NAVARRA
In 850 the first king of Navarra (Inigo Arista)
gave his subjects absolute freedom of speech and despite the fact that
the kingdom fell to Castille in 1512, the people, somehow managed to
keep the status until 1841 when Navarra adopted a Spanish constitution.
The region has been blessed and almost everything one can think of, grows here.
Trout from the rivers, asparagus
and artichokes, pimentos, garlic, onions and aubergines thrive and
poultry is plentiful with ducks, pigeons and chicken appearing on the
menu regularly.
The festival of Pamplona (that includes the Running of the Bulls) is a 9 ½ day affair that commemorates the life of Firminus who died a martyr’s death.
It is also the occasion when Estofado de carne de toro (braised steer) is cooked.
The
Navarrans cook their duck with peaches instead of oranges (pato con
melocotones) and their partridges in chocolate (perdiz con chocolate).