Now that we are into September, although it is still very hot, there are already signs that the summer is coming to an end. The bee-eaters arrived in April and are now preparing to return to Africa; in the last few days large numbers of them have been lining up on the electricity cables, preparing for their journey. They are very agile birds and it is amusing to watch their aerial acrobatics. The evergreen oaks which are a feature of this area have produced lots of acorns this year which are irresistible to the jabali (wild boar); their numbers have increased dramatically over the last couple of years and they have become something of a nuisance. The other night, the barking of our dogs took on a note of hysteria which got me out of bed in alarm. I ran outside and looked over the wall where I saw, illuminated by bright moonlight, two jabalies in the bushes at the bottom of the hill on which our house is built. I shouted at them, threw a stone, and the next moment was astonished to see many more - at least fifteen - come streaming out of the darkness and stampede up the mountain, snorting and grunting with indignation as they ran. It would not be a good idea to take a nocturnal stroll in these parts!
Recently, we made an excursion with some friends to an inland lake, 800 metres above sea level. We drove out of Guájar Alto, through extensive pine forests where we saw some magnificent deer, eagles and other birds of prey, and finally into the gently rolling hills of olive growing country. As always, we marvelled at the diverse landscape of this most beautiful province. The lake, which after months of dry weather was at its lowest, is a popular amenity with windsurfing facilities and boat hire. Because there are no currents, children can play safely on their inflatables and the water, which is warmer than the sea, is ideal for swimming. Also, of course, there are none of the plagues of jellyfish which have been such a problem at coastal resorts for the last couple of years. We parked under the pines which line the shore and enjoyed a picnic lunch; afterwards, I strolled along the shore to inspect the flora and although it wasn’t the best time of year to go botanising, I could see from the dried remains of plants that some interesting species grow there, particularly those suited to arid, sandy conditions. Apart from the pines, tamarisk is the most common plant; it is an attractive shrub with its feathery leaves and pretty, pink blossom.
We made another excursion a few days ago up to the Sierra de Las Guájaras ( note the feminine ending here!) in order to admire the lovely views which can be seen up there. The air is very pure and I can tell from the flora that it’s also very dry. The sky was an intense, transparent blue and all that could be seen in that vast, cloudless dome was a solitary eagle, drifting lazily over the mountain peaks. I picked a bunch of thyme, lavender and rosemary because, although we’ve no shortage of mountain herbs at home, for some reason plants such as these become more aromatic the higher up they grow.
Growing close to our house is a large, evergreen oak of the kind I’ve already mentioned and we’ve made underneath it a pleasant, shady sitting area. However, we haven’t been able to sit there for some weeks now due to the steady rain of a sticky secretion resulting from the milking of aphids by the ants. Like the mature English oak, this type of tree supports all kinds of life including large numbers of jays, which eat the acorns, and a host of small, insect-eating birds, some of which nest in the gaps in the stone wall surrounding the tree. The olives, pines and oaks provide good cover for small birds and although you can’t always see them, you can identify them by their song. Since we’ve lived here I’ve seen several different kinds of warbler, including blackcaps and Dartford warblers; coal tits, great tits, crested tits and long-tailed tits, tree-creepers and green woodpeckers. We don’t use chemicals on our land and I think this is the reason we have such an abundance of birdlife. Also at this time of year flocks of beautiful grayling butterflies, also attracted by the sugary secretion, swarm about the oaks.
English people who settle on the coast often say that they miss the seasons. Here, in the mountains, although winter is never severe, you do at least get a sense of the changing of the seasons. At present, we are still enjoying the balmy, flower-scented nights which are typical of Guájar Alto; in a few weeks, however, although the days may still be hot, it will begin to feel quite chilly once the sun has gone down and we’ll know that autumn has arrived.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
SUMMER FIESTAS in GUAJAR ALTO
In Guájar Alto, throughout the long, hot months of summer when outdoor living may be enjoyed to the full, people take turns to lay on fiestas (parties). The Spanish are extremely gregarious and hospitable so occasions such as these are an important part of village life.
