Folklore in Valencia : Las Fallas

The Fallas is a traditional celebration held in commemoration of Saint Joseph in the city of Valencia, Spain

A number of towns in the Valencian Community have similar celebrations inspired by the original Fallas de Valencia.

The Fallas festival was added to UNESCO's intangible CULTURAL HERITAGE of humanity list on 30th November 2016

Tourist guide in Valencia

Do you want to enjoy Valencia (Spain)????  JOIN US !!!!!
Here you have a small triptych with a little tour to our special city València. You will find some information about few amazing monuments and places.
If you've never been in Valencià you can't miss it!!!!!
Let's go !!!

by María Monzonís 

Gastronomy: Easter in Spain

MONA DE PASCUA

La Mona is this traditional cake we use to enjoy at Easter, which originally was made out of a kind of marzipan and it had boiled eggs to eat with… tradition has improved and evolved into these wonderful cakes and chocolate that are sold at bakery shops and are a sign of the end of the Lent period. We hope you like it !!!!

Wich area of Spain is it typical ?

Region of Valencia

Ingredients

Ingredients 6-8 people: 

• For the bread biscuit

3 egg yolks, 1 egg, 50 grs of sugar, 1 lemon zest.

80 grs of flour, 20 grs of cornstarch, 30 grs of ground almond.

3 egg whites and 80 grs of sugar.

* With the beat the egg yolks, the egg, sugar and lemon zest ) and the reserve.

* beat now the whites until they get high and spongy. Reserve.

* Now take the egg yolks mixture and add gradually and slowly into the egg whites. Use a tongue tool from underneath to the top.

* Preheat oven at 180ºC.

* Take the different flours  sift using a thick colander over the eggs mixture. Little by little and keep on using the tongue from underneath to the top.

* Pour into the mold and place in rack number two using both oven's up and down heat. Bake for 20 minutes aprox. 

• For the syrup:

 100 grs of sugar, 100 ml of water, some drops of lemon juice and a dash of liquor (optional).

* Boil the water, sugar and lemon juice for aprox. 3 to 5 minutes.

* Once outside the heat, add the liquor if you wish. Reserve.

• For the cream butter: 

200 grs of sugar, 50 grs of water, 4 egg yolks, 250 grs of butter (at room temperature. Soft enough to work with it) Never use the microwave to get the texture! And a dash of liquor (also optional). If you added some to the syrup then it won't be necessary here.

* Start a syrup with the water and sugar. Boil at medium heat for 3 minutes aprox.

* Meanwhile get the yolks into the electric mixer and beat them. When they start to grow add the syrup little by little and keep on beating until the mixture gets 3 times higher. Only when it's cold add the butter little by little with the mixer on until you get a thick mixture. Reserve.

To assemble the Sara pie: 1 bread biscuit, a syrup, cream butter, apricot jam, laminated almonds.

* Cut the bread biscuit in half (only when it's cold or at room temperature).

* Paint the inside layers with the syrup and the apricot jam. Reassemble.

* Spread the cream butter on top and sides of the pie.

* Toast the laminated almonds in the oven. 200ºC on top rack and keep an eye on them until they golden up.

* Carefully, place the almonds over the butter cream. The ones that fall, won't be used.

* Decorate and place in the fridge for 1 hour.

* Devour with the family!!!!

Portuguese traditional Food

Francesinha

Francesinha (meaning Little Frenchie or simply Frenchie in Portuguese) is a Portuguese sandwich originally from Porto, made with bread, wet-cured ham, linguiça, fresh sausage like chipolata, steak or roast meat, and covered with melted cheese and a hot and thick spiced tomato and beer sauce. It is typically served with french fries.

  Meal: Meat

  Degree of Difficulty: Easy

  Budget Meal Cost

  Keyword: potato, steak, cheese, meat recipes, easy recipes, quick recipes

  Preparation Time: 45 Minutes

  Cooking Time: 45 Minutes

  Doses 1 People

INGREDIENTS

3 slices of bread

4 slices of cheese

1 small beef steaks

1 fresh sausages

1 sausages

1 slices of ham

Salt and pepper q.s.

