Cinco in Berlin’s Hotel Stue is not only adorned with a Michelin star, it also has a number in its name: 5. It represents both the five senses that Paco Pérez’s dishes are meant to appeal to and the five fingers per hand that conjure up this craftsmanship on the plates. The Cinco is the first projects of the Catalan star chef Paco Pérez outside Spain.
In addition to all these figures, however, I was recently drawn to the capital by much more archaic motives: an invitation to La Matanza, the Spanish slaughter festival at the onset of winter.
In addition to the dishes from the kitchen of Paco Pérez and chef Monty Agulió Wray, the focus was on products from Iberico affineur Arturo Sánchez. From Spain he had selected vintage hams, various charcuterie and meat from the Iberian pig in his luggage.
“Matanza” comes from the Spanish “matar” – to kill. What sounds bloody and martial is a centuries-old tradition and an integral part of Spanish culture: “La Matanza” describes the two- to three-day slaughter festival at the onset of winter, which traditionally begins on Saint Martin’s Day on November 11. In the past, meat, ham and sausages ensured a well-set table for a whole year.
In order for the sausage and meat products to develop their flavor to the fullest, the skills of a skilled meat ripener are required. Arturo Sánchez has perfected the craft in the third generation of his family and is one of the best affineurs in his field. Not only his premium ham, currently the 2005 vintage, but also the other cuts of Iberico pork from his aging chambers near Salamanca are now found in many gourmet kitchens around the world.
Sommelier Steve Hartzsch provided the sovereign accompaniment in the glass. He chose a 2010 Cava “Relats” to accompany the cold cuts as an aperitif, as well as a 2013 Xarel.lo “Miranius” from Celler Credo in Penedes. The courses were followed by a 2012 Albarino “Finca Genoveva” from Forjas del Salnes in Rias Baixas and a 2012 Listan Negro “La Solana” from Suertes del Marquez in Tenerife.
For the final cheese selection, David Raya Moreno of Gusto Artesano contributed some of his favorite raw sheep’s and goat’s milk cheeses from the nearby branch at Markthalle Neun.
Following the Spanish tapas tradition, the classic menus at Cinco typically often span up to 20 small plates. For our very special occasion, the kitchen put together a smaller selection from it. An excerpt that also highlighted the protagonists of the day, the sensational Iberico products of Arturo Sánchez. It is not exaggerated to state that especially the processed vintage hams mark quasi the maximum of the achievable quality. The limitation of the 2005 Jamón Iberico to only 120 traded copies alone shows how rare and exceptional the products are. Extremely intense aroma and, thanks to the 92 months of aging, characterized by an extremely fine and melting in the mouth texture.
El Peral, Tronchón, Campoveja, Peña Blanca and Gamoneu
An extraordinary and in parts a challenging culinary experience. Product cuisine with an extremely clear focus, very straightforward yet complex combinations. One senses Pérez’s connection to Spanish avant-garde cuisine – but without the ubiquity of molecular experiments. Only individually and sensibly used spheres are sometimes found on the plates. It is much more the unusual flavors, the combinations and, to some extent, the products themselves that represent the Spanish avant-garde here. Cocotxas, for example. The chin section of the hake. Or the a stock of grilled Iberico bones used in the risotto (sensational, by the way). Actually, this menu could have gone on for hours. Fortunately, the large menus meet exactly this desire…
5 – Cinco by Paco Pérez
The Stue Hotel
Berlin Tiergarten
Drake Street 1
10787 Berlin Germany
Phone +49 30 311 722-0
Email: 5@das-stue.com
