La Garrotxa is an oasis in the Catalan pre-Pyrenees with a great personality, partly thanks to the presence of ancient volcanoes, and with a renowned own kitchenbesides being the birthplace of many chefs.
The area is populated with Romanesque hermitages, a natural park full of forests and valleys and a capital, Olot, which is dotted with jewels of modernism and noucentisme.
This is a wild land crossed by its volcanic identitywhich is the summer residence of many, and which has among its attractions a succulent and forceful gastronomic proposal.
All the wealth hoarded by the region was agglutinated from 1994 under the group Cuina Volcánica (Volcanic Cuisine) by the hand of a group of restaurants that wanted make pineapple in the defense of the legacy of the region.
A cuisine linked to volcanoes
And what makes it special? One of the distinctive features of this kitchen is its enormous bond with the land that gives it shelterand especially with the dormant volcanoes in the area, such as the Santa Margarida Volcano and the Croscat Volcano.
Also, they are a sign of the place the products cultivated, raised and elaborated in an artisanal way in the same region, always “within the reach of all palates”, they assure from the gastronomic group.
What does this kitchen consist of?
Garrotxa cuisine is based above all on traditional recipes, and it does so in a “creative and daring” way, in a way that allows it to develop avant-garde preparations protected by the flavors of always.
However, the flagship of this cuisine are the volcanoes and all that they imply at the level of terroir and character. For example, the volcanic soil is fertile and richwhich is transferred directly to the plate with products grown as if it were an orchard.
Reference beef and lamb
Among those who spend the summer in this region, the most coveted are the qualities of its meats, specifically veal raised on farms and fed with cereals and legumes, in a process that respects animal welfare.
Also The herd lamb is a reference in this area, which feeds on top quality feed, as well as straw and mother’s milk. “The meat of these lambs is tastier and better supports cooking for its consistency,” they defend.
Beans and sausages
Another of the stars, which motivates tourist pilgrimages to Santa Pau, are their beans or fesols. “Grown in volcanic soils near this town, they are highly appreciated for the finesse of their flavor,” they explain. Iconic in appearance, they are kidney-shaped and have a very thin skin.
As cattle land, the sausages are a must in the area, the famous piumoc: a dry sausage similar to a dry sausagebut with a “very intense and penetrating” flavor, a family tradition.
That I am recruit
As in other regions, cheese is also one of the hallmarks of the place, in this case the sheep cheese based on its raw milk made in an artisan way. This cheese has a maturation time of eight weeks and the result is a hard cheese, consistent, “intense and a little spicy” on the palate.
The recruit is another of the references of the place, with pasteurized goat’s milk from livestock farms in the region. It is a product that was commercially released 16 years ago, but until now it had been a traditional activity in country houses.
Delicatessen flours
It is also an emblem buckwheat or buckwheat, also known as black wheat. As they explain, it is marketed raw in bakeries and in the grocery stores of the towns that produce it. It is also sold in the form of flours for use in multiple recipes.
Also white corn flour are typical of the area, and are known as farro. This cereal has been cultivated for centuries in the region and although it was previously associated with famines, it is currently distinguished by its high dietary and gastronomic quality.
gourmet tubers
Previously as a subsistence resource, black turnips “used to end up in some escudella”, and they are currently a prestigious product. Its whitish flesh, hidden under a black skin, is finer and more flavorful than that of other varieties of turnips.
Another of the area’s stamped tubers are Vall d’en Bas potatoesa crop whose merit is that it spends a long time underground, longer than its counterparts, and gains in flavors the older it is.
Where to delve into this cuisine
Volcanic cuisine is a transversal label of (almost) everything that can be tasted in the local restaurants in the area, where there is a kitchen full of quality and avant-garde.
Hostal dels Ossos
The cuisine of the Hostal dels Ossos is an essentially traditional, homemade and volcanic proposal and its origins date back to 1848. Its menu includes products such as snails, broad beans, herd lamb and even a volcanic pica-pica.
C. Santa Pau s/n – Km 2.7, Sant Cristòfol de les Fonts, Girona. T. 972 266 134
L’Hostalet
The Restaurant L’Hostalet proposes traditional cuisine “to be eaten today”. Located in the Vall d’en Bas, it offers locals and travelers products from the valley cooked with passion, such as sausages and potatoes from Olot.
C.de Vic, 18, 17177 Els Hostalets d’en Bas, Girona. T. 972 69 00 06
The Moixin
La Moixina restaurant is located in the heart of the La Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park. From their stoves they promote the preparation of dishes with typical products from the area, and whenever possible, with local producers.
Paratges de la Moixina, s/n. 17800 – Olot, Girona. T. 972 261 000
The Deu d’Olot
Based on the classic recipe book, this restaurant proposes a gastronomic menu to try the best and most authentic of the area, always under the seal of volcanic cuisine.
Ctra. la Deu, 17800 Olot, Girona. T. 972 26 10 04
Can Xel
With origins in 1931, this restaurant began as a small hostel and is currently a standard-bearer, from its location in the Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park, for traditional cuisine. Alongside it are landmarks such as the Croscat, Santa Margarida and Fageda d’en Jordà volcanoes.
Ctra. Santa Pau, s/n, 17811 Santa Pau, Girona. T. 972 68 02 11
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Photos | Turisme Garrotxa, Associació Hostalatge de La Garrotxa and Òscar Rodbag
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