Santa Fe's La Boca Restaurant Named Finalist in Copa Jerez: Competition Showcases Food, Sherry Pairings

SANTA FE, NM, November 14, 2010 (Press-News.org) La Boca Restaurant's team of Chef James Campbell Caruso and wine director Adam Johnson reached the United States finals of the prestigious Copa Jerez competition, sponsored by the United States Sherry Council. Among only five restaurants in the United States, La Boca competed to represent the country in January in the fourth year of one of Spain's leading culinary events.

"We showcased what La Boca is known for, innovative, inspired Spanish cuisine in the tapas style for a live panel of judges in hopes of moving on to the final competition held in Spain," says Chef James. "We were thrilled to have participated. Though we didn't win, we were honored to be there and gave it our all. The United States is well represented by the winning team."

The U.S. final was held at the Astor Center in New York City on October 6, 2010. Chef James prepared 3 courses paired with Sherries chosen by wine director Adam Johnson. Each dish highlighted La Boca's reputation for innovative use of traditional Spanish ingredients.

• 1st - Tempura octopus with salmon roe aioli, pickled red onions and poblano chiles paired with Hidalgo Manzanilla Sherry.
• 2nd - Pan seared duck breast with mango, melted idiazabel cheese and smoky cashew paired with Lustau "Peninsula" Palo Cortado.
• 3rd - Braised beef tongue with fig mostarda and roasted carrot puree paired with Lustau Tintilla de Rota.


About Copa Jerez
Each year, winning national teams from around the world compete to pair food and authentic Sherry wine. International chef and sommelier teams judge the menus and pairings in Jerez, a town in Spain's southern-most province of Andalucia, that country's oldest wine-making region. Authentic Sherry wines can only come from this region. The U.S. Copa Jerez competition is sponsored by the Sherry Council of America, the official U.S. representative of the Federacion de Bodegas del Marco de Jerez, the trade organization for all Sherry producers in the Jerez region. The Sherry Council works to raise awareness about the importance of protecting the Sherry name.

About La Boca Restaurant
James Campbell Caruso opened La Boca, an intimate 50 seat restaurant in the heart of Santa Fe, in 2006. Full to capacity almost every night since opening, La Boca's live, European tapas/wine bar atmosphere and innovative Spanish inspired menu has won almost every local award and been honored by the New York Times and been featured on Gilda De Laurent is Food Network show, Gilda's Weekend Getaways. Concentrating his menu mostly on tapas, Chef James satisfies the desire for authenticity in a world of imitators.

For information or interviews, contact Adam Johnson at 505-920-7946, or visit http://www.labocasf.com