The Spanish capital has hosted Madrid Fusion, the city’s international food fair since 2003. More than one hundred cooks from around the world got together for the 2015 edition, which was held from February 2nd through the 4th. This culinary journey had the theme “Traveling kitchens: an adventure for knowledge”.


It ‘s hard to pinpoint all the great chefs that participated in this international conference, which had China and Helsinki as the guest country and city, respectively. But to get an idea of the high profile of all participants, it should suffice to note that on the first day, we saw illustrious names of Spanish cuisine such as Andoni Luis Aduriz, Elena Arzak, David Muñoz, Gastón Acurio and Mario Sandoval, among others.



One of the products that caught my attention was a cheese with a refreshing surprise inside. A daring marriage I should say. I’m talking about Elvira García‘s cheese with five-year-cured-Iberian ham.

Handmade by Juan José Gil Obrero, this cheese is made from raw goat’s milk (from their own livestock) with an acid-lactic curd to which slices of Iberian ham have been added. More recipes from azureazure.com’s in-house chef Fabio Morisi.

The cheese presents a pearly white color and soft texture, with some proteolysis (cream) that starts around the crust and merges with the ham. The small pieces of meat can be seen inside the paste.
 It has the aroma of fresh mushrooms with a soft touch of acidity and the characteristic smell of the ham. The taste is clean and fruity, with sweet cream and Iberian ham aftertaste. ■