HONDON VALLEY A taste of rural Spain...

Wine Production
With an economy that relies heavily on agriculture, it is no surprise that the food served in the Hondon Valley is one of the best examples of the regional gastronomy. Fresh, basic ingredients lie at the centre of each dish, and you can taste Spanish culture and tradition in every bite. The rich, fertile valley is a hotbed for numerous root crops, citrus fruits, almond and olive groves, whilst also being an internationally recognized wine region. Indeed, if you are a wine lover you are certainly in for a treat here, and the locals are only too happy to educate you on their famous blends and allow you to sample them for yourself. The Hondon Valley was added to the Alicante Wine Route in 2012, which was established to promote tourism in the area and give a much needed boost to the local economy. A total of 2 300 hectares of terrain are dedicated to the cultivation of Denomination of Origin Grapes “Vinalopó”, which is spread over seven municipalities -Agost, Aspe, Hondon de los Frailes, Hondon de las Nieves, La Romana, Monforte del Cid and Novelda. Collectively these towns produce six varieties of white grape, Aledo Ideal, Dominga, Doña María, Rosetti and Victoria; and a variety of black skin grape. The most distinctive characteristic of these grapes is the cultivation process, which is known as “paper bagging” and gives the grapes a unique aroma and flavour, whilst simultaneously protecting against the elements and from pests. The bagging and collection are both done manually, creating many job opportunities for local residents during harvest time. During each season, some 250 million bags must be distributed across the grape vines, before harvesting takes place between September and the beginning of January in accordance with the variety. Residents regard it as a great honour to be given the opportunity to participate in the grape harvest, and will even leave their normal job to join the team.

Pride of Hondon
“Bodegas Cerdá” was founded in Hondon de las Nieves in 1885, to become one of the longest standing businesses in the area. It is a family-run wine merchant and shop, which was extended in 2007 to create an impressive wine museum, tasting room, gift shop and restaurant. The building is truly outstanding and said to be the “Pride of Hondon”; with its proprietors showing great attention to detail in maintaining the traditions of the Spanish wine making industry. Visitors are cordially invited to observe the entire production and bottling process, so that they may develop a true understanding of the magical world of wine making and more importantly, the secrets behind their favourite tipple. Customer satisfaction is paramount to the production process, so the family insists that consumers try before they buy, although the majority of customers have remained loyal to the bodega for years and buy their preferred blend in 5 litre measures, straight from the barrel. However, they do bottle the better quality reserves, which can be purchased in presentation cases as gifts.

From The Kitchen
It is not only the fine wine that has put Hondon’s food and drink industry firmly on the map. Local dishes such as “gachamiga”, “ajos y giraboix” and a variety of rice-based recipes also help to define the gastronomic pleasures of the valley. Gachamiga is served in many traditional towns and villages throughout the province, with local variations being cooked up in the Hondons. This original version uses basic ingredients such as flour, water, olive oil, salt, garlic and potatoes, and was historically a favourite lunchtime meal for local farmers and huntsmen. When cooked it resembles breadcrumbs and is often combined with spicy sausage and peppers to create a more substantial meal. “Migas con uvas” is another popular breadcrumb based dish, combining bread, chorizo, bacon, garlic and grapes. With an abundance of these juicy fruits growing in the region, you will find that they appear in many recipes, not only wine production, and are also exported to other parts of the country to be used in the Spanish “Twelve grapes at Midnight” New Year tradition. Ajos y giraboix is a wonderful winter warmer, often served as part of Menu of the Day at local restaurants or as a lunchtime meal at home. It is a type of stew typically containing chickpeas, potatoes, eggs, rabbit, lamb, garlic and sun dried tomatoes, with the occasional addition of white and black pudding. Meanwhile during the hot summer months it is more acceptable to serve a cooler dish such as an omelette with salad and bread, such as the Zarangollo Murciano. This is a loose omelette consisting of courgettes and onions. Although the valley is technically part of Alicante, it lies very close to the border, and therefore certain urbanizations such as Macisvenda and Barinas are considered a part of Murcia. This means that there are many Murcian bars and restaurants as well as families living in the villages, serving their own regional delicacies and giving locals a broader experience and choice of Spanish cuisine.

