The province of Segovia and the suckling pig They have signed a pact with the devil that makes this union between the pig and the Castilian-Leonese province worthy of being part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. But there is life beyond the Segovian suckling pig and its ritual of smashing crockery on the floor of any self-respecting restaurant to serve a suckling pig with all its paraphernalia. There are more, many more.
LIFE BEYOND THE ALCARRIA
Sometimes you have to want to get out of the conventional, and we have set our sights on guadalajara, because there is a lot of fabric to cut there and perhaps many have not yet discovered it. More specifically in the beautiful town of Jadraque, less than an hour and a half from Madrid, in the heart of the Valle del Henares.
Jadraque (Guadalajara).
Jadraque receives the traveler under the watchful eye of a castle that rises vigilantly on a hill that would draw the attention of artists and writers such as José Ortega y Gasset himself. He is known as the Castle of the Cid , because it would be the same Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar , the Cid Campeador, the one who during his exile I would conquer this castle from the Arabs.
Since then it became the emblem of this Guadalajara town, that would turn the fortress into a residence at the time of the Cardinal Mendoza with the outbreak of the Renaissance. Today, walking through the Jadraque castle means enjoying the beauty of the immense landscape of Valle del Henares, with a bird's-eye view of the Jadraque houses that are transformed into a small swarm of bees embedded in the ground.
Back to Jadraque, you have to walk with a watchful eye and foresight, because the cold is pressing and hunger strikes. It was a town of splendor, which lived through times of greatness when the Cid's daughter, Doña Mencía de Mendoza inherited the rights to Jadraque from her father and remodeled the town as she pleased. of it to make it a comfortable and attractive residence. The imprint of that shiny and brilliant past can be seen in some of the few noble houses that surprise the traveler when turning the corner, with a sober and palatial appearance.
El Cid Campeador conquered this castle from the Arabs.
One of those noble houses is the headquarters of the Tourist Office , more specifically the House-Palace of the Arias de Saavedra family. Guided tours of the historic and monumental Jadraque are organized from here, without overlooking the paintings and sketches that were used to decorate the house, Goya's work. Because Goya shared a summer in this house with the illustrious Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos in the troubled year 1808, a year of rebellions and uprisings against the French.
PIGLET AND GOAT TO RULE THEM ALL
One of the things that puts Jadraque on the map is his savoir faire when it comes to putting meat in the stone oven. In fact, the “Jadraque style” is not a mere meritorious label for a way of grilling both the suckling pig and the kid. The Jadraque style is an art and at this time of year its suckling pig and its kid provoke the movement of many travelers from all parts of Spain to enjoy a good feast
Like the Segovian, both the suckling pig and the kid are roasted in the wood-fired oven and in a clay dish, as tradition dictates. But what catapults Jadraque to the Cassiopeia of the barbecue is the dressing, what we know as Jadraqueña sauce and parishioners like "the brief one".
Jadraque: a getaway from La Mancha.
Much of this is also known in other regions of The Alcarria or from the Dulce river basin, as the beautiful Sigüenza, where Cardinal Mendoza also did his thing to live like a king and where the authorship of the famous dressing is also attributed.
The seasoning for its famous kid and suckling pig is a very simple concoction that is added to the roast and makes the difference with his cousin from Segovia. This dressing is basically made up of vinegar and aromatics such as thyme, oregano, tarragon, bay leaf or caraway. And some more ingredients among which there is no lack garlic, onion and even cinnamon.
The result is the indigenous flavor of Jadraque, which on many occasions is the result of a secret family mix, because There is no Jadraque grill with the same flavor. We give faith.
Church of San Juan Bautista, Jadraque.
PASSIONATE ABOUT MIGAS
Another of the great gastronomic passions of Jadraqueños are the crumbs So much so that this appreciated kitchen dish has in Jadraque its own party that is usually celebrated in the month of December. Despite the fact that the party was suspended in 2020 due to the pandemic, this party has been celebrated for several decades and is declared Festival of Provincial Tourist Interest.
The Jadraque Miga Festival brings together true “migueros” experts that compete for the best migas of the locality. At the end of the day, the popular tasting of the migas can be enjoyed under the son that marks the sound of the dulzainas, so typical of this part of our country.
In addition, the Jadraque migas cannot be missing in the local restaurants and it is easy to find a good plate of migas practically at any time of the year. The secret of good migas jadraqueñas is in the previous dressing with aromatic and cinnamon, heat the oil with a lot of paprika and add well of torreznos to give it spirit. and grapes, grapes can never be missing.
The migas have their own party in Jadraque.
SOME RECOMMENDATIONS
Planning a getaway to Jadraque is not something you should do spontaneously. There is not much alternative to stay and yes a lot of demand in these dates of kid and crumbs, so we always recommend trying book at least a week or two in advance so as not to be disappointed. Here are two recommendations:
justice (Toll, 30) It is the one that everyone is going to recommend and we support the decision. By its torreznos, its migas, its kid and its terrace to have a few beers in the very center of Jadraque
the castle (Ctra. Soria, km 46) The perfect place to do a two-for-one, as it has a hostel and you can also book accommodation. they know very well how to do roast kid and there are no missing crumbs in your letter. That and the homemade desserts they make the weekends get up to the flag.
Impossible to resist Jadraque's kid and suckling pig.
BONUS TRACK FOR THE CURIOUS
One of the noble houses of Jadraque, the House of Chains , was the scene of a good fight between two princesses: Marie-Anne de La Tremoille better known as the princess of the Ursinos and the well-known Elizabeth of Farnese. It seems that the first one skipped the protocol and that closeness was not well received by Isabel de Farnesio who gave her a good slap and caused the exile of Marie-Anne.
In the Saleta of Jovellanos , next to the Tourist Office, is the Saddlery Museum. More than two hundred pieces of crafts for cavalry made of leather make up this unusual collection
The Church of San Juan Bautista de Jadraque hides in one of its lateral chapels a Christ of Zurbarán dating from the year 1661. The Image, which represents Jesus Christ picking up his garments after the scourging, curiously shows hardly any blood or pain.