Spain 2023 - Gastronomy - Spain in 19 Dishes, Castilla la Mancha, Toledo-style Partridge

Technical Details:

Issue Date: 22 September 2023

About Gastronomy - Spain in 19 Dishes, Castilla la Mancha, Toledo-style Partridge

Correos, through its series Gastronomy Spain in 19 dishes, continues to explore gastronomy, showing a dish from each region. This time it is Castilla-La Mancha's turn, which has chosen Perdiz a la Toledo.

So that we can all taste this dish, the Palio restaurant (Ocaña, Toledo) offers us the recipe.

Elaboration process:

Clean the partridge and empty it of viscera. Introduce a peeled garlic and a bay leaf into its body. Season and bridle with twine thread. Dredge in flour and place in a saucepan with extra virgin olive oil. Reserve the partridge.

In that oil, add 2 onions cut into fine julienne strips, half a clove of garlic, a few balls of pepper and rosemary and thyme. Sauté until the onions take color.

Arrange the partridge on that bottom with the breast side down and moisten it with the white wine. Reduce a little and cover with water. Bring to a boil and lower the heat. Cover and cook over low heat until the legs are tender; approximately an hour and a half. Adjust salt.

Spain 2023 - Gastronomy - Spain in 19 Dishes, Cantabria, Mountain Stew

Technical Details:

Issue Date: 24 July 2023

About Gastronomy - Spain in 19 Dishes, Cantabria, Mountain Stew

In this month of July Correos issues a new stamp of the series Gastronomía España en 19 platos (Spain in 19 dishes). This time the protagonist community is Cantabria and the chosen dish is the cocido montañés.

To present this dish we will need the following ingredients, bearing in mind that it will be for 6/8 people:

- ½ Kg of white beans
- 200 g of marinated pork ribs
- 200 g of white bacon or panceta (bacon)
- 150 g of homemade chorizo
- 2 medium potatoes
- 1 white cabbage
- 1 pig's tail
- 1 pig's ear
- 1 rice black pudding
- 1 year-old black pudding
- Olive oil, salt and paprika

The nutritional values of this dish are as follows: Proteins: 220 g; Fats: 230; Carbohydrates: 740 g; Energy intake: 1,312 Kcal/person=5,486 Kl.

The preparation is simple with the following steps:

1. The ingredients are washed thoroughly and carefully under running cold water.
2. The beans, the bacon, the ear, the tail, the rib and the chorizo are put into a casserole, covered with cold water and left to simmer.
3. Once the cabbage has been finely chopped, it is added to the stew just as the beans burst but are not yet cooked, i.e. after about an hour of cooking.
4. After seasoning with salt, add the potato to the stew and, 20 minutes after adding the cabbage, add the black pudding.
5. When both the beans and the potato are done, the stew is removed from the heat to rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Spain 2022 - Gastronomy - Spain in 19 Dishes, Basque Country, Cod Pil-Pil

Technical Details:
Issue Date: 25 October 2022
Process: Offset
Stamp Size: 57.6 x 40.9 mm
SS Size: 150.6 x 86.4 mm
Values: €4.50

About Gastronomy - Spain in 19 Dishes, Basque Country, Cod Pil-Pil

Correos continues touring the Spanish gastronomy with the series Spain in 19 dishes, making a stop this time in the Basque Country and tasting the pil-pil cod.

To elaborate this recipe we will need as ingredients, for 4 servings:
- 8 slices of cod of 125 gr. each one.
- 1 liter of virgin olive oil of 0,4º.
- 3 cloves of garlic
- A chili pepper

For its preparation:
We put to desalinate the cod of very good quality during 36 hours changing the water 3 or 4 times, it is scaled and the bones are removed. Dry well. The slices should be rather thin.

In an earthenware casserole we put the oil and we put it over medium heat with the oil. Cut the garlic into slices and fry over medium heat and the chili cut into rings. When the garlic and the chilli begin to take color we remove it and reserve. We also remove the pan from the heat. Immediately add the cod slices, skin side down, and then turn them over, leaving them skin side up. We put it over a low heat for 5 minutes without frying the cod. After these minutes, remove the casserole from the heat until the cod has cooled down.

