Video & Slide Show: La Queimada at Bodega Caballeiro Do Val with Paco Dovalo & Members of the Asociación de Bodegueros
GerryDawes
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The Rite of the Queimada:
La Quiemada is as old as Galician civilization. Mentions of it can be found in Celtic (on stone tablets, one presumes), Roman, Visigothic and Arabic literature.
Paco Dovalo & Members of the Asociación de Bodegueros Artesanos in Meaño, Val de Salnés, Rías Baixas, Galicia.
"Demons, goblins and devils, spirits of the misty valleys.
Farts from the asses of doom, Shrieks of cats in heat. . ."
And whole long list of other curses to banished follows. . .then. . .
"When this drink goes down our gullets, we will be free of evil in our souls and of spells cast by the evil spirits and witches."
In Galicia, the Gallegos still claim to believe in meigas (witches), evil spirits and the like.
To protect guests they have something called La Queimada, a custom believed to have originated with the ancient Celtic race to whom Galicia was their sacred home.
Here at Paco Dovalo's bodega, Cabaliero do Val, in Meaño, a member of the region's Asociación Association of Artisan Winemakers hollows out a giant calabaza squash or a pumpkin if they have one, then fills it with aguardiente or as the Gallegos call it, oruxo (literally, "burning water or firewater"; Galician grappa or moonshine).
He ritualistically sets the booze alight then tosses in coffee beans and orange peel - - then the juice of oranges and lemons - - and dumps in a whole mess of sugar. . . then a few cups of coffee and more aguardiente!
This concoction is brewed for as much as half an hour. It flames a magical incandescent blue, cooking the coffee beans, coffee, orange peel, lemon, sugar and even steams the squash.
When he thinks the Quiemada is ready, our Gallego friend, Emilio Cores, scoops out a cup of the flaming punch . . . along with pieces of the squash.
The result is a thick liquor that is less alcoholic than the original brandy but it can still be a head banger.
We made a lot of that quiemada vanish and, in the process, banished a few evil spirits of our own. . . .at least until the next morning.
About Writer-Photographer Gerry Dawes
Gerry Dawes was awarded Spain's prestigious Premio Nacional de Gastronomía (National Gastronomy Award) in 2003. He writes and speaks frequently on Spanish wine and gastronomy and leads gastronomy, wine and cultural tours to Spain. He was a finalist for the 2001 James Beard Foundation's Journalism Award for Best Magazine Writing on Wine. He has published hundreds of his photographs in scores of publications. Mr. Dawes is currently working on a reality television series on wine, gastronomy, culture and travel in Spain.
La Quiemada is as old as Galician civilization. Mentions of it can be found in Celtic (on stone tablets, one presumes), Roman, Visigothic and Arabic literature.
Video of La Queimada at Bodega Caballeiro Do Val with Emilio Cores of La Cámara de Comercio de Vilagarcía de Arousa
&
(Video by Zachary Minot of Devour.tv; Commentary by Gerry Dawes;
written by Gerry Dawes & John Gottfried, Devour.tv.)
"Demons, goblins and devils, spirits of the misty valleys.
Farts from the asses of doom, Shrieks of cats in heat. . ."
And whole long list of other curses to banished follows. . .then. . .
"When this drink goes down our gullets, we will be free of evil in our souls and of spells cast by the evil spirits and witches."
In Galicia, the Gallegos still claim to believe in meigas (witches), evil spirits and the like.
To protect guests they have something called La Queimada, a custom believed to have originated with the ancient Celtic race to whom Galicia was their sacred home.
Here at Paco Dovalo's bodega, Cabaliero do Val, in Meaño, a member of the region's Asociación Association of Artisan Winemakers hollows out a giant calabaza squash or a pumpkin if they have one, then fills it with aguardiente or as the Gallegos call it, oruxo (literally, "burning water or firewater"; Galician grappa or moonshine).
He ritualistically sets the booze alight then tosses in coffee beans and orange peel - - then the juice of oranges and lemons - - and dumps in a whole mess of sugar. . . then a few cups of coffee and more aguardiente!
This concoction is brewed for as much as half an hour. It flames a magical incandescent blue, cooking the coffee beans, coffee, orange peel, lemon, sugar and even steams the squash.
When he thinks the Quiemada is ready, our Gallego friend, Emilio Cores, scoops out a cup of the flaming punch . . . along with pieces of the squash.
The result is a thick liquor that is less alcoholic than the original brandy but it can still be a head banger.
We made a lot of that quiemada vanish and, in the process, banished a few evil spirits of our own. . . .at least until the next morning.
La Queimada Slide Show
Photographs by Gerry Dawes
About Writer-Photographer Gerry Dawes
Gerry Dawes was awarded Spain's prestigious Premio Nacional de Gastronomía (National Gastronomy Award) in 2003. He writes and speaks frequently on Spanish wine and gastronomy and leads gastronomy, wine and cultural tours to Spain. He was a finalist for the 2001 James Beard Foundation's Journalism Award for Best Magazine Writing on Wine. He has published hundreds of his photographs in scores of publications. Mr. Dawes is currently working on a reality television series on wine, gastronomy, culture and travel in Spain.
Experience Spain With Gerry Dawes: Culinary Trips to Spain & Travel Consulting on Spain
Gerry Dawes can be reached at [email protected]; Alternate e-mail (use only if your e-mail to AOL is rejected): [email protected]
Gerry Dawes can be reached at [email protected]; Alternate e-mail (use only if your e-mail to AOL is rejected): [email protected]