I will contemplate, the monastic Amazon.
The contemplative life has its advantages, for example that of being able to dedicate oneself with great love to cooking or crafts. Perhaps that is the result of Spain is known because in its convents some of the most exquisite sweets in the world are prepared . Pestiños, nevaditos, donuts, cupcakes, tiles or biscuits made in the traditional way but with a special touch. Mainly because they have been made from monasteries and/or convents.
Some of them little known that are relegated to the word of mouth of the people. In total, there are 812 active monasteries in Spain, with more than 9,000 monks and nuns. Castilla León, Andalucía and Castilla La Mancha are the communities with the highest concentration of monasteries.
But, how can you know that in the Convent of Santa Clara de Belalcázar (Córdoba) its cloistered nuns prepare some of the richest typical Cordoban sweets? Difficult if you don't know the town, right?
One way to locate these products is through Contemplare, the platform or “ Amazon of monastic life ” that they launched three years ago from the Contemplare Association to publicize these products.
Fruit marzipan.
“Contemplare was born as an association three years ago, but with the experience accumulated in different sectors for decades. At the end of 2020 we finally became a Foundation, and that is why both terms still coexist on the web. This May we will launch the definitive one with the fundacioncontemplare.org domains”, they explain to Traveler.es.
As they explain to us, it is a non-profit foundation whose profits go to the support of monasteries , especially affected by the pandemic, which currently number about 120. “They live on the lathe, and they have been without visitors during the entire pandemic. The monks and nuns are self-employed, they pay their Social Security and their bills, and their income has been reduced to nothing. That is why we accelerated the ** online sales ** plans, which were already underway, in order to be able to sell the products that are the result of "ora et labora"", they point out.
CONTEMPLARE PRODUCTS
And what are the products that you can find in Contemplare? You will be surprised by the diversity, because there is not only gastronomy, but also natural cosmetics, baby clothes and crafts.
If we talk about gastronomic products, it is possible that there are some more incredible delicatessen. For example, the pieces with jam from the Monastery of Our Lady of Solitude, the chocolates from the Poor Clares of Belorado or the 80% cocoa chocolate typical of the Monastery of San Pedro de Cardeña.
The Abbey of San Isidro de Dueñas specializes in dairy products, from milk to cured or aged sheep cheeses . There are also wines and spirits, such as the sour cherry cream produced by the Jerónimas Monastery in Constantina; in addition to ecological oils such as the one prepared from the Tulebras Monastery.
“Being an apparently niche product, the success is being impressive: in Spanish convents and monasteries much more than pasta or Polvorones is made. Actually, what we make available to anyone anywhere in Spain is a shopping basket : milk, cheeses, oil, pâtés, beer, jams, and all kinds of sweets; but also handicrafts or baby clothes”, they add to Traveler.es.
The best thing is that they are all sold online separately or in gourmet baskets, which are prepared for individuals or companies. In addition, this year as a novelty they have the opening of the physical store or logistics center in the center of Aravaca , Madrid.