Lleida, Naltres

Half way from Barcelona to Zaragoza, Lleida is located, a university town in which my friend Alex lives. Alex met us at the restaurant "IT" in the city center from where we began enjoying the snail's festival "APLEC DE Caragol", one of the most popular gastronomic festivals in Spain.

This year, the festival presents about 100 associations of caterers (which is about 12 000 members). Along the river Segre has emerged a real tent city. To ease orientation among the tents, organizers named streets and lanes. History of the Festival "APLEC DE Caraga" begins in 1980 when a few caterers decided to promote their culinary delights along the river Segre. In this weekend there are over 250 000 visitors who eat in three days more than 13 tons of snails.

Alex explained to me that I can buy different packages of tickets from 7 to 18 euros (12 euros for children). Snails can be tasted in the official restaurant Aplec, and various ticket packages may include tasting snails,"Alpeca" scarf and shirt, hat and uniform, museum tickets,visits to the old cathedral and the like.


Except excellent food, the organizers of these three days have prepared a series of cultural events from dance competitions, performances, caricature competition(VII international graphic humor), children's playgrounds, a conference devoted to the snail cultivation, concerts by famous musicians and more.

There are as many recipes for snail preparation as household but two stands out and are basic:

1. Bruteska
(the most unpleasant for the preparation)
Baking sheet to be filled with coarse salt. Snails are lined up on the salt turned down, covered with straw and twigs to ignite. When the fire goes out snails are ready ..

allioli

2. llauna (sheet)
as in the first recipe snails are lined up on the salt plate, covered with straw and wicker and set on fire. When the snails come out of the shell, remove it from the fire and very briefly flambe with brandy. Return to the fire, and after about 5 minutes are done . Season it with salt and pepper. Served with the snails are allioli (Emulsion of egg yolks, garlic and oil), which is the most important addition to this recipe.

allioli

allioli

I have to mention the fantastic "pa amb oli tomaquet and" toasted bread rubbed in  tomatoes and extra virgin oil obtained from olive tree varieties Arbekina that grows on the cliffs at high altitude.
With these delicacies is wine is must.
"We in Lleida we can boast with excellent wines. Our wine region is called D. O. Costers del Segre and it is known for wine production  "says Alexander Salević born in Rijeka, Croatia from Lleide.Vinska region extends from the border with the Priory and the Pyrenees whose vineyards reach 750 to 1000 m above sea level. Very little precipitation and the climate is predominantly continental ... From red varieties predominate here: Garnacha Tinta, Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Monastrell, Trepat, Sams, Pinot Noir, Syrah
People grow and white varieties: Albariño, Macabeo, Xarello, Parellada, Chardonnay, Garnacha blanca, riesling, sauvignon blanc ...
 With baked snails Alex chose for me red wine NALTRES produced in the winery L'Olivera from places Vallbona de les Monges. At the local Catalonian MI means "Any wine from the region is good, but I have chosen just this one for two reasons: The first is that vinyard are very small, located in different locations and most are protected by stone walls similar to those above Bakar (Croatia ) which gives them a special flavor. The second reason is that this winery produces their wines in organic production in which are activly working special need people, "explains Alex his choice of fantastic wine. In the mouth it is juicy, with rich flavors of ripe wild berries and jam. The minerality is present here and the tannins are very sweet and ripe.
I hope to have time to visit a winery L'Olivera before I leave, "Way of the castles". It is a well-preserved six fortress in the mountainous province Lleida, namely: Montsonis in La Noguera, the Urgell Montclar, Florejacs, Les Pallargues and Vicfred in La Segarra and Moore in the Pallars Jussà.
If you find yourself in Catalonia, I advise you to visit Lleida. In addition to the magnificent cathedral, situated on a hill that dominates the city, the center of Lleida has all the main shops you would expect in a modern city, and there is an excellent selection of restaurants serving traditional local cuisine.