THE volcanic cuisine It was not born as a trend, but as a reaction. In 1994, a group of restaurateurs from La Garrotxa decided to unite to defend something that was not fashionable at the time: local cuisine, made with their own products and with a shared recipe book that valued what came from orchards, farms and the hands that worked the volcanic earth. This was the beginning of the Cuina Volcànica collective, today completely consolidated and transformed into an example of how a territory can convert its identity into gastronomy.
Thirty years later, the movement has been revalued thanks to the rise of concepts such as sustainability, zero kilometers and respect for natural cycles. And there, La Garrotxa has an advantage: few places can boast that their dishes are literally born on solidified lava.
A territory that cooks with landscape
The success of volcanic cuisine It is closely linked to the geographical personality of La Garrotxa. This region of green valleys and volcanic cones has historically been a fertile and diverse space with very characteristic products: fesols from Santa Pau, fajolfarro, Vall d’en Bas potato, recruitmeats vedella ben housekeeper or xai de ramat. The main thing is not only to produce them, but to understand that they represent the essence of the territory.
The Cuina Volcànica collective was born to recognize this value and to connect those who work the land and those who cook. From the beginning, chefs sought agreements with producers, not only to obtain supplies, but to better understand what was arriving in their kitchens. The result is a recipe book that combines tradition and creativity: local cuisine that dares to innovate without giving up the essentials.
THE volcanic cuisine It is not a closed style, but a philosophy: using ingredients from the region, respecting their identity and promoting what makes them unique. It is a seal that has become a brand, very recognizable by visitors who come to Olot, Santa Pau or Batet de la Serra looking for a different way of understanding the product.
Products that define a region
Each food linked to volcanic cuisine explains a story. He fajolCatalan buckwheat, also known as Catalan buckwheat, recovered from forges and cooperatives, has gone from humble food to identity ingredient. Farro, traditional white corn flour in times of scarcity, is now enjoying a second life thanks to its nutritional qualities. THE fesols from Santa Paugrown on volcanic soils, are renowned for their softness and extremely thin skin, which requires virtually no cooking.
THE Vall d’en Bas potatoplanted in deep, cold soils, grows longer underground and gains flavor. He recruitmade with pasteurized goat’s milk, continues to recall the tradition of the farms which produced it in an artisanal way. He serrat d’ovella formattingintense and slightly spicy, is an example of how local breeding maintains a gastronomic culture.
Meats also play a central role in volcanic cuisine. THE vedella ben housekeeperfed with local fodder and cereals, offers tender and tasty meat. He xai de ramatraised with breast milk and quality foods, maintains the consistency necessary to withstand long cooking without losing juiciness. Each of these products appears on menus that combine mountain tradition and current techniques, from slow stews to modern reinterpretations of the honey recipe or farro prepared in cream.
The future of trendy cuisine today
that the volcanic cuisine Being fashionable does not mean that its essence has changed. The group has maintained the same philosophy for thirty years: territory, product and respect. Today eight restaurants spread throughout the region participate and all maintain their own identity within a common project. Throughout their career they have worked at fairs, conferences and conferences, collaborating with cultural and tourism institutions to publicize a way of cooking that explains who they are.
The challenges for the future consist of strengthening this relationship with producers, continuing to raise awareness of the value of local and keeping alive a culinary heritage that does not want to become a museum. The special menus for the 25th anniversary or the demonstrations at product fairs are a sample of this desire. The trend toward more sustainable kitchens has given them visibility, but they haven’t needed to change direction: the rest of the world is simply moving closer to where they were since 1994.
About The Author
