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.