THE CHANFAINA. FUENTE DE CANTOS

DETAILS

Denomination: The Chanfaina

Place: Fuente de Cantos, Badajoz

Date: Last Sunday in April.

Most interesting moments:

The making of the chanfaina.

The awarding of prizes.

The wine tasting.

How to get there: Fuente de Cantos lies on the N-630 and A-66 from Mérida to Seville.

LA HISTORIA

The town of Fuente de Cantos, home of Francisco de Zurbarán, the famous painter and one of the foremost Spanish representatives of naturalism, plays host to a festival whose celebration attracts thousands of people on the last Sunday of April, based on a popular ceremony which consists of the making and subsequent eating of a typical dish of the area, the chanfaina or lamb stew.

The origin of the use of lamb is clearly related to the trashumancia or migration, so typical of these lands of Extremadura which, for centuries, were the territory chosen by the Mesta as the ideal place to breed merino sheep, so abundant in the Iberian Peninsula.

THE FESTIVAL

Eminently gastronomic, the Chanfaina Festival begins with the traditional act of the handing over of the lamb to the oldest participating cook among those present by children dressed as shepherds. The cook, in turn, passes it on to the other participating cooks who, in a symbolic manner, season it in the pot to be used to make the stew.

The master of ceremonies who receives the lamb returns it seasoned and ready to cook. The festival continues with the chanfaina-making competition, using the classical ingredients: liver, heart, kidneys, etc., as well as a quantity of lamb loin, according to the wishes of the chanfaineros.

At the end of the preparation, a jury made up of two shepherds, two ladies from Fuente de Cantos (a slaughterer and a cook with great experience with this recipe), two members of local peñas or clubs and a renowned master cook, who acts as Chairman of the jury, awards the distinguished prize called Machacao de Plata and the well-earned title of Master Chanfainero for the best lamb stew.

This competition is open to any person who wishes to enter, sponsored by a peña. The groups are both local and from other regions of Extremadura and even Andalusia; they come year after year, attracted by the sociability and generosity of the people of Fuente de Cantos.

At the same time as the Chanfaina Festival is held, there is also a wine contest in which the wine-producers of the area and whoever else wishes to takes part, with prizes and awards for their abundant and renowned white and red wine.