After this time, we remove part of the oil and we reserve, we return to place the casserole with the codfish to alive fire until it begins the bubbling that gives the name to the preparation. When the sauce begins to emulsify, we put the fire very soft, we begin to move the casserole in semicircular sense, at the same time that we are adding little by little the oil reserved previously. The process should not last more than five minutes until obtaining an unctuous and homogeneous sauce.

Garnish the casserole with the sliced garlic and the chili pepper rings and serve hot.

Naturally, it is called "Pil-pil" to other preparations that in particular refer to the codfish in a sauce, well described by experts of other times and of solvency recognized by all.

This preparation, very singular of the Basque Cuisine, is generally applied only to fish, and the name is an onomatopoeia of the gurgling of the oil at the moment of presenting the dish to the table, when it is ready.

Spain 2023 - DO Protected Canary Islands - Majorero cheese and Old Potatoes from the Canary Islands

Technical Details:

Issue Date: 20 February 2023
Process: Offset
Size Stamp: HB of two 40 x 30 mm

About DO Protected Canary Islands - Majorero cheese and Old Potatoes from the Canary Islands.

A Protected Designation of Origin is the result of quality original products that are due to the geographical environment in which they are produced, as well as the natural and human factors involved in the process. Correos continues to carry out the series dedicated to highlighting Gastronomy in which it covers the Spanish geography bringing us closer to two new benchmark products from the Canary Islands.

The Old Potatoes of the Canary Islands are native to the American continent. They arrived in the Canary Islands in the 16th century and soon prospered on the islands thanks to the diversity of their agricultural ecosystems. They are exclusive and of high quality.

They were planted for the first time in Icod el Alto, Los Realejos, Tenerife, in 1622, according to the writer Viera y Clavijo, and since then they have been protected by the farmers of the islands like a treasure. They are cultivated in a dry regime; They are sown in January and remain in the ground for 6 months. In the same way they are 6 months available to consume in perfect conditions.

There are currently 29 varieties within the DOP, although 90% of the production is on the island of Tenerife.

Majorero cheese was the first cheese from the Canary Islands and the first goat cheese in Spain to obtain the "Denominación de Origen" in 1996 and the mention of "Protected" in 1999.

It is an enzymatic coagulation cheese, pressed paste, it can be made with both raw milk and pasteurized Majorera goat's milk, with the eventual addition of up to 15% Canarian sheep's milk. Both its production and maturation take place solely and exclusively on the island of Fuerteventura.

According to its degree of maturation we can find three categories:
-Tender: 8-20 days.
-Semi-cured: 21-60 days.
-Cured: more than 60 days.

The only spreads allowed are in semi-cured and cured cheeses, which can be spread in gofio paprika or oil. Soft cheeses can only be found with their natural rind.

To recognize a Majorero cheese by its label, look for the mention “Protected Designation of Origin Queso Majorero”, this label must always be accompanied by the European logo that accompanies all products with the Protected Designation of Origin mark and its back label.

Those cheeses that include the mention of "Artisan Cheese" with those made with milk from the farm itself.

Spain 2022 - Gastronomy - Protected D.O. La Rioja

Technical Details:

Issue Date: 22 March 2022

About Gastronomy - Protected D.O. La Rioja

A Protected Designation of Origin is the result of quality original products that are due to the geographical environment in which they are produced, as well as the natural and human factors involved in the process. Correos continues to carry out the series dedicated to highlighting Gastronomy in which it covers the Spanish geography.

One of the stamps is dedicated to the Anguiano Bean. This unique legume is a hallmark of identity throughout La Rioja. The sensation it produces in the mouth is very pleasant, soft and buttery. It is a grain of smaller size and with less robust skin, which is appreciated when cooking and consuming it. Cooking is very comfortable since it is cooked before and the grain does not break, even if it is overcooked. It is very adaptable, since being such a fine grain allows various combinations. This degree of quality and all these characteristics are due to the climate and gravelly soils typical of this mountain area.