The typical fiesta begins with wine, beer and tapas. Although there are numerous traditional recipes for tapas, in the province of Granada, famous for its hams which are cured in the village of Trevélez, in the high Alpujarras, many households have whole legs of cured ham from which they carve thin slices to offer as tapas. The ham goes very well with some of the many varieties of Spanish cheeses; many ex-pats crave Cheddar but I think some of the hard Spanish cheeses, particularly those made from ewes’ milk, are actually superior. Goats’ cheese from Guájar Alto is far better than any that can be bought in an English supermarket and because it complements so many other things, there is no end to the delicious tapas that can be made from it; goats’ cheese with membrillo, a kind of quince jelly, is a particularly delectable combination. Ripe, juicy water melons are plentiful at this time of year and a delicious summer salad can be made using green leaves and cubes of water melon and goats’ cheese sprinkled with olive oil and lemon juice.
The Spanish consume a great deal of fish so, not surprisingly, there are many traditional fish tapas. Barbecued sardines, for example, are very popular, as is Gallega octopus - the tentacles are cooked, sliced, then seasoned with salt, a sprinkling of olive oil and lemon juice and, most importantly, pimentón, which is a smoked paprika widely used in Spanish cuisine. Steamed mussels served in their shells and garnished with finely chopped onions and peppers look and taste delicious.
At this time of year, the abundance of garden produce can be used as ingredients for many different kinds of tapas. Aubergines, for example, are very versatile; they may be thinly sliced, fried and served with honey or combined with batter to make fritters. Little green peppers (pimientos de padrón), picked when they are young and tender, may be threaded on to skewers and barbecued. Gazpacho - cold tomato soup - is an ideal way of using up surplus tomatoes, green peppers and cucumbers and goes down very well at summer fiestas.
Spanish omelette, cut into bite-sized pieces, is a popular tapa. The classic recipe uses only potatoes, onions and eggs but since this can sometimes be rather dry, I like to add sweet red peppers and a generous amount of chopped parsley. It is an ideal tapa for vegetarians, as is a warm salad of chickpeas seasoned with freshly grated ginger, chili flakes and lemon juice.
At a typical fiesta, barbecued meat - usually pork - and fish are served, accompanied by bowls of fresh salad and bread, after the tapas. By tradition, the men have charge of the barbecue while the women attend to the rest of the food and look after the guests. There is no formality so guests help themselves to drinks.
Since the Spanish are inordinately fond of sweet things, a variety of desserts is offered at most fiestas. There are some very good cooks in our village and I recently sampled an exquisitely light confection made from basic cake ingredients mixed with yoghourt and chopped, fresh peaches; typically, many desserts are flavoured with anise. Coffee is accompanied by a variety of liqueurs, spirits, cordials and still more sweet things. I am especially fond of a cordial made from mora (mulberry) which makes a delicious drink added to chilled, sparkling white wine. In hot weather, many people drink tinto de verano which is a refreshing combination of red wine, lemonade, a dash of vermouth and plenty of ice and lemon.
When we, ourselves, give a fiesta, because we have both Spanish and English guests, I prepare a large selection of dishes from which, I hope, there will be something to please everyone. Catering for forty or fifty guests requires a good deal of planning and organisation, therefore I like to do as much as possible on the day before the event takes place. There are always children at fiestas but they are easy to please because they’re always famished after spending hours in the swimming pool and so a big slice of pizza, hot and bubbling from the oven, goes down better than anything.
Usually, private fiestas in our village take place in cortijos which have terraces large enough to accommodate all the guests but, sometimes, we make use of public amenity areas. The most popular of these is a riverside location, pleasantly shaded with poplars and limes, complete with an artificial beach. In summer, the river is dammed so that the water, which is a transparent, emerald green, is deep enough for swimming. People bring chairs, tables, food, beer and wine and, because the Spanish really know how to enjoy themselves, before very long an atmosphere of relaxion and conviviality is established.
