"The word that defines autumn in Navarra is colour"
From the intense red piquillo peppers to the crowd of shades of grapes of the vintage migratory sheep white , the vegetables greens , the pigeons gray or the bright brown of chestnuts ; and all this under the multicolored curtain of the beech and oak forests or the ocher aridity of the Royal Bardenas.
SOURCE OF THE UREDERRA
Now, we would not be saying anything strange if we also add to the color flavor because autumn Navarre , is also the synonym of a true gastronomic feast.
A banquet characterized by its variety of options and possibilities . Not in vain, Navarra is a land of transitions , halfway between the oceanic, continental, alpine and Mediterranean climates, which allows it to offer a wide variety of natural products to its cuisine.
Olite is the cradle of wine in Navarra
To complete this tempting gastronomic offer the Navarrese table is also watered with a wide variety of wines, red, rosé or white that adorn with their brightness this true symphony of colors, smells and flavors.
Pairings are the order of the day and the quality of the products is such that restaurant tables can compete with the most chromatic paint in the best museums.
WINE IS LIFE
Definitely red is the king of wines this season . The Navarran aged wines unfold their full potential when combined with autumn products. Grenache, tempranillo, cabernet sauvignon or merlot are the main protagonists of these wines, matured in oak barrels, and that still keep their fruit nuances alive.
They are ideal to accompany the tasty piquillo peppers or the delicate glass peppers and of course to the complete variety of roasts and stews that flood the grills on these dates: grilled ribs, sirloins, steaks, veal, gorrines, chilindrón lamb...
SPICY RED
But before the meats we must not forget the gifts that the orchards of the Ribera and the Middle Zone.
Artichokes, thistles, borage, pumpkins, collard greens, Swiss chard, broccoli …, now begin their healthy recital of textures and flavors. In September we can still delight ourselves with the last pochas and with the first cold ones, legumes begin to triumph, chickpeas, beans and lentils they become irreplaceable, warm and restorative dishes.
The red piquillo pepper: 100% Navarran color and flavor
MUSHROOMS, GIFTS FROM THE FOREST
But also in the pantry there is no lack of other products such as those that come from the forest. Among them are the mushrooms and fungi , true gifts of the Navarrese forest wealth , and the chestnuts that are eaten not only roasted, but also as an accompaniment to a large number of dishes, especially hunt As the deer, boar, and of course the dove , one of the stars of regional gastronomy in these months.
Due to their migratory vocation, these birds leave a toll on the border, when crossing the Pyrenean passes as occurs in etxalar , where ancestral techniques such as hunting with nets and paddles are still preserved, which more than hunting we can well call “ High fishing ”.
These game dishes can be best enjoyed with aged wines from the DO. Navarre offered by local wineries and the so-called Icons or high expression wines, the best wines from the best vintages.
In them, the varieties of aged wines are maintained, although on occasions they are enriched with Graciano. Are clean, bright wines , with tile and cherry-ruby red tones, forming complex, concentrated wines, ideal for enjoying a serene meal and "hunting" a chocolate pigeon, for example.
What the forest offers in autumn
THE GIFTS OF BACCHUS
This fall menu could not end without a good dessert. Navarran gastronomy offers good options such as cream eclairs, curds with honey , although being a season we can end with a tasty plate of grapes or remember the cheeses such as Idiazábal from Urbasa or the Roncal cured beef.
Patxaranes, sweet whites and muscats They can well put the final point to our food and give rise to a desktop that allows us to collect the adventures through the forests, rivers and mountains that during these months turn the old site of the Kingdom of Navarre in a true pleasure for all the senses.
Never miss a good tapa of piquillo peppers