancing; the longer the party went on the more enthusiastic grew the gyrations of the crowd. With the light glinting off the countless brass instruments of the players, the rich Latin sounds and the enthusiastic response of the partygoers to the Colombian tunes, the atmosphere was hot and vibrant.
Speeches were kept to minimum (to the delight of many) and fun was the order of the night.
The Brindisa Warehouse
Our drivers, stocking up the Brindisa vans from the crack of dawn
The Balham team in our warehouse, surrounded by shelves piled
high with Spanish goodies
Speciality Importer of the Year 2007
Brindisa is extremely proud to have been awarded "Speciality Importer of the Year, 2007" for the second year running!
This award is based on the large number of high quality and award winning products we supply to all sectors of the speciality food market.
Monika Linton, founder and managing director of Brindisa,
receiving the award at the Great Taste Awards dinner in London.
Some Brindisa staff celebrating the award
Speciality Importer of the Year 2006
Brindisa is extremely proud to have been awarded "Speciality Importer of the Year, 2006" for our import business.
Monika Linton, founder and managing director of Brindisa,
with James Robinson, Brindisa Sales Account Manager, receiving
the award from food writer Richard Johnson, presenter of BBC’s
Full on Food, at the Great Taste Awards dinner in London
Brindisa and The River Café visit fish supplier Ortiz
In October this year, Brindisa took a group of chefs from The River Café to visit Conservas Ortiz.
The River Café have long been customers of Brindisa's Cantabrian anchovies, so this visit was to see the anchovies being prepared on the Cantabrian coast. Whilst we were there we saw the fishing boats that catch both our anchovies and tuna and visited the factories which prepare and tin these products for us.
Conservas Ortiz is a family-run business which was established over 100 years ago and their fish is of the finest provenance, processed under extremely exacting criteria, much of the process still being done by hand.
For a resource as precious and endangered as fish, it is worth shopping carefully, even if this means paying a higher price, to help preserve fishing techniques which do not entirely deplete the worlds' stocks of certain types of fish, and to maintain customer demand for selective and sustainable fishing.
Fishing boats outside the auction house in Getaria port
Fishing boats with multiple rods for line-catching tuna
All our bonito del norte from Ortiz is line caught on traditional fishing boats, making it dolphin-friendly. The bonito is actually caught using rods and live bait (pole and line method), which is the most selective and ecological method, and one that brings in the highest quality fish.
The beautiful Cantabrian coastline.
Chefs from the River Café with Brindisa and Ortiz, admiring the view.
Brindisa, Ortiz and the River Café talking with a fisherman about
economic and ecological pressures on the fishing industry.
Availability of anchovies off the Spanish coast is extremely limited, due to overfishing from several countries and stocks will take years to replenish. Ortiz sources its anchovies only from the Cantabrian or Mediterranean seas (depending on availability) and not any wider, unregulated oceans of the world, as is unfortunately commonplace. Their anchovies are fished using a cerco net. This method of fishing prevents the catch from being damaged by an over-weighty haul and is also a responsible method of fishing that allows regeneration of the fish stocks. Ortiz select only the best of the catch: their anchovies are large and meaty and are trimmed and filleted by hand, avoiding any "hairiness."
Salted anchovies being separated ready for cleaning and hand-filleting.
Anchovies being hand-filleted.
We then visited the Ortiz tuna factory in Zumaya where we saw tuna steaks being tinned by hand.
San Sebastián has a wonderful indoor market which Brindisa and the River Café spent their last morning exploring.
Monika Linton (Brindisa) and Rose Gray (River Café)
discuss their purchases with market traders.
© Copyright Brindisa 2006. Site design and build Realtime Interactive. Original 'Open Road' home page image courtesy of Giacomo Bretzel and copyright Giacomo Bretzel 2005