The guide to not miss anything in San Isidro
If possible. Today more than ever. These are just some clues to celebrate the Holy Labrador as the sacred scriptures of the avant-garde command: feminine art, cinema, traditional delicacies washed down, for example, with champagne and all hours of music.
“Apparently it is a contradiction that San Isidro, a farmer from the 12th century, is the patron saint of Madrid, a modern metropolis (…) . But it is not so much if we take into account that it also has large extensions of parks, gardens and urban orchards”.
With this chotis of satisfaction, Manuela Carmena persuades us to enter the audacious network of outdoor plans for the 2018 San Isidro Festivities.
Ecological awareness, committed hedonism, a splendid inclusive campaign and more than 200 reasons to take to the streets covered in Smoking festivals, tuberoses on the hips, satisfied women, 'chunda chunda', offal with a roll and beer 'wafers'.
Illustration by Mercedes Bellard for the posters of the Fiestas de San Isidro 2018
This is Madrid and, here, even the most pilgrim manifesto of tradition has to go through the sieve of the times that fly.
These Fiestas de San Isidro, and the rest of the plans that emerged on the eve of the blessed holiday, appeal to the latest proclamations of today –feminism, commitment to nature, child protection, respect for diversity– without losing an iota of that legitimate sarcasm.
Because here and now, in the middle of the vegan era, the people of Madrid continue to smile at some good chicken or some good ins and outs.
And, possibly, they will keep smiling with a craft beer or with the contemporary version of a calamari sandwich, whose image they will share in real time with the iPhone X on their Instagram profile. But let's be frank: we haven't changed so much…so much.
Smoky street parties, traditional gastronomy but with a roll, beer, champagne and, of course, chotis
GOODBYE PICHIS, HELLO ILLUSTRATED WOMEN
At this stage, the illustrated smiles of four women of different ages, work of the artist Mercedes de Bellard, have gone around the world of social networks three times. Using the applause of the respectable -the women of Madrid-, Mercedes de Bellard has become the local Instagram star just hours after her name appeared in the credits of the San Isidro 2018 posters.
No parades, no masses, no giants or big heads, no chulapas handing out carnations (also). This year, the Madrid City Council receives applause for its successes in the employer proposal. It is not for less. Read.
In the first place, the Consistory has put together a program of events and activities that could pass for the poster of a summer festival for all ages: Niño de Elche, Papaya, Pablo Und Destruktion, Coque Malla, Meneo, Viva Sweden, Diego El Cigala, Nathy Peluso, Reyko...
Second, because this kind of welcome to spring, which includes 200 events spread over 15 scenarios, is mostly free access.
Third, and not least, his feminist and ecological aspiration that she has been personified in the faces of the happy women who fill the streetlights of Madrid, and adorned with the designer's typography Silvia Ferpal.
Fourth, because the posters, with a non-commercial recognition license, can be shared with friends and printed in high resolution.
Lastly, the intranet of programming comes to be the reflection of the illustrations of Mercedes of Bellard: colorful, intuitive and concise. The hallmark of this new feminist imprint.
One of the posters of San Isidro, illustrated by Mercedes de Bellard
‘TO SHOW OFF WITH A PARPUSA AND A CLUB UNDER MY ARM’
Among the miracles of the Saint, It is said that while she dedicated herself to her prayers, the oxen docilely plowed the land in the early hours of the day. Believable or not, the truth is that Isidro glorified the trade of tilling the wheat that later, turned into flour, would give reason for being the blessed food of the Madrid bakeries.
One of the phenomena that the people of Madrid have best metabolized is precisely the proliferation, in the last five years, of new neighborhood bakeries. During these days, eight of them commemorate the figure of San Isidro with dozens of Clubs of the Saint freshly baked at dawn perfect for the Manzanares picnic.
The Sanisidrian version lifts the spirits of quite a few crunchy wheat devotees: a loaf of bread reminiscent of the Saint's hoe, based on figs –sometimes macerated with wine or anise– and with sesame seeds, as a nod to the Mozarabic legacy, and covered with bran –another reference to the peasant trade–.
Until May 15, these young neighborhood bakeries elaborate with care, those 'sticks' of up to 80 cm whose goodness lies in a divine raw material, the affection of a new batch of bakers, a prolonged fermentation –minimum of 18 hours– and the “miracle” of the sourdough.
Bakeries as God intended: Knead (Church, 10, Majadahonda), 3 Letters Bread (New Zealand, 32), 180 workshop (General Saliquet, 10), Babette's Oven (Joaquin Lorenzo 4, Ramon de Santillan 15, Ayala 79), baker (San Manuel, 5) , San Francisco Workshop (San Francisco race, 14), Bakery (Alonso Heredia, 25) and Panfesto (Mesón de Paredes, 10).
Saint's Clubs
CHOTIS TO THE HEAT OF THE BULL'S TAIL
Before climbing onto one of the stages of the San Isidro Festivities, get yourself a good portion of oxtail, the Madrid specialty that warms the feelings of all kinds of carnivores, many of them capable of starting with a chotis in exchange for a double portion of this chulapo delicacy.
This type of tender and succulent cut stands out as a local delicacy capable of occupying positions in the different gastronomic leagues: from a street stall to signature stoves.
From May 15 to 20, the Arado restaurant, at the Meliá Serrano Madrid, offers a traditional menu that includes an original recipe for oxtail. chef designed David Masllorens, This patronal nod venerates the art of Madrid's tradition with a brave avant-garde twist.
Castizo Plow Menu: Gilda 21st century –cherry tomato confit with olive and piparra powder–, San Isidro salad –pickled lettuce with egg emulsion and green olive–, Oxtail cannelloni with sprouts, fried milk with vanilla ice cream, coffee and pestiños. Pairing: vermouth and wines from Madrid and Pedro Ximénez (€30).
