Turrón, a sweet Christmas (and all year round) treat!

Turrón is a type of nougat made with almonds which is eaten mainly at Christmas time in Spain.  It is eaten all over the country but is a traditional recipe from the Alicante province.  There are two main types - Turrón de Jijona (Turrón from Jijona) which is a soft type formed in rectangular blocks and packaged and Turrón de Alicante (turrón from Alicante) which is crunchy and brittle and is sold in a round shape the size of a plate.

I personally prefer the Jijona type which looks like this:

Turrón de Jijona

A friend of mine's parents run a factory making it in an artesanal way and ice cream as well, so it's called a torronería y heladería (turrón and ice cream sellers).  The main ingredients are toasted almonds, honey, sugar and egg.  A block of 300g (above) of this costs around 7€.

There is also slightly less soft version of this made with chocolate which includes cacao, milk and butter.

Turrón de Jijona de chocolate

They also make some rather nice Almendras Garrapiñadas, which are almonds roasted and tossed with sugar giving them a crunchy, sweet coat.

Almendras garrapiñadas

We also bought some Almendras Rellenas (filled almonds) which is an almond shape made from sugar paper and filled with soft turrón.

Almendras rellenas

If you want to try turrón and are not here at Christmas time there are some shops in Alicante city that sell it all year round.  You could try turrón ice cream that's great all year round, and also there is a bar called in the old town in Alicante city that serves a montadito (small filled roll) called Iván which has steak, rocket, parmesan, foie and turrón, and it's really delicious!

Enjoy!

Interview with BlogExpat

I had a short interview with Blog Expat last week who wanted to know a little more about how and why I came to live in Alicante. Click on the badge below to go to their website and specifically the page with the interview...

Price of petrol plummets

The cost of 'gasolina' (petrol) at the pumps has astonishingly gone down by quite a bit since the summer!  Last year and the beginning of this year the prices were rising for all types and it peaked at about 1.45€ per litre.  A few weeks ago I was amazed to see the price on the 'surtidor' (pump) showing 1.30€ per litre.

I have just filled up my little motorbike (it only costs me 5€ each week in petrol!) this evening and it was 1.21€ per litre!  I don't remember the last time it was as low as this and I'm certainly not complaining.

Something else to mention while on the subject is that over here there are lots of 'gasolineras' (petrol stations) that have assistants outside who put the hose in the tank for you during the day.  You can usually pay them if you are paying by cash but have to go inside to the till if you want to pay by card.
During the evening/night time there is never anyone outside and you have to go inside to pay.  At night you have to pay first and tell them how much you want to put in but during the day the pumps are usually open and you can put in your petrol first, then pay.

Diesel is about the same price as petrol over here which is worth mentioning as I've been told that in the UK, diesel is more expensive! 

What is the price of petrol where you are?

Filming with the BBC for Escape to the Continent

A few weeks ago I was contacted by the producer of a BBC programme called Escape to the Continent who asked if I would like to participate in their episode featuring Alicante.  I am always happy to talk about my adopted city and the idea was to meet with a couple who are planning a move over to Alicante and give them some advice and information.

We were filmed going around the indoor market (mercado central) buying ingredients to make a rice dish (known as paella) that my friend Federico would cook for us in his restaurant 'La Piazza' in the cathedral square.  I had fun with the couple teaching them how to ask for what we needed to buy in Spanish.  I hope the producer has a good editor as we had to do a few takes for the various set-ups, especially with the noisy Spanish background.

We met up with the programme's presenter, Alistair Appleton, who was very nice, and we sat down to chat whilst the rice was being served up.

Setting up the cameras and sound equipment.

The show's producer, Michael, giving me necessary directions

Federico bringing out the tasty rice dish

"Smile for the camera!"

It was a nice experience for me and hopefully my shop will also feature in the episode, although maybe they will edit out a little too much!  The episode will be on screens in February so keep your eyes peeled as you might blink and miss it! 

Check the 'cheque'

People go out to eat quite a lot in Alicante. Considering that Alicante city itself is not predominantly a tourist destination (many people have holiday homes in the towns up and down the coast either side of the city) there is a huge quantity of restaurants and bars. By 'bars' I mean the Spanish version, which is a place where you can order a beer, a bocadillo or some tapas, a coffee or even a stiff drink. They are a little different then the 'bars' in the UK.
I am sure that if you look at the proportion of catering/hospitality businesses to other types of businesses in Alicante it would be higher than most towns and cities around the world.

