Southeast of the province of Badajoz there is a tiny town in which it is cultivated the best spanish chickpea. With great honor, the inhabitants of Windy Valencia continue the traditional culture of a legume that they themselves qualify as magical. In this report you will discover why this native food of the Extremadura countryside is so recognized and famous, as well as the celebration, year after year, of a party that revolves around him. If you are a lover of this star ingredient of a multitude of cooked and stews, you are interested in knowing everything about magic chickpeas.
The historical fame of Valencia del Ventoso
Although it is a town of less than 3.000 inhabitants, its history is based on the best spanish chickpea. Because for centuries this product has been cultivated in fields that surround the municipality, nestled between Zafra and the provincial limit with Huelva. Legumes have always been essential in the Mediterranean diet for their important contribution of nutrients, very beneficial for health. That is why, from poor to rich, in times past they were consumed frequently. That was how the king Carlos III and also Louis XIV, French monarch, they only wanted to eat chickpeas from Windy Valencia. This is what awaits the oral tradition of the Extremaduran town.
This great historical fame of this legume is also documented in a XNUMXth century manuscript, conserved in the convent of Aguasantas, in the municipality of Sherry of the Knights (Badajoz). Even the Huelva newspaperBack in 1910, he published information on the product. But for what reason is it considered the best spanish chickpea, compared to others that are harvested and marketed in other parts of the national territory?
The secrets of the best Spanish chickpea
In order to shed a little light on the reasons why Windy Valencia has so much prestige for its chickpeas You have to start with the farmland. It is a mud terrain that endures adverse weather conditions such as lack of water. It is thus fertile for the harvest of this dry legume, which does not need even precipitation nor almost fertilizers. Therefore, in an ecological way and without the use of chemicals, excellent grains can be obtained. Later, climate It helps a lot, because in the region scarce rains reign throughout the year. In those seasons when the clouds are more active, it can be noticed later in the production of this food.
To these two external factors must be added one that already has to do directly with the seeds of chickpeas, some that are autochthonous of the people, inherited from generation to generation. This is how Valencian farmers (this is how the inhabitants of Valencia del Ventoso are called) have continued to work on this crop. In addition, without leaving behind another of the secrets of the success of the best Spanish chickpea: the sowing and harvesting process by hand. A pampering process that results in a product of high gastronomic value. Of large, mealy and thin-skinned, manages to melt in the diner's mouth, offering a buttery flavor. Perhaps for all these aspects they say that it is magical.
Harvest and party on Chickpea Day
La chickpea sowing begins in February and it lasts during March, months in which farmers throw their sacks on their shoulders. They distribute the seeds through all the grooves in the ground. Although this is a tough job, the good thing about growing is that it does not need more care during the year. Already at the end of July, with the fields overflowing with the gilding of the born stems, the harvesting of the segments begins. After it, all the chickpeas to clean them in the last step.
After, the merchandising at a high level, it hardly exists, as it is a very local product with neither massive hectares of cultivation. Thus, most of the production is sold directly by the farmer, individually or in retail stores. Windy Valencia and neighboring towns. Valencians themselves recommend visiting the Badajoz town to buy several kilos of the product, having it for the whole year. And the best time to go there is August, when it is celebrated it organizes a gastronomic fair in the Chickpea Day.
Each year, that celebration takes place on a different day. The culture that has in the town said legume with up to a exposure about her and even a competition animates the day. In it, the participating clubs must prepare a rich stew according to the traditional recipe that incorporates the ingredient par excellence, along with others with a particular touch and taste. At the end of the contest, they deliver three awards in the form of pots of gold, silver or bronze. And what about so many prepared stews? The visiting public can taste a dish for free! So now you know, if you like this healthy food, discover the best spanish chickpea.