Rice Recipes
Rice forms a significant part of the diet throughout most of Spain, and the valleys are no exception, having their own take on the traditional recipes. The longstanding favourite, Paella Valenciana, is served in homes, bars and restaurants throughout the two villages, and combines rice, chicken, seafood, green beans, olive oil, saffron and seasoning. However, various other rice specialities are also eaten in Hondon, making good use of the freshest, finest produce of the valleys. Arroz y conejo con caracoles Serranos is the valley’s answer to Paella, made popular due to the large number of snails and wild rabbits which roam the hillside. Local huntsmen are seen stalking the rabbits in season, whilst local people head out collecting snails in plastic bags and will often sing a special song to encourage the snails to show themselves and then thank them for doing so! This makes it a very economical meal often prepared for the family when they visit on a Sunday. Alternatively, arroz caldoso con lentejas, garbanzos y verduras is a brothy rice recipe typical to the Mediterranean, combining your preferred variety of rice, reduced broth, red lentils, chick peas, onions, chard and garlic. Again, this is an inexpensive, filling meal, and Spaniards will often prepare a large pot that is intended to last a family for several days. Arroz con costra is another popular Spanish rice dish that is relatively simple to make and tastes scrummy. This is a unique recipe hailing from Murcia, which incidentally is one of Spain’s thriving rice producing regions, and might be described as a combination of paella and casserole with a strange egg crust on the top. The name “con costra” actually means “with crust” and occurs when the egg is baked on top of the rice casserole forming a tasty coating that perfectly complements the sauce and rice. It is traditionally cooked in a clay pot over a wood fire with a “costrera” (metal cover) placed over the rice when it is nearly cooked, before embers are laid on top to brown the egg crust. People will often add Spanish sausage such as the white pork sausage “butifarra blanca” to give the dish a bit more flavour, whilst other versions use chicken or rabbit according to preference. Arroz con costra gained global recognition in August 2008, when the largest ever dish, which was produced in Elche providing1500 servings, hit the Guinness Book of World Records.

Eating Out in the Hondon Valley
If you are a fan of Spanish cuisine but not too confident in reproducing these authentic dishes in your own kitchen, do not dismay as this gives you the perfect excuse to eat out and let someone else do the dishes from time to time. Furthermore, with such cheap meal deals to be had at the local Spanish restaurants you do not need a special occasion to head out for dinner. There is no better way to discover the best eateries in the area than to ask the locals, so ALIS spoke to Frailes residents, Jan and Pete, who were happy to give us their personal recommendations.

Delicious Nibbles in Nieves
If you travel down the mountain towards Abanilla from Macisvenda, you will find two very good and very different restaurants: Restaurante “El Fielato” in El Tolle, which is a delightful conversion within an idyllic setting; and Restaurante “La Cueva Del Peregrino” in El Partidor, is a little further down the road on the right side. The latter offers a prime example of traditional Spanish cuisine, with food cooked in authentic wood stoves, whilst part of the restaurant is in a cave giving it an air of romance and mystery. Jan said that this is definitely the place to come if you are a fan of suckling pig or baby goat! Hondon de las Nieves boasts a plethora of great eateries, including “Vamboo” with its wide selection of Spanish snacks and tapas, and Bar Restaurante “Polideportivo” which you will find hidden within the sports centre on the edge of the village. Heading towards the village square you will come across Meson “El Moreno” with its fine selection of Spanish fayre, and Dutch restaurant “Solo Hazlo”, which is popular for its special menu nights. Meanwhile, if you are craving some of your old favourites from home, “Central Bar” is your best bet, serving hearty, home cooked meals just like your Mum used to make!

Firm Favourites in Frailes
Hondon de Los Frailes is also not short of great places to dine, such as “Veintiocho” which is a firm favourite with the expat community, also making it an ideal location to meet other English speaking residents should you wish. Located on the main road CV-845 through Frailes, “Infinity” is a relatively new restaurant currently run by local residents Jay and Natalie. Formerly a teashop, it now offers a wide variety of international cuisine, including a delicious home cooked Sunday lunch. “La Buena Vida” is predominantly an Italian themed eatery, although the A La Carte menu does extend to include a wide variety of international cuisine, a selection of which is also offered on the great value “Menu del Noche.” The restaurant is ornate and very spacious, with a pleasant greetings lounge where you are invited to enjoy before and after dinner drinks. “El Nuevo Valle” in the centre, which was formerly called “The Irish Bar” and still known as this by many of the locals, is another great choice for British pub grub and tapas. There is a spacious terrace and they also provide a large screen sports and live music zone which clients are welcome to hire for private functions.

Something Different
Popular Spanish restaurant “El Fogon del Frailes” is situated on the road towards Barbarroja, and is a favourite with the natives who tend to go there to dine on Sunday lunchtimes as well as special occasions. There is ample parking here and a courtyard to the rear which is used for larger events, fiestas and parties. The village now has an Indian Restaurant, “Punjabi Virsa” whose owners also run a venue in Catral, which is located at the quieter garden centre end of the village plaza. The villagers had been longing for an Indian venue for many years, so were thrilled when is opened its doors to serve over 100 authentic dishes. The restaurant offers an early bird menu, comprising three courses with poppadoms and drinks included, for 9.95 euros. This is served daily between 17:00 and 19:00, and comes highly recommended for flavour and quantity. Italian Ristorante / Pizzeria “Pizzeria D’Antonio” is another newcomer to the village, and you will find it in Casas Galiana, near the petrol station. The menu is quite limited and basic, but in pleasant surroundings and the staff are very friendly. The portions are also said to be extremely generous, with huge steaks and enormous pizzas that are fired in an authentic clay oven.

Finally, if you head out towards La Canalosa you will stumble across a selection of quaint, rural Spanish venues such as Restaurante “La Masia”, which is particularly recognized for its delicious rice specialities, such as those introduced earlier. If you are longing for some respite from the bustle and banter of the village restaurants then this is certainly the place to find it, and with an unbeatable menu del dia for just 8 euros it is certainly worth the journey out.