In This Issue:

Special Feature: Our World Flamenco Day Events
Spanish Culture Feature: El Camino
Recipe Corner: Paella
Call for Board Members
Upcoming Events

Special Feature – Upcoming Events

World Flamenco Day Events

On November 16th, 2010, UNESCO formally recognised Flamenco as one of the Masterpieces of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. One year later, World Flamenco Day was created to celebrate this date. Since then, every year all around the world, we celebrate Flamenco and its importance in Andalusian culture and in a broader context its irreplaceable contribution to world culture.

New Courses This Month – November Classes

Feature

El Camino

Image Source: APNews

What is the Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage in Spain?

The Camino de Santiago or Way of St. James is a pilgrimage of Medieval Origin to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, in the northwest of Spain.

Image Source: Trailtopeak.com

The Camino is actually many different routes that extend from across Europe and through Spain, ultimately ending at the intended destination , Santiago de Compostela. Legend has it that the remains of the Apostle Saint James the Great were buried here and discovered by a shepherd in the 9th century. The city is, in fact, named after the apostle: Santiago de Compostela means St. James of the Field of Stars (Milky Way). There may have been a political connection to the announcement by Rome of the discovery of his remains: the Pope of the day was keen to reunite the Christian kings of Europe to drive the Moors out of the Iberian peninsula. 

Although it is commonly believed that the pilgrimage to Santiago has continued without interruption since the Middle Ages, few modern pilgrimages antedate  the 1957 publication of Irish Hispanist and traveler Walter Starkie’s The Road to Santiago. The revival of the pilgrimage was supported by the Spanish Government of Francisco Franco, much inclined to support Spain’s Catholic history. It has been only since the 1990’s that the pilgrimage to Santiago regained the popularity it had in the Middle Ages.

The Camino de Santiago has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage for its important role in encouraging cultural exchanges between people from all over Europe and the world for many centuries.

Today (until the pandemic hit) hundreds of thousands of pilgrims follow those routes each year to Santiago, many for religious  or spiritual reasons. The most popular route is the Camino Frances (also known as the Camino Real ) that runs 800 kms from Saint Jean Pied de Port  in the French Pyrenees, across Spain to Santiago de Compostela.

 References: Camino ways.com/camino-de-santiago

Paella Recipe

What defines a paella?  Broadly speaking, paella is a saffron-flavored dish containing rice, meat, seafood, and vegetables. Paella takes its name from the paellera, the utensil in which it is cooked. Paella is traditionally eaten straight from the pan.

Ingredients

• 75g yellow bell pepper, diced
• 75g yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 180g chicken: legs, wings
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 180g calamari, chopped
• 1 tsp sweet paprika 
• 1 tomato, grated, skin discarded
• 150g bomba or risotto rice
• 450 ml fish stock
• 100 mg saffron
• 4 mussels
• 4 raw shrimp or prawns
• half lemon

Directions

1. Brown the chicken in olive oil for 3 minutes, using a pan that is the same size as your stove burner.
2. Remove the chicken, set it aside.  Lower the heat and add garlic.  Stir till brown.
3. Add the chopped peppers and simmer for 5 minutes, till soft. Add more oil if needed.
4. Add the chopped calamari and cook till it is whiter.
5. When the calamari is dry, sprinkle on the paprika, add the grated tomato and return the chicken to the pan.
6. Simmer till the mix gets dry, and add the uncooked rice and cook for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat.
7. Heat the fish stock in a saucepan.  Add salt till it is saltier than you normally prefer.
8. Add saffron to the stock and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Return paella pan to the burner.  Bring the stock to a boil.
9. Add stock to the mixture and spread the mixture out in the pan.  Don’t stir after this point!
10. Cook mixture on medium high for 6 minutes. Lay the mussels on top and continue for another 6 minutes.
11. Lower to medium low for 8 minutes.  Cook until the rice is soft and the mixture is dry.  It will be crispy on the bottom. Add the prawns about 5 minutes before it is finished.  
12. Remove from heat.   Place a wet dishtowel over the pan and let it rest for 10 minutes,  Use a spoon to separate the rice and make sure the liquid is evaporated.
13. Squeeze the lemon over the mixture and serve from the pan.  The prawns should be pink on both sides.

Volunteer Opportunity – November 1, 2021, Halifax, NS

Atlantic Flamenco Productions Society (AFP), known also as Maria Osende Flamenco Co
We (AFP ) are actively seeking engaged and dedicated individuals to join our Board of Directors.
The pandemic changed the performing arts landscape and we are eager to move on in new directions and take fresh input and outtakes. This is an opportunity to contribute to Atlantic Canada’s performing arts landscape through the advancement of flamenco and Spanish culture, to expand your personal and professional networks, and to further develop your leadership and management competencies by volunteering in your community.