The Pedroso Nut is the PDO that is the protagonist of the second seal. This nut is the only Protected Designation of Origin in the entire national territory. It extends over a large part of the Riojan territory, through the Pedroso terminus and the municipalities of the upper middle valleys of the Najerilla and Oja rivers and their tributaries. The entire Walnut process is carried out by hand. Thanks to the geographical environment, this dried fruit has more antioxidants, tannins and omega-3 fatty acids. This is the result of the climate and drying in the open air, as was done before, allowing the walnut to last in very good conditions for up to a year

Spain 2022 - Gastronomic Tourism, Calctadas and Fiesta del Pulpo

Technical Details:

Issue Date: 17 January 2022
Process: Offset
Size: 24.5 x 35 mm

About Gastronomic Tourism

Spain occupies one of the top positions as a tourist destination worldwide.

One of the greatest attractions of our country is the excellent gastronomic offer that can be enjoyed in every corner of its geography.

We could speak of gastronomic tourism as an important indicator of the quality of the tourist offer of a place.

Gastronomy is a reflection of a people, its culture and its identity.

Spain is a world power in gastronomy with a wide representation in guides of the best restaurants, as well as for its high demand of national products, cheeses or wines, at international level.

Correos dedicates two stamps to tourism, in this case, to gastronomic tourism.

Calçotada. The calçot is a type of white and sweet spring onion that is cooked on the grill with wood embers. When the outer layer begins to scorch, they are removed from the fire and rolled in newspaper to preserve the heat and served on an Arab tile. It is accompanied by romesco sauce or salvitxada.

The last week of January is celebrated the Festa de Calçot de Valls, kicking off the season. This event invites the diner who visits this place, to also enjoy the historical and artistic heritage of the old town, its churches and monuments or the weekly market. The seal a moment of the roast.

Festa do pulpo. With more than 50 years, the Festa do Pulpo de O Carballiño, receives every year numerous visitors who want to know first hand this pilgrimage, whose success, undoubtedly, part of one of the most exclusive and ancient gastronomic manifestations of Galicia, the tasting of the Pulpo á Feira.

The stamp shows a close-up of the typical wooden plates where the octopus is served, together with other important elements in its preparation.

Spain 2021 - Tourism, Spas and Winemakers

Technical Details:

Issue Date:18.01.2021


About Tourism

Every year Correos dedicates two stamps to tourism in Spain. The year 2020 has been especially hard for this sector, due to the health emergency situation caused by the global pandemic of COVID 19. Tourism is perhaps the sector most affected by this crisis.

Until this virus arrived, tourism accounted for 15% of GDP in our country.

But if Spain can boast of anything, it is its resources in this sector, which make it one of the preferred tourist destinations for citizens from anywhere in the world.

And that is why the Post Office, for yet another year, issued two stamps with which to highlight two leading sectors of tourism in our country.

On the one hand, spa tourism. Thermalism dates back to more than 2,000 years ago when the Romans already knew of the benefits of water that they used to fight diseases and cultivate well-being and personal beauty. In Spain, there are more than 100 spas.

The stamp dedicated to spas includes an image that conveys the peace and tranquility that exists in these places. Aromas, water and delicacy are represented in this still life of Marseille soaps, lavender, jets of water or cotton towels.

Wine tourism has become a great attraction for foreign and national tourists. The Spanish wineries have been renovated offering stays together with guided visits to their entrails as well as tastings of the best national wines. We must not forget that Spanish wines are the best in the world.

This seal excellently captures the experience of an oenological journey: the vast vineyards, the grape, the grape leaf and a bottle of wine pouring its contents into a glass.

This year more than ever, Correos is next to tourism in Spain.

Spain 2023 - Spanish Capital of Gastronomy Cuenca

Technical Details:

Issue Date: 16 March 2023
Process: Offset
Size: 57.6 x 40.9 mm
Values: €1.65