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Sunset in a Glass: Adventures of a Food and Wine Road Warrior
Volume I (of IV) is a collection of non-fiction stories about the
adventures of recognized Spanish food, wine and travel authority Gerry
Dawes, recipient of the prestigious Spanish National Gastronomy Prize.
Sunset in a Glass is illustrated with more than 150 color and
black-and-white photographs chronicling adventures from decades of
living and traveling in Spain. Foreword by José Andrés.
This book is perfect for armchair travelers deprived of their ability to travel because of the COVID pandemic and those undergoing Spain withdrawal. Sunset in a Glass is a great holiday gift for those who love travel, adventure, Spain and Spanish food and wine.
The stories in this Sunset in a Glass are from decades of crisscrossing Spain accumulating adventures with the likes of José Andrés, Anthony Bourdain, James Earl Jones, Kenneth Tynan, Keith Hernandez, Thomas Keller, Ferran Adria, top chefs and restaurateurs, star winemakers and down home artisan wine producers, professional Ibérico ham carvers, bullfighters, flamenco artists, friends of Ernest Hemingway and a marvelous collection of women in Spain.
This book is perfect for armchair travelers deprived of their ability to travel because of the COVID pandemic and those undergoing Spain withdrawal. Sunset in a Glass is a great holiday gift for those who love travel, adventure, Spain and Spanish food and wine.
The stories in this Sunset in a Glass are from decades of crisscrossing Spain accumulating adventures with the likes of José Andrés, Anthony Bourdain, James Earl Jones, Kenneth Tynan, Keith Hernandez, Thomas Keller, Ferran Adria, top chefs and restaurateurs, star winemakers and down home artisan wine producers, professional Ibérico ham carvers, bullfighters, flamenco artists, friends of Ernest Hemingway and a marvelous collection of women in Spain.
Endorsements From Chefs, Authors and Celebrities
“Gerry Dawes, the unbridled Spanish food and wine
enthusiast cum expert whose writing, photography, and countless
crisscrossings of the peninsula have done the most to introduce
Americans—and especially American food professionals—to my country’s
culinary life. He has connected with all manner of people working at
every level and in every corner of Spain. You can step into a restaurant
in the smallest town in Spain, and it turns out they know Gerry
somehow.”—José Andrés, chef-restaurateur-humanitarian, Nobel Prize
nominee.
“In his decades of wandering the back roads of Spain Gerry Dawes has built up a much stronger bank of experiences than I had to rely on when I started writing Iberia...His adventures far exceeded mine in both width and depth.”—James A. Michener, author of Iberia: Spanish Travels and Reflections.
Before the golden age of food travel media, and long before Spain became the world’s most exciting food destination, there was Gerry Dawes. A walking (and eating) encyclopedia of Spanish food and culture—from tapas to the culinary innovators, from artisan winemakers and cheesemakers to the sites only the locals know—Gerry has chronicled them all. Like few others, he continues to inspire and inform a generation of food writers, travelers and chefs like me.”—Dan Barber, Chef-owner, Blue Hill New York and Blue Hill at Stone Barns, author of The Third Plate: Field Notes on the Future of Food.
“In his decades of wandering the back roads of Spain Gerry Dawes has built up a much stronger bank of experiences than I had to rely on when I started writing Iberia...His adventures far exceeded mine in both width and depth.”—James A. Michener, author of Iberia: Spanish Travels and Reflections.
Before the golden age of food travel media, and long before Spain became the world’s most exciting food destination, there was Gerry Dawes. A walking (and eating) encyclopedia of Spanish food and culture—from tapas to the culinary innovators, from artisan winemakers and cheesemakers to the sites only the locals know—Gerry has chronicled them all. Like few others, he continues to inspire and inform a generation of food writers, travelers and chefs like me.”—Dan Barber, Chef-owner, Blue Hill New York and Blue Hill at Stone Barns, author of The Third Plate: Field Notes on the Future of Food.
“Thanks for your artistry. If I had not seen your photography, I would not have known you as well.” —James Earl Jones, during The Great White Hope filming in Barcelona.
“Gerry
Dawes has lived, analysed, argued, savoured, prodded, tested, teased
and loved his way through Spain’s extraordinary gastronomic heritage for
decades. Food as friendship is at the core of this wild, passionate
road trip through Spain. This is a masterclass in storytelling -
delicious and addictive.”—Gijs van Hensbergen, Guernica: The Biography of a Twentieth-Century Icon and Gaudí: A Biography.
