SANTANYI MAGAZINE 06

Santanyí magazine ···98 Fernando: My first dishes I prepared at the age of 15weremacaroni with chorizo, french fries and a little bit later Spanish omelette. I cooked those foods, when I wasn’t in the mood of eating what my mother had prepared me. At the age of 18 I went abroad where I worked in a hotel kitchen. The work in this environment combined with the fact, that I had to prepare my own food every day aroused my interest for this profession and I decided to become a cook. In the Nordic countries they teach French cuisine because their own kitchen is quite poor. The fusion kitchen which is currently in fashion here in Spain has been long-established in Great Britain. The best restaurants in the world are in London, offering a fusion between the european and indian kitchen. Anyone can learn to cook if he tries and shows interest and determination. And if on the top of that you are naturally gifted, you can become a master chef. In the kitchen you never finish training. Every day you learn and discover something new. For the preparation of my dishes I use primarily local products. In the last few monthes here in Mallorca I have discovered new fish species, fruits, aromatic herbs amongst others. And if I need an ingredient I can not find on the Island I order it from Madrid. At home, my wife cooks or we go out to a restaurant, because we want to enjoy our short leisure time. A gourmet cook is able to appreciate the dishes of another cook, but everyone has their own style. Beside sophisticated creations I enjoy good traditional fare. My motto is: eat simple but reasonably. I love the Madrilenian stew of my mother. Obviously it’s dish from other times, fairly greasy in order to combat cold and continuous movement, but it won’t harm anyone if you eat it from time to time. As to the vegetarian kitchen, which we naturally offer in our restaurant, I think that the mere vegetarian kitchen limitates the use of other products, fact I consider erroneous. Generally spoken, vegetables are very popular and they allow you to play with different flavors, colours and textures. Cooks on television are promoting our profession, so I think it’s something positive. They have to know not only how to cook but how to speak, they must have charisma.. SoMe GooD aDVIceS FRoM FeRNaNDo: - Wash off thoroughly the blood from the fresh fish in order to draw off the bitter taste. - Do not scrap off the scales, so that the fish conserves its full authentic taste. - Do not fry the fish in a pan but pour boiling oil over it. - The oil must be very hot to achieve that the scales get uplifted and crispy.