Josep Pla, Begur and Slow Food
Who hasn’t heard of Josep Pla? A native ampurdanés from Palafrugell; author, journalist, tireless traveller and proud Catalan: Pla left a 30,000-page legacy covering a plethora of different topics but often focusing on the lifestyle, customs and cuisine of our region.
Pla had a close relationship with the town of Begur and its coves and beaches. A fact he reminds us of in this evocative text about the life of Begur’s residents many years ago…
In Aigua-Xelida there was Hermós, and in Fornells, there was Rata; (…) in Sa Riera,, Florià Pi fished and hunted with a patriarchal air. In every cove, there was a friend’s house, shotgun behind the door and boat next to the water. In a winter solitude unknown in the coves of Begur, these delicate and fierce men lived an ancient and peaceful life.The author was also a connoisseur and advocate of Empordà’s cuisine, on which a sizeable part of his literary works focus. One of his books El que hem menjat, (What We’ve Eaten), is a veritable homage to Mediterranean cooking and, in particular, to locally-sourced produce and slow food. The entire book is an ode to cooking with roots, the kind that takes place in every home, made with the product to hand, exquisite yet straightforward. The writer takes us on a journey through a whole range of dishes and local produce, from breakfast to coffee, and on to paella, rice, game, meat and desserts. There are numerous mentions for l’Escala’s anchovies, grilled sardines and cheese. And he always defended unhurried preparation filled with patience and love. But, above all, he writes of cuisine that awakens memories and recollections. He says this about grilled sardines:
(…) they cooked like the angels and made subtle sauces. They had their wits about them, their senses alert, heard the grass growing and slept with one eye open… In this world, there is no better way of life.”
We had supper in Mata’s taverna. Conxita appeared with an enormous plate of grilled sardines: huge, fresh and bright. On the scales touched by the flames, the dense oil glimmers faintly. On the bluish scales, the light of the gas flame extracts small glittering dots, like a luminous tingling.
We eat an exorbitant amount of sardines. The absorption of sardines always produces a feeling of intense sentimental segregation in my organism. The sardines awaken my sentiments, weaken my reasoning and fill my imagination with grace.
