A Tour of the Alpujarras of Granada .....

Escape the searing Andalucian heat for a tour of the Alpujarras, the white mountain villages set in the hills above the Costa Tropical of Granada Province.

               

Coca de San Juan - St John's Cake

Tomorrow is the Feast of Saint John, a celebration of the start to summer filled with food and fireworks.
 It also means that today is the day to pick up your Coca de San Juan from your local Panaderia, a lovely traditional pastry covered with sugared fruit.   Enjoy with a crisp glass of cava!

  The "Coca de Frutas de San Juan" is the traditional sweet prepared on the feast of St. John in June. It is a light sweet bread with candied fruit scattered throughout, as well as on top. It makes the perfect sweet to accompany a cup of tea or coffee at breakfast, brunch or for an afternoon snack.

Prep Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes  Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours, 5 minutes

Yield: 6 Servings

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 envelopes (1/4 oz each) dry yeast
• 4 cups unbleached white flour
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• rind or zest of 1 lemon
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 egg white
• several types of candied fruit – oranges, cherries, etc.
• 3 Tbsp pine nuts, optional

Preparation:

Grease a cookie sheet and set aside.
Dissolve the yeast in lukewarm milk in a glass measuring cup. Melt butter.
Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl. Make a hole in the center of the flour. Add eggs, sugar, yeast-milk mixture, lemon zest, salt and cinnamon to the center of the flour. Stir slightly.
Add canola oil and melted butter to the bowl. Mix thoroughly, while adding water a bit at a time until a soft dough is formed. (The amount of water needed will depend on temperature and weather conditions.) Form a ball in the bowl. Cover the bowl with a towel and leave it in a warm place, out of drafts. Allow to rise until dough has doubled in size.
Heat oven to 350F (176C) degrees.
Turn the dough onto the greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle flour on the dough. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin to the form of a long oval, about 1/2-inch thick.
Lightly beat the egg white. Brush top of coca. Decorate with the candied fruit and sprinkle with granulated sugar.
Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Place the baking sheet in the oven for approximately 20 minutes or until coca turns a golden brown. Serve warm.

Yoga for Complete Beginners - Yoga Class 20 Minutes

The Rain in Spain......

Motril Beach

At last, some  rain,

not just a drop or two,  no,  we  awoke at 4 o'clock this morning to the sound of  thunder crashing over head and lightening flashes rarely seen on this part of the Spanish Coast.  Tropical,  torrential rain  lashing down and a river of water rushing down the lane outside the winow.

The first thought was for the modem and leaping out of bed to switch it off because we've  previously had two of them  destroyed by electrical fields, the second was, will it would rain long enough to soften up the hard baked earth and fill the reservoirs.

Hours later it is still raining and more forecast for tomorrow which may or might not materialise; forecasted rain  has a tendency of disappearing into thin air here and the forecast catching up sometime later.

Meanwhile,  we're cosying up to the wood stove and enjoying the rain from the inside.

In Memory of Layla......

2001  -  Sunday  21st April  2013

"Not gone...but only gone before to where love lives on evermore.

Not lost...but only lost from sight, as one who walks ahead at night.

Not parted...only just apart ...in memory kept close in heart.

Not of the past.…but now to be a part of all eternity".

 

Layla with Dobby at Cortijo Azahar

4th June 2005

2nd January 2002

Motril Mining Excursion.......

 Geo-Mineral Forest Park of Cerro del Toro: The conversion of an old zinc mine into a museum is the main feature of this activity. The project presents the process of production in the ...

 Article by Julissa Quesada  - 6 August 2013

 
Knowing that the mines of Motril have recently re-opened, I decided to make it a family Sunday fun day and go for a visit.

Taking a drive into Motril and following the N-323 behind the hospital, one can reach the Geo-Mining Museum of Cerro del Toro. The drive up may be a bit confusing and you can easily drive by any markers leading the way without noticing. Our persistence in finding the place took a little under an hour, our faithful GPS failed us this hot Sunday morning. We did stop and ask for directions on our way up and drove right past it. One must be on the look out for a red billboard that is just not angled properly onto the road and is barely visible.

Parking is available when you pull in from the main road leading up to the foothills of the Lújar Sierra.

Once leaving your car in the parking area, you must walk 1km to the mining reception office. It is separated into two segments; first 450m, the next 550m. The crossroads marks hiking trails where we found wild rosemary bushes and sage. The walk down is on a steep hill that is not paved – my mistake this Sunday was wearing open-toed sandals and carrying a heavy bag. The information panels leading down to the mine will catch your attention although they are only in Spanish. They depict the history of mining of El Cerro del Toro, the ecosystem of the Nacla Mountains of Motril and the surrounding areas.

Once at the mine’s entrance, we were handed hard hats; everyone, including children, must wear them as a safety precaution, and down into the mountain we go after waiting for any latecomers to arrive. There is an immediate drop in temperature once passing across the threshold; a much-welcomed relief from the noon sun overhead.

The tour guide was very informative talking us through the history of the mine, its properties and the cycles of ore mining throughout its history, prior to any video presentation that the guide would lead us to.

What was most impressive is the preservation of the mine itself; there are no high-tech installations for educational purposes. The video presentations had a feel of shadow puppets against the stonewalls – non intrusive and almost magical. If I explained more it will be a spoiler for those who plan on visiting.

The tour itself is under 40 minutes but the walk through is fun and interactive. The tour guide illuminates all hidden corners with a powerful flashlight when you can easily walk right past mining galleries that resemble crawl spaces.

As an added bonus, Eduardo, our tour guide, shared folklore of the mine from when he was a kid and the adventures and often mishaps most had after the mine closed in the 1970′s as he walked us to a grated mine shaft that led to the midland gallery, currently flooded and inaccessible.

There are four, free, guided tours, every hour, on the hour as of 10:15. Saturday and Sunday during the month of August.

Although there were pamphlets in English, German and in French, I suggest calling and making arrangements for an interpreter if needed. The tour guides who were on duty only spoke Spanish.
Wheelchair and handicap accessibility is limited because of the unpaved road leading down to the mine, so its best to call ahead and make arrangements.

* Groups of 10 or more can be arranged by calling in advanced.
* Completely kid-friendly; my two year old did not fuss.
* There are picnic areas and a Mirador along N-323 to complete your day.

So, pack a picnic, put on your walking shoes, take a short trip and feel like you are in the centre of the world, if only for a little while, escaping the summer heat and crowded beaches.

For any other additional information including Handicap Accessibility or for booking Group Tours, please contact the Motril Cultural Department on 958 838 450.