GASTRONOMY

Cuenca shares many of the gastronomic features of the other provinces in Castile-La Mancha its rural origins, the quality of its products, the respect for tradition. Typical dishes tend to be very heavy, with lots of calories; gazpachos and stews, lamb and game are the most important signs of gastronomic identity. However Cuenca also has a number of dishes which are exclusive to the province and mark its personality.
Typical dishes include zarajos, a dish consisting of lamb intestines wrapped and tied with vine shoots and roasted in a wood-fired oven; roast lamb; char-grilled lamb;
or lamb stew, the favourite dish of shepherds, which is very spicy and tasty. However the most famous dish from Cuenca is morteruelo, made with grated
pig’s liver, game (hare and partridge), hen, Serrano ham, lard, walnuts and plenty of spices (cinnamon, cloves, pepper and paprika).

Other dishes include ajoarriero or atascaburros (made with codfish, garlic, potatoes, breadcrumbs, hard-boiled eggs, parsley and olive oil), trout, caught in the rivers of the Sierra and roasted in the oven or grilled, gazpachos (made with bread and hare, partridge, hen, wild mushrooms and ham,); chops roasted with vine shoots, migas ruleras, salmorejo, moje or pisto (ratatouille), etc. ah this washed down with the excellent white wines from Horcajo de Santiago, Fuente de Pedro Navarro, Belmonte, Santa María de los Llanos, Mota del Cuervo, Las Pedroñeras and El Provencio, the rosés from Casas de Haro, Tarancón or Quintanar del Rey, the golden white and the dark red from Mota del Cuervo; the pale pink from the Motilla del Palancar area, the red from, lniesta, El Pedernoso or El Provencio, Pozo Amargo and Casas de Fernando Alonso.
And to round off your meal, Manchego cheese and other desserts from Cuenca like alajú (made with almonds, honey, figs and wrapped in a thin wafer) followed by pestiños or pellizcos de monja (pastries) from San Clemente accompanied by a glass of resolí, a typical liqueur from the area which is absolutely delicious and is made from eau de vie, coffee, cinnamon, orange peel essence and sugar.