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 Galician Coastal Cooking Food and Wine Tour |
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Introduction: |
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On this special culinary and cooking tour of Spain you will be based in Aldan (Cangas), a small fishing village on the Atlantic coast of Galicia, Spain in the area called the Rias Baixas (Low Estuaries or Bays). You will get the chance to learn in-depth about the gastronomy of Galicia by cooking side-by-side with a Galician woman who owns/runs the small Charming Country Manor you will be staying at for the trip. Over the year Aurea has been handed down many traditional coastal cooking secrets of Galicia , which she will share with her guest on their cooking holiday in Galicia.
In between the cooking & culinary activities you will get a chance to stroll along the ports of small fishing villages and enjoy exclusive visits to various wineries making the highly acclaimed  Albarino white wines of the D.O. Rias Baixas. We will also dine in a few hand-picked restaurant with a mix of local flavors... from new young chefs like Xosé Cannas of Pepe Vieira offering creative dishes based on fine products of the sea , to traditional small fishermen's taverns right on the docks offering an abundance of fresh seafood (Spider Crab, Bay Prawns, Lobster, etc...) caught just that morning and served in handmade wicker baskets right on the table for everyone to dig in and enjoy this delectable “finger-food”.
Being right on the coast we will spend a day making a boat trip over to on one of the small Island offshore with beaches of un-touched beauty , golden soft sand and clear blue water. The Cies Islands know as "The Island of the Gods" and the Ons Islands have been declared a national park called "The Archipelago Atlantic Islands National Park" . Here can be found all types of wild Flora & Fauna, excellent for nature hikes & walks .
A trip to Galicia is not complete without a visit to Santiago de Compostela the Capital of the region and also the end of the important Pilgrimage Way of St. James . Here you will walk the streets of the old quarter and visit the Cathedral which marks the heart of this historic centre.
ABOUT THE GASTRONOMY OF GALICIA:
The main allure of Galician Gastronomy is its variety, to such an extent that it is hard to tell which is the most typical dish of the region. If there is one characteristic that links all the dishes, it must be the familiar, loving way of cooking, with slow craft and varied abundance . The same product can be cooked in many ways and has a different taste in different places. It could be said that Galician cuisine is a classical one, in the sense given by history or art, because it reaches its peak with the simplest elements naturally combined.
 To speak of fish and seafood in Galicia may be a commonplace, but it is worth a reference. There is a rich variety of fish, the tastiest of them are those caught in the rias or close to the coast: hake, turbot, sea-bass, grouper and sole. They are prepared in classical styles: grilled, a la Gallega (Galician fashion) or caldeirada (a sort of casserole), or else sophisticatedly dressed by expert cooks. With regard to seafood, shrimp makes a delicious appetizer, as do squid , cuttlefish , served fried or in their own ink, and crab . Barnacles gather the quintessence of all the sea flavours. Others are eaten raw, like the fine cockle (Razor Clams) and its oyster . Another group of seafood which make delicious dishes include the spider crab and its three flavours, lobster ,  king prawns and scallops , in their uncountable variety of sauces, along with the nourishing and accessible mussel . The final seafood worth mentioning, considered humble because it is eaten every month of the year in every fair in Galicia, is the octopus "á feira" , i.e. cooked, sliced, sprinkled with paprika and salt, and dressed with olive oil.
To finish up with this short glimpse at the Galician cuisine, some products must be called to mind: the rich fresh cheeses , the exquisite confectionery and the filloas (a kind of pancake) , the most original and delicious dessert that can be tasted in our land.
An Unforgettable Cooking Holiday on the Atlantic Coast of Spain
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What's Included: |
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THE TOUR INCLUDES:
- 03 nights in double room with private bathroom in a Charming Country Manor House (See Lodging )
- Transportation in Renault Scenic for 2 to 3 People, Seat Alhambra for 4 to 5 People and Mercedes Vito for 6 People. (See Transportation )
- Private English-Speaking Specialist Driver/Guide for the duration of the tour
- "Welcome drink and pincho" (small appetizer) in a vinoteca-bar when you arrive to Santiago
- ( B ): Breakfast Daily except day of arrival
- ( L ): 3 Lunches: 2 or 3 course gourmet meals with cuisine & wines of the region. All restaurants are selected for location, service & fine quality.
- ( D ): 3 Dinners 2 or 3 course gourmet meals changing the cuisine & wines typical of each region visited. Most of the dinners will be based on what you have prepared for the cooking classes.
- 2 Galician Coastal Cuisine Hands-on Cooking class in Cangas followed by with a meal based on what has been prepared accompanied with wine
- Recipes in English, Apron, etc...
- 1 Special Galician Queimada after the "Goodbye Dinner"
- Catamaran ride to either Cies or Ons Islands ( NOTE: Which Island will be determined by the scheduled which runs from mid-March to End-September. If the weather is bad then it will be substituted with a visit go Vigo city for the day.)
- Entrance fees to sights specified in the itinerary
- Selected Albarino winery tour & commented tasting specified in the itinerary
- Detailed tour information package
- Local Taxes
THE TOUR DOES NOT INCLUDE:
- Airfare
- Transfers not specified in the itinerary
- Entrance fees not specified in the itinerary
- Beverages not specified in selected meals
- Meals not specified in itinerary
- Laundry Expenses
- Telephone & Facsimile charges
- Excess Baggage charges
- Passport & Visa fees
- Personal & Travel Insurance
- Airport & Departure Taxes
- Optional excursions
- Room Service
- Tips & Gratuities to Driver/Guide
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