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FLAVOURS OF LA RIOJA
Flavours of La Rioja
Words and photos: Jose A. Muñoz
In La Rioja, one does not only drink from a wine glass; one also savours it in every
roasted pepper, in the slow curing of a good chorizo, or in the aroma of meat grilling
over vine-shoot embers. Here, the taste for the authentic is breathed in the valleys, in
the market gardens overlooking the Ebro, and in the cellars where time and patience
are part of the recipe. In this article, we explore the gastronomic wealth of La Rioja with
a measured gaze, first touring the products born from its own larder – the fruit of a fertile
and generous land – and then four dishes that tell stories of tradition, passed down from
grandparents to grandchildren. We will conclude our journey in some of the finest places
where this culinary heritage is honoured today; temples of flavour where cooking is done
with respect and toasts are made with pride, because in La Rioja, as in few other regions,
every bite has a sediment of wine and memory.
Riojan cuisine has its roots in a rural and hard-working culture, shaped by the rhythm of the
seasons. In winter, the matanzas (slaughtering festivals) filled villages with smoke and fes-
tivity; chorizo, morcillas and embutidos were hung in the lofts as a promise of sustenance.
In spring, the market gardens of the Ebro offered up their asparagus, artichokes and tender
chard; in summer, tomatoes and peppers were roasted in wood-fired ovens or preserved in
glass jars, following family rituals that still survive today.
Gatherings around the fire, snacks in the vineyard, or lunches after the harvest are an es-
sential part of the Riojan soul. Here, gastronomy cannot be understood without that shared
dimension, without the wine that accompanies and the conversation that prolongs the ple-
asure. Every recipe, from a plate of patatas a la riojana to chuletillas al sarmiento, contains
centuries of peasant wisdom. Eating in La Rioja remains an act of identity, a way of celebra-
ting the land, time, and memory.
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