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Like most Americans, I would imagine that a lot of the folks here come from mixed-heritage households (for example, I'm 1/4 Spanish, but the rest of my blood can be traced back to Scotland, Ireland, Germany, and Wales). I most closely identify with my Spanish roots, since my Spanish relatives are the most recent arrivals to the States (my mother's family has been here since the Revolution, at least).
My question to you all is this: What Spanish customs stuck around in your family?
The majority of my family's ties to Spain involve foods. Growing up, I thought that everybody had Arroz con Pollo on Sundays and Kale soup (sopa de berzas) when it was cold outside. Also, the only omellet I ever knew was tortilla española. And the best was the home-made chorizo that my family made (and continues to make according to the old family recipe).
Another great Spanish custom that I've always observed is the eating of twelve grapes at the stroke of midnight for New Year's. I've never missed a year yet! (Knock on virtual wood!)
What about you all?
What customs from Asturies does your family still keep?
Moderator: Moderators
tradition
Dear Xose:
It sounds like we have almost the same ethnic background. My maternal grandparents were from Asturias, Spain and my father's family has been in the USA since around 1700.
The trouble I have is knowing what is a spanish tradition and what is a regular American tradition. For example, my Mother and Grandmother always made this wonderful Kale Soup. I did not know that it is an Asturian dish until you mentioned it. My grandmother also made a delicious chicken with rice meal for us on Sundays. She also made an egg dish I loved. She would use tuna mixed with eggs and green onion. When she was finished it was about an inch thick, I do not know what it was called.
The problem with continuing the tradition is it often depends on whether your spouse and children like the meal. I once made Kale soup and, although I thought it tasted great, my Irish husband did not like it. The same went for the other dishes I attempted to pass on.
We have not continued any other traditions, mostly because I do not remember my grandmother passing on any such traditions. It is too bad, I wish I could have learned more about my Spanish Heritage.
It is a good discussion topic. I would like to hear other responses.
It sounds like we have almost the same ethnic background. My maternal grandparents were from Asturias, Spain and my father's family has been in the USA since around 1700.
The trouble I have is knowing what is a spanish tradition and what is a regular American tradition. For example, my Mother and Grandmother always made this wonderful Kale Soup. I did not know that it is an Asturian dish until you mentioned it. My grandmother also made a delicious chicken with rice meal for us on Sundays. She also made an egg dish I loved. She would use tuna mixed with eggs and green onion. When she was finished it was about an inch thick, I do not know what it was called.
The problem with continuing the tradition is it often depends on whether your spouse and children like the meal. I once made Kale soup and, although I thought it tasted great, my Irish husband did not like it. The same went for the other dishes I attempted to pass on.
We have not continued any other traditions, mostly because I do not remember my grandmother passing on any such traditions. It is too bad, I wish I could have learned more about my Spanish Heritage.
It is a good discussion topic. I would like to hear other responses.
Donna
Re: tradition
Dona ,el plato que´ preparaba tu´ abuela te refires a la tortilla española o´ a la ensaladilla rusa? la tortilla española se hace con patata, cebolla y huevos , tambien le puedes hechar pimiento verde,rojo esta´ buenisima un dia de playa o´ excursio´n no puede faltar la tortilla española. La ensaladilla rusa se hace con:huevo cocido,bonito,patata cocida,zanahoria, pimientos de lata, arbejos en Asturias se llama asi´ a los guisantes,aceitunas con hueso o´ sin hueso rellenas de anchoa y no puede faltar la mayonesa ,esta´ buenisima. 
Bueno ahora encuentras todo esto en los supermercados, en la seccio´n de congelados en bolsas que´ pone preparado para ^^ensaladilla,^^ despue´s de cocido solo tienes que añadir los ingredientes ,espero que´ me hallas entendido.besinos :?:Lo de sopa de col te refieres al porte de berzas? 