The mild climate of Alicante has undoubtedly contributed to this, especially when it's hot. People want to be out on the streets, not stuck at home (which is also why the local people, and generally in the south of Spain, don't bother so much with the decoration of their homes).

So as we go out more often, it is more likely that we will encounter an error in our bill.
I would recommend always checking the bill before you pay as mistakes or misunderstandings frequently occur.  You don't have to feel uncomfortable about it and certainly don't be afraid to query it if you see an error. It is most likely a genuine mistake.

I will advise you that if a restaurant puts down a plate of olives (aceitunas) or bread (pan) or anything you didn't ask for as you arrive or whilst looking at the menu (la carta), you will in 99% of the cases, be charged for it on the final bill (la cuenta). Most places that do this charge you about 1€ per person for the bread and maybe 1,50 - 2€ for the olives.

Receipt from a recent casual dinner out in Alicante.
(Try the cazón en adobo when you can find it in a
restaurant over here... it's delicious!)

The prices on the menus in almost all places are with the VAT (IVA) included and tips are not automatically added to the bill. Incidentally, you are not pressured to leave tips over here and they don't think bad of you either if you don't leave anything. But if you've had good service or just want to show your appreciation you can leave something and the waiters will be very grateful... sometimes ring a bell from behind the counter to tell everyone you've been generous!

That's all I wanted to say for this post... Oh, just to inform you that over here you can order beer in McDonalds to have with your burger instead of the normal soft drinks if you want it.

The Volvo Ocean Race in Alicante

The rain has finally stopped and has given way to the wonderful blue skies that Alicante is known for. It rained once in June and once in August but at the end of September the plants and trees got a much needed drink as we had a couple of weeks of unsettled weather.

Back in tshirts and shorts now and as today was yet another 'fiesta' day in Alicante (the 9th October is the special day of the Valencian community which includes the provinces of Alicante Valencia and Castellón) we headed down to the port to the Volvo Ocean Race area.

 For a few years now, Alicante has hosted the starting point activities and celebrations of the round-the-world yacht race and the dedicated part of the port was developed especially, creating an area for race preparations, information about the sport, stuff for kids and adults to do, bars and restaurants and a permanent museum and organisers office.

You can get up close to the yachts, see preparatory races and even the workshops where mending and modification is always going on. Its totally free to get in to the area and have a walk around and as its at the far end of the port you get some lovely views towards Alicante and the Castillo de Santa Bárbara.

The last day is 11th October and the various teams set sail heading for the next stop at Cape Town. Good luck!

Jasmine and BBQs

It hasn't rained here since June.
It's about 35oC every day and it doesn't get a lot cooler at night.
There are certain smells in Alicante that I hate because of this climate with its lack of rain (i.e. the streets don't get a wash), but there are two smells I do like that I get a whiff of passing by peoples gardens when I am going about Alicante on my motorbike: jasmine and bbqs. 

Even during the week there are people bbqing everywhere. I have some friends who spend their summers in their beach side apartment in Muchavista (along the Playa de San Juan) and along with the pool, tennis and basketball court there is a bbqing station in the picnic area of the urbanisation. We had a little party on Tuesday night for some friends who have just moved back to Alicante after a few years living in Holland. They really missed the lifestyle in Alicante and now that they have 3 very young children they wanted them to grow up being able to enjoy the outdoors as others do over here.

Sardines on the hot plate at a pool party

We also had a bbq (well on a hot plate actually) at the pool party we went to last weekend. They cooked lots of seafood to start with like squid and sardines, before moving on to the typical chorizo, lomo and morcilla that makes up a typical Spanish bbq.

Jasmine flowering plant

Then on Friday evening I met up with a British friend of mine and her Spanish husband and we went to a new restaurant in a finca in the Albufereta area that is owned by the same people who run the ever-so-famous Nou Manolin restaurants in Alicante. The finca had had a makeover and its interior looks exquisite in a Scandinavian-rustic style with a large outdoor eating area, all be it on a loose pebbled floor. Anyway, I am mentioning this because there was a long wall of jasmine near to where we were sitting which I just adore the smell of.

There is also the freshness of the sea breeze and the summery smell of sun tan lotion that you can appreciate walking along the Playa de San Juan... I took this yesterday at about 20:30 as people were leaving the beach and getting ready to go out to cenar (have their evening meal).

The Playa de San Juan, Alicante

I can feel another rant coming on when I think about the not so nice smells I encounter over here so I think it's best to leave it 'til another post.

What smells do you encounter where you live?

