Caceres Gastronomy
It would not have been fair if when designing Extremaduran
gastronomic routes, we had forgotten about the tench, an autochthonous
pond fish which has the aftertaste of fresh mud of still waters.
Caldereta de tencas Those who love its taste say that the tench
has to be eaten fresh, fried and rough and so must it be, although
its importance in the surrounding gastronomy and the passion people
feel for it have opened a symphony of tastes where its meat, especially
if they are big, allows a rich variety of recipes.
In the last weeks of August the villages in our route take turn every year to host the “Fiesta de la Tenca”, one of whose most important activities is, apart from the tasting, the contest of dishes that have been widening the number of recipes.
Tench The route, gastronomically speaking, is very rich and varied including emblematic places of our present gastronomy such as Cáceres, Casar de Cáceres or Alcántara.
Starting from Cáceres, without doubt the
Extremaduran town which currently offers the most varied and prestigious
gastronomic offer either traditional or innovative and at whose
table we can taste well known recipes: “gazpacho cacereño
de lujo” (which is served accompanied with game), lamb stew,
fried tench, and as a dessert “pasteles borrachos”
(kind of tipsy sponge) or “biscuit de higo” (fig cake).
Arroyo de la Luz Casar de Cáceres is world-wide known today
for its sheep cheese (torta de oveja) quite similar to the “Torta
de la Serena”, although born form coarse-wooled sheep and
not from merino sheep and with a slightly milder taste.
The “torta del Casar” is a unique
jewel and its degustation is a must and after or before that you
must try “tencas en cacerola” and as a dessert “torta
de dátiles” (date cake). In Brozas soused potatoes
with tench. In Arroyo de la Luz “moje de tencas”,
pickled rabbit and “guiso de bodas” and to finish
“engañabobos”. In Garrovillas picked tench
and offal stew and in Alcántara, cradle of a gretat part
of the present Extremaduran gastronomy, we recommend “ajo
de bacalao” and the two most emblematic recipes of conventual
cuisine, pheasant or partridge Alcántara style.
Caceres guide