Bueno ahora encuentras todo esto en los supermercados, en la seccio´n de congelados en bolsas que´ pone preparado para ^^ensaladilla,^^ despue´s de cocido solo tienes que añadir los ingredientes ,espero que´ me hallas entendido.besinos :?:Lo de sopa de col te refieres al porte de berzas? Gracias
Dear Manuel,
From your description, I think my grandmother made la tortilla española. My grandmother died when I was a child, so my memory of the food she made is not so good. I think there were potatoes and onions in the eggs. I also think she put in tuna fish. Whatever it was I loved it. My grandmother also made homemade donuts, and a wonderful sweet bread called Marañuelas. My sister recently visited this website and found the recipe for Maranuelas. She made them and said they were delicious. It was just like the ones Abuela made.
_________________________________________________________
[Please forgive my terrible Spanish. Mi espanol es terrible]
Estimado Manuel:
De su descripción, pienso a mi abuela hecha tortilla española. Mi abuela murió cuando era un niña, así que mi memoria del alimento que ella hizo no es tan buena. Pienso que había patatas y cebollas en los huevos. También pienso que ella puso en pescados de atún. Mi abuela también hizo donuts, y un pan dulce maravilloso llamó a Marañuelas. Mi hermana visitó este Web site y encontró recientemente la receta para Maranuelas. Ella los hizo y dicho eran deliciosos.
From your description, I think my grandmother made la tortilla española. My grandmother died when I was a child, so my memory of the food she made is not so good. I think there were potatoes and onions in the eggs. I also think she put in tuna fish. Whatever it was I loved it. My grandmother also made homemade donuts, and a wonderful sweet bread called Marañuelas. My sister recently visited this website and found the recipe for Maranuelas. She made them and said they were delicious. It was just like the ones Abuela made.
_________________________________________________________
[Please forgive my terrible Spanish. Mi espanol es terrible]
Estimado Manuel:
De su descripción, pienso a mi abuela hecha tortilla española. Mi abuela murió cuando era un niña, así que mi memoria del alimento que ella hizo no es tan buena. Pienso que había patatas y cebollas en los huevos. También pienso que ella puso en pescados de atún. Mi abuela también hizo donuts, y un pan dulce maravilloso llamó a Marañuelas. Mi hermana visitó este Web site y encontró recientemente la receta para Maranuelas. Ella los hizo y dicho eran deliciosos.
Donna
Re: Gracias
Hola Donna, como tu´ bien dices las marañuelas es una receta muy rica, aqui´ son ti´picas mas bien por la Semana Santa como el bollo de Pascua, que´ regalan los Padrinos a los ahijados ,una tradiccio´n de muchos años es, el Domingo de Ramos llevas el ramo a bendecir en la Misa y luego se lo llevas a los Padrinos ,antiguamente ellos daban el BOLLO DE PASCUA actualmente los ahijados llevan un regalo con el ramo bendito y los Padrinos dan tambien un regalo ,el ramo puede ser de LAUREL o PALMA ,las madrinas prefieren el Laurel porque luego sirve para cocinar y si esta bendito mejor que mejor , por lo menos la madrina de mis hijos queria LAUREL 
.BESINOS P.D. lo entendiste? 
--------------
Translated by Art
Hello, Donna, As you said so well, the marañuelas are a delicious recipe. Here they are typical more for Holy Week, as the "bollo de pascua" [perhaps "the Passion [Holy Week] pastry"?] that godparents give to their godchildren. This is a tradition from way back. Palm Sunday you take a palm branch [leaf?] as a blessing in the mass and later you carry it to your godparents. In old times, they used to give the "bollo de pascua." These days the godchildren take a give with the blessed palm branch and the godparents also give a gift. The palm branch can be of laurel [bay leaf] or palm. The god mothers prefer the laurel [bay leaf] because later it can be used for cooking and if it is blessed, so much the better. At the very least, the godmother of my children wanted laurel [bay leaf] kisses. PS. Did you understand what I wrote?
