Entertaining

MARTI’S SECRET GEMS TO PLEASE HER GUESTS THIS SEASON

Celebrate the holiday season with festive Rioja pairings handpicked by Rioja Paired host Marti Buckley! Discover Marti’s favorite recipes—Mazapanes de Soto with a smooth Rioja Gran Reserva and Pochas con Codorniz paired with a rich Rioja Reserva. These delicious combinations capture the warmth and tradition of Spanish cuisine, perfect for your holiday gatherings. Explore the recipes and pairing tips to bring a taste of Rioja to your table.

POCHAS CON CODORNIZ / White Beans with Quail

This stew of white beans and quail is a classic dish in Rioja. If you’re looking for an elegant substitution of the classic turkey, quail will be perfect for smaller reunions.  The pocha, a local, just-picked white bean is also in season at this time, making for a natural pairing that results in a comforting, protein-rich stew.

In Spanish, pocha means sick, wilted, worn down. Strangely enough, it’s also a term used to refer to fresh young white beans, a delicacy if there ever was one. These legumes have a slightly greenish hue when fresh. However, if you can only find beans that are dried, canned, or frozen, they will work just fine in this recipe, just be sure to cook until tender.  Young beans can be ready as quickly as 45 minutes, while frozen or drier beans may need an hour or two. If you are using regular dried white beans, soak them overnight or for 8 hours before starting the recipe.

MAZAPANES DE SOTO | Soto-style Marzipan

Marzipan is a classic holiday dessert throughout Spain, thanks to the abundance of almond trees scattered across the peninsula. But what most people don’t know is there are two types—marzipan from Toledo, all almond and sugar, and marzipan from Soto en Cameros, a village of about 100 people south of Logroño in Rioja.

During the Christmas season, over 250 tons of these sweets are produced. Soto-style marzipan has ground almonds and sugar, like marzipan from Toledo, but it has added flavor from lemon zest. 

This version is similar to one many make in their home kitchens, incorporating a surprise ingredient—the potato. Mashed potato lends a supple texture to the dough, making it easy to work with for home chefs. After baking at a high temperature, these marzipans get a glaze that keeps them moist and tender inside for days, making them the perfect bake-ahead holiday dessert.