Autumn is here and, with it, some gastronomic products that we can only find during this time of the year. In the region of Girona, the season of mushrooms, salsify, or chestnuts, among others, has already started. Discover them in this post!
In autumn, and more specifically during the months of October and November, the mushroom season begins in Spain. The rains at the end of August and beginning of September in the Pyrenees and the Pre-Pyrenees favour the growth of mushrooms in the region of Girona.
Some of the most popular mushrooms in the area are the trumpets of death, the negritos, the chanterelles, the mountain eels, the milk-cap and the Caesar's mushroom These are served as the main ingredient or accompaniment to dishes eaten in Catalan homes during this season.
Salsify is a root famous for its texture and gastronomic value. There are two varieties of salsifys: the white variety is native to the Mediterranean (first grown in Italy and France), it was the first variety to be cultivated, and the black variety, is native to a wider region of Europe and Asia. The latter is the preferred variety in culinary terms, as it is meatier, easier to peel, less stringy, and has a distinctive nutty flavour.
To eat it, you must peel the first layer well, clean it thoroughly to remove all traces of the earth and boil it for at least forty minutes. It is usually eaten in salads and sautéed with butter. In the mouth, it hardly needs to be chewed because it is easily crushed between the palate and the tongue, so it spends more time in contact with the taste buds than any other chewable or liquid.
Currently, salsify is cultivated mainly in southern Europe, North Africa and the eastern Mediterranean. It is collected during the autumn and winter seasons, specifically during the months of November to March. Its harvesting is very laborious since deep trenches have to be dug because the roots are very long and fragile. If the roots are not thick enough, they are left to get fat and harvested the following autumn.
It is a tuber loaded with nutrients. It is rich in minerals such as iron, potassium, calcium, manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, and copper, and in vitamins such as vitamin C, vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), vitamin B1 (thiamin), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B9 (folic acid) and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine). It also contains large amounts of dietary fibre, protein, and inulin.
Chestnuts are one of the most popular autumn products. They are the fruit of the chestnut tree, a tree of the Fagaceae family, native to temperate climates of the northern hemisphere. It has been a staple food in southern Europe, Turkey, and southwestern and eastern Asia for thousands of years, in many cases a substitute for grains.
They can be eaten raw, boiled, roasted or sweet. We tell you a couple of tricks to peel them. One way to do it is to dip the chestnuts in boiling water for a couple of minutes and stop cooking with cold water. They can also be placed in the microwave (in small quantities) at maximum power for 15 seconds or at half power for 20 seconds, always with a couple of incisions in the outer skin
One of the most typical ways of cooking them is roasted. To do this, they must be heated in a metal container at 400ºC for 10-15 minutes; It is important to make a small cut in each chestnut to prevent them from bursting during the process.
On All Saints' Day, the traditional festival of la Castanyada is celebrated in Catalonia, which comes from an ancient funeral festival in which chestnuts are eaten, but also panellets and sweet potatoes. During the days prior to this celebration, you can find chestnut makers in the streets who roast and sell chestnuts on the street. For more information about this festival, see our publication about la Castanyada and the panellets.
The chestnut is one of the richest nuts in carbohydrates and one of the least caloric. It has a relatively low percentage of fat, much of which is considered therapeutically healthy. It is a product rich in B vitamins (B1, B2, B3 and B6) and in mineral salts, especially calcium, potassium, and magnesium.
Panellets are a traditional sweet consumed in Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, and the Valencian Community on November 1st, together with chestnuts and sweet potatoes. Although the origin is unknown, it seems to be heirs of ancient funerary cults that consisted in giving small rolls as an offering to the church or to the deceased grave during this festivity.
The panellets are a marzipan base made with ground raw almonds, sugar, egg, and lemon zest, which can also contain cooked potatoes or sweet potatoes. The dough, in the form of small spheres, is covered with egg yolk to adhere a layer of pine nuts and baked. Panellets can be also made of coconut, chocolate, coffee, or quince.
Panellets are a product registered as a traditional specialty guaranteed (TSG) by the European Union, an agricultural and food product certification obtained from traditional raw materials, has a traditional composition, or has been obtained through a traditional production method or traditional transformation.
Muscatel (moscatell in Catalan) is a wine produced with the muscatel grape, a variety of white vine used as a table grape or to make mostly sweet wines and mistelas. This type of grape is grown throughout Europe, in North Africa, California, Australia and South Africa. Muscatel clusters are small with a large, ovoid grain, with a sweet scent and flavour. It is believed it could be one of the oldest grape varieties in the Mediterranean.
Although this grape can be used to make all kinds of wines, its fruity and musky aromas predispose it to sweet wine, which is also favored by its good maturation and great ability to generate sugar.
There are two main groups of muscat wines: sweet muscat and dry muscat or muscat. The muscatel production procedure consists of adding wine-origin alcohol to the freshly pressed grape juice, obtaining a sweet product that contains between 5% and 15% alcohol.
The pulp, skin, and seeds are composed of an antioxidant element, which can help us protect our cells against destructive free radicals. In addition, it has a high content of vitamin C.
Come and try some of the gastronomic products that can be found in autumn in the province of Girona. Stay at one of the Rosamar Hotels in Lloret de Mar so you don't miss them!
Until the beginning of November, you still have time to stay at Hotel Rosamar Garden Resort and Hotel Rosamar & Spa, designed for families with children. If you are thinking of a last-minute getaway with your couple, we recommend you Hotel Rosamar Es Blau Adults Only +21 and the Hotel Rosamar Maxim Adults Only +21, this is the last weekend these two hotels will be open.
Discover the province of Girona during one of the best seasons of the year with Rosamar Hotels!
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