HIGH SUMMER in GUÁJAR ALTO

A recently published official report comparing standards of living in the European Union concludes that although wages in Spain are low, this country does, nevertheless, out of all those others, enjoy the best quality of life and if summer living in Guájar Alto is anything to go by, anyone visiting our village at the moment would be bound to agree.
It’s the time of year for entertaining or being entertained, whether the occasion is an impromptu fiesta held in someone’s cortijo, a picnic by the river or an organized event, such as one we recently attended. It was arranged by a committee of mayordomos (stewards) who are responsible for the organisation of all the village functions and it took place in a hostelry which caters for large parties and weddings. It’s situated near the coast so a coach was laid on to take us there and as we boarded there was a general buzz of excitement and much merriment; only the Spanish have the ability to extract every last shred of enjoyment out of any occasion. The women were all decked out in their best dresses ( frills are de rigueur at any formal event ) and judging from their coiffeurs Admi, the village hairdresser, had evidently had a busy day.
Upon our arrival, we were ushered to a tree-lined terrace upon which were large, round tables adorned with candelabras; dusk had fallen so the effect was highly romantic. Beer and wine was brought to every table, followed by plates of exquisitely made canapés, fresh prawns and the very popular octopus á la Gallega. The first course, accompanied by a good white wine, was a sweet and succulent fish steak (hake), most perfectly cooked; this was followed by a very pleasant lemon sorbet. The next course was a tender pork fillet, stuffed with something delicious, served on a thin slice of bread which had been fried in butter. The dessert, a chocolate confection, was quite divine. After dinner, most of the women got up to dance to the accompaniment of music provided by a male singer ( who was surprisingly good ) and later, after much cajoling and fortified by a good many drinks from the free bar, a few of the men joined in. The night was very warm so I was glad that I’d brought a fan. Much later, and not a little weary, we climbed aboard our coach and arrived back in Gájar Alto shortly before four a.m.
By contrast, the afternoon fiesta we recently attended at a neighbouring cortijo was a simple affair. When we arrived, we were offered sangria from a big jug and slices of ham from a home-reared pig. It is customary to take the legs to be cured in Trevélez in the Sierra Nevada, Spain’s highest village, famous for the quality of the hams it produces. This particular ham was tender and sweet, one of the best I’ve ever sampled. A goat stew was served next, followed by huge slices of water melon. As the level of the jar of sangria dropped, it was replenished with more wine and chopped fruit and by the time the plates had been cleared from the table, it had taken on a completely different character from that which it had when we arrived. Sangria and the similar tinto de verano ( red wine, lemonade and a touch of vermouth ) are refreshing and pleasant to drink on a hot, summer’s afternoon. After the meal, I noticed the man of the house going into the kitchen with a big bunch of lemon grass which he’d just picked and not long afterwards we were offered a most delicious tea made from various herbs, including chamomile, flavoured with the lemon grass.
Here, at home, we also do quite a lot of entertaining, making use of the plentiful supply of summer vegetables in our vegetable garden. At the moment we have French beans, tomatoes, five different varieties of peppers, courgettes, aubergines, cucumbers and lettuce; soon, the water melons and squashes will be ready for harvesting. The guests enjoy sitting on the terrace by the pool and those who have come up from the coast marvel at the stars; there’s little light pollution here so the night skies are spectacular. At the moment, Jupiter is the brightest object and with binoculars you are able to see four of its largest moons. The warm, night air is perfumed with the scent of jasmine and the big, trumpet flowers of daturas. On nights such as these, it would be a crime to stay indoors.