.BESINOS P.D. lo entendiste? --------------
Translated by Art
Hello, Donna, As you said so well, the marañuelas are a delicious recipe. Here they are typical more for Holy Week, as the "bollo de pascua" [perhaps "the Passion [Holy Week] pastry"?] that godparents give to their godchildren. This is a tradition from way back. Palm Sunday you take a palm branch [leaf?] as a blessing in the mass and later you carry it to your godparents. In old times, they used to give the "bollo de pascua." These days the godchildren take a give with the blessed palm branch and the godparents also give a gift. The palm branch can be of laurel [bay leaf] or palm. The god mothers prefer the laurel [bay leaf] because later it can be used for cooking and if it is blessed, so much the better. At the very least, the godmother of my children wanted laurel [bay leaf]
kisses. PS. Did you understand what I wrote? -
El Tampeno
- Posts: 56
- Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2003 1:06 am
- Location: Tampa
- asturias_and_me:
Hi Xose....just joined the forum...isn't it great???
My grandparents emigrated to Tampa in 1909 and joined a very large community of Asturianos and other Spaniards/Cubans in the cigar industry.
Like your family, food was paramount....we rarely ate "traditional American" food....mostly Spanish, Comidas Criollas (Cuban food with Spanish influence) and also Sicilian (mom was Sicilian). The foods we ate the most were Tortilla Espanola, Fabada, Caldo Gallego (from our cousins to the West), Arroz con Pollo, Arroz con Leche, Flan, Natilla, Cafe con Leche (every morning, even as young children)....many others as well but these were standard fare. Potaje de Garbanzos was very common as well.
At Xmas time the Turrones would arrive at the Spanish stores..usually the brand Sanchez y Mira, along with many cases of Sidra Asturiana (usually brand El Gaitero from Villaviciosa). As guests would arrive for Noche Buena out would come the "Anis del Mono" or the "Anis La Praviana".....licorice-flavored liquers. At midnight we would eat chicken soup "sopa de Fideos" and then usually a large baked fish with tomatoes and potatoes///sometimes a leg of pork, Cuban/Spanish style with a marinade of lemon/orange/garlic/oregano...called "mojo criollo". "Criollo" is an adjective meaning any person/thing of the "New World"...ie the Americas, but with roots in Spain (or France if you're in Louisiana).
Other customs/tradtions I recall were that the men (only, no women) would go the the "Centro's" or social clubs evening/weekends and play
cards/dominoes and drink their cafe con leche. This would happen in areas called the "casinos"...no women permitted. Women were allowed in the theater and ballroom areas...the centro's were very large buildings.
Also, I recall there were often "funciones" at the Centro Asturiano theater, usually zarzuelas and/or folk singers/performers from Asturias...many Gaiteros as well including many of our locals....sadly they are now long-departed. Every fall and spring we would have "Fiestas de la Verbena"...large picnic-type gatherings with lots of food and Gaita music and "jota" dancing....I would think this was a holdover from the old country...most of Tampa's Asturianos were from the "aldeas", small farming communities, as opposed to cities and/or mining areas.
I had no sisters, but I recall some of my female cousins going to sewing and embroidering schools for lessons...I think maybe that's a tradition among Asturiano women....knitting, etc in groups.
Thanks for bringing up fond memories....hope to hear from you!!!!
By the way, many of these customs still permeate our community, though less intensely.
El Tampeno
PS...how could I forget......always our favorite food was CHORIZOS ..but only estilo Asturiano...no cheap imitations...we had several local large-scale producers. I lived for 11 years in California and NEVER found the true Asturiano chorizos...even today the only places I can easily find them are Tampa and Miami (a very high percentage of Cuban-Americans are of Asturiano extraction).
My grandparents emigrated to Tampa in 1909 and joined a very large community of Asturianos and other Spaniards/Cubans in the cigar industry.
Like your family, food was paramount....we rarely ate "traditional American" food....mostly Spanish, Comidas Criollas (Cuban food with Spanish influence) and also Sicilian (mom was Sicilian). The foods we ate the most were Tortilla Espanola, Fabada, Caldo Gallego (from our cousins to the West), Arroz con Pollo, Arroz con Leche, Flan, Natilla, Cafe con Leche (every morning, even as young children)....many others as well but these were standard fare. Potaje de Garbanzos was very common as well.