“Prowling through the bodegas, tapas bars, and markets of Spain with Gerry Dawes is an educational experience, sure, but more than that it’s an inside look at one of the world’s great gastronomic cultures, and more than that, it’s just a whole lot of fun. Gerry knows almost anyone you’d want to know in this delicious world, and those he doesn’t know, once he meets them, aren’t strangers for long. Sunset in a Glass will give you a tantalizing taste of the experience.”—Colman Andrews, author of Catalan Cuisine, co-founder of Saveur.
“Spain wouldn’t be as known to Americans without the stories Gerry tells and writes.”—Chef Ferran Adrià, elBulli.
“Prowling through the bodegas, tapas bars, and markets of Spain with Gerry Dawes is an educational experience, sure, but more than that it’s an inside look at one of the world’s great gastronomic cultures, and more than that, it’s just a whole lot of fun. Gerry knows almost anyone you’d want to know in this delicious world, and those he doesn’t know, once he meets them, aren’t strangers for long. Sunset in a Glass will give you a tantalizing taste of the experience.”—Colman Andrews, author of Catalan Cuisine, co-founder of Saveur.
“Spain wouldn’t be as known to Americans without the stories Gerry tells and writes.”—Chef Ferran Adrià, elBulli.
“Most of what I
know about Spain came from Gerry Dawes. Sunset in a Glass is the authoritative
source for everything Spanish—people, food, wine, culture. And his diverting
escapades on the road sometimes read like James Michener with Hunter Thompson
in the passenger’s seat.”—Bryan Miller, former New York Times restaurant critic
and author, Dining in the Dark.
Reader's Reviews
Chef Norman Van Aken. Photo by Gerry Dawes.
This just in from the great chef of Florida, Norman Van Aken, chef-owner of Norman's in the Ritz-Carlton, Orlando, FL and author of the really great book No Experience Necessary and other books on food and cooking.
Norman Van Aken 5 out of 5 Stars Jan. 29, 2022
"If you love Spanish food and wine, (and who couldn’t!) do yourself a favor and learn from a gentleman named Gerry Dawes the deep dive that can be had when you read his new book, “Sunset in a Glass”.
I have had the great fortune to have gone on a tour in Spain curated and hosted in part by Gerry. He took us to places we never would have found on our own. And with his often decades long personal friendships with key member of the Spanish food and wine community doors were opened that gave us the true insider’s experience.
While you might not be doing international travel just yet ‘Sunset in a Glass’ with take you there from the comfort of your favorite reading chair. And drinking a fine Rioja is perfectly appreciated as you do!"
For the Love of Spain and "Mr. Spain"
Samantha (and Ed) Kamenitzer
Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2022
Melvyn Master at a James Beard Birthday Dinner in Rockefeller Center, NYC, 1987. Photo by Gerry Dawes.
Best book ever on Spain and it’s food, wine and people.
mel master (Melvyn Master, Former owner of JAMS restaurant, wine executive) 5.0 out of 5 stars Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2021
No one is better equipped to write about Spain and its glorious food and wine than the irrepressible Spanish expert, Gerry Dawes. His stories about his experiences with so many fascinating people and wonderful places are an absolute joy to read. The book is not just well written but extremely informative and the photography is superb. It made me want to get in a plane immediately and head to Spain with “sunset in a glass” as my luggage!
laura shapiro 5.0 out of 5 stars
Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2022
This magnificent tribute to the wine, food, and beauty of
Spain is a must for those of you who love Spain and for those who want to
travel but can’t right now.
Filled with beautiful imagery and great stories, few know Spain as well as
Gerry Dawes. Seeing Spain through his eyes and experiences is truly magical.
Your one-stop book for learning about the wines, food, and cities of Spain
David Ramey (Esteemed Sonoma winemaker) 5.0 out of 5 stars Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2022
Gerry Dawes has been a wine expert for over forty years and a frequent traveler in Spain for over fifty. In these essays and photos he shares with us his immense knowledge and love of Spanish wine, food, and the country. Pour yourself a glass of Rioja and take a tour with him of this fascinating culture.
Kenneth W. Blair 5.0 out of 5 stars Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2022
I particularly enjoyed chapter 8, the great Barcelona market experience brought back memories of my own trip to the great market. Mr. Dawes book paints a beautiful picture of Spain, it’s food, wine, and beauty!
