Trujillo Villas Espana has launched a new gastronomic tour, introducing guests to the fresh, simple, authentic cuisine the Extremadura region is famous for. Led by Marco Mangut, Trujillo Villa Espana's gastro guru, gourmands visit shops and restaurants to learn about local specialties, including Torta del Casar, a cheese made from sheep milk, and Jamon Iberico de Bellota, the local dry cured ham from free range acorn fed Iberian pigs.

Trujillo, a medieval walled hilltop town overlooking the plains of Extremadura in South West Spain, three hours from Madrid, is known for its fabulous rustic cuisine. The town was home to several of the 16th century Conquistadors, who discovered the Americas and still remains relatively untouched by modernity and tourism.  Trujillo Villas Espana is the only villa rental company in the town with five restored houses.

The foodie feast begins with a visit to Cáceres, a beautiful nearby walled city that was Spain's capital of gastronomy for 2015. Here guests visit a local shop to learn about, and importantly taste, Torta del Casar, a cheese that has been given protected-origin status and is aged for at least sixty days. The fully ripe cheese has a creamy consistency and is traditionally eaten by slicing off the top and scooping out the inside.

Olives have long been grown in Extremadura and the next stop is a shop in Cáceres to sample different olive oils and hear how the oils are produced. The area is renowned for Manzanilla Cacereña, a black olive, which is native to the Extremadura region. Mainly an eating olive, it is also used to produce a very high quality olive oil.

For lunch, guests enjoy a demonstration at a cookery workshop with Chef Francisco Refolio, using local ingredients such as pimenton, chorizo and figs.  They will then dine on dishes such as Hurdana salad, made with chorizo, ham and eggs with lemons and oranges, grilled Iberian pork with Torta del Casar sheep cheese and fig mousse cake with honey from Villuercas all washed down with locally made La Macera wine. In traditional Spanish style, following lunch, guests will return to Trujillo for a well-earned siesta.

The evening is a celebration and the perfect end to the day. Marco will take epicures to two of his favourite restaurants in Trujillo where they can try seasonal tapas, for example grilled octopus with wrinkled potatoes, jamon iberico, migas - traditional breadcrumbs with poached egg and bacon lardons, roasted red pepper salad with grilled prawns and traditional natillas - custard with cinnamon.

The Extremadura gourmet tour is available to guests staying in any of Trujillo Villas Espana's five properties. The tour, which is in English, costs £170 (200 Euros) per person based on 4 people and includes all travel and food, as well as local wine served with lunch and dinner. The villas range from a one bedroom Artist's Studio with contemporary interiors to Villa Moritos, a restored Conquistador's mansion with swimming pool, sleeping eight people.  Prices start from £110 per night in the Artist's Studio.

For more information and bookings visit: www.trujillovillasespana.com or call 020 7385 5345.

Ends

4 April 2017

For further information and images please contact Emma Hill or Tiggy Dean at Hill & Dean PR on 020 8875 9923.