At Xmas time the Turrones would arrive at the Spanish stores..usually the brand Sanchez y Mira, along with many cases of Sidra Asturiana (usually brand El Gaitero from Villaviciosa). As guests would arrive for Noche Buena out would come the "Anis del Mono" or the "Anis La Praviana".....licorice-flavored liquers. At midnight we would eat chicken soup "sopa de Fideos" and then usually a large baked fish with tomatoes and potatoes///sometimes a leg of pork, Cuban/Spanish style with a marinade of lemon/orange/garlic/oregano...called "mojo criollo". "Criollo" is an adjective meaning any person/thing of the "New World"...ie the Americas, but with roots in Spain (or France if you're in Louisiana).
Other customs/tradtions I recall were that the men (only, no women) would go the the "Centro's" or social clubs evening/weekends and play
cards/dominoes and drink their cafe con leche. This would happen in areas called the "casinos"...no women permitted. Women were allowed in the theater and ballroom areas...the centro's were very large buildings.
Also, I recall there were often "funciones" at the Centro Asturiano theater, usually zarzuelas and/or folk singers/performers from Asturias...many Gaiteros as well including many of our locals....sadly they are now long-departed. Every fall and spring we would have "Fiestas de la Verbena"...large picnic-type gatherings with lots of food and Gaita music and "jota" dancing....I would think this was a holdover from the old country...most of Tampa's Asturianos were from the "aldeas", small farming communities, as opposed to cities and/or mining areas.
I had no sisters, but I recall some of my female cousins going to sewing and embroidering schools for lessons...I think maybe that's a tradition among Asturiano women....knitting, etc in groups.
Thanks for bringing up fond memories....hope to hear from you!!!!
By the way, many of these customs still permeate our community, though less intensely.
El Tampeno
PS...how could I forget......always our favorite food was CHORIZOS ..but only estilo Asturiano...no cheap imitations...we had several local large-scale producers. I lived for 11 years in California and NEVER found the true Asturiano chorizos...even today the only places I can easily find them are Tampa and Miami (a very high percentage of Cuban-Americans are of Asturiano extraction).
Tony Carreno/Tampa Florida
-
el californiano
- Posts: 11
- Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2003 1:29 am
- Location: Torrance,Ca
- asturias_and_me:
Tradiciones de Asturias
Todos sus cuentos me han dando una nostalgia y un apreciación o mejor dicho amor para el alimento o cocina asturiana. He sido afortunado aquí en California por que hay un importador español cerca de mi casa adonde importa los productos de España y Portugal. Bueno, la noche buena en mi casa siempre tuvo una pierna de puerco (lechon). Hoy en dia comemos bacalao o merluza en vez de lechon( por razones de salud). Tambien bebemos la sidra de gaitero y una copa de anís de la asturiana para terminar las reuniones de familia. Venga....
¡Salud y pesetas a todos!
¡Salud y pesetas a todos!
^^
Yeah I've always been brought up eating Asturian food! I'm only 18 but I love cooking it too! My Grandmother showed me how to make Potaje and Tortilla years ago, and it really is delicious. Good thing for me my boyfriend loves it too My mother (who is Cuban) cooks Asturian food all the time. I am 3rd generation Asturian, but to tell you the truth, its the culture I keep closest to my heart. My grandparents moved from Brieves to Uruguay where they had my father and Aunt, and finally moved here when my father was 17. Since the day I was born, I wasnt seen as Cuban, Uruguayen, or even American, I was a new Asturian who would keep traditions going another generation. Every month we have someones birthday party here in Miami, which we celebrate with Asturian songs, chorizo, tortilla, and depending who's birthday it is we might have some fabada. My parents have been taking me to Spain since I was 2, and we all have a small apartment in Salinas, about 45min from Oviedo. There is nothing like living in Spain, especially in Asturias. Being a kid and going to the festival of Prau and our local summer festivals was so much fun! My most favorite had to have been the San Timoteo festival in Luarca! what memories, jejeje! We try and keep all of our traditions going on here in the U.S. as much as we can. My car is filled with Asturian stuff (lol) and at one point had to dress up as an Asturian girl for Halloween (us girls ofcourse). At parties we serve eachother culins of sidra and dance to music of the gaita. All in all I hope we can preserve our Asturian culture, and maybe next year I can go back to Salinas for the summer and have some helado de turon (yum!)