Spain shuts down! Take August off...

The 1st of August means 'changeover day' for lots of Spaniards.
The way the companies organise their staff's vacations over here is a little different to the UK.  Although many companies try to move with the times and be in line with the rest of Europe in business terms, there is still the tradition for employees to take all their 4 weeks holiday in one go.  They either take all of July or all of August off!

I would find that very limiting as an employee for many reasons, however over here there are so many festivos (like bank holidays, but on any day of the week) throughout the calendar that they get days off all year round anyway.

School holidays

The school holidays over here go from the middle/end of June until the middle of September so for parents it makes sense to spend all their holidays in that period because there are no 'half term' breaks over here.  Students only have the breaks at Christmas and at Easter.  As a child I would prefer to have half term breaks like in the UK.

Changeover day

So on the evening of 31st of July the motorways are usually quite busy with people returning from their months holiday and many more just starting it.  There are monumental tailbacks leaving and arriving to the coastal cities like Alicante and the capital, Madrid, in the interior.

Many people working in Madrid have a holiday apartment near the beach and/or in the countryside as most usually stay in Spain for their holidays.  Well who wouldn't with so much to offer as Spain has!

Shops and businesses

It's crazy because in the UK, and especially in London, Saturday is the busiest day of the week.  But here in Alicante they are not so commercially-minded and weekends are usually spent purely for leisure.  Saturday mornings is reserved for food shopping (especially for the older generation) and although my shop is very close to the market, the street which it is on (Calle Poeta Quintana) is rather empty today!  The street is full of small, independent shops and actually about only half are open because August has started.

But don't worry.  For those of you who are coming to Alicante for your August holiday, most of the bars and restaurants are open and for even longer hours than during the rest of the year.  And of course the beach is always open!

Piscina o playa? (pool or beach?)

So which one do you prefer?

It's trivial but it is a dilemma many of us living in Alicante have.
On one hand, the pool option means you don't bring a pile of sand into your home or have a lingering taste of salt water in your mouth. But, depending on whether you have your own private pool or live in an urbanization with a shared one, you will encounter your neighbours in their swimwear.

I enjoy using the swimming pool because it's on my doorstep and I can dip in and out of the water without worrying about my belongings.  Unlike at the beach, whereby if you want to jump in the sea with your mates, someone has to stay behind to look after everything.

The great thing about going to the beach though, is that there's so much going on. It's quite sociable and you can usually benefit from a nice shore breeze. And on my local beaches of Postiguet and Playa de San Juan there are chiringuitos, or beach bars, where you can stay and chill out after the sun sets.  The chiringuitos stay until the end of September, I think, as the weather is still lovely that month.

Just in case you were wondering, as some friends of ours who are moving over to Spain from San Francisco asked recently, dogs arent allowed on beaches in general, especially in the summer. There are some, or parts of some beaches that do allow it. The one nearest to us in Alicante is in El Campello, pronounced "El Campeyo" (as the double 'l' always sounds like a 'y' in Spanish).

Unfortunately, I dont have any time to go to the beach during the week as my shop is open morning and afternoon.  Some businesses close in the afternoons during July and in August some just dont open at all!  To be fair it is very hot and most Spanish people use July or August to take their holidays all together (as well as a healthy spattering of fiestas and puentes during the rest of the year!).

So which would you prefer going to - the beach or the pool?

Running with the bulls in Pamplona

Just a quick post...
I was chatting to a foreigner (as in non-Spanish person) the other day about the festival of San Fermín in Pamplona and it's famous daily event of running with the bulls.´ I was surprised to realise that this person didn't know the reason for this activity, especially since she was 'anti-taurina' (against bullfighting).

The encierro (closing in) of the bulls takes place at 8am every day from 7th until 14th July every year.  (Like with most Spanish festivals it is the date that determines the festival period, not the day of the week).  It consists of leading the 6 bulls (and 8 'cabestros' or bulls of a type of race who are not used in bullfights but guide the 'toros') from the pens where they spent the previous night through the narrow streets of the old part of Pamplona to the bullring where they will be 'fought' later in the day by the bullfighters... and consequently killed.

There is a long history associated with this and is worth looking up if you want to learn more about this and the festival in general. 

The person whom I was speaking with was under the impression that it was just a fun activity for brave people who wanted to have a go at running with bulls but there is a whole lot more to it than that.  Also, the festival in itself hosts many traditional events and activities apart from the encierros.

