JAEN Information: JAEN
OLIVE TREE AND GASTRONOMY Information |
The best oil in the world - Jaen
Sixty million olive trees carpet the land of Jaen. The substance that
is extracted from them constitutes the main economic and social distinguishing
mark of the province. Olive oil is the cultural emblem of a race who
work to extol the excellence, the quality and properties of the juice
of the olive. Jaen generates twenty percent of the world's olive oil
production. The dozens of oil presses spread around the length and
breadth of the province place it at the head of our national production,
with an average of over six hundred, thousand tons of high quality
oil every season. The zones of the campifia (fertile areas of cultivated
land) produce the greatest quantity, but it is in the regions of the
sierra where the most exquisite product is manufactured. In fact the
three guarantees of origin are located in the sierras of Segura, Magina
and Cazorla. The Oil Museum in the Hacienda of la Laguna in Baeza
is replete with some of its most excellent examples. Harvesting takes
place during the winter months. The fields fill up with beaters and
gatherers, composing a typical farming scene. This image is so typical,
that it still corresponds to the same ritual that took place in the
past. The oil presses, some of which are real jewels of rural architecture,
collect the olives which will later be pressed. The best oil is that
which is described as 'extra virgin'. Some of the most impressive
dishes of the meritorious and plentiful Jaen gastronomy is prepared
with it. For example, in gazpacho and pipirannas (a kind of salad
prepared with finely chopped vegetables) olive oil is an essential
ingredient. Spinach with sultanas and pine nuts is a dish which is
typical of Jaen 's recipe book. Flamenquines, fine rolls of stuffed
meat, covered in breadcrumbs, are not lacking in the bars found in
the old quarters of Jaen. Linares is worthy of the fame that its tabernas
(taverns) have acquired.
They offer an ample selection of tapas amongst which the filled bread
rolls are worthy of mention. La Carolina is famous for its partridge
pate and Andujar for its mountain game In Santa Elena, honey of a
thousand flowers is still home-produced. In the villages of Sierra
Magina such as Bedmar, fresh asparagus is bottled. Alcaudete produces
habas (broad beans) fried in olive oil. The gastronomy of the sierra
pays special attention to such fundamental dishes as las migas pas
to riles (fried breadcrumbs accompanied by garlic) or andrajos, a
potato and cod stew. Trout is dressed and smoked in Cazorla and Segura,
whilst lomo en orza (pork marinated in herbs, then cooked and conserved
in oil) is a delicacy shared by the villages in the southern part
of the province. Towns such as Baeza prepare ropavieja (old clothes),
a pure of stewed chickpeas and onion. Ubeda has great experience in
desserts and pastries where one can try ochios (almond-shaped pastries
flavoured with cinnamon and sesame) and hornazos (bread dough flavoured
with lemon, cinnamon and almonds). The convent pastries are shared
throughout Jaen. Milk rolls, aniseed tarts, borrachuelos (liquor filled
pastries) and bizcocho borrachuelo (liquor sponge) are baked in the
pastry shops all over the province.
The hojaldres (mille feuille) of Guarroman and the pestiños
(honey coated pastries) of Alcala de Real are worthy of their fame.
Locubin produces juicy cherries and villages in Sierra Magina, almonds
and other nuts. Bailen, Torreperogil and Lopera possess wine presses
and cellars where wine of a marked aroma and remarkable body ages
nicely. Liqueurs made from herbs are still produced in distilleries
in Sierra de Segura. |
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