My mother (who is Cuban) cooks Asturian food all the time. I am 3rd generation Asturian, but to tell you the truth, its the culture I keep closest to my heart. My grandparents moved from Brieves to Uruguay where they had my father and Aunt, and finally moved here when my father was 17. Since the day I was born, I wasnt seen as Cuban, Uruguayen, or even American, I was a new Asturian who would keep traditions going another generation. Every month we have someones birthday party here in Miami, which we celebrate with Asturian songs, chorizo, tortilla, and depending who's birthday it is we might have some fabada. My parents have been taking me to Spain since I was 2, and we all have a small apartment in Salinas, about 45min from Oviedo. There is nothing like living in Spain, especially in Asturias. Being a kid and going to the festival of Prau and our local summer festivals was so much fun! My most favorite had to have been the San Timoteo festival in Luarca! what memories, jejeje! We try and keep all of our traditions going on here in the U.S. as much as we can. My car is filled with Asturian stuff (lol) and at one point had to dress up as an Asturian girl for Halloween (us girls ofcourse). At parties we serve eachother culins of sidra and dance to music of the gaita. All in all I hope we can preserve our Asturian culture, and maybe next year I can go back to Salinas for the summer and have some helado de turon (yum!)From a little town called Salinas
-
rebusquinos
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2007 1:05 pm
- asturias_and_me:
Anís de la Asturiana en Torrance, Ca
Yo vivo en Redondo Beach, Ca; y también tengo una botellina en casa...
My ties to Spain revolve around food also. My grandmother used to make a kale soup that I loved. She also made Bollinas every Christmas. I am going to make a concerted effort to make the same dishes for my girls so they have the same memories that I had.
I am 1/2 Asturian and 1/2 Korean. I am a lucky girl as far as food is concerned.
I am 1/2 Asturian and 1/2 Korean. I am a lucky girl as far as food is concerned.
Last edited by cunningp on Sat Nov 03, 2007 8:13 am, edited 1 time in total.
In that case, you might enjoy trying the kale soups already listed in this section:
http://www.asturianus.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=27
--------------
En ese caso, tal vez te gustaría probar las potes de berza que ya aparecen en esta sección:
http://www.asturianus.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=27
http://www.asturianus.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=27
--------------
En ese caso, tal vez te gustaría probar las potes de berza que ya aparecen en esta sección:
http://www.asturianus.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=27
Felicidades y los mejores deseos para el ano nuevo!!!
El mejor costumbre asturiano es acordarse de la familia y las amistades de los tiempos pasados y de hoy. Tenemos muchas photos de todos, pero la memoria y los recuerdos de ellos quedan con nosotoros para siempre.
Cada vez que comemos tortilla de patata,arroz con pollo,un brazo gitano,bollinas,turron,chorizo (longaniza),morcilla,sopa de fideo(berzas,garbanzos,fabada,o de ajo) nos acordamos de nuestra familia y amistades... y de su familia y amistades en esos tiempos pasados.
Pensando de ellos,me acuerdo de sus cuentos de Asturias,de sus pueblos,de la vida asturiana(canciones,bailes,comida y tradiciones),de su familia y de sus amistades.Cuanto me hubiera gustado preguntarles mas. Yo se que les ayudaron a la familia y a las amistades en la salida, en la llegada,en los trabajos,en los matrimonios y en mucho mas. El libro" Pinnick Kinnick Hill"es un ejemplo de nuestra historia asturiana...de nuestras costumbres.