There seems to be much misinterpretation about it because in the 2010 film with Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz called Knight and Day, a part of their chase through the streets of Seville featured a load of bulls running and people dressed in the traditional white and red of the San Fermín festival ending up in the bullring.  But this activity never takes place in Seville, which is over the other side of the country to Pamplona!

There are bull-related activities that take place in various towns and villages in the north east of Spain which I really don't agree with and think are awful.  The worst is the 'toro embolado', which consists of tying flammable materials to a bulls horns, setting them alight along with some fireworks, and letting it loose through barricaded streets at night during the festival period.  People run in front of it and jump over protective barriers, they pull the bull's tail and just generally torment it.  It's just not nice.  Look it up if you want to inform yourself because I just don't want to write about it.

I will write about something nice like the weather in Alicante next time...

Spaniards + roundabouts = danger

I just have to get this off my chest...

Every day that I use roads to get from A to B, I risk my life a little more. I shouldnt say that just about roads in Spain, however for some reason the Spanish have a lack of understanding of how to navigate a roundabout.

Roundabouts are a relatively new thing over here and with the construction boom where more infrastructure was required quickly they just popped roundabouts in everywhere instead of 'give way' junctions or traffic lights.

I dont know if they are taught how to use roundabouts in their driving lessons over here but they certainly do not practise it. I have to pass around quite a few of them on my way to and from my shop and I could have had many accidents if I myself had not been prudent and vigilent. They just pull out in front of you even if you are indicating to leave the roundabout. And im probably going to make myself extremely unpopular by saying this, but the women are the worst!!! (Especially by not stopping for pedestrians at zebra crossings).

But then there are the inconsiderate drivers (usually male) who think that by gaining one or two car lengths by cutting you up or trying to nip into spaces that just dont exist will make their journey (and that of their fellow road users') easier. Shame on you.

Just be careful out there people.

Rant over. ;-)

I will post about something a bit more Alicante-related next time. I promise.

Star Wars in Alicante

Alicante was invaded yesterday in true Star Wars style. Legion 501, the Spanish Garrison, celebrated their tenth anniversary with a parade through the town after an invasion of the Santa Barbara Castle where there is currently a Star Wars exhibition. You could get up close and personal with the super fans dressed as their favourite characters from the saga.  The costumes were really quite good.

Here is the promotional You Tube video of the exhibition in the Castillo Santa Barbára:

The exhibition, hosted by the castle, displays over 20,000 objects and figures collected by Gabi Navarro over some 35 years. Some figures are arranged in battle scenes...

and you can also imagine yourself as an action figure! (Thanks to my brother-in-law for this photo.)

The exhibition finishes next year to coincide with the release of the newest Star Wars film.

Snapshots of the Hogueras festival 2014

The night of the 24th of June marked the end of the Hogueras de San Juan festival in Alicante with the huge palmera firework lighting up the sky at midnight from the Santa Barbara castle indicating the start of the lighting of the more than 180 bonfires around the city streets.

So as not to bore you with an explination of the events and activities during the annual Hogueras festival, I will just post some photos of from this year.  

The winner of the best bonfire (hoguera) this year went to...

PAN'S LABYRINTH BONFIRE

The Pan's Labyrinth Hoguera won in it's category.  It was so amazing to see in real life and a shame that burned to the ground like all the rest.

Here are just a few of the other large bonfires:

on the Rambla

in the Plaza de la Montañeta

the official bonfire in front of the town hall

These are the 2014 'Bellesas del Foc' with one part of the flower offering in front of the co-cathedral St. Nicholas.

Here are some photos taken from the Castillo San Fernando in Alicante at about 2am during the fiestas where you can see the city lit up by the various barracas.  It's a shame there is no sound with these photos because its quite bonkers... you can hear the different music from the dozens of party zones and the general fiesta ambience which goes on until 4.30am.  After that time the party does continue for some people but the music has to officially stop at this hour.

And finally a couple of photos taken from the other side of the San Fernando castle at 2pm during the Mascletà...

I hope you enjoyed the fiesta!

The Hogueras de San Juan de Alicante 2014

So once again the fiesta is in full swing! The fiesta Hogueras de San Juan has engulfed the city and the barracas and hogueras are set in place.  Right now as I type the 2pm Mascletà is lighting the sky and tapping on peoples eardrums with the mega loud fireworks and firecrackers.  They were being set up this morning when I was on my way to open my shop...

You can see the Plaza de los Luceros in the background.  The Mascletà event was supposed to be held in another place in the city because the vibrations and gunpowder damage the fountain and statue.  But people complained for different reasons so it's still held in the plaza.

