"From Sant Ander comes the red lobster". Thus began
one of the well-known verses of the Archpriest of Hita, demonstrating
the appreciation which already existed in the Middle Ages, of
the cooking and sea produce from Santander.
Daily, in the auctions at the fishing ports
of Santander, Santoña, Laredo, San Vincente de la Barquera
or Castro Urdiales, to list only a few of the refuge places of
the Cantabrian fishing fleet, the favourite species of the Cantabrian
waters are unloaded and then, in the hands of expert cooks they
are transformed into such delicacies as hake in salsa verde,
tuna pot, pickled anchovy casserole, sea bream baked or grilled,
stuffed squid ... and the shellfish (langoustines, lobsters,
clams, barnacles...) of exceptional quality. In addition to produce
fished directly from the sea, Cantabria also has farms for langoustines,
lobsters, spider crab and oysters situated on the coast and offering
an unrivalled quality.
The anchovies of Cantabria represent, without
any kind of doubt, one of the most outstanding gastronomic contributions
of the region. The pickling of fresh anchovies - "boquerones"
or "bocarte" - pickled and preserved in oil - employs
many people on the Cantabrian coast. Santoña, Laredo,
Colindres and Castro Urdiales are the towns where the greatest
number of companies in the sector are found. A large part of
the anchovy production of Cantabria is exported to diverse countries
where this excellent delicacy is especially appreciated. During
the anchovy fishing season the fishing fleet based in the towns
of the eastern coast of Cantabria, returns to the port every
day with its cargo of hundreds of kilos of the precious fish
which go directly to the preserving factories, where after being
treated by traditional methods, they are packaged for later distribution
and consumption.
Although Cantabrian cooking excels itself
especially in seafood, it must not be forgotten that Cantabria
is an agricultural and cattle-farming region: meat (the red meat
from Tudanca is of an excellent quality) and market garden produce,
predominate in the traditional dishes , together with the "nouvelle
cuisine" which many of the restaurants of the Autonomous
Region serve.
Amongst the cheeses, in good supply in the
villages of Cantabria, and which can be found on the menus of
the best known restaurants in the region in greater or lesser
variety, we can list the piquant types of the high villages of
the Picos de Europa (Tresviso and Bejes), the smoked cheeses
of Aliva, the fresh cheeses of Lebeña, the sheep and goats
cheese of Pido, the Cabuérniga cheeses from Lamiña
and Riovados, those of Guriezo and Ampuero, and the very
well-known cream cheese which is now for the most part industrially
made, in Liérganes, La Cavada, Oruña de Piélagos,
Ruesga etc.
For desserts there are the fruits and the
sweets of the countryside, amongst them those which stand out
are the custards, the rice pudding, fried milk, the "ties"
of Unquera, the "pantortillas" of Reinosa, the "sacristanes"
of Liérganes, the "hearts" of La Cavada and
the famous pastries of the region, made completely from natural
raw ingredients of the best quality.
Liébana is the only region which produces
wines and the local Aguardiente, in all of Cantabria. There is
red wine, which is every time rarer, darker and softer, and the
excellent liqueur, Orujo - usually served in an iced glass.
Daily, in the auctions at the fishing ports
of Santander, Santoña, Laredo, San Vincente de la Barquera
or Castro Urdiales, to list only a few of the refuge places of
the Cantabrian fishing fleet, the favourite species of the Cantabrian
waters are unloaded and then, in the hands of expert cooks they
are transformed into such delicacies as hake in salsa verde,
tuna pot, pickled anchovy casserole, sea bream baked or grilled,
stuffed squid ... and the shellfish (langoustines, lobsters,
clams, barnacles...) of exceptional quality. In addition to produce
fished directly from the sea, Cantabria also has farms for langoustines,
lobsters, spider crab and oysters situated on the coast and offering
an unrivalled quality.
The anchovies of Cantabria represent, without
any kind of doubt, one of the most outstanding gastronomic contributions
of the region. The pickling of fresh anchovies - "boquerones"
or "bocarte" - pickled and preserved in oil - employs
many people on the Cantabrian coast. Santoña, Laredo,
Colindres and Castro Urdiales are the towns where the greatest
number of companies in the sector are found. A large part of
the anchovy production of Cantabria is exported to diverse countries
where this excellent delicacy is especially appreciated. During
the anchovy fishing season the fishing fleet based in the towns
of the eastern coast of Cantabria, returns to the port every
day with its cargo of hundreds of kilos of the precious fish
which go directly to the preserving factories, where after being
treated by traditional methods, they are packaged for later distribution
and consumption.
Although Cantabrian cooking excels itself
especially in seafood, it must not be forgotten that Cantabria
is an agricultural and cattle-farming region: meat (the red meat
from Tudanca is of an excellent quality) and market garden produce,
predominate in the traditional dishes , together with the "nouvelle
cuisine" which many of the restaurants of the Autonomous
Region serve.
Amongst the cheeses, in good supply in the
villages of Cantabria, and which can be found on the menus of
the best known restaurants in the region in greater or lesser
variety, we can list the piquant types of the high villages of
the Picos de Europa (Tresviso and Bejes), the smoked cheeses
of Aliva, the fresh cheeses of Lebeña, the sheep and goats
cheese of Pido, the Cabuérniga cheeses from Lamiña
and Riovados, those of Guriezo and Ampuero, and the very
For desserts there are the fruits and the
sweets of the countryside, amongst them those which stand out
are the custards, the rice pudding, fried milk, the "ties"
of Unquera, the "pantortillas" of Reinosa, the "sacristanes"
of Liérganes, the "hearts" of La Cavada and
the famous pastries of the region, made completely from natural
raw ingredients of the best quality.
Liébana is the only region which produces
wines and the local Aguardiente, in all of Cantabria. There is
red wine, which is every time rarer, darker and softer, and the
excellent liqueur, Orujo - usually served in an iced glass.