Elena 5.0 out of 5 stars Reviewed in the United States on December 25, 2021
This book transports you through The beautiful landscape and culture of Spain. Gerry Dawes is well-known in gastronomic circles as the leading Authority in the country on Spanish food & wine. This book details his travels, the unique characters, and delicious food and wine he encounters along the way. Reading this really makes you feel like you are immersed in Spanish culture, with his Vivid writing style and gorgeous color photographs that he has captured throughout his travels. It makes you want to travel to Espana to sit on the beautiful playas, sipping Manzanilla and eating mariscos on the shores at sunset. Perfect for the traveler and wannabe adventurer in your family.
mariarev (Philip S. Kampe, food, wine and travel journalist)
Who is this guy Gerry Dawes? After reading his epic journey and
basically his life story in a couple hundred pages, I have to say that
I’m in awe of his life’s saga.
Mr. Dawes is a significant traveler and educator who has focused his life on ‘everything Spanish.’ From politics to bullfighting to wine and food, this man has a significant place in Spanish history as possibly the best modern day biographer of this most interesting country. If you want to join his journey, I recommend reading this book because if you don’t you will be missing a Spanish education that only Gerry Dawes can give you.
Mr. Dawes is a significant traveler and educator who has focused his life on ‘everything Spanish.’ From politics to bullfighting to wine and food, this man has a significant place in Spanish history as possibly the best modern day biographer of this most interesting country. If you want to join his journey, I recommend reading this book because if you don’t you will be missing a Spanish education that only Gerry Dawes can give you.
I’m on my second reading because it’s one of those books you can’t put down.
Hopefully, there will be a second book that contains those observations of Spain that did not make it into this book. BRAVO Gerry Dawes!
Boston Boy
I first met Gerry Dawes over 50 years ago when we were at the Defense
Language Institute in Monterey, California. We were then assigned to the
U.S. Naval Base in Rota, Spain. I spent most of my spare time playing
golf at the lovely golf course on the base. One of the very few words in
Spanish that I learned was "pelota de golf." Meanwhie, Gerry was
immersing himself in Spanish language, cuisine and culture. He was a
quick study, and when we were discharged in early 1970, he decided to
stay on and live in Sevilla. The result of those fifty-plus years is
this remarkable book. Not to exaggerate, but Gerry knows just about all
there is on Spanish culture, wine, cuisine, history and travel. This
book is is a compendium of his experiences in Spain and is filled with
colorful incidents and historical background. One note: Thinking of
running the bulls in Pamplona? Read Gerry's experiences from the
"encierro" of 1970. You might want to reconsider! Buy this book for more
exciting and informative stories of over fifty years in Spain.
Definitive!
Veronica F.
Gerry Dawes' ability to transport the readers of this book to Spain
through a rich narrative imbued with a sense of the country and its
wine, food is truly inimitable. And I have to thank him for it. There
are places that are part of us before we ever get there. That is how
Spain was for me. On my first visit, my dreams made real lay before me:
Seville, the Sierra Nevada, the Alhambra, Barcelona, flamenco, the White
towns, the faces of the Spaniards and especially of the young man with
whom I fell in love. But beyond those there were also the country’s
flavors and they greeted and enchanted me: Jamón Iberico (some would say
the greatest cured ham in the world); churros and chocolate, cochinillo
(whole roast suckling pig), patatas brava, manzanilla, fino, and
Asturian cider among them. So when many visits later, I left Spain for
what unbeknownst to me would be decades, I felt a yearning for all of
that so keen that it shocked me. I have not yet made it back, so the
fierce longing continues. But when I read the first volume of "Sunset in
a Glass: Adventures of a Food and Wine Road Warrior in Spain," what a
“homecoming” it was. Written by the estimable Dawes, a deeply
knowledgeable traveler and food and wine writer (among many other
accolades he is a recipient of Spain's prestigious Premio Nacional de
Gastronomía), the book is chockablock with tales and photographs of
people, places, food, chefs, wine and wine makers, traditional and
modern. But it isn't just chockablock with them. It is powerfully alive
with them. I knew before I had even turned the first page that "Sunset
in a Glass" would soothe my heart. And how right I was. Gracias, Gerry,
for setting down your adventures. No te puedo agradecer lo suficiente. I
would give your book ten stars if I could And I cannot wait for the
volumes yet to come.
John Mariani
Gerry Dawes has given us a book that is not just the most
comprehensive guide to Spanish food culture but imbues it with the
passion of someone who fell in thrall with the country and its people
decades ago. He is that most intrepid of reporters, asking every
question an outsider needs to ask to make ancient traditions clear. I
suspect he knows more about Spanish wines and food than most Spaniards
who have nothing close to his intimacy with each and every region.
Jeff Cox
Loved the book. Gerry excels as a travel writer for two chief reasons.
