Asturian-American Migration Forum

[Art: He combinado esos dos temas. Terechu y Pablo escribieron al casi mismo tiempo. ¡Gracias a los dos!
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I have combined two these threads. Terechu and Pablo wrote at almost the same moment! Thanks to you both!]



El NY Times dedica en su sección de viajes un estupendo artículo al queso asturiano, principalmente el Cabrales. (Al final meten una lamentable comparación con el queso único vasco, no sé a fin de qué...)
Saludos a los cabraliegos y gentes de los Picos de Europa en general - que no desfallezcan!

http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/11/23/tr ... l?emc=eta1

The NYT's Travel section publishes a very nice article on Asturian cheeses, which I think is worthwhile reading. (For reasons unknown, but easy to guess, they also add an out-of-place comparison with the only Basque cheese ...)

Greetings to the Cabraliegos and all other folks from the Picos de Europa - hang on in there!

Here is the link:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/11/23/tr ... lorer.html

Interesting, in the article that Terenchu mentioned

"He was speaking with disdain about rival Asturias that I soon discovered was common among the Basques."

I don't know if the Basques were only talking about cheeses or other things...I must confess that I do the same when I talk about their cider. ..Last time, I did it in an old house in deep Basque Country, and it was very discourteous from my part, and also dangerous. Sorry for that, basques


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Interesante, en el artículo que menciona Terenchu

"Él estaba hablando con desdén acerca de su rival, Asturies, algo que pronto descubrí era común entre los Vascos".

No sé si los vascos hablaban sólo de quesos o de otras cosas ... Debo confesar que yo hago lo mismo cuando hablo de su sidra. .. La última vez, se me ocurrió hacerlo en un caserio del País Vasco profundo, y fue muy descortés de mi parte, por no decir peligroso. Lo siento vascos

I have written to the editorial staff of the New York Times to let them know of several errors and omissions in the otherwise very nice article. Asturian cities and towns are to the west of Santander, not the east. Cabrales is not always made entirely of cow's milk, but can (seasonally at least) contain milk from goats and sheep as well. Asturian cheeses are not available only in Asturias, but also in the EEUU. La Tienda in Virginia (an affiliate of our website), La Española in southern California and at least one importer in New York (can't remember the name right now) all have a variety of them available most of the time - cabrales, gamoneu, afuega'l pitu, etc..

Last, I pointed out that Asturias has its own airport in Ranón. a short drive from the three major cities, Avilés, Oviedo and Gijón, and that there are connecting flights from Madrid and Barcelona. It is no less convenient than is Santander in Cantabria.

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Trans. Ana


He escrito al personal del NYT para comentarles acerca de errores y omisiones del que, por otra parte, es un buen artículo. Las ciudades y pueblos asturianos están al oeste de Santander, no al este. El cabrales no siempre se elabora únicamente con leche de vaca, sino que también puede (al menos según la estación), contener leche de cabra y oveja. Los quesos asturianos no sólo están a la venta en Asturias, también en EE.UU. La Tienda, en Virginia (afiliada a nuestra página), La Española (en el sur de California) y por lo menos un importador en NY (no recuerdo el nombre en este momento) ofrecen una gran variedad de quesos- cabrales, gamoneu, afuega’l pitu, etc..

Por último, también señalé que Asturias tiene su propio aeropuerto en Ranón, situado a corta distancia en coche de las tres ciudades principales (Avilés, Oviedo y Gijón) y que tiene vuelos directos con Madrid y Barcelona. No es menos práctico que el de Santander, en Cantabria.

For those of you in the EEUU, La Tienda currently has quite a few Asturian cheeses available.

Cheeses from La Tienda

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Bob wrote:I have written ...

hola bob, por que no vives alla, aaasturias? hasta la vista, peter

Llames wrote:Interesting, in the article that Terenchu mentioned

"He was speaking with disdain about rival Asturias that I soon discovered was common among the Basques."

I don't know if the Basques were only talking about cheeses or other things...I must confess that I do the same when I talk about their cider. ..Last time, I did it in an old house in deep Basque Country, and it was very discourteous from my part, and also dangerous. Sorry for that, basques


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Interesante, en el artículo que menciona Terenchu

"Él estaba hablando con desdén acerca de su rival, Asturies, algo que pronto descubrí era común entre los Vascos".