You can see my blog entries from last years fiesta for more information about the events.

Restaurant Revolution!

There are so many food and drink-related businesses in Alicante right now and more opening up each week. Just a year or so ago you would walk around the streets of Alicante and lose count of the closed-down businesses within the first 100 metres. The crisis really took its toll on small businesses.
But now its like another world! The town hall has had a hand in the improvements from decorating certain streets, renovating parks and public spaces to allowing cafes to operate in public squares (this can be debated whether is beneficial to everyone...). I don't know if the licensing process has been relaxed to allow businesses to open, especially catering businesses? 

I have been to two new restaurants just this week. One is a casual burger bar which I will highlight in a future post, and the other is a restaurant with a varied mediterranean menu.
On Monday I went to this place...

La Mary is a franchise with a great value quality-price range, good selection of dishes, considered presentation and nice decoration. I really cannot speak highly enough of it. It only opened 3 weeks ago so maybe they are taking extra care. I'm not the only one who likes it - every time I pass the restaurant it's full!
They also do a lunch time set menu with a fantastic pricetag, if you can get in, that is.

 

Images courtesy of La Mary Alicante.

You can find their details on the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/lamaryalicante/timeline

The offering of restaurants and bars has improved so much in Alicante that the old-fashioned, manky places are going to have to keep up and improve. I went to one of 'those' last week and it was a terrible experience - bad decoration, dirty tables, disappointing food and unrealistic prices. No, I wont name and shame. Sorry.

What is your current favourite restaurant in Alicante?

New challenge

I have been really naughty and abandoned this blog for a while, but it was all for a good cause. Here's what happened...

Read and Sixty, Calle Poeta Quintana 31, Alicante 03004

Read and Sixty

I opened my own home decoration and gift shop!
Yes, I was busy renovating the premises and redecorating, and finally opened the doors a month ago. It's a small boutique shop selling decoration and gifts, and I also give craft workshops in English.

The space has tall ceilings and lots of walls so I display local artists work too. I would love to tell you more about it because it's my little baby but it's best you take a look at the Facebook page... or go to the website www.readandsixty.com for shop info.

It's in the centre of Alicante on Calle Poeta Quintana 31 (the street with the ribbons, or 'la calle de las cintas') so pop in if you are in town.  
Oh and don't worry, this blog will still be about Alicante and not my shop... I just had to tell you why I hadn't posted lately.

Read and Sixty

Because I was so busy I missed out on posting about what has been happening here in Alicante.  I didnt get to tell you about the Carnival in Alicante, this year in March, nor the Easter week traditions and processions in April, or the pilgrimmage to Santa Faz... However these are traditional events so I will tell you about them next year.

There is currently a film festival on, although not on the scale of Cannes and the preparations are taking place for the Hogueras festival in June.  The weather is fantastic (not too hot and certainly no too cold) so it's a nice time of year to visit the Ciudad de la Luz...
That's Alicante, by the way!

Don't forget your sunglasses!

Alicante Timelapse

I would really like to share with you a time-lapse video for Alicante Turismo done by the very talented photographer Javier Guijarro.  Below, I will tell you about the places featured.



Video turismo Alicante Timelapse from Javier Guijarro on Vimeo.

-Firstly, Javier shows us a sunrise starting over the Cabo de la Huerta and then the swimming pool of one of the hotels in the port area with stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea.

-The high-speed train service called the AVE (Alta Velocidad) now arrives at Alicante from the capital Madrid and the station has been enlarged to accommodate it.

-Alicante receives many visitors from the cruise ships on the Mediterranean Sea who arrive at its special dock and ferry terminal.

-The new airport terminal on the outskirts of Alicante (about 15 minutes from the centre of the city by car) was completed a couple of years ago and is a light and airy glass structure, pleasant to arrive to and depart from.

-The part-underground, part-overground tram service connects the very centre of Alicante from the stations Luceros and Mercado with many neighbourhoods in Alicante and beyond like the University town of San Vicente del Raspeig, running along the huge Playa de San Juan and further afar like El Campello.  The connections go through Benidorm and all the way up to Denia.

-The port area is a great place to stroll along and the new development now holds the Volvo Ocean Race, its offices and its own museum.  The space also regularly holds concerts and markets.

-The beach in Alicante is called the Playa de Postiguet.  It has a nice promenade with cafes along it open all year round.  It's very close to the centre, meaning it's a popular beach in the summer or whenever the sun shines!

