Chef José Andrés served up Spanish samples at Mariano’s

Mariano's Ravenswood grocery store turned into a fiesta on November 13 for three hours as chef José Andrés introduced his products at the store level. Fans and the press gathered around the Spanish speaker as he entered the venue at 1800 West Lawrence Avenue.

Andrés was a ray of sunshine as he served samples and mingled with the crowd gathered near the deli.

José Ramón Andrés Puerta brings a vast amount of experience to the table and his outstanding tasty combinations are legendary throughout the globe. His new food line leans into cuisine from Spain, where he was born and the published author knows his way around a recipe. His first book, Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America, opened the door for his long history of Spanish small plate dishes.

His sliced Iberico Pork Empanadas led the charge and incorporated a limited number of ingredients to not overstuff the pastry. The peppers, tomatoes and onions paired with the pork were perfectly seasoned.

Shoppers may pick up an entire paella kit at the store, including Spanish rice and chicken broth. There's even a special shallow enameled paella pan for sale in the José Andrés section of Mariano's.

The Croquetas with Iberico Ham were served piping hot and packed with mouthwatering cheese. Chef José tossed his signature bags of potato chips to lucky attendees who were eager to taste his specialty snacks.

His FISHSNAX line arrived in tin can containers with a trio of flavors: sardines, mussels and octopus. His sauces are so spectacular that they recommended they be used as salad dressing to spice up any bed of lettuce.

For dessert, there were a variety of offerings including frozen fruit sorbets, Basque cheesecake and churros dunked in thick chocolate frosting.

The massive supermarket chain is already reaping the benefits from having an experienced tastemaker in the building. His valuable addition to this company's robust and diverse merchandise is a match made in heaven with a pinch of Spain thrown in for good measure.

Visit joseandresfoods.com and marianos.com for further delicious details.