No sé si los vascos hablaban sólo de quesos o de otras cosas ... Debo confesar que yo hago lo mismo cuando hablo de su sidra. .. La última vez, se me ocurrió hacerlo en un caserio del País Vasco profundo, y fue muy descortés de mi parte, por no decir peligroso. Lo siento vascos

Bueno, ya sabes...los Vascos, ese pueblo de un solo queso, proceden de alguna estepa de Asia Menor y todavía no se adaptaron a la Cornisa Cantábrica. Son los únicos que no tienen madreñas, hórreos o paneras para guardar las patatas y manzanas, corredores para colgar las cebollas y el maíz, y encima malgastan los prados más jugosos como pasto de ovejas. ¿Cómo van a saber hacer sidra?

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Well, you know, the Basques, that One-Cheese-Nation, are originally from the steppes of Asia Minor and they have yet to adjust to the Cantabrian Rim. They are the only ones who know no clogs, have no granaries on stilts to keep potatoes and apples, balconies to hang onion and corn strings and, as if that weren't enough, they waste good meadows on sheep! How do you expect them to know how to make cider?

Interesting cheese rivalries going on in this NYT story. I had no idea the makers of Cabrales and those of Idiazabal would have 'disdain' for each other, as the cheeses are dissimilar. Both are expensive, although I must say Idiazabal is sooo expensive (even in Spain) that I have only bought it once.

Just in from Asturias to Paris, armed full of Asturian cheeses for my brother and his wife in Istanbul. Which ones?

-wheel of cabrales
-wheel of beyos
-wheel of oscos (made outside of Grandas de Salime)

One question an Asturian friend asked ME regarding local cheeses: how can locals afford an 8 euros Afuega'l Pitu? I agreed. Are these cheesemakers pricing themselves out of the market when even outsiders (like myself) cannot afford them on a regular basis?

Peter,

We already have two homes, one in Connecticut near where I work (always that nagging need for an income and a desire to be close to our granddaughters) and one on Massachusetts' North Shore, where we spend about half of our time just because we like it there (across the street from the ocean).

I'll admit to having a fantasy of a third home in Asturias, but given the current economy, it does not seem likely to happen in the next year or two. We will stay in hoteles/pensiones or rent a house for a while when we visit next year.

Is wrote:...Asturian cheeses for my brother and his wife in Istanbul. Which ones?

-wheel of cabrales
-wheel of beyos
-wheel of oscos (made outside of Grandas de Salime)

....

Paul, is that an entire wheel of Cabrales, one of the large ones!? Wow!
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Is, estás diciendo que llevaste una rueda (¿ wheel ?) entera de Cabrales, una de las grandes? ¡Vaya!

Art wrote:Paul, is that an entire wheel of Cabrales, one of the large ones!? Wow!
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Is, estás diciendo que llevaste una rueda (¿ wheel ?) entera de Cabrales, una de las grandes? ¡Vaya!

I got the large-sized wheel for my brother's wedding last year. This time, I found a smaller size (about 1kg) for 12 euros. According to the label, it's made by Quesera del Cares in Arenas de Cabrales. Bob, the ingredients are listed as: cow, sheep and goat milk, 45% fat.

That's a good price. La Tienda now has cabrales in a 1.2 pound wheel for $24.95. Of course, both the dollar and the euro have fluctuated like crazy over the last year, and transportation costs add to the final price. At today's exchange rate, that's a little over 19 euros.

In any event, it's well worth the price to me. Being able to have what I want is one of the reasons I continue to work. I'll cut back on my spending in other areas.

Is wrote:

One question an Asturian friend asked ME regarding local cheeses: how can locals afford an 8 euros Afuega'l Pitu? I agreed. Are these cheesemakers pricing themselves out of the market when even outsiders (like myself) cannot afford them on a regular basis?

Last year in november I did a quick travel to Asturies and I wanted to buy sweet cider for a magüestu (traditional asturian celebration with sweet cider and roasted chestnuts). I only had two days so I bought the cider in a small shop in Xixón, but it was handmade sweet cider (the one that they gave you in a reused bottle). It cost me 6 euros each.

My grandmother went to her homeland in Illas and bought sweet cider in a shop in that place....1.50 euros each bottle...And yes, that shop in Illas was the one that sold the sweet cider to the other shop in Xixón...

Hey Llames, the best deal is to go directly to a LLagar with a 5 litre jug and have them fill it up straight from the press - sidra del duernu - it's much cheaper and soooo good! We usually get ours at Trabanco or El Fugitivo in Gijón, but you can get it just about anywhere.

I buy our sweet cider from a little farm not too far from our home in Massachusetts. It's not as good as Asturian cider, but still very tasty and quite affordable.