GASTRONOMY TENA VALLEY

On your discovery of the Tena Valley one of the fields of exploration must be the typical gastronomy. Without this, it wouldn’t be a complete trip. Several reasons back up this statement. On one hand, the singularity of the alpine cuisine, with its very characteristic flavours which are reached by the combination of local products in recipes that have been kept and polished for centuries by the people of the region. On the other hand, the restaurants, which show the history of the region through their architecture and its typical mountain-style ambience and décor.

Regarding the food itself, there is plenty to choose upon and a lot to taste. Travel through time and traditions of the valleys with different textures, colours and types of food. Take your time to taste the meats, the ‘Migas’, a typical dish prepared originally by shepherds, the sautéed onions, dishes built up around the wild meats hunted in the region, patés and home-made preserves. And don’t miss the ‘Olla Tensina’ winter stew; this recipe was genuinely developed in the region, as are a big amount of hot soups that suit perfectly with the cold weather. These are only some of the products and dishes that you can enjoy after a fruitful ski day in Formigal-Panticosa.

One of the star products of these mountains is the milk-fed lamb, nourished and reared in the villages’ pastures. This young lamb, served oven-roasted, is a tender delicacy. Moreover, the valley is not only known for its herding practices but it also is known for its agriculture, one of the main reasons why the gastronomy is so tasty. The products used in the local cuisine are also local, farmed in the region, and have been used in the gastronomy of the valley for centuries.

If you thought this was all, you were wrong! In addition to this tasty offer, in the valley villages’ bars you can try the very best tapas. Don’t forget to ask in the restaurants and bars because depending on the season you might have the chance to live one of the ‘Tapas Contests’ where bars develop their own tapa and compete to be the best. Ask! Stay hungry!