Spain... On The Road Again

Director: Charles Pinsky
Actors: Gwyneth Paltrow, Mario Batali, Mark Bittman, Claudia Bassols
Studio: DOCURAMA
Category: DVD

List Price: $39.95
Buy New: $29.99
You Save: $9.96 (25%)


Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars 7 reviews
Sales Rank: 2632

Format: Box Set, Color, Dolby, Dvd-video, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Number Of Discs: 4
Running Time: 690 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.6 x 1.1

UPC: 767685147429
EAN: 0767685147429
ASIN: B001HBVE8S

Release Date: January 20, 2009  (In 10 Days)
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Not yet released
Spain... On The Road Again

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Customer Reviews

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5 out of 5 stars Mouth-Watering and Thoroughly Enjoyable Reality/Travelogue/Food Show.    January 5, 2009
mirasreviews (McLean, VA USA)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful

I hate reality TV, travelogues put me to sleep, and I can only take cooking shows in small doses, but I love "Spain...on the Road Again". In this case, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. This is a thirteen-part travelogue/food series that aired on PBS in fall of 2009. Chef and restaurateur Mario Batali, who lived in Spain for several years, provides the sparse narration for a food-oriented road trip through 10 regions of Spain in the company of four famous personalities. Batali is joined by friends Mark Bittman, the New York Times food writer, and Gwyneth Paltrow, the actress. The charming and beautifully-accented Spanish actress Claudia Bassols rounds out the quartet and acts as a translator when the Spanish of the American's isn't up to the task.

Batali has an overbearing personality, but the mixing and (not always) matching of these four people is interesting enough. Often Batali is paired with Paltrow and Bittman with Bassols, but they switch around. Every person is not there for every episode, as Gwyneth Paltrow goes off to be with her family in London or Bittman is off on a book tour. A lot of conversations of dubious significance take place in the Mercedes convertibles that they tool around in, but this gives the audience lots of opportunity to see the countryside. And we do see both rural and urban Spain, touching on every region except the southwestern part of the country. The intrepid travelers take us to where the food is grown, raised, or caught, as well as to the restaurants in which it is served.

We see a lot of the country by car. Though the hosts draw our attention to points of interest, and they get out of the cars and go in some museums, cathedrals, resorts, etc., these are more like teasers than tours of the sights. They offer a lot more detail about the food. We visit expensive trendy restaurants as well as more traditional establishments that look accessible to middle-class budgets. We watch specialty cheesemakers, pastry chefs, and country cooks do their thing. Our hosts make lobster stew with some fishermen on the beach of Menoa. The food really runs the gamut. And it literally made my mouth water every time. Spain offers perhaps the best Mediterranean cuisine at this time, and nothing could be a better advertisement for Spanish tourism.

That's what "Spain...on the Road Again" is. It's an ad for Spain. And apparently for Mercedes, given the number of times we see those cars. It couldn't be more effective or enjoyable. The odd combination of personalities, the lovely scenery, stunning architecture, and food, food, food. Great food, even for a semi-vegetarian like Paltrow. (Like me, she eats seafood but not other meat.) I'd hop on a plane to Spain right now if I could afford to. Some of the dishes could be made at home, some couldn't. Sometimes they are explained, but not in the case of restaurant food. If you've seen Mark Bittman's "The Best Recipes in the World" series, the format of the food segments is similar. It's just thoroughly enjoyable. This is an hour-long show, but I am always surprised that it ends so soon.


3 out of 5 stars Spain On The Road Again    January 5, 2009
A. K. Bailey (Ann Arbor, MI USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

Spain is the star of this DVD set. It makes you want to go there and try all the food and visit all the places! This a good over view of Spain from a culinary point of view.

Mario Batali is unquestioned chefing talent and is a robust traveler who points out the finer qualities Spanish food delights. Gwyneth Paltrow who does not eat red meat and only once fowl in the serise. She eats lots of sea food and eats very well as everyone does. Claudia Bassols seems to just have a grand time effervesing though out the whole thing and why not this DVD shows many ideal situations. Mark Bittman's commentary and wit are much appreciated but I think His cooking skills should have been used more. He has a way of simplifying recipes for us mere mortals here in the mid-west USA. After all he is the Minimalist of the New York Times. Bittman cooks only once in the whole blessed thing.

If you are looking for a great overview of Spain's food and culture I would suggest to see Jose Andres and the PBS series Made in Spain (ASIN: B001690X4M). This takes you to Spain and does a much better job of showing how to cook the food.


4 out of 5 stars Don't listen to the one star guy.....    November 29, 2008
Stefano (California)
8 out of 9 found this review helpful

This series is a travelouge not a documentry. It's primary aim is to entertain and explore, albeit on a cursory level, some of the fine cuisine Spain has to offer. I think the guy who gave this series one star should tune into National Geographic. There he can get just the facts.

I suggest purchasing this series if you enjoy a more casual, entertaining and relaxed way of learning a few things Spain.


5 out of 5 stars Absolutely the best!    November 27, 2008
Lawrence R. Fisher (San Diego, CA United States)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful

First of all, I feel sorry for "Bill from NYC". He obviously missed the total joy and levity in traveling with friends through the phenomenal country of Spain.

Second, I have lived in Spain and this show took me back every single week. The foods they experienced were perfectly authentic and the scenery was phenomenal. This show is for anyone who truly has a passion for the food and culture of Spain as well as for those who have a curiousity as to why Spain is the center of the global food phenomenon.

This show is truly addictive. I have watched every episode (all available for downloand now on iTunes) multiple times and can't wait to watch them again. I have also watched them with the companion cookbook. You will love this series!!! Enjoy and buen provecho!


5 out of 5 stars Spain: Not Just Tapas, People!    November 23, 2008
Bodhisatva Baby (Sparks, NV United States)
6 out of 7 found this review helpful

I'm nearly going blind watching this show as our antenna does not pick up PBS very well, but I am still addicted! Don't be fooled by the title "Spain". Yes, this takes place in Spain, but it is very much in the format of Mark Bittman's culinary explorations around the world, also aired on PBS. Bittman is a brilliant, self-abasing, mildly abusive food critic for the New York Times, & he is one of the four travelers on this sorta wacky foodie expedition across Spain. No, it's not an insider's Spanish travel guide (though a Spanish actress does join them & offer some bizarre dieting advice), but you're never meant to think it is. They do take some side trips away from food & mussels eaten straight out of the ocean (& wine, so much wine) to do interesting things one can only do in Spain. But mostly it's about eating in Spain & talking about eating in Spain. It might remind you of a college road trip, only with far more fascinating people & a better car (a convertible Mercedes, whereas mine was a Ford Tempo constantly on the verge of dying). Also the food is much better than your college road trips, but the conversation just as meandering & nonsensical & fun. I cannot wait until this comes out on DVD so I can actually see the food & the countryside! Pathetic, yes, I know. I didn't even like Gwyneth Paltrow before I saw this show, & now I think she's just charming & would love to scarf down a paella pan & a plate of french fries with her. We would also need some of that fantastic Spanish wine they keep raving about, & Mark Bittman to make dry assertions, Mario to wax poetic about EVERYTHING, & Claudia to tell us that olive oil cannot possibly make us fat.