Asturian-American Migration Forum

Greetings from Argyll in Scotland. I am looking for some help with book research. Regarding Gijon, there is a cider Cellar a short drive from Gijon. Anybody know the name of the place or are there many. I am trying to track down the name of one I visited in 1987. Also, what is the land like around Gijon. Is it mountainous, wooded etc. If anybody can help, I would really appreciate it. Thanks Gregor.

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Bones dende Argyll, Escocia. Toi viendo si dalguien m'echa un gabitu pa un llibru que toi escribiendo. No que cinca Xixon pemeque hai un llagar que nun ta llone de Xixon. Dalguien sabria decime el nome d'esti sitiu o ye que hai munchos llagares? Lo que me fai falta ya atopar el llagar/sidreria/chigre au tuviera yo en 1987. Tamien faime falta saber como ye la redolea de Xixon, si hai monte, biesca, etc. Agradezcovos la vuestra ayuda. Gracies, Gregor.

Gregor. Scotland. wrote:Greetings from Argyll in Scotland. I am looking for some help with book research. Regarding Gijon, there is a cider Cellar a short drive from Gijon. Anybody know the name of the place or are there many. I am trying to track down the name of one I visited in 1987. Also, what is the land like around Gijon. Is it mountainous, wooded etc. If anybody can help, I would really appreciate it. Thanks Gregor.

There are many cider taverns (chigres or sidredries) in the outskirts of Xixon. Some of them have back lawns with picnic tables where you can bring your own food and buy cider in the tavern. That kind of place is known in Asturian as a merenderu.

I think you may be referring to llagares, though. Those are places where the cider is actually stored in huge barrels and people pour the cider directly from the barrel into their glasses. I've been to a couple of them outside of Xixon, including Llagar de Trabanco. Others may be able to help with names.

As for the physical landscape, if you're talking about llagares in Caguenes/Cabuenes behind the 1970s hospital building, it is in a valley. The Trabanco place is in the foothills of the mountains overlooking Xixon, off a country road that lead, I think, to County Siero.

Try to remember the name and I'll be able to describe the place better for you.

Thats great help. Thanks a lot. I can't remember the name of the place but I can describe what I remember. It was a place that had the big barrels that each held 15000 litres of sidra. I was at a wedding and the barrels were lined up on the right as you went in with long benches on the left wall. At the end of the row of barrels I think you took a left and thats where the banquet was laid out. I think it must have been a llagares and indeed people were taking the sidra into their glass directly from the barrel. Another wee question - what is the typical construction. Stone walls? Tiled roof? The Trabanco place does sound closer to the landscape I remember. We travelled to it in a taxi from Gijon. Can't remember how long it took but no less that around 25 minutes. Thanks again for your help. Gregor.

Gregor. Scotland. wrote:I think it must have been a llagares and indeed people were taking the sidra into their glass directly from the barrel. Another wee question - what is the typical construction. Stone walls? Tiled roof?

hi Gregor,

The singular word for the cider house is llagar (plural would be llagares). It does sound like you are describing the llagares that are located south of Xixon in the foothills of the mountains. I just mentioned Trabanco because I´ve been there and it´s quite well-known. But there are plenty of others...

Also, it sounds like you took part in an espicha. That is the name for a buffet-style celebration at a llagar. Usually, they serve cold cuts (sausages, hams, cheese and general Asturian finger food) and people wander off to the barrels to pour their cider. The Basques have a similar tradition, but actually eat roasted meat at their cider houses.

Great help. Thanks. It was actually a wedding I was at. Cheers Gregor