Almería, tomato paradise
Almeria choose to be Capital of Spanish Gastronomy 2019 . Heir to the cuisine of the Arabs, its gastronomy has adapted like no other to the passage of time. Do we have reasons to eat Almería?
1. Tomato land . Almeria is one of the main tomato producers of our country; and in addition to a tomato of the highest quality. The tomato is so important that the past March 3, World Tomato Day , in the Old Square of Almería thousands of people gathered around tastings, solidarity sales and even a concert in honor of such an illustrious fruit, flagship of the almerian orchard.
2.**In tapas it competes with Granada**. Some of us still don't understand why Granada's tapas continue to be compared to Almería's when they have nothing to do with each other. As in the city of La Alhambra, going out for tapas in the center of Almería is a real scandal . Really, for the cost of three beers, you can almost eat out. Among the most common tapas, there is no shortage of poor potatoes, migas, octopus, prawns, roe in vinaigrette or dogfish. The best tapas bars? For that we would need to write a book.
The beach, almost 365 days a year in Almería
3 . The Alpujarra dish. Located in the southern part of the Sierra Nevada and shared with Granada, The Alpujarras It is one of the most picturesque areas of Almería and, in case you did not know, it is more than just water from Lanjarón and Trevelez hams.
Its white villages with very steep slopes hide one of the great jewels of the foodporn Spanish: the Alpujarra dish. Over a bed of potatoes to the poor, lies a festival of black pudding, longaniza (not chorizo as they curse around there) , ham, fried eggs and green pepper for the one who asks for it. Can also be ordered with daggerboard loin.
Four. Beach almost all year. Without a doubt, Almería has a privileged climate for lovers of sun and heat. One of the advantages of having time to beach practically from February to November is that some of the most famous beach bars on the coast do not close throughout the year. And you eat really well, almost like at home . In addition, it is not uncommon to see families picnicking in swimsuits in the middle of March. Then, bathing is for the bravest.
Trevélez hams
5. Fondón shortbread. The Almeria town of Fondón can boast of having one of the most exquisite mantecados in our country. Under the name of Camp , currently belonging to the fourth generation of the Campos family, The workshop that performs the miracle since 1953, nothing more and nothing less, is hidden. Although we already discovered Balbina Arias' first division mantecados in the Sevillian town of Estepa, we can say that those from Fondón follow in their footsteps.
6. Garrucha red prawn . It is possibly one of the gastronomic institutions of the Andalusian province. The restaurants in the Almeria town of Garrucha offer this precious shellfish, with an indescribable flavor and which, since 2018, has been seeking Protected Geographical Indication (IGP) .
What is characteristic of the Garrucha red prawn is that it is a slightly larger prawn with tighter meat, which is why it is very versatile in the kitchen. It is a commodity almost as precious as it is scarce, hence its high price.
7. the crumbs Heavyweight of the Almeria table. As in Granada or Jaén, in Almería the crumbs are made from bread or semolina flour . People say that "rainy day becomes crumbs day" so it is a dish that goes hand in hand with time (although in Almería they have them throughout the year in many bars). In the X-ray of this plate you can find peppers, bacon, chorizo and a very characteristic travel companion: the grilled sardine.
Nothing richer (nor less) than a good tomato with oil and salt
8. Craft beer. The consumption of craft beer in Spain is a very recent fact if we compare it with the north of Europe. Luckily, craft brewers have shown that the art of brewing goes beyond mere hipsterism; has become a identity stamp, in an art. Almería is one of the places where the production of craft beer is a spectacle. The Cape, San Francisco, Origin, La Cala, El Chato ,... they are all amazing.
9. Two Michelin stars. The Andalusian province can boast of having two well-deserved Michelin stars. On the one hand ** La Costa ** _(Bulevar, 48) _ in the town of El Ejido, based on traditional and honest cuisine.
Secondly, Alexander Restaurant _(Antonio Machado, 32) _ in the town of Roquetas de Mar , with a modern and original kitchen. Both, with a product of the sea, how could it be otherwise.
10. The puffs. We return to La Alpujarra to taste another of the great delicacies of Almeria gastronomy, the perfect dessert for the Alpujarra dish: the breath . Soplillos are sweets whose origin dates back to the time of the Moors, who used flour, honey, eggs, olive oil and almonds to craft them. Biting the hard white outer layer and waiting for it to slowly melt in your mouth is a pleasure that is very difficult to explain in words.
eleven. The Gurullos. If you have visited Almería and have not tried the gurullos, you are missing out on a marvel of its cuisine. The gurullos are like small shavings that are made with a dough similar to that of the noodles from Jaén or Chinese pasta . It was a highly appreciated dish in the post-war period due to its low cost and high caloric content.
Currently a stew is made with rabbit or chicken , very similar to a soupy rice and with a strong flavor. if you are looking for epic gurullos in Almería , neighborhood restaurants can surprise you more than those located in the most touristic areas.
Still life of Almeria delicacies: the gurullos, in the upper left corner
12. From Cabo de Gata to Carboneras. The devotion that many of us have for the Beach of the Dead makes it essential to mention this earthly paradise. Undoubtedly one of the best beaches in the country, located in a highly protected natural environment. Precisely for this reason, it is difficult to find where to eat there, which is why the pilgrimage to the nearby town of Carboneras , a very good option for those who prefer to sit at a table with a tablecloth.
13. The character of the people of Almeria. It is incredible how easy it is to make friends while having tapas in the streets of Almería. And it is that the affable and honest character of the people of Almería makes it very easy to strike up conversations while sharing a piece of a bar counter. If we replace the bar with a beach bar and the cover with a mojito, the result can be raised to the nth power.