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Torrox Information and
brief
history
Torrox, one of the white villages of the Axarquia (the name
for this part of the Costa del Sol), with 16,103 inhabitants
in 2006, it is
45 km. away from
Malaga
and 20 km from Velez Malaga (the capital of the Axarquia).
Torrox is proud of its denomination as the place with the
best climate in Europe. Torrox is a privileged spot to stop
and enjoy the mountains the beaches and of course to try
some of its gastronomic specialities, such as "espetos of
sardines", "migas cortijeras", fresh anchovies or "papas a
lo pobre", enhancing the taste of any of them with the
famous local wines.
Its urban architecture, of Moorish extraction, surprises the
visitor with its steep streets, squares and corners where
the light, the sun and the flowers are always united. The
centre of the village is the Plaza de la Constitucion
above which towers the imposing parish church of
la Encarnación (XVIII century). Other monuments in evidence
include the Convent and
Hermitage of the Virgen de las Nieves (XVI century), the
Church of San Roque (XVI c.) and the Sugar Factory
(XIX c.) The Romans settled on the coast, reaching
their peak between the l and lV centuries, proof of this is
found with the ruins of a necropolis and thermal ovens used
to make ceramics and the foul smelling garum paste. Evidence
of the Moorish occupation can also be found on the coast in
the form of two watchtowers which were erected on two coastal
headlands to give clear views along the 9 km. of Torrox
beaches, the larger of the beaches are Ferrara, El Morche, Peñoncillo and Calaceite.
Popular
traditions and festivities, are fiesta in honour of the Virgen de las Nieves (August the 5)
the feria in honour of the patron saints (October 4-7), la Candelaria
September 7-8), the night of San Juan (June the 24), the
Cruces de Mayo (May 2-3) and the famous fiesta of Las Migas
(Sunday before Christmas) with free sample of this typical
dish and also of the good local wines. During all of the
fiestas there is usually a programme of local dancing and
singing, all dates and activities should be checked with the
tourist information office. Spain in general culture and food.
Spain is
part of Europe but with Africa as a close neighbour,
therefore it boasts a cuisine that is a mix of two cultures
combined. The information below will give you an idea of the
world famous Spanish culinary experience, its roots, its
culture and typical ingredients.
Spanish cooking is a direct result of its previous ancestry,
making it reliant on anything from root vegetables and
garlic, fruit and spices to grains, seafood, game and olive
oil. Early settlers to Spain include the Iberians, Greeks,
Phoenicians, Celts, Carthaginians and later the Romans. In
the 8th Century AD, the Moslems (Moors) conquered the nation
bringing the Moslem religion and culture with them. They
ruled until the 13th Century when the Christians again took
over.
Andalusia, in southern Spain, is most famous for its
gazpacho (cold tomato-based vegetable soup) that was created
to cool off the workers in the hot, dry sun. Inland, Rioja
wines are produced which are amongst the world's finest.
However today, with the great influx of foreign visitors to
the area, availability has greatly increased for all types
of European and international food.
The Spanish, like many Latin cultures, make the mid-day meal
their biggest, often stretching it out for hours. Work
places shut down at 2pm and after a long, leisurely lunch
and often a
siesta
(nap), they return to work at around 4.30pm and work until
late evening.
Saffron
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Spain is the world´s leading producer of saffron. It is made
mainly in La Mancha, a region just south of Madrid. Saffron
is a unique spice made from flower stigmas. Each flower
yields three stigmas and one ounce of saffron needs an
overwhelming 14,000 hand-picked stigmas! This accounts for
the high price of saffron, although it is widely available
throughout Spain and cheaper than elsewhere. Saffron adds a
golden glow and a subtle flavour to foods so remember to
appreciate the hard work involved when you next taste
saffron.
Sherry
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Sherry is derived from the town of Jerez in Andalusia, where
it originates. This fortified wine is drunk as an aperitif,
with
tapas,
or after dinner. There are various different types of sherry
produced:
Fino
sherries are light, dry and best when drunk chilled, while
Amontillados are sweeter and drunk at room temperature. The
most famous
fino
sherry is “Tio
Pepe”
from the Gonzalez Byass vineyards - their traditional
enormous placards are often seen on the side of the road.
Interestingly, these have been declared national monuments.
Cava
-
Cava is Spain's term for sparkling wine and it is widely
drunk in place of champagne. In the UK and USA many people
know the Freixenet label. Another cava worth trying is Paul
Cheneau Blanc de Blancs, with its clean crisp and complex
flavours.
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