E is for Extremadura

Extremadura  is an autonomous community of western Spain whose capital city is Mérida. It borders Portugal to the west, and it is an important area for wildlife, particularity the Iberian Pig.

Extremadura is built upon the foundations of roman settlements. Mérida became the capital of the Roman Lusitania province, and one of the most important cities in the Roman Empire.

To the north, Extremadura  borders Castile and León (provinces of Salamanca); to the south, it borders Andalusia (provinces such as Seville); and to the east, it borders Castile-La Mancha (provinces of Toledo).

The climate of Extremadura is Mediterranean, except to the north, where it is continentalized, and to the west, where the influence of the Atlantic makes the climate milder. In general, it is characterized by its very hot and dry summers, with great droughts, and its long and mild winters due to the oceanic influence because of its proximity to the Atlantic coast of Portugal.

The only language that is officially recognized is Spanish, but other languages are also spoken, such as Portuguese.

Wild Black Iberian pigs roam in the area and consume acorns from oak groves. These pigs are caught and used for the cured ham dish jamón ibérico. (We have this in the restaurant) The higher the percentage of acorns eaten by the pigs, the more valuable (and expensive) the ham. Iberian Ham that can boast an acorn-fed average of 90%+ (of the pigs' diet) can be sold for more than twice as much as ham whose pigs ate on average less than 70% of acorns, for example.

Extremadura is known for the different ways of preparing the Iberian pork. The main characteristics of the traditional Extremaduran cuisine were its simplicity, its lack of clutter and its low cost. It is also a cuisine reflecting a generous spirit, for many of its preparations used to be cooked in large pots to share with visitors, friends and neighbours. The resulting dishes are eaten with local bread. The preferred spices in Extremaduran cuisine are garlic, bay leaves and anise. Olive oil is used for frying and as an ingredient in many dishes.

The most famous dishes of Extremadura are the cocido extremeño, the potaje de garbanzos y judías blancas (chick pea and bean soup), the sopa blanca de ajos (white garlic soup), the potaje de castañas secas (chestnut soup), the olla con "asaura" (a stew with offal and blood), the Ajoblanco extremeño and the gazpacho extremeño (a variant of gazpacho with ham).

Key Grape Varieties: 

Red: Bobal, Monastrell, Tempranillo, Garnacha,  Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon

White: Chardonnay, Viura, Verdejo and Pedro Ximénez.