For the sauce;

0.50 onion

2 dl of beer

1.50 tablespoons of tomato pulp

0.25 dl of brandy

0.25 dl of Port Wine

0.50 tablespoon of margarine

0.50 tablespoon cornstarch

0.50 bouillon cube

0.50 bay leaf

Milk q.s.

Salt and spicy q.s.

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS

To start this recipe, prepare the sauce: peel the onion, chop it coarsely, pour into a saucepan, add the margarine and the bay leaf, bring to the heat and cook until golden brown. Add the tomato pulp, the broth and the beer and bring to a boil. Dissolve the cornstarch in a little milk and add to the pan, in wire and stirring constantly. Rectify the salt, season with spicy, stir, add the brandy and Port wine and bring to a boil. Go through the net dowel and return to low heat to warm up.

Cut the sausages in half, then again in half in the lengthwise direction and season them with salt and pepper. Also cut the sausages in the same way. Also season the steaks with salt and pepper. Grill the steaks, sausages and sausage to taste.

Lightly toast the slices of bread and distribute two slices over two plates. Cover with a slice of ham, then add the steak and place another slice of bread. Then add the sausage and sausage, cover with a slice of cheese and the rest of the bread. Then add three slices of cheese on top of each set, bake at 200 ° C until melted, remove and serve hot drizzled with the sauce.

The cultural heritage Skule national park in Sweden

Early Croatian Churches

Early Croatian churches (Middle Ages)

by Dora Glavaš

When Croats first came to this land in the 7^th  century, along with other Slavs, they inhabitated near already built cities. They accepted Christianity and started building churches.

First churches were made out of roughly cut stone (lomljenac) and bounded with layers of mortar. They had strong semi-circular buttresses and a bell positioned in front of the entrance.

Here are some of the most famous examples:

Church of Holy Salvation 

It is located in village Cetina and it was built in the 9^th century. Its characteristics are very common for that time. It was built in the form of trefoil and has a bell that stands to this day. It has a very big cultural and historic significance, because a lot of graves, tombs and architectural fragments were found around it. The most valuable found was a golden censer that they used to baptize Croats.

It was damaged a few times in the past (Ottoman Empire, war…) but it has still managed to save the original position and features.

Church of St. Vitus 

It is located on island Krk and it was built in 1100. It has a longitude shape and a high stone bell. It was mentioned in a document by Dragoslav, written in Glagolitic script. It was also restored with a new roof so it's an important representation of Romanesque architecture.

Church of St. Donatus 

It was built in the 9^th century in Zadar. It was named after a bishop Donat, who was later pronounced a saint. It represents a mix of Pre-Romanesque and Carolingian period. It is a circular shape, 27 meters tall, has three apses and an ambulatory. The shape is typical for Mediterranean medieval buildings. Throughout history, it was used as a warehouse, archaeological museum and today, music festivals are held in it (Musical Evenings in St. Donatus). 

Church of St. Dunat 

It is a Roman catholic church built in Krk, and the exact century is speculated (9^th to 12^th century span). It has a four-leaf layout and a square entrance.

As I already mentioned, early churches were made out of roughly cut stone. Throughout the years, the church has lost some of its original look, but there is still evidence of roughly cut stone look at the bottom. One of the reasons for that could be because of the explosion that happened on the island in World War II. They believe it was decorated with mosaics and frescoes from the inside.

The church was dedicated to bishop and saint Dunat, who died during the persecution of Emperor Julian the Apostate. 

Island Pag Lace

ISLAND PAG LACE

by Ina Delić

Pag lace (in Croatian called Paška čipka) is a type of lacework from the island of Pag. It requires a needle, a thread and a backing which needs to be a round or a square stuffed pillow. Lace-makers of Pag did their work without any drawing samples . Each woman used works from her mother and grandmothers as examples, while each of them were adding a personal touch, unique and special details to their lace designs. The tradition has been kept going for over 1400 years and was originally used to make tablecloths and ornaments for clothing.  Each lace piece was a symbol of the anonymous, modest and self-sacrificing life of its maker.

In 2009, Lacemaking in Croatia, represented by Lepoglava lace, Pag lace and Hvar lace, was inscribed in the UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.  You can find Pag lace in many souvenir shops all over the island of Pag and visit „The Gallery of the Pag lace“ in the city of Pag. There is also a monastery of Saint Margarita in Pag where the school of sewing the Pag lace originated.