-The beach of San Juan is 7km of uninterrupted sunbathing space with chiringuitos (small beach bars) set up on the sand in the summer, restaurants and bars on the promenade, beach volleyball courts all year round and fantastic views always.

-The famous wavy 3-coloured marble esplanade next to the port is always a pleasant stroll, whatever time of year lined with cafeterias, restaurants and market stalls.

-Next we see Javier taking a boat trip to the small island of Tabarca a few kilometres off the coast of Alicante.  The waters around are a natural marine reserve and you can go snorkeling or diving to appreciate the sea life or go for a day trip to bathe in the rocky waters.  Lots of people go to sample a local paella made from locally-caught fresh sea fish.

-The castle in Alicante, Castillo de Santa Bárbara, is the most dominant feature of Alicante sitting on top of the huge hill next to the sea.  The views from up there are stunning.

-The town hall (ayuntamiento) building is a beautiful baroque palace which was started in 1699 and finished some 80 years later.  The bicycle that the woman is riding in the images is one that you can rent from the special roadside bicycle stands with the system Alabici.

-The auditorium is a relatively new building that holds regular events, concerts, plays and is situated right next to the bullring.

-The 5-star hotel Amerigo is featured, which is just along from the town hall, and another local hotel's accommodation.

-Local wines and paellas demonstrate the wonderful local gastronomy, but there is a lot more to try.

-The area is excellent for cycling with many bicycle lanes through the city and special routes beyond.  Outdoor sports in general are possible all year round with this climate and sports in general are very popular, especially water sports, beach volleyball, golf, tennis, football... well just about everything!

-The fiestas are great here, especially the Hogueras de San Juan that I wrote many posts on last year.  The flower offering during this fiesta is shown in the plaza in front of the Cathedral... and my friend's bar and restaurant Piazza is on the right hand side.

-The theatre is shown which is near the Rambla, and then the contemporary art museum which is near the beautiful Basílica de Santa María.  The archaeological museum is shown outside and in which has a very interesting permanent exhibition of artifacts and descriptions of Alicante through the ages.  It won and award for the best European museum a few years back and is well worth a visit.  There are also temporary exhibitions of a variety of subjects.

-The year-round outdoor lifestyle of Alicante is second to none with the possibility of eating and drinking outside day or night.

-The huge pirate ship (I call it a pirate ship but its not really) is a museum and cafe and is permanently (for the moment anyway) in the port.  It's great to look at and fun to be on.

-The video closes with some views of Alicante from some of the few tall buildings in Alicante.  (There are not many thank goodness and the ones that were constructed are from the 1960s or 1970s).

I hope that you enjoyed the video.  It's a good summary of what Alicante has to offer... but I do hope that you still keep reading the blog for my personal insight into this enjoyable city.  See you soon!

The Kings are coming!!!

As mentioned in my previous posts, the Christmas festive period goes on for a little longer in Spain than in the UK.  The Twelfth Night (or Day), or the Epiphany (6th January), is usually a family celebration here.

Actually the eve of the Epiphany is when most of the action happens.  There is a procession early evening through the streets of towns and cities with the Three Kings arriving in many different ways to greet the children and hand out sweets or gifts.  Some come on horseback, on foot, on camels or, as I write from the village in Granada where I am right now, on a tractor!  This is called the Cabalgata de los Reyes.  It's a magical event for children and they write letters to the Kings with a list of gifts they would like to receive, just like the letters to Father Christmas.

Usually a family dinner is enjoyed this evening and then when the children go to bed they leave shoes at the foot of the bed, or a stocking hanging from the chimney if they have one...  so that the Kings can fill them with presents when they visit each house.

Roscón de Reyes

The traditional roscón de Reyes is enjoyed together with the family of the 5th or 6th of January.  This 'Kings cake' is a brioche-like sweet dough made into a large ring shape with candied fruit on the top.  It is baked traditionally with a small porcelain figure somewhere inside and a dried bean.  When cut, whoever finds the figure in their piece is crowned king with the paper crown that is usually included with the roscón.  The person who finds the bean has to pay for the cake!

Roscón de Reyes, image courtesy of springhotelsmagazine.com

Quite often nowadays,  the cake is baked and then cut in half horizontally and then the 'prizes' are put inside, and filled with squirty cream.

Roscón de Reyes, image courtesy of  rgarciaandsons.com

This year I wasn't crowned king for the evening, nor did I have to pay for the cake, but I did get to enjoy my piece of cake!