The proposal of chef David Masllorens, from Arado Restaurante
CINEMA FOR VERBENA DAYS
In these days of verbena and tambourine, the Arganzuela neighborhood It is one of the hot spots of the capital, where even today the “chulapas” and “chulapos” that flood the Pradera de San Isidro live.
And in this route of new proposals for the Madrid event, we could not leave aside the place that definitely marked the turning point in the transformation of the landscape and peasantry of the Legazpi neighborhood: the Matadero –where Madrid does kill–.
In addition to all its frenetic annual activity, the film library offers an exclusive plan for Tuesday, May 15, with the collaboration of Mondo Sonoro magazine: a marathon of melodic documentaries.
The Matadero movie theater will screen three films that celebrate music and the city of Madrid. projections are Free until full capacity.
At 12 p.m. Summer Symphony: Portrait of a City, by Emilio Tome. A kaleidoscopic vision of the Madrid of torpor, night, party, adventure and lethargy (projection with live music). At 4 p.m. madrid rap, by Gorka Abrisqueta Veuthey, an x-ray of the Hip Hop scene in Madrid in 2011.
At 6 p.m. Beats from Madrid, by Manuel Sánchez-Cid Rodríguez, a documentary based on the capital's clubbing movement.
Gran Clavel Wine Bar
NOSE, VIOLETS AND... A BIG CARNATION
If what it is about is being castizo, let's start with the name. The restaurant of the Hotel de Las Letras has become the new embassy for Madrid specialties in the east of Gran Vía, its three spaces – Vermutería, Wine Bar, Casa de Comidas – are a place of pilgrimage for both Madrilenians and recently arrived travellers.
Throughout this flowery and devout month, the tables of Gran Clavel will be the showcase to taste many of the delicacies of the imaginary patron saint: cream bartolillos, snail stews, donuts –Tontas, Listas and Santa Clara– in addition to the traditional proposals of the gastronomic space of the Hotel de Las Letras.
In the heat of the festivities, and among violets, tuberoses and carnations, they will give an account of delights from the festival of La Paloma, a waffle maker will walk along the Gran Vía hand in hand with Cervezas Madriz and, at the Vermutería bar, they will celebrate each day the ritual of the appetizer: glass of vermouth of the day and Gilda (Monday to Friday from 12:00 to 15:00; €3.50).
Callos a la madrileña de Gran Clavel
THE CLAW KILLS ME
At the opposite end of the Gran Vía, looking at the Plaza de España by Antonio López, we make a pimp on the ground floor of the Barceló Torre hotel in Madrid: how to be cool and not fail in design.
Let us be recommended by the creators of the Garra Bar menu, who dare with a good handful of references from the traditional recipe book in a space that could easily pass for a cocktail bar in the heart of Manhattan.
Interior design by Jaime Hayón, Mediterranean and Scandinavian design –note: the drinks display is the most spectacular in the city–, images from the Klunderbie studio and a menu from Tasca: anchovies in vinegar with chips and paprika, 'chulapas' (cod) croquettes, 'the bravas of all life', wafers of salmon, avocado and lime, skewer of tortilla in its point, little soldiers from Pavia with aioli and churros of chocolate in the afternoon.
Coinciding with the Fiestas de San Isidro, and for the third year, Hotel Tapa Tour brings together patrons of the snacks in beautiful hotels in Madrid. Garra Bar participates in this competition for the best author's cover with a tempura lobster bao-tasting with alioli, parsley and citrus caviar, a particular oriental version of the squid sandwich.
The lobster bao-tasting at Garra Bar
THE SEA IN A GIN GLASS
When the sun begins to go down – the moment to photograph the pinks and violets of the Madrid sky – many say goodbye to the daylight hours with outdoor concerts and with an excuse to warm up. Let's say I'm talking about… cocktails, vermouth, liqueurs, manila shawls.
Thousands of fashions later, the gin maintains its pulse as the star distillate of traditional cocktails. For several decades of the 20th century, in a highball glass, with rocks of ice and tonic. Today, its versatility has a lot to do with a constantly evolving creative loop that mutates from devotees to condition.
For these days of divine holiday, Gin Mare has brought together in a single glass the virtues of strawberry tree liqueur, the tender fruit of the Madrid tree, and the vermouth, which needs no introduction, to design the Gin Isidro cocktail, a traditional drink reminiscent of the Mediterranean: 3 cl of Gin Mare, 3 cl of Madrid vermouth, 2 cl of strawberry tree liqueur, 1 cl of Aperol and fresh rosemary.
The Gin Isidro cocktail, based on strawberry tree liquor and Madrid vermouth
CARNATIONS ON THE HEAD, FRENCH TOAST
After a day of chotis and picnic in the Manzanares meadow, Another of San Isidro's pastimes is imposed: go to bars Or cupcakes. And Ava Gardner. That we ask for a portion of tripe. Sure, but with champagne.
That is why Juanjo López, teacher of The Tasquita in front, considered it sensible to incorporate the champagne Bollinger to the menu in commemoration of the patron saint. There is nothing.
The French maison is forever linked to the patron saint festivities with an indecent proposal that you can taste at La Tasquita de Enfrente until May 26 (menu: €90): three classic references Le Grande Année Blanc 2007, Special Cuvée and Rosé for six courses and a dessert.
Garlic soup, beef jerky fritters, Russian salad with trout caviar, asparagus from the garden with its vinaigrette, 'the ear', hake cococha with squid ink, Madrid-style tripe and, for dessert, false French toast the cinnamon.
Juanjo López, from the Tasquita de Enfrente