The typical fiesta begins with wine, beer and tapas. Although there are numerous traditional recipes for tapas, in the province of Granada, famous for its hams which are cured in the village of Trevélez, in the high Alpujarras, many households have whole legs of cured ham from which they carve thin slices to offer as tapas. The ham goes very well with some of the many varieties of Spanish cheeses; many ex-pats crave Cheddar but I think some of the hard Spanish cheeses, particularly those made from ewes’ milk, are actually superior. Goats’ cheese from Guájar Alto is far better than any that can be bought in an English supermarket and because it complements so many other things, there is no end to the delicious tapas that can be made from it; goats’ cheese with membrillo, a kind of quince jelly, is a particularly delectable combination. Ripe, juicy water melons are plentiful at this time of year and a delicious summer salad can be made using green leaves and cubes of water melon and goats’ cheese sprinkled with olive oil and lemon juice.
The Spanish consume a great deal of fish so, not surprisingly, there are many traditional fish tapas. Barbecued sardines, for example, are very popular, as is Gallega octopus - the tentacles are cooked, sliced, then seasoned with salt, a sprinkling of olive oil and lemon juice and, most importantly, pimentón, which is a smoked paprika widely used in Spanish cuisine. Steamed mussels served in their shells and garnished with finely chopped onions and peppers look and taste delicious.
At this time of year, the abundance of garden produce can be used as ingredients for many different kinds of tapas. Aubergines, for example, are very versatile; they may be thinly sliced, fried and served with honey or combined with batter to make fritters. Little green peppers (pimientos de padrón), picked when they are young and tender, may be threaded on to skewers and barbecued. Gazpacho - cold tomato soup - is an ideal way of using up surplus tomatoes, green peppers and cucumbers and goes down very well at summer fiestas.
Spanish omelette, cut into bite-sized pieces, is a popular tapa. The classic recipe uses only potatoes, onions and eggs but since this can sometimes be rather dry, I like to add sweet red peppers and a generous amount of chopped parsley. It is an ideal tapa for vegetarians, as is a warm salad of chickpeas seasoned with freshly grated ginger, chili flakes and lemon juice.
At a typical fiesta, barbecued meat - usually pork - and fish are served, accompanied by bowls of fresh salad and bread, after the tapas. By tradition, the men have charge of the barbecue while the women attend to the rest of the food and look after the guests. There is no formality so guests help themselves to drinks.
Since the Spanish are inordinately fond of sweet things, a variety of desserts is offered at most fiestas. There are some very good cooks in our village and I recently sampled an exquisitely light confection made from basic cake ingredients mixed with yoghourt and chopped, fresh peaches; typically, many desserts are flavoured with anise. Coffee is accompanied by a variety of liqueurs, spirits, cordials and still more sweet things. I am especially fond of a cordial made from mora (mulberry) which makes a delicious drink added to chilled, sparkling white wine. In hot weather, many people drink tinto de verano which is a refreshing combination of red wine, lemonade, a dash of vermouth and plenty of ice and lemon.
When we, ourselves, give a fiesta, because we have both Spanish and English guests, I prepare a large selection of dishes from which, I hope, there will be something to please everyone. Catering for forty or fifty guests requires a good deal of planning and organisation, therefore I like to do as much as possible on the day before the event takes place. There are always children at fiestas but they are easy to please because they’re always famished after spending hours in the swimming pool and so a big slice of pizza, hot and bubbling from the oven, goes down better than anything.
Usually, private fiestas in our village take place in cortijos which have terraces large enough to accommodate all the guests but, sometimes, we make use of public amenity areas. The most popular of these is a riverside location, pleasantly shaded with poplars and limes, complete with an artificial beach. In summer, the river is dammed so that the water, which is a transparent, emerald green, is deep enough for swimming. People bring chairs, tables, food, beer and wine and, because the Spanish really know how to enjoy themselves, before very long an atmosphere of relaxion and conviviality is established.
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