MEDIEVAL FAIR IN CACERES

I had been looking forward to the Medieval Fair as I remember how entertaining it was 2 years ago, it didn’t take place last year as there were too many renovations going on in the ancient part of Caceres. This year we had the company of a client staying for the cooking week* (SEE WEB SITE FOR DETAILS www.finca-al-manzil.com)

This would a good opportunity to see some Iberic and Moroccan street food in action. Of course a medieval fair taking place anywhere in Spain or Portugal always has a strong Moroccan influence. Even though the Moors were defeated in Extremadura by 1230 their influence certainly continued in customs, cuisine and dress for some time to come…….they were not finally defeated in Spain until 1492, nearly 3 centuries later in Granada.

The fair runs for 3 days in November. It takes place in the ancient part of Caceres which is simply magical as a setting especially at night when the soft lighting and many candles illuminate scenes of colour and fun. The stall holders and food vendors do a marvellous job with their costumes, not over done with gaudy stuff but natural fabrics in muted colours, leather, sheepskin, amazing range of headgear, hoods, caps, turbans. In the Moroccan food area up by the Parador the colours are more vivid but everyone is well wrapped up, it’s quite chilly.

There was so much to see, just as we were rounding a bend in one of the narrow streets a troupe of chain- mailed Templers came clanking along singing raucously, costumes looking extremely authentic even with some mud and blood smeared about. There were wonderful wooden carousels and dippers run by energetic men peddling away like mad, not sure if this was a medieval design, surely someone would have made the leap and invented a bicycle from this idea!

The food was really good, lots of sticky honey and nut pastries just like the ones in the Marrakech souk, huge grills with spicy kebabs which were stuffed into flat breads with delicious salads. Tea stalls with mint scent wafting about.

The Iberic food part of the fair was down by the Santa Maria church, piles of meat and sausages grilling, baked potatoes, wine and beer stalls, one stall selling Ginginha, a sweet aromatic liquor made from cherries, sold in small old fashioned bars in down town Lisbon, very warming!

A corner of the upper square was roped off for the most gorgeous miniature ponies and beautifully groomed camels for childrens’ rides, the camels behaved with impeccable grace and their usual hauteur, magic seeing these mythical beasts trudging around the alleys of Caceres.

After sampling various foods and beverages and enjoying some pretty music played by wandering minstrels we headed back down to the main plaza for one last drink. A really entertaining evening, can’t wait for the next one.