Food and agriculture is an intrinsic part of any culture, and this is particularly true in Catalunya, with its political, economic and social history reflected in its cuisine; dishes and products vanish and reappear, echoing the movements of people between city and country, industry and agriculture. To try and prevent any more disappearances, European governments are giving recognition to their nations’ gastronomic heritages with two certificate schemes.
The European DOP (Denomination Origin Protected; in Catalan—Denominacion d’Origen Protegida) and PGI (Protected Geographical Indication; or Indicacions Geogràfiques Protegides; or IGP) certifications recognise the cultural significance of certain special food products. It highlights their unique characters, which are the result of a close relationship between the product, the environment and local human skills—herding, fishing, farming, etc.—resulting in foodstuffs of distinctive quality and historic and cultural significance.
So why not explore the unique agricultural treasures that Catalunya has to offer? Invite friends round for a DOP/IGP dinner—there are plenty of products fit for every course, from the hors d’oeuvres to the sobretaula. You can find out more information about Catalunya’s DOP and IGP products in a guide produced jointly by the Generalitat’s Departament d’Agricultura, Alimentació i Acció Rural and Fundació Alicia, available at www.alicia.cat.
HORS D’OEUVRE
Llonganissa de Vic IGP and Oli de l’Empordà DOP
There’s evidence that sausage curing has been going on in the Plana de Vic since the fourth century CE. The geographical properties of this valley have a direct influence on the production of llonganissa: a wide channel from the Pyrenees to the coast, flanked by the mountains of Montseny and the Collsuspina, its relatively high altitude and cool but gentle breezes, the lesser influence of the warmer, moist Mediterranean air plus cold winters all make it ideal for charcuterie making. Select pieces of lean pork and bacon fat are mixed, seasoned with salt and pepper, stuffed into natural skins and cured for a minimum of 45 days in assecadors (drying-rooms), where the sausage skins obtain their natural white bloom.
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Delicious
Posted by David May 20, 2010 11:11:47