MNB TV. Local fare, global flair

With three restaurants in Madrid, Home Burger is practically a chain. However, according to those in the know, you still have to make a reservation for dinner, that's how packed it gets. Its claim to fame: big fat juicy burgers, on a rustic bread. But you have different types of burgers to choose from, even vegetarian!

 

Saffron is a century’s old spice, prized by the ancient Greeks as well as throughout the rest of the Mediterranean and Asia. MNBTV went to see how the spice is now being cultivated and promoted anew in a town in La Mancha, Madridejos, where a new Museo del Azafrán (Saffron Museum) opened recently. The time to pick the flowers is late October. Our hosts, representatives of the regulations council of the D.O. of La Mancha, took us out to a field owned by a local family, and where the whole family is involved in the flower picking, children and adults alike. The secret to why Spain makes the best saffron? Toasting.

Taberna de Haro opened in July of 1998. The goal was always to serve authentic Spanish food. Also, my vision was to create a wine list that would be really comprehensive. The Spanish wine scene is amazing; Spain is on fire. True to her words, Deborah Hansen, founder and chef, maintains the spirit of authentic Spain right in the Boston area. And the locals love it.

"Llengua amb tàperes" or beef tongue with capers, is a classic mallorquin dish. One of the best places to try it in Mallorca is Ca'n Nofre. But if you can't make it there anytime soon, another great place, in the US, is Taberna de Haro, in the Boston area. There, Deborah Hansen, a purist when it comes to Spanish cuisine, will give you the real deal. To prove it, here she walks us through the full prepping of this savory and unusual dish. Move over, Julia!

Andrew Poole visits what is famously known as the world's oldest restaurant. Botin, owned and run by the González family since the early 1930s, has been in the same location since 1725.