In February, I had the pleasure of experiencing Spain alongside a group of famed journalists, authors and foodies, diving deep into the world of Consorcio del Jamón Serrano to get schooled on—and savor—the rich traditions behind its time-honored aging process.
The “Crafted in Spain, Perfected by Time” journey was led by none other than local culinary force Doreen Colondres—celebrated chef, sommelier, Vitis House Wine School founder, and European Union ambassador for Jamon and D.O. Cava. Together we traversed Barcelona, Girona, Zargoza and Madrid, visiting Spain’s three largest jamón serrano producers, sipping cava, indulging in incredible bites and soaking in some of the country’s most iconic spaces.
Of course, I couldn’t leave Spain behind—so I brought a little bit back for you in the form of Doreen’s inspired recipes. Now you can channel the streets of Spain in your own kitchen.
Photo by Forrest Mason Media, courtesy of Doreen Colondres
Huevos Rotos de Yuca With Jamón Consorcio Serrano & Chimichurri
When craving a home-cooked comfort meal, turn to the Spanish classic “broken eggs with serrano ham.” Traditionally made with potatoes, opt for yuca and authentic chimichurri. Match the harmonious blend of flavors and textures with a cava reserva to warm your stomach.
Ingredients
10-12 pieces of frozen yuca (better if ready to fry) 1-2 large eggs Sunflower or olive oil for frying 2-3 oz. jamón consorcio serrano, crispy (optional) Salt and pepper to taste
Chimichurri Ingredients
1/2 cup of EVOO 1/2 cup salted water 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar 1/2 garlic head 1/2 med red bell pepper 1/2 cup fresh parsley 1 Tbsp. dry oregano 1 tsp. paprika Black pepper to taste
• Prepare the chimichurri: Combine all ingredients in a glass jar and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
• Prepare the yuca: Start peeling, boiling and then frying the yuca, or use the ready-to-fry one. Add the yuca to a generously oiled large frying pan heated to medium-high, fry for 3-5 minutes or until golden and crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Then remove and place on a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
• Cook the eggs: On a different pan over medium-heat with EVOO, cook eggs sunny-side up, season with a little salt and pepper, and set aside.
• Assemble the dish: Arrange yuca on a plate with fried eggs, chimichurri and jamón serrano.
• Serve: Allow guests to break the yolks and mix everything together.
Optional: Sprinkle a pinch of smoked Spanish paprika over the top for extra flavor, or add a piquillo sauce.
Pair with a thick-crusted bread and a glass of your fave cava. Cin cin!
Photo by Forrest Mason Media, courtesy of Doreen Colondres
Creamy Cheese With Jamón Consorcio Serrano, Roasted Tomatoes & Herbs
A total crowd-pleaser, this flavorful and attested dish can be served as an hors d’oeuvre, a starter or the star of your next brunch spread. Pair with a D.O. Cava Rosé or D.O. Cava Reserva for a bubbly bev leaning into the creamy cheese, salty ham and acidic tomatoes.
Ingredients
32 oz. organic whole milk Greek yogurt 8-10 long slices jamón consorcio serrano 1 cup heirloom cherry tomatoes 3 Tbsp. EVOO 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar 1 garlic clove fresh thyme Honey or microgreens (optional) Salt to taste
• Prepare the cheese: Pour yogurt into large bowl and stir in salt. Line another large bowl with linen or cheesecloth. Pour yogurt mixture into the cloth, tie at the top and place in a colander to drain for 8–10 hours. Set aside on the counter and then transfer it to the fridge until ready to serve.
• Roast the tomatoes: Preheat oven to 400°F. On aluminum foil-covered sheet pan, add tomatoes. Sprinkle with olive oil, vinegar, thyme, garlic, salt & pepper. Toss to coat. Roast in oven for 10 minutes.
• Serve: Spread cheese on a plate. Add tomatoes in the center or on one side, along with a few slices of jamón consorcio serrano, more thyme, microgreens or olive oil & honey (optional). Serve with fresh baguette, pita or fresh veggies for dipping.
Photo by Forrest Mason Media, courtesy of Doreen Colondres
Mushrooms Al Cava With Crispy Jamón Consorcio Serrano
Already one of the most celebrated recipes in Spain, “champiñones al ajillo” can be further elevated with a crispy addition of jamón consorcio serrano, baked to enhance both the flavor and aroma. Pair with the enchantingly complex D.O. Cava Gran Reserva or top with an egg for brekky or brunch.
Ingredients
2 cups finely chopped mushrooms: chanterelle, oysters and baby portabella 4 slices jamón consorcio serrano 3 garlic cloves, minced 1/4 cup cava 3 Tbsp. EVOO Fresh parsley to taste, minced Salt and black pepper to taste
• Prepare the jamón: Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange jamón slices on baking paper-lined sheet pan, leaving space between slices. Cover with baking paper. Bake for 10–12 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 min.
• Sauté the mushrooms: Heat olive oil in pan over medium-high heat. Sauté mushrooms until they turn golden (1-2 minutes). Add garlic, cava, salt and pepper. Cook for additional 1-2 minutes. Stir in parsley.
• Serve: Add mushrooms to plate with the crispy jamón serrano and parsley on top. Serve with fresh baguette and pair with Cava Gran Reserva.
We know Raleigh Magazine looks different. This issue unveils our print and website refresh, including a bold new logo, reimagined under the direction of RM Creative Director Liz Comella alongside Mike Rosado’s team at MRC, a local brand design studio.
