Heady Fleshpots and sweetmeats not included

 It is a day when we will go a lot down roads which run parallel to major roads that have streetview - and we don’t have.



Down, alongside the A-45 we go. We are straightwise to a service station which has fuel and the Cafeteria San Javier.  They were doing a menu del dia for 8.50 in 2020 - that was when the photo was taken anyway.    The 151 reviews don’t have many key words.  Price-8, toast-6, fly-5, gas station 5, ham 4, molletes 3, employees 3, blister packs 2, palmier 2 and vision -2.  A week ago Alberto gave four stars and said ‘Excellent ingredients and well-prepared food. The cake display case is spectacular.’.  Two weeks ago Rafael added ‘Excellent service and very good coffee.’ Four weeks ago Trevor confused me a bit. ‘Interesting place. An old convent on the top of the steep hill in priego. They charge for parking which is not on site so you have to get back down the hill a bit to park. A very beautiful converted convent with great views. Cleaned every day but cold and basic.’



Over the A-45 and south we go, then across the AP-46 and eventually eastwards.





That is it for what we will pass.  We will see Casabermeja  to the south but its heady fleshpots we won’t go to but we might as well find out what we are missing.



Casabermeja is a growing place. In 2022 it had 3813 people. In 2025 it had 4214. It has been bobbling between 2900 and 5200 over the last 180 years. It was nearing 5000 in the 1850s, 3700 in the 1900s, peaked at 5138 in 1950, sunk to 2809 in 1981 and then began to grow again.



According to wiki ‘Casabermeja boasts a rich and varied cuisine. The town has many restaurants and bars, which, especially during the winter months, attract a large number of visitors eager to sample its gastronomy . During the San Sebastián festival, each restaurant offers a portion of its finest dishes for all attendees to enjoy, with the town's signature dish, migas, being a highlight .’



Apart from migas olla de la era [stew], gazpacho, borrachuelos and olive oil cakes are considered must have local dishes.  Lets look at borrachuelos.




Ingredients

  • 500g plain flour

  • 50 ml sweet wine 

  • 50 ml brandy

  • 50 ml sweet anise

  • 50 ml orange juice

  • 125g  lard

  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds 

  • 1 teaspoon anise seeds

  • 3 tablespoons sugar

  • 1 orange zest

  • 1 orange peel

  • 1 pinch of salt

  • 400g angel hair (cabello de ángel – candied squash)

  • oil for frying

  • Sugar (for decorating)



  • Heat the lard in a frying pan. When it melts, add the peel of an orange and let it infuse the lard. Once the peel is golden, add sesame and anise seeds to the pan and let them rest in the lard. Set it aside.

  1. Combine flour, wine, brandy, orange juice, orange zest, sugar, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Stir lightly with a wooden spoon to mix. Add the melted lard.

  1. Mix the ingredients, first with the spoon, and then with your hands until forming a ball. The fat will be fully absorbed into the dough; if it’s too sticky, add a little more flour until it forms a soft ball of dough. Let it rest for 1 hour, covered with a clean cloth.

  1. Shape the dough into balls the size of a large walnut. With a rolling pin, stretch each ball until it is oval-shaped. There are specific rolling pins for making borrachuelos that leave grooves in the dough as you roll it out. 

  1. Place a tablespoon of angel hair in the center of each portion and fold. Seal the edge by pressing with the tines of a fork.

  1. Heat a pot with plenty of oil, enough to cover the borrachuelos while frying. When the oil is hot, fry the borrachuelos on both sides.

  1. Once golden brown, remove them and place them on a tray with paper towels to absorb excess oil. Fill a wide container with sugar and while they are still warm, coat them in it.




You will now be busy cooking so we will end now and continue tomorrow.






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