Martin Watson is the head chef at The Camelot Hotel (Hawkers Restaurant), his blog series chronicles the travels and experiences from his youth leading up to now.

From Egg & Bacon to Chorizo

In the mid 70’s I took a ‘gap summer’ with the aim of travelling around Spain for a couple of months. The inspiration for my journey was twofold. Firstly, I worked in a Hotel & Country Club alongside thirty or more Spanish staff who had all told me, naturally, how wonderful Spain was. Then, by chance, I bought a copy of the Laurie Lee book ‘As I Walked Out One Midsummer’s Morning’. Having read ‘Cider with Rose’ at school, I was no stranger to his writing but this book really inspired me.

So off I went in search of all the places Laurie Lee had travelled in Spain, only to fall at the first hurdle as I could not get from Southampton to Vigo by boat. Not to be beaten, I went the long way by getting to Paris, then down to Donostia-San Sebastián in northern Spain. This was my first taste of Spain and what a sweet and pleasant taste it was. I was instantly hooked, Spain became (and still remains almost forty years later) my favourite place in Europe.

From San Sebastián I tried to get to Vigo but failed when a lorry, heading for Pamplona stopped and picked me up. Hitch hiking I had discovered was not an exact science; you tended to change your destination after hours of waiting for a lift and went where the lift took you!

Pamplona's Tapas

So, I was dropped off in Pamplona as night fell in early July and slept on a park bench outside the local prison. At first light I headed for the town centre, which to my surprise was buzzing with people. Something big was happening. With my stomach leading the way, I found a bar and had a black coffee, some Anis Dulce, a sweet liquorice liqueur which my Spanish work colleagues had introduced me to. On the counter were small dishes of all sorts of things which I learnt to be tapas, mostly salty bites given to customers to bring on a thirst. Amongst other things there was a salami type sausage, orange red in colour, with a creamy, smooth texture and sweet paprika, garlic and slightly salty taste.  This was the beginning of a great love affair with a food product, one which has endured the years and been carried on by my two daughters.

Having sampled the delights of the bar I was about to venture outside when I was stopped by an Australian who advised against it. I was in the middle of the Bull-run, so I returned to the bar, bought a beer and watched the mad event take part behind a barrier on the front door of the bar.

Chorizo in Hawkers Restaurant

Chorizo de Pamplona is, in my view, one of the finest chorizo’s or salamis you could ever experience. It used to be difficult to find but now is available in supermarkets such as Morrison’s here in Bude. Eaten on its own it is wonderful, cook with it and it opens up a completely new experience. In Hawkers restaurant, I quite often stuff a couple of slices into a chicken breast, seal it in a hot pan of olive oil then finish it in a hot oven for eight to ten minutes - delicious. Simpler still, dice up some chicken and choizo, pan fry for a couple of minutes then add some sweet peppers and onions, serve with some sautéed potato and courgettes, fantastic.

Next chef’s blog,
From Chorizo to Paella -Martin