The first issue of Raleigh Magazine hit newsstands in September 2015. For years I had been planning and plotting its inception. How Raleigh didn’t already have its own namesake magazine was beyond me—so the name was easy. Finding the font or visual representation for the masthead, however, was not easy… and it took some time, but we finally came up with a logo.
Fast-forward eight years, and Raleigh is very different. Our population is nearing a half-million, with upward of 70 people moving here on the daily—not to mention two kindergarten classes born countywide each day. We’ve watched the city we love grow into not just a best place to live, but a beacon of the South. And as the voice of Raleigh, we chronicle her rise and protect her values and identity no matter how big she gets.
Raleigh Magazine is also different. After almost a decade taking you inside city issues—from legislation to libations—we have grown into a multichannel media company with more than 350K monthly readers, visitors, listeners and followers. To wit, our “new look” has an energetic feel and better reflects the magazine’s content and creates a cohesive, dynamic, recognizable city brand.
“Inspired by the growth of Raleigh and the magazine’s trusted presence in the city, our aspiration was to create a brand that embodies the core values of credibility and authenticity,” says MRC designer Kaitlin Peterson regarding the vision for the revamp. “This new brand emanates a commanding presence, striking a harmonious balance between precise lines and elegant curves. In doing so, it combines local history with the future of Raleigh. We wanted to make something unique and influential that expresses Raleigh Magazine is the voice of the city.”
Raleigh Magazine is the only magazine in town delivering in-depth coverage and exclusive stories. We take you inside the issues, events and flavors that matter most to our city. If it happens in Raleigh, you hear it here first.
As far as sandals are concerned, this summer, it’s all about the slide-on. From the ornate and colorful to the cute and simple, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a woman who makes it through the summer in just one pair. And why would she want to? The sandals you wear to the beach might not be right for brunch, and the ones you keep spiffed up for work aren’t always right for a picnic in the park. Besides, they’re so easy to slip on and off and so comfy you can wear them for hours…we say there’s just no such thing as owning too many pairs of slides.
Lola Cruz tan thong sandal, $255; Main & Taylor
Franco Sarto Phantom, white & blue slide, $79 Main & Taylor
Andre Assous Novalee pewter sandal, $98; Main & Taylor
Inuikii raffia pearl slide, $298; Uniquities
Stuart Weitzman Livewire silver sandal, $498; Main & Taylor
Johnston & Murphy Raney lime metallic thong sandal $128; Main & Taylor
Free People Mars at Night Slide, $98; Uniquities
Vaneli Yadin whips snake sandal, $110; Main & Taylor
The nearly two-year wait for Wahlburgers is finally over. Last month, the much-anticipated, celebrity-owned burger joint from Wahlberg brothers Donnie, Mark and Paul opened its Fayetteville Street doors in the space once home to The Oxford. Though some were initially skeptical of a large chain restaurant moving in to a downtown that prides itself on its lineup of independently owned restaurants and stores—and delays left many wondering if the restaurant would ever actually open at all—Wahlburgers’ arrival has largely been greeted with excitement. Franchisee Greg Pranzo, who owns the Raleigh and Myrtle Beach locations, also has plans in the works to open in Charlotte’s Ballantyne area next fall, as well as locations in Memphis and Nashville. We spoke with Pranzo about his decision to come to downtown Raleigh.
Myrtle Beach was your first location in the Carolinas and it’s very different from downtown Raleigh. So how did you choose downtown?
Raleigh is one of the most welcoming and fastest-growing cities in the U.S. We feel that the family values of Wahlburgers mesh well with Raleigh’s charm and renowned hospitality.
Most of the restaurants on Fayetteville Street (with a few exceptions) are locally-owned small businesses or local chains with a handful of locations. Do you think that had anything to do with the delays in opening?
Absolutely not. The City of Raleigh has been nothing but helpful through the entire process. As a franchise location of Wahlburgers, we too are a small business. We look forward to working with our neighbors to bring more consumers to Fayetteville Street.
How do you feel about being what’s probably the largest national chain restaurant on the street?
We don’t view ourselves differently than any other restaurant operating in the downtown area. We focus heavily on family values and quality ingredients that are sourced locally whenever possible. We hire local and have brought over 70 new jobs to the downtown area. Sure, we have a name that you can see on TV and around the country. But that doesn’t change our commitment to great food and the community.
What makes Wahlburgers different from Raleigh’s other burger joints?
It all starts with prep in the morning. Every dressing and sauce is made from scratch daily. Every burger is made to order. Every frappe is hand-dipped. But aside from all that, the one word you will keep hearing is family. You could say Wahlburgers got its start in the Wahlberg family backyard and that commitment to family values has permeated every aspect of our culture. When you sit down with us, you become a part of our family.
Is it likely that Mark, Donnie and Paul will make an appearance on Fayetteville Street at any point?
You never know.
What’s your favorite item on the menu?
Although the fan favorite is also Paul’s favorite, the Our Burger, I share my favorite with Mark Wahlberg – the Thanksgiving Day. It’s a freshly ground turkey burger topped with stuffing, orange-cranberry sauce, and mayo on a butter-toasted, artisan bun.
Is there anything else you’d like our readers to know about Wahlburgers?
Just that we are so excited to be joining the downtown Raleigh community on Fayetteville Street. This area has become the heartbeat of the city, and we look forward to being a part of its continuing growth.
My clients wanted a traditional dining room that was inviting, fresh and fun, and the great thing about traditional design is that it’s timeless, sophisticated and perpetually in style. I chose to mix traditional wallpapers and fabrics in new, unexpected patterns and colors with beautiful antique pieces. A traditional floral print can feel grandma-like on its own, but it feels young and fresh immediately when it’s surrounded by contrast.
