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GASTRONOMICS DESTINATION
In La Rioja, gastronomy is a way of narrating the land. Each
dish – from a plate of patatas a la riojana to a salt cod that
smells of home – tells a story passed from parents to children,
from taverns to kitchens where the slow fire still reigns. It is a
cuisine that respects seasonality and celebrates the product:
pears, peppers, cheeses, cured meats, walnuts, wild mus-
hrooms, or meats that speak of the landscape as much as the
vineyards do. Around the table, the region champions a way of
doing things that maintains its essence in the pintxos of its bars
and in the Michelin-recognised restaurants, where tradition is
updated without losing its roots. Here, wine and gastronomy are
not an end, but the beginning of a journey that invites one to
pause, to share, and to remember the art of the small things.
Flavours of the Matanza
Riojan chorizo, with its paprika, garlic and pork,
is perhaps the best-known of the region’s cured
meats. It is slowly air-dried, hung in cellars or at-
tics, until it acquires that unmistakable aroma which
makes it unique. Even more singular is the embu-
chado de cordero: a coiled and roasted lamb in-
testine, with a potent flavour that forms part of the
classic tapas scene in Logroño and the surrounding
towns. Both products tell the story of a land where
cuisine is craftsmanship, patience, and respect for
inherited knowledge.
Flavours Born of the Ebro
The Riojan huerta is one of the most gene-
rous in northern Spain. Along the Ebro and
its valleys grow products of a clean and di-
rect flavour: the roasted red peppers, sweet
and fragrant; the tender artichokes from Ca-
lahorra; the borage, humble and delicate; or
the tomatoes that ripen slowly in the sun, la-
den with sweetness. And if there is one jewel
amongst the fruit trees, it is the Pear of Rin-
cón de Soto, with its Protected Designation
of Origin, a symbol of an agriculture that still
respects nature’s timing.
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