London,
05
March
2015
|
10:37
Europe/Amsterdam

CÁCERES IS THE GASTRONOMIC SPANISH CAPITAL FOR 2015

Following the successful years by Logroño in 2012, Burgos 2013 and Vitoría-Gasteiz last year the baton has been passed to Cáceres in Extremadura, as holder of the status as Spanish Gastronomic Capital.

People who have visited Extremadura have surely already discovered the excellent delicacies the region produces, from some of the World’s finest Ibérico hams, award winning cheeses, to wines, paprika, honey, olive oil, and even cherries. Those who haven’t been to the area, especially foodies, this is the perfect opportunity.

Many travelers put food and wine as one of the main motivations behind a holiday, and this year Caceres has produced a full program of events covering many aspects of the local gastronomy. Besides being located on the fantastic ‘Ruta de la Plata’ (the Silver way), the old Roman route from Gijón to Seville, there are a number of routes within Extremadura with a gastronomic theme, such as the Jamón Ibérico Dehesa de Extremadura route, with ham carving workshops and even a chance to see the Iberian pigs in their natural habitat. You could also visit cheese makers, and see the process of producing the famous ‘Torta del Casar’. A Denomination of Origin covering towns in the Llanos de Cáceres, Sierra de las Fuentes and Montánchez district. A spreadable cheese which uses the common thistle to turn the sheep’s milk into cheese, the pistils of which curdle and set the raw milk.

The whole of the Jerte valley comes to life as the cherry trees’ bloom and the area is a hive of activity when harvest time comes, quickly followed by the fiestas in honour of this crimson fruit. If the Jerte Valley is synonymous with cherries, the ‘Vera’ county, Where Emperor Charles I of Spain and V of Germany spent his final days, is synonymous with the basis of many a Spanish dish, the red, flavoursome gold dust which is paprika.

A common denominator with all the previous capitals, and this year is no exception, is the wine, and Extremadura has many fine wineries. You will be able to see the grapes, the barrels the bottles, and of course sample the finished product. ¡Salúd!

From show cooking, tapas trails, famous chefs, food markets, fairs, festivals, and plenty of chances to taste the local cuisine. In 2015, if you love food and wine, you’ll love Cáceres.

Boilerplate

For more information on the Jameos Music Festival, please visit http://www.cactlanzarote.com/en/jameos-music-festival-2018/

For more information on Lanzarote as a visitor destination, please visit https://turismolanzarote.com/en/