The excitement around town is so acute you can almost taste it. Small lorries are trundling down our street towards the Plaza Baja de la Despedía with strange wooden objects which will be made into stalls, a stage and an open air kitchen to serve more than seven thousand portions of absolutely free Sopas Perotas to hot and hungry aficionados of this splendid town's signature dish. (Free Aloranean olives will be on offer too.)
Yes It's coming up to El Día de las Sopas Perotas. (You bring the spoon we'll provide the Sopa).
Here's our ever popular Alcalde José Sánchez (no relation) announcing the day.
It's not often that the rest of Alora's population get's an excuse to come down to the Plaza Baja, the centre of the town's 'Casco HIstorico' (Historic District). Indeed, many Perotes (people from Álora) don't even know it's there, even though it's only a short walk from The Plaza de La Fuente Arriba and the Ayuntamiento (town hall). I am told that several concejales (councillors) of long standing have only ever been down to The Bottom Square, as it is affectionally known, to watch the 'Despedia' performance on Viernes Santo (Good Friday), to get married or to buy illicit substances.
A big clean up operation (literally) is in progress ready for the Big Day (Saturday) although I have not seen the two new 'Limpiarettes' recently. These two ladies of a certain age were to be seen, always together, wearing their official Hi-Viz chalecos, and pretending to clean the streets around the town. The regular chap has been on holiday for a month. You'd bump into them unexpectedly sometimes as you rounded a corner, sitting on a doorstep having a ciggy and a chat. Their hearts were clearly not in the work. One of them would poke her brush at a cigarette end while the other would kick the rubbish bin a couple of feet further on down the calle. A couple of repeats and then a break, and so on. The Ayuntamiento's training programme is to blame. Too much emphasis on glamour.
A big piece of waste ground, just outside town has been cleared for the 'Park 'n Ride' service and a dangerous-looking electrical junction box has been attached to the rejas of our bedroom window to provide power for a street food vendor. (Nobody asked our permission!!) We usually get the bloke selling straw baskets. No chance of a free snack, though, if the wicker man's refusal to even give us a discount on a log basket for blocking our doorway is anything to go by.
I took a picture of the dodgy box this morning. It's got six cables coming from it already now and it's only Thursday. I think the bloke with the marijuana factory at number 46 is using it to power his horticultural lights.
Regular followers of this highly popular, but still humble organ will already know that Sopa Perota is not a soup at all. It's made from stale breadcrumbs, onions, water and potatoes and is therefore 'suitable for vegetarians', one of the few dishes that you can get round here that is. We are expecting coachloads of this hardy breed to arrive on Saturday to take advantage of the park and ride facility but I expect many will arrive on bicycles or on foot, bless 'em. (that's the rest of my readership gone).
You can get your free Sopa by queueing in the Plaza Baja for an hour in the searing heat or by staying up in the Plaza FuenteArriba where some of the bars will be giving it away, too. You can get ice cold beer there,as well. My advice would be to get down early to the Plaza Baja where Manolo and his family will be dishing out Sopas and lots of other tasty food outside Bar El Mocho.
There will be live entertainment down in the Plaza Baja too. The main even is a performance at 3.00pm.by the very popular Flamenco-style group Los Compadres de Álora, starring my pal Joseli who looks after the castle.
That's enough name dropping and it's time for that ever popular feature,
'Pies From Around the World'
This week we feature The West Cork Pie Company (Proundly Handmade in Schull)
Our friends from Clonakilty (County Cork, Eire, population: 4721) who have just arrived for a stay in Álora and are well known to many readers for their Clonakilty Black Puddings and Clonakilty White Puddings, turned up on Tuesday with a selection of these delicious pastry treats and invited Mrs. Sánchez and me and our friend Colin to try them out. Yummy Yum.
We had a Steak Pie, a Chicken and Leek Pie and a Pork Pie. All good.
Readers are welcome to send in pictures of their favourite pies, pasties and other pastry products. The usual commission on all sales resulting will be expected.
The Ayuntamiento in Teba ( a few kilometers and even fewer miles up the road) have asked me to point out that they will be having their own annual Day of The Cheese on Saturday. They also have a Park and Ride Facility, and lots of cheese. It's a pity they mistakenly chose a date that clashes with the Great Guadalhorce Gastronomic event of the year. Good luck Teba!
Juanito Sánchez
September 29th. 2016
At the end of our recent sojourn in Cornwall, and knowing it would take around five hours to get home, I went native by making four of the biggest (vegetarian) pasties ever seen by Mrs O. Indeed they were so large, about 18 inches in diameter and the filling of each one ensconced in 250 grams of puff pastry, that she had to cut them in half to get them inside a Waitrose large sized freezer bag for transportation and to hold whilst feeding oneself and driving at the same time, which is now illegal. Unfortunately I didn't think of photographing them or I would have posted a picture on here. I must say the vegetarian Sopas Perotas looks right up my alley!
ReplyDeleteIt's right DOWN our alley. You didn't eat four giant pasties on the journey back, surely!
ReplyDeleteNo, only two each!
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of pies, or rather pasties, I now see what you mean about the ones on sale in mercadona, v disappointing. I do believe I recognised you outside el madrugon earlier today, but I wasn't certain and didn't want to come over all blog stalkerish, but if I spot you again during Saturday's festivities I shall attempt a non stalkery hello.
ReplyDeletePlease do and, if possible, come 'pie in hand'.
DeleteI thought you were called 'fibroid' at first. Ouch.
Ouch indeed!
ReplyDelete