Behind Annie’s Kitchen Door

 
 
 
 
 

A licensed Travel Agent and qualified Sherry Educator, Annie’s career has taken her from banking to 20 successful years running her own catering and corporate hospitality company in London. Her third—and most rewarding—chapter began when she fell in love with Vejer and made it her home. Here, she founded Annie B Spain with her first Andalusian cooking classes, which have since grown into accompanied food and wine tours, welcoming guests from around the world and attracting international press coverage.

Passionate about food, wine and culture, Annie has an instinct for seeking out the people, places and traditions that reveal the true flavour of a destination. Drawing on her natural curiosity, meticulous attention to detail and talent for making meaningful local connections, she creates culinary experiences that go far beyond the usual tourist trail. Whether in Andalucía or further afield, every journey she leads is shaped by the food, wine, stories and people that give each place its unique character.

Annie’s passion for food and wine extends far beyond Andalucía. Wherever she travels, she seeks out the local dishes, wines, markets, producers and family-run restaurants that reveal the true character of a place. She uses these discoveries and personal connections to create and accompany distinctive culinary tours throughout Cádiz province and further afield, including Menorca, Morocco, Portugal, Sicily, Scotland and India.

Annie’s Spanish Kitchen

Annie cooks out of Casa Alegre, her home and the official centre for Peña Gastronómica de Vejer – The Gourmet Association of Vejer. The house, set within the old town of Vejer was completely refurbished in 2003, transforming a centuries old Andalucian patio home for 5 families into the stunning residence it is today. The azotea (roof terrace) is where everyone gathers to relax, have a pre lunch or dinner drink and relish stunning 270-degree views from the east to the south west, over Vejer and over the Strait of Gibraltar towards North Africa.

If the azotea is the house’s crowning glory, Annie’s kitchen is its heart. Whilst retaining many original features, it is sleek and contemporary, colourful with Spanish and Moroccan pottery, flooded with sunlight and features the best 21st-century equipment. The kitchen remains cool during the warmer months due to the vast thickness of the walls of the house.

 

Want to meet Annie and see for yourself what her Spanish Kitchen is all about?

Want to get in the Spanish mood?

Listen to Annie B’s Kitchen playlist, or follow on Spotify, for a taste of warm evenings, flamenco guitar drifting in through open windows, the smell of seafood, tomatoes and garlic cooking, and the sound of cicadas close by…

What You’ll Learn at Annie B’s Spanish Kitchen?

Our cookery sessions start around 10am with shopping for our lunch goodies. On fish day we head to Barbate Fish Market to select the very best for our lunch. Following our first reviving Manzanilla around 1pm, we move smoothly into lunch consisting of the culinary miracles we’ve conjured up. Lunch is usually served round the pool or on the roof terrace with glorious views over Vejer and towards Morocco. Lunch will always start with Sherry and wine will be served. Guests are free to leave after lunch (Spanish style, around 4.30pm), to have a Siesta in their hotel or on the beach! But what sort of cooking will you be doing during your time at Annie B’s? The following selection of traditional Spanish dishes – with the odd dash of Moroccan cuisine thrown in for good measure – all crop up…

The Freshest Fish & Seafood

Food in southern Spain mostly revolves around fish – the perfect match for the local wine, Sherry.

Atun de Almadraba
– carpaccio is our favourite. We also love bluefin tuna ribs in bbq sauce

Chocos
– the world famous cuttlefish in paellas, arroz negro and with almonds

Boquerones
– pickled and salted – you will prepare them from scratch. Normally served with the first Manzanilla of the day

Pescado a la Sal
– a famous dish of the area. Whole plump seabass and bream, encased in salt from Cádiz and immediately baked. This will be the most tender fish you’ll ever have eaten

Gambas y Langostinos de Sanlúcar
– the sweetest seafood ever, with a flavour of Manzanilla! That’s what the say locally but a warm sweet prawn in one hand and a glass of Manzanilla in the other  – heaven

The Very Best Spanish Ingredients

To Name But A Few

Luscious Jamón

divine crunchy green olives, tangy local cheeses

Iberian pork
marbled with the fat of its acorn diet

Smoked Paprika
and the best of Olive Oils made in Andalucía

Sherry Vinegar
with just about everything. A  natural flavour enhancer like no other

Glorious Tapas

To Name But A Few

Gazpachos
– red (tomato), white (almond) and green (melon)

Gambas Ajillo
– juicy pink prawns sizzling in spicy garlic

Salad of Tuna
Roasted Red Pepper, Egg, Onion, Capers & Parsley

Pollo en Romero
– yummy local chicken laced with Rosemary, Sherry & Oregano

Albondigas de Cerdo y Chorizo
Spanish meatballs) with Sherried Tomato Sauce

Braised Artichokes & Jamon

Tostas con Chocolate, Olive Oil & Salt

People Love Annie BHere’s what they say

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