During the fortnight from 15 to 31 October, the first Gourmet Bean Feast Days were held in the restaurant De Vinis (Pº de la Castellana, 123). During this fortnight, the restaurant offered its customers a menu in which beans took a starring role.
De Vinis, host of these Days, opened the menu with "white beans with clams and wild mushrooms", a dish prepared by Daniel Paradinas, Head Chef of the restaurant. The guest chefs attending these Days were: Javier Oyarbide, of the Príncipe de Viana restaurant, Winner of the National Gastronomy Prize 1999, who presented his "red beans with black pudding and cabbage"; Luis Martín, of the Goizeko Kabi and Gaztelupe restaurants, who prepared a more classic version: "red beans"; and Juan Pablo Felipe, of El Chaflán restaurant, Winner of the National Gastronomy Prize 2001 and holder of one Michelin star, who offered "oxtail with beans, fresh pasta and clove ice cream".
Following the philosophy of the De Vinis restaurant, each of the dishes on this menu was matched with the wine that, according to sommelier Víctor Díaz, best suited each dish, so that the white beans with clams and wild mushrooms were served with Guitian Godello 2001 (D.O. Valdeorras); the classic red beans were washed down with a Tierra Crianza 1999 (D.O. Rioja Alavesa); the red Tolosa beans with black pudding and cabbage were served with the Imperial Reserva del 96 (D.O. Rioja Alta); and the oxtail with beans, fresh pasta and clove ice cream was matched with a Matarromera Crianza 1999 (D.O. Ribera del Duero).
The bean - alubia or al-lubiya in Arabic - was the name formerly given to the bean - judía - according to the Dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy. In Spain, the term "judía" or bean refers to the traditional tender young "habichuela" or kidney bean, eaten with the pod whole, before it reaches maturity, and commonly known as "judías verdes" or green beans, also called "vainas" or pods in some Spanish regions. But these Days at De Vinis were concerned with dried varieties, called "judías", "alubias" or "habichuelas", including varieties with regional names, "fabes" in Asturias, "pochas" in the Basque Country and "caparrones" in La Rioja. They are generally white, but can be purple or red, yellow or cinnamon, black, like Tolosa beans which turn red on cooking, also called "chichos" or "negritos" in Asturias, and "pintas" or "jaspedas".