First, he describes in sensuous detail the sights and sounds and smells
and people of the places he visits and friends he cares about; and
second, he focuses on the foods and wines of the place--kind of verbal
terroir--especially of the unique specialties to be found there. His
book is like a diary of his experiences in Spain and offers us a rare
glimpse into that country's romance and sensory wonders.
Stephen Kalt (Chef, Los Angeles)
You can immerse yourself from afar, using this book as the ultimate
guide and resource for wine and food of Spain. Dawes is an author, a
traveler, an expert, a raconteur, a deeply thoughtful and extremely
funny guy. He is the one to follow when it comes to the beauty that is
Spain.
* * * * *
Poem
by Archer M. Huntington inscribed under the Don Quixote on his horse
Rocinante bas-relief sculpture by his wife, Anna Vaughn Hyatt
Huntington,
in the courtyard of the Hispanic
Society of America’s incredible museum at 613 W. 155th Street, New York
City.
___________________________________________________________________________
In 2019, again ranked in the Top 50
Gastronomy Blogs and Websites for Gastronomists & Gastronomes in
2019 by Feedspot. (Last Updated Oct 23, 2019)
"The Best Gastronomy blogs selected from thousands of Food blogs, Culture blogs and Food Science blogs in our index using search and social metrics. We’ve carefully selected these websites because they are actively working to educate, inspire, and empower their readers with frequent updates and high-quality information."
36. Gerry Dawes's Spain: An Insider's Guide to Spanish Food, Wine, Culture and Travel
About Gerry Dawes
"The Best Gastronomy blogs selected from thousands of Food blogs, Culture blogs and Food Science blogs in our index using search and social metrics. We’ve carefully selected these websites because they are actively working to educate, inspire, and empower their readers with frequent updates and high-quality information."
36. Gerry Dawes's Spain: An Insider's Guide to Spanish Food, Wine, Culture and Travel
About Gerry Dawes
My good friend Gerry Dawes, the unbridled Spanish food and wine
enthusiast cum expert whose writing, photography, and countless
crisscrossings of the peninsula have done the most to introduce
Americans—and especially American food professionals—to my country's
culinary life." -- Chef-restaurateur-humanitarian José Andrés, Nobel
Peace Prize Nominee and Oscar Presenter 2019
Gerry Dawes is the Producer and Program Host of Gerry Dawes & Friends, a weekly radio progam on Pawling Public Radio in Pawling, New York (streaming live and archived at www.pawlingpublicradio.org and at www.beatofthevalley.com.)
Dawes
was awarded Spain's prestigious Premio Nacional de Gastronomía
(National Gastronomy Award) in 2003. He writes and speaks frequently on
Spanish wine and gastronomy and leads gastronomy, wine and cultural
tours to Spain. He was a finalist for the 2001 James Beard Foundation's
Journalism Award for Best Magazine Writing on Wine, won The Cava
Institute's First Prize for Journalism for his article on cava in 2004,
was awarded the CineGourLand “Cinéfilos y Gourmets” (Cinephiles
& Gourmets) prize in 2009 in Getxo (Vizcaya) and received the
2009 Association of Food Journalists Second Prize for Best Food Feature
in a Magazine for his Food Arts article, a retrospective piece about
Catalan star chef, Ferran Adrià.
In December, 2009, Dawes was awarded the Food Arts Silver Spoon Award in a profile written by José Andrés.
".
. .That we were the first to introduce American readers to Ferran Adrià
in 1997 and have ever since continued to bring you a blow-by-blow
narrative of Spain's riveting ferment is chiefly due to our Spanish
correspondent, Gerry "Mr. Spain" Dawes, the messianic wine and food
journalist raised in Southern Illinois and possessor of a
self-accumulated doctorate in the Spanish table. Gerry once again
brings us up to the very minute. . ." - - Michael & Ariane
Batterberry, Editor-in-Chief/Publisher and Founding Editor/Publisher,
Food Arts, October 2009.
Pilot for a reality television series
on wine, gastronomy, culture and travel in Spain.
Experience
Spain With Gerry Dawes: Customized Culinary, Wine & Cultural
Trips to Spain & Travel Consulting on Spain
Gerry Dawes can be reached at gerrydawes@aol.com; Alternate e-mail (use only if your e-mail to AOL is rejected): gerrydawes@gmail.com
Gerry Dawes can be reached at gerrydawes@aol.com; Alternate e-mail (use only if your e-mail to AOL is rejected): gerrydawes@gmail.com
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