Comedy cooking and rare citrus in Spain

Taking a sideways look at food

Hello Lemonistas,

A rare citrus fruit in the gardens of Alcázar Palacio Portocarrero © Carlota Panza

Welcome to your latest edition of The Lemon Grove, in which we welcome guest writer Carlotta Panza to your newsletter to share the story and impressions of a recent visit to Seville, southern Spain. But first, we listen to a conversation with The Hack Snacker himself, George Egg, as he shares his standup journey, his love of cooking and how his much missed Dad continues to inspire him. George is a Brighton, UK-based comedian who brings a sense of humour to cooking on stage sharing his infectious enthusiasm with audiences from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Glastonbury (the world’s largest and most varied music event) and now the Tunbridge Wells Fringe Festival in west Kent, England which is where we chatted in a local library ahead of his best of show ‘Seet Menu’, drawing inspiration from previous tours.

Follow George on Instagram here, and check out his touring schedule and website here.

Listening tip of the week … tune into chef, restaurateur, cookbook author and community builder Asma Khan on BBC Radio 4’s Hard Talk show asking, Can cooking change the world? Listen to the programme here.

Hack Snacker cooks in hotel rooms for a laugh

PODCAST: George Egg cracks a smile on stage

George Egg posing in front of a bookshelf full of cookbooks © The Lemon Grove

During the show, George used a wallpaper stripper to poach an egg and kippers (first image); a hot air gun (used to strip paint) and steam irons wedged between Gideon bibles to cook mini pancakes (middle pic). Final pic shows George's work station. © The Lemon Grove

The Snack Hacker takes to the stage at the Tunbridge Wells Fringe Festival

The stage awaits George Egg, and then there he is, in all his comedic culinary genius [All images © The Lemon Grove]

Just a quick reminder … follow George on Instagram here, and check out his touring schedule and website here.

Andalusia’s arid lands reveal hidden citrus garden

The last thing you expect in Andalusia’s vast and arid countryside is a private palace with a walled garden that encloses one of Spain’s largest collections of citrus fruits, writes Carlotta Panza of The Cabinet of Curiosities. Then again, aristocracy in the region is still very current, so private collections of rare objects and ephemera might not be so uncommon after all. 

Scenes from the hidden gardens of Alcázar Palacio Portocarrero

Alcázar Palacio Portocarrero is nestled within the quaint town of Palma del Río, halfway between Seville and Cordoba. Its history and architecture are a complex melting pot of all the cultures that inhabited Andalusia, from Ancient Romans to Arabs, Jewish and Christian civilisations. Traces of each passage are still present on the palace’s walls and interiors, which, through the centuries, transitioned from a fortified building used during times of feudalism, a synagogue later transformed into a Christian chapel, and finally to a noble family’s private palace. 

Examples of the rare and exotic citrus fruits of Alcázar Palacio Portocarrero [All images © Carlotta Panza]

Amongst the ornate tapestries, large airy courtyards and meticulously preserved details, one true gem stands out: the Palacio’s owner, Cristina Ybarra. Her incredible energy and passion are to thank for the significant restoration projects and, most importantly, the richness that lies within the walled garden. 

At first glance, the Hispanic-Mudejar garden appears to be a meticulously kept Italian-style garden, with trimmed bushes and lush cypress trees. Letting the eye wonder, one soon realises a recurring presence all over the garden and patio: citrus fruits. 

Palacio Portocarrero is home to over 400 citrus fruits, a living and breathing museum of oranges, mandarins, lemons, limes … the list goes on. As you sip a chilled glass of orange juice (homemade, obviously) with a frozen kumquat, you are guided around the collection, from bonsai varieties of bitter oranges to the tiniest Cleopatra mandarins, the size of a thumb. This is Cristina’s life work, which is all maintained by the Palacio’s original irrigation system, a masterpiece of engineering. 

Alcázar Palacio Portocarrero - website.
Read more from Carlotta here.

Etsy

We've just opened our Etsy shop, and it's the place to buy my book, 'Cook Wrap Sell: A guide to starting and running a successful food business from your kitchen'. More culinary items and citrusy goods will be added regularly.

Best wishes
Bruce

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BRUCE & THE LEMON GROVE'S EVENTS DIARY

Travel planning for 2024 is in the works for Seville, Turin (Slow Food’s Terra Madre), Liguria, and Barcelona, to name just a few! But first, I am having knee replacement surgery this week, so I’ll be a little quiet for a few weeks.

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Bruce McMichael
Writer, Podcaster, Event Host & Cook, Lemonista
Website: www.thelemongrove.net
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