Issue date: 20 Jan, 2016

Toledo, Capital Española de la Gastronomía 2016

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Toledo, Capital Española de la Gastronomía 2016

HISTORY

Ver también “Sobre de Primer Día” y “Matasellos”

SPANISH CUISINE

Toledo has been chosen as the Spanish Capital of Gastronomy for 2016; a year in which the city is also celebrating the 30th anniversary of its declaration as a World Heritage City and the 400th anniversary of the death of Cervantes.

Above all, its selection as the Capital of Gastronomy was based on the creative combination of heritage, culture and gastronomy that is full of mixed recipes and the legacy of three cultures that coexisted in the city for centuries: Jews, Christians and Muslims.

The cuisine to be found in the imperial city has been praised throughout history by such literary masters as Cervantes and Pérez Galdós, as well as by such foreign writers as Alejandro Dumas and Theophile Gautier. Toledo is also where the first treatise on cooking was published in Spanish - the Libro de guisados - by Ruperto Nola in 1529.


The city’s cuisine is based on simple, humble products that give rise to such dishes as puchero, gachas, migas and pote. Game is also used to great effect in its typical dishes, both stewed and marinated.
The city boasts a great wine-making tradition that has produced three Designations of Origin - La Mancha, Méntrida and Uclés.

One of the globally-renowned products from La Mancha is the manchego cheese, which is made from local sheep’s milk and more often than not found on menus in Toledo.

Toledo can also claim to be the birthplace of great chefs who have been awarded various Michelin Stars for their restaurants, where they reinvent modern cuisine through tradition, local produce and unique heritage.

The current issue includes the image of marzipan, a typical sweet from Toledo that is highly popular at Christmas, boasts Protected Geographic Indication status and has been made ever since the 8th Century. Its main ingredients are sugar and almonds, either the marcona or largueta varieties.