San Miguel de Allende will host one of the most important gastronomic festivals in the Bajio region: the Paella and Wine Festival known as “Azafrán” (Saffron), that takes place on July 29 at “Hacienda San José La Vista“.
“Well-known local, national and international chefs along with culinary critics will meet in San Miguel de Allende, where the best paella will be awarded”, said the Secretary of Tourism Guanajuato.
Olivera Rocha continued: “During this fest, there will be many interesting activities such as the “paella contest”, in which chefs and restaurants will prepare the Spanish dish in order to select a winner; therefore assistants and judges will be able to try different kinds of paella plates.
About Paella
Paella comes to us from Spain, a dish of saffron-flavored rice combined with a variety of meats and/or shellfish as well as vegetables such as garlic, onions, peas, artichoke hearts and tomatoes.
Paella was originally a laborers’ meal, cooked over an open fire in the fields and eaten directly from the pan using wooden spoons.Paella got its start when the Moors, who dominated Spain for almost 800 years, brought rice and saffron to Spain.
There are differing opinions on the web as to whether paella started out as a seafood-based dish or a chicken and rabbit dish. Who knows, but today, you can choose from a wide variety of paella recipes.
In Valencia, the temperate climate and fertile lands make an ideal spot for growing specialty rice, and the proximity to the sea makes seafood plentiful. The dish takes it’s name from the wide shallow pan that it is cooked in, traditionally called the Paella or Paellera. The recipe commonly known as Paellacan be more accurately be referred to as Arroz a la Paella (rice done in paella style.)
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