Traditional Recipes of the Axarquía (Traditional Recipes of Spain) - Tapa blanda

The Axarquía is a small, remarkable corner of Andalusia in Spain. It has witnessed some of the most culturally cataclysmic events of the last 40,000 years of European history, such as the arrival of the first modern human beings in Europe, the invasion of the Phoenicians, Byzantines, Romans, Visigoths, Arabs and most recently, the Christians. It is a bountiful area with fertile soils and a good climate. However, it is not always an easy place. In just a few years the climate of the area can fluctuate from abundance to drought. The geography of the region makes access very difficult; to this day many of its villages are remote, often inaccessible. These extraordinary historical, climatic and geographical conditions have made the Axarquía an area of great diversity. One of the most interesting facets of the region is its cuisine. It is full of Roman, Arab, Jewish and Christian culinary traditions, many of which are obvious in the 200 plus recipes contained in this book. To give a better insight into the culinary origins in this collection of recipes we have divided the book into the following chapters: GENERAL: - The geography, landscape and climate of the Axarquía - A short History of the Axarquía and gastronomic influences - The Agriculture of the Axarquía - Traditional ingredients - Village by Village: A short Gastronomic tour of the Axarquía RECIPES: - Starters, Salads and Gazpachos - Soups of the Axarquía - Main Dishes of the Axarquía - Goat's Meat dishes - Lamb dishes - Rabbit dishes - Pork dishes - Poultry dishes - Stews and Fricassees - Casseroles - Fish Dishes - Sweets and Confectionary - Breads and Tortillas - Wines and other alcoholic drinks of the Axarquía - Tapas of the Axarquía - Timetable of Meals in Andalucía - Traditional Breakfast in the Axarquía - Merienda - Table, serving and restaurant etiquette in Andalusia The cuisine of the Axarquía is a delicious and exciting voyage of exploration in Spanish taste, country life and European history. We hope you enjoy the journey!

Malcolm Coxall, the author, is the proprietor of the family's 110 acre farm in the Axarquía of southern Andalucía in Spain. The farm has been certified as organic since 1999 and produces olives, almonds and culinary herbs. It incorporates a small factory for the packing of organic herbs and dried fruits and nuts. Malcolm also provides business, marketing and IT consultancy to other organic food producers in the region. He has published articles on sustainable agriculture, organic food production, forest biodiversity, environmental protection and environmental economics. He is active in the European food and environmental movement, and has taken several successful legal actions in defence of European environmental standards in the European Court of Justice. Malcolm is passionate about food sovereignty and the maintenance of local food production at fair prices. He believes that culinary diversity, agricultural sustainability and traditional gastronomy have much to teach a generation that has basically forgotten how food is grown and prepared. "Truly good food is local, ethical, organic and slow. How and what we eat defines who we are as a society. Societies that knowingly eat chemically adulterated junk foods, produced in heartless factory farms, reveal an intrinsic social, political and health malaise. They reveal their lack of sustainability, an inherent insecurity and a disconnection from their natural and social context. Contrast this care-less mentality with those societies which treasure their land, their natural environment, their people, their traditional cuisine and the quality and purity of their food. Then explain to me again why we need fast food and how "factory agriculture" fits in with human and environmental well-being and sustainability. To be sustainable, what we really need to do is to start to understand food again - beginning with the basics - both on the farm and in the kitchen. We could do worse than to try to understand our own local gastronomic heritage. Not only is this worthwhile and important, but it is also great fun to discover how to make and enjoy real food again."