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The Wild Asparagus Hunters are Out and About

It´s that time of year. Cars parked in odd places, the solitary person - usually a man, popping up above a bank or from behind an olive tree. The hunters of the wild aparagus are here. The plentiful rain scattered with a day or two of sunshine has brought them out in droves. Some have their route, others instinctively know where to go. They appear, walking back to their cars, with a huge bundle of foot long green spears of asparagus. And off they go, probably not to be seen for another year - or another week if the rain continues. No matter how hard the shoots try and hide the older men hunt them down with stick in hand, to fob off the spiky old growth, and uncover the tender new stems of wild asparagus. Everyone has their favourite way of cooking them but the most common seems to be in a Tortilla - the thick Spanish potato omelette to which you can add anything that comes to hand - or is hunted down. My one or two shorter stem finds don´t come close to the experienced hunters catch. I...

Jaén - Spain´s Major Olive Oil Producer

Jaén, my adopted home, produces around 20% of the world´s olive oil and 20% of Spain´s consumption. The 60 million or so olive trees provide the gastronomic delights, hard-working people and the varied scenery of the third largest province in Andalucia.



The most common variety of olive is picual from which an exquisite extra virgen olive oil is produced and that is the base for the best tapas in Spain!





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