Are you ready for a new Murcia’s secrets exposure?
Today we’ll talk about the title of National Capital of Gastronomy of 2020 that Murcia has and typical Murcian desserts. The 9th title was awarded to Murcia for its authentic cuisine and its gastronomic tourism, under the topic of “La huerta de los 1.001 sabores”, meaning “The orchard of 1.001 flavours”.
Murcia won the title at the end of 2019 and started proudly its activities in January. The programme included wines, migas (typical meal for Murcia – check this article for more details), cheese, rice, vegetables, meet and fish, in a sum-up, all the orchards’ and sea’s products available in the area.
Image source: C’Mon Murcia!
The programme included 1.001 activities all year long such as museums, gastronomic routes, festivals of fruits and vegetables, workshops about healthy cooking or cooking competitions being just few of the proposals Murcia had offering and promoting at the same time the products typical for the local culture. Now the programme might have suffered a bit from the lack of tasty activities due to the lockdown, yet the activities have continued online with cooking classes and tips from famous Spanish chefs.
Let’s not get too sad over this and enlighten our faces with some sweets. The names area really funny in some cases and you’ll understand now why. Their taste is very good though.
Engañamaridos (fool the husbands)
This dessert was done for special occasions that were hiding under the custard a real delicacy, reason why this was named as such.
The custard originates from the French pastries and it is extremely sweet made of whipped yolks with sugar on a bain-marie, while pouring the milk on it.
The bottom side, the delicacy, is made out of vanilla, milk/eggs and sugar. It can also be done with almond milk and adding a jelly agent.
Engañamaridos
Images source: lacronicadelpajarito.com
Yemas de Caravaca
Typically for Caravaca de la Cruz, these are made of egg yolks and sugar, with a layer of caramel or chocolate.
Image source: murciaturistica.es
Pastel de Cierva
“The deer pie” is a cake appearing at the end of the 19th Century on the coast of Mar Menor, recipe taken from a Russian ship. The cake was offered in a food banquet and Juan de la Cierva y Peñafiel, a local politician, liked it so much that the chef decided to give the cake his name.
Image source: www.gastronosfera.com
Peras al vino
The Ercolini type of pears, grown in Jumilla, mixed with a young wine are the main ingredients for this. It can also be served as a garnish for read meat.
Image source: www.gastronosfera.com
Tortas de naranja murcianas
No surprise that if we talk about Murcia we talk about oranges and lemons in the food in any possible way. These cookies are very easy to make and are very healthy.
Image source: www.gastronosfera.com
Suspiros de almendra
“Sighs of almonds” are small sweets made with meringue and almonds. They are very light and delicious to accompany a coffee or tea after the main meal.
Image source: Mercado de Veronicas
Cuernos de merengue murcianos
If there is something typical for Murcia, then this dessert here would win the prize. This is a horn-shaped puff pastry with meringue filling. Fast to prepare and simple ingredients.
Image source: pinterest
Arrope
This is a syrup resulted from the boiled grapes, figs with squash (mixture of melon, sweet potato and quinces) with a specific density. It is mostly consumed in winter as natural sweetener.
Images source: Recetas gratis
Buñuelos
A simple mixture of flour, warm water, yeast and sugar in modelled in different shapes, then fried and dipped in chocolate
Images source: Recetas gratis
I didn’t mention Paparajote as I explained it in a previous article (check here) but you can definitely put it on the list of the desserts to try out here.
I hope you have enjoyed this very minimalist list and now you are convinced more than ever you need to come over here and try it all.