THE ATLANTIC DIET

By: Marcos Expósito Bello, Alfonso Martínez Ferreño, Sasha Meg Moreira Paulino, Ángela Rodríguez Fernández, Mónica Márquez Fernández y Andrea Aneiros Sabín.

3ºESO - IES de Catabois - Ferrol (SPAIN)

The Atlantic diet, which is the basis of  nutrition in this part of the peninsula, is recommended by the best nutritionists in the World. Its main ingredients are veal, fish, local fruits and vegetables that are steamed, boiled or grilled.

In our region, called “Ferrolterra”, there are several canneries that sell local products that are a part of this diet, such as:

-          “Conservas de Cariño”  in the town of Cariño.  They produce various canned goods, some of them traditional.

-          “Conservas la Pureza” : small scale production of canned fish: tuna, marlin, sardines…

-          “Conservas Modesto Carrodeguas” : their products are a familiar legacy, coming from 1902.

-          “Conservas A Xefa” : They work with tuna, sardines, Mackerel…

-          “Conservas Amieiro” : mainly vegetables and jams, traditionally produced and preserved.

LOCAL PRODUCTION FOOD.

OCTOPUS.

The Octopus is a very popular product in our region. The most usual way of serving it is boiled, and presented with olive oil, sweet and hot paprika and salt. Out of the region, it is known as “Octopus galician style”.

GALICIAN HONEY

In Galicia, we have  an extraordinarily high-quality honey, with geographical protected labels, and with different varieties: multi-flower, chestnut, eucalyptus, blackberry…

Honey from San Sadurniño and Moeche: the honey from these locations, that are close and around Ferrol, comes from forests of  oaks and chestnuts, heather,  blackberries, kiwi plantations and wild flowers.

BREAD

Among the variety of bread types that we have in Ferrol, the one from Neda is one of the best. It is famous in our region, because of its special taste, resulting from its exceptionally good raw materials.

Every September  1st, the town celebrates a fair dedicated to this product.

EMPANADA

“Empanada” (pie). Made of wheat or corn, it is used as a “tapa” in most bars and restaurants. A great variety of ingredients can be used as stuffing: pork meat, octopus, sardines, tuna…even fungus or turnip leaves.

                               

                                         

PORK

Pork and fish constitute the main source of protein in the Atlantic diet. There are  many recipes using this meals. From November (time for the traditional killing) on, pork is the king of meals like “lacón con grelos” (front legs, cured and boiled, served with potatoes, red sausage –“chorizo”- and “grelos” –turnip leaves-). Or the “Cocido”, a Galician boiled meal combining veal, chicken and pork meat with potatoes, chickpeas, beans, and turnip leaves or cabbage.

TYPES OF PLATES WITH PORK MEAT

Fresh pork meat has 4 main servings in Ferrol: roasted (baked) ham, “raxo” (pork loin), “zorza” and “roxóns”.

The Roasted Ham consists of whole hams roasted in the oven and served in thin slices with a sauce made of olive oil and spices.

“Raxo” is pork loin cut into diced pieces with spices (mainly garlic), fried in olive oil and served with fried potatoes.

“Zorza” is similar to “Raxo”: hot spicy pork loin in the same shape, marinated in garlic, salt and sweet and hot paprika, so its reddish colour. You can see some "Raxo" in the photograph below.

                                             

And last, “Roxóns” is also a pork plate, made of fried parts of meat with a great amount of fat.

Photograph taken from: http://ocio.facilisimo.com/foros/entretenimiento-y-humor/un-camion-cargado-de-recuerdos_532527_1514.html

Some other examples:

“Chourizo ó inferno”: (Red sausage – “hell style”)

Red sausage cooked over fire from distilled alcohol (a kind of Galician spirit) using a clay bowl. The red sausage is placed over it, not touching the alcohol, and it is then slowly cooked, getting a peculiar taste during the process. It is a very typical serving in small traditional Galician food places, tasty and cheap also.

 

Photograph taken from: http://galiciagastronomica.galiciae.com/nova/28605.html?lang=es

“Pork ear”:

A very common plate in bars and little restaurants. It is just the pork ear, boiled and served with olive oil and paprika.

GALICIAN VEAL

Ferrol is an advantageous place to try the famous Galician veal, one of the best in Europe in terms of prestige and production. Fantastic  sirloins, T-bones excellent in taste and size, or grilled ribs are some of the choices.

VEAL FROM “A CAPELADA”

Semi-free cattle, bred near Ferrol only on a milk and grass basis, no fodder or hormons at all.

TYPICAL DESSERTS FROM FERROL:

“Ferrol Square”:   Every town has a surname, and ours is “Chocolate square”. Such a succulent name refers to “La Magdalena” neighborhood, square-shaped and designed by military engineers durin the Illustration time (XVIII Century). The “Ferrol chocolate squares” are handmade, using the best chocolates and cocoas, and different flavours and tastes.

“Ferrol Cake”: Also called “Castiñeira”. Very juicy and with an intense taste of chestnut, its main ingredient.  Puff pastry bottom and stuffed with layers of sponge cake and chestnut cream. Decorated with a thin layer of powdered sugar.

                                  

This photograph of Ferrol is courtesy of TripAdvisor.     

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