Es possible que muchos de nosotros asturianos de Anmoore,Spelter,Cherryvale,Moundsville,Canton,Langeloth,Donora y mas centros castrilloneses/asturianos/americanos... somos familia... hijos de amistades asturianas quienes se conocieron en esos tiempos.
Nosotros tenemos que continuar con las costumbres asturianas tipicas y con los recuerdos de la familia y de amistades con nuestros hijos... ensenandoles algo de nuestra cultura...para el honor de nuestra familia.
Feliz Navidad y Prospero Ano Nuevo a todos!
jbarbo
The best custom asturiano is to remember our family and our friends of times gone by and of today. We have many photographs of them,but our memories of them will stay with us forever.
Each time that we eat tortilla,chicken and rice,brazo gitano,bollinas,turron,chorizo(longaniza),morcilla,fideo soup(berzas,garbanzos,fabada o de ajo) we remember our family and our friends... and of their family and friends in those times long ago.
Thinking of them,I remember their stories of Asturias,of their hometowns,of the life asturiana(songs,dances,food and traditions),of their families and of their friends.I would have liked to ask them more.I know that they helped their family and their friends with the emigration,with the arrival,with work,with marriages and with so much more.The book "Pinnick Kinnick Hill" is an example of our asturian history...of our customs.
It is possible that many of us asturianos/americanos from Anmoore,Spelter,Cherryvale,Moundsville,Canton,Langeloth,Donora,and many other centers of castrillones/asturians/americans are family... children of good asturian friends who knew one another in those days.
We have to continue with our typical asturian customs and also, with the memories of our family and friends with our children... sharing with them our history... honoring our family.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.
jbarbo
Cada vez que comemos tortilla de patata,arroz con pollo,un brazo gitano,bollinas,turron,chorizo (longaniza),morcilla,sopa de fideo(berzas,garbanzos,fabada,o de ajo) nos acordamos de nuestra familia y amistades... y de su familia y amistades en esos tiempos pasados.
Pensando de ellos,me acuerdo de sus cuentos de Asturias,de sus pueblos,de la vida asturiana(canciones,bailes,comida y tradiciones),de su familia y de sus amistades.Cuanto me hubiera gustado preguntarles mas. Yo se que les ayudaron a la familia y a las amistades en la salida, en la llegada,en los trabajos,en los matrimonios y en mucho mas. El libro" Pinnick Kinnick Hill"es un ejemplo de nuestra historia asturiana...de nuestras costumbres.
Es possible que muchos de nosotros asturianos de Anmoore,Spelter,Cherryvale,Moundsville,Canton,Langeloth,Donora y mas centros castrilloneses/asturianos/americanos... somos familia... hijos de amistades asturianas quienes se conocieron en esos tiempos.
Nosotros tenemos que continuar con las costumbres asturianas tipicas y con los recuerdos de la familia y de amistades con nuestros hijos... ensenandoles algo de nuestra cultura...para el honor de nuestra familia.
Feliz Navidad y Prospero Ano Nuevo a todos!
jbarbo
The best custom asturiano is to remember our family and our friends of times gone by and of today. We have many photographs of them,but our memories of them will stay with us forever.
Each time that we eat tortilla,chicken and rice,brazo gitano,bollinas,turron,chorizo(longaniza),morcilla,fideo soup(berzas,garbanzos,fabada o de ajo) we remember our family and our friends... and of their family and friends in those times long ago.
Thinking of them,I remember their stories of Asturias,of their hometowns,of the life asturiana(songs,dances,food and traditions),of their families and of their friends.I would have liked to ask them more.I know that they helped their family and their friends with the emigration,with the arrival,with work,with marriages and with so much more.The book "Pinnick Kinnick Hill" is an example of our asturian history...of our customs.
It is possible that many of us asturianos/americanos from Anmoore,Spelter,Cherryvale,Moundsville,Canton,Langeloth,Donora,and many other centers of castrillones/asturians/americans are family... children of good asturian friends who knew one another in those days.
We have to continue with our typical asturian customs and also, with the memories of our family and friends with our children... sharing with them our history... honoring our family.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.
jbarbo