The Art Of Cooking

 

We checked out of our hotel in Vigo and drove two estuaries up the coast to Cambados where we were picked up by a small fishing boat. Perhaps I should say that it was a retired fishing boat because it is now used as an educational field trip type of boat. The Captain was very jovial and took us out to look at the mussel nurseries.

In the last blog, I said that men were scrapping baby mussels off of the rocks. The mussels then come to these nurseries where these little babies are wrapped onto ropes using cotton webbing. The ropes are then dropped into the water. After about a week, the cotton webbing disintegrates and the babies have attached themselves to the rope. In about a year, the mussels are ready to be harvested.

These are the platforms that they hang the ropes from

I got to drive the boat! Well not really - photo op

We also watched some scallop harvesters.  They stand in waist deep water and use a rake to pull in the scallops.

After motoring around, a quick snack was served.  First up was octopus pie followed by some freshly steamed mussels.  Of course, there was plenty of wine to go around also.

Following our boating excursion, we were taken to a cannery.  I'm a sucker for automated factories and this looked like it was going to be great.  Alas, it was everybody's day off.  This particular cannery is known for it's very upscale products.  The sardines are individually trimmed and placed in the cans. More samples, more wine.

Look how perfect these sardines are

Isn't this just the cutest car?

Then it was back on the bus to head to a rural inn where we are going to have a cooking class.  The chef was very adept at taking the eleven of us and having each of us doing a different part of the meal.  There was scallop pie, skate stew plus two other types of pie.  I singlehandedly got to make the Torta de Santiago.  This was an almond cake with the Cross of St. James outlined in powder sugar.  

Skate Stew

Scallop Pie

One of my Torta de Santiagos

It was then off to our hotel after a very full day