Viva España ! A Spanish-themed Kitchen Trotter box to welcome in the summer

The mercury is rising in the thermometers (actually that's a lie, the numbers are going up on my weather station but it doesn't sound nearly as poetic !) and my hayfever has kicked in big time so there's no doubt about it - summer's well and truly here ! We've already replaced our Sunday roasts with barbecues but I've been looking around for other warm weather recipes to try, so it was perfect timing for Kitchen Trotter to revisit Spain as their next culinary destination.

It's a country that they've covered before but its cuisine is so diverse that they're giving it another look. Last time, we discovered Tapas with green peppers and caballitas, Gazpacho Ajo Blanco, Paella with cuttlefish ink, Crème Catalane and Horchata de chufa, a drink made with tigernuts. (Click through for the recipes and to see what we thought - there were mixed reactions for some of them !)

So what would be in this month's box?

First of all, a Figs & Almond Cake, which looks similar to a dried fruit energy bar in texture and can be eaten on its own as a snack or with cheese, which might be worth a try.

Next is a tub of Espuma de Sal Marina or sea salt. It has a pale pink colour so I first thought it was cupcake sprinkles when I pulled it out of the box !

Aha, I recognise the one on the right - saffron. Would this be for making paella by any chance? On the left, Salsa de Pedro Ximénez con pasas - a reduction of wine with raisins which can be used to accompany both sweet and savoury dishes apparently.

On the left, turron de Jijona, which is Spanish nougat, on the right is Tortas Cenceñas, which is a dry bread used in gazpacho Manchego, and in the middle is a jar of Salsa Brava.

Finally, there is a sachet of sangria spices and a handmade bottle-stopper.

So, what will we be eating this month? Off to find out in the recipe booklet ...

Spanish tapas - patatas bravas - accompanied by sangria.

As a starter, gazpacho manchego de mero, a speciality of Valencia. I am familiar with gazpacho but not this fish-based version. (This sounds more like a main course to me.)

The main meal - solomillos de cerdo con Pedro Ximénez, which looks like filet mignon with vegetable rice.

And finally Crema de Turron de Jijona. Cream of nougat - sounds like a wonderfully refreshing summery dessert.

I'll be back to share the recipes with you once I've made them, but I've still got some Serbian and Cameroonian ones to get through first !