Murcia

Grape syrup is a condiment made with concentrated grape juice. It is thick and sweet because of its high ratio of sugar to water. Grape syrup is made by boiling grapes, removing their skins, and squeezing them through a sieve to extract the juice. Like other fruit syrups, a common use of grape syrup is as a topping to sweet cakes, such as pancakes or waffles. The ancient Greek name for grape syrup is siraios , in the general category of hepsema (ἕψημα), which translates to 'boiled'. The Greek name was used in Crete and, in modern times, in Cyprus. Petimezi is the name for a type of Mediterranean grape syrup. The word comes from the Turkish pekmez, which usually refers to grape syrup, but is also used to refer to mulberry and other fruit syrups.

Asiático is an alcoholic drink made out of coffee, it is typical from the Spanish city of Cartagena and very representative of the cuisine of the Campo de Cartagena. The original recipe consists of coffee with condensed milk and cognac; a few drops of Licor 43 as well as a couple of coffee beans, lemon rind and cinnamon may be added, but it is usual to find it without the grains of coffee and lemon peel. It is commonly served in a special glass, thicker than usual to avoid thermal collapse of it, and whose design is inspired by the one manufactured at the ancient Glass Factory of St. Lucia in Cartagena. This new glass replaced the glass of vermouth that was originally used because of its greater resistance, and since 1945 is the company Jose Diaz is in charge of its manufacturing and commercialization.

Cabell d'àngel [kəˈβɛʎ ˈdaɲʒəl] ( Spanish: [kaˈβeʎo ðe ˈaŋxel] cabello de ángel; literally "angel's hair") is a transparent threaded[clarification needed] jam made from Siam pumpkin (Cucurbita ficifolia) pulp and white sugar. It originated in Mallorca [citation needed] but its use has spread to the rest of Spain and some countries in the Americas. Cabell d'àngel can be used simply as a pumpkin jam spread on slices of bread, but it is mainly used to stuff pastries, as ensaïmades, pastissets and coques. The pumpkin is boiled in water until it falls apart into fibres. This pulp is cooked in sugar syrup with slow and frequent stirring. In Mallorca, it is baked instead of being boiled, intensifying the flavour. The jam can be seasoned with cinnamon or citrus zest. It is best when prepared in the spring, once the pumpkins have fully matured.

Horns, a horn-shaped pastry filled with meringue

Flan-like dessert made with stale bread or sponge cake, serve with caramel

Paparajotes are a typical dessert of Murcia, Spain made with lemon leaves coated with a dough made with flour and egg that are fried and sprinkled with powdered sugar and cinnamon. Paparajotes were introduced by way of the Middle East to Murcia and were made in peasant homes [citation needed]. In Murcia they were made daily, cooked using firewood, and eaten after each meal [citation needed] often accompanying by puchero coffee or café de olla. Main ingredients are: flour, egg, milk, and lemon leaves. Even today the origin of the name remains a mystery. To make paparajotes, lemon leaves are collected from local orchards. The leaves should be light green , and neither too soft or too hard. Once a leaf is chosen, it is coated with dough and fried. Yeast is used in the dough to cause the dough to rise and coat the leaf.

Egg custard topped with caramel syrup, similar to flan

Layered sponge cake soaked in syrup, with custard and meringue

Asiático is an alcoholic drink made out of coffee, it is typical from the Spanish city of Cartagena and very representative of the cuisine of the Campo de Cartagena. The original recipe consists of coffee with condensed milk and cognac; a few drops of Licor 43 as well as a couple of coffee beans, lemon rind and cinnamon may be added, but it is usual to find it without the grains of coffee and lemon peel. It is commonly served in a special glass, thicker than usual to avoid thermal collapse of it, and whose design is inspired by the one manufactured at the ancient Glass Factory of St. Lucia in Cartagena. This new glass replaced the glass of vermouth that was originally used because of its greater resistance, and since 1945 is the company Jose Diaz is in charge of its manufacturing and commercialization.

Horchata made with chufa (tiger nuts), serve with fartons (pastries)

Licor 43, or Cuarenta y Tres , is a Spanish liqueur, made in Cartagena, Spain. Licor 43 was invented in 1946 by the siblings Diego, Angel, and Josefina Zamora, along with Emilio Restoy, Josefina's husband. The Licor 43 website states they based their recipe on the Liqvor Mirabilis (marvellous liquid), a golden, aromatic elixir produced and infused from local fruits and herbs in Carthago Nova during the 3rd century. Liqvor Mirabilis was encountered by the Romans when they conquered the region in 209 BC; despite the Romans banning its production and consumption, the Carthaginians continued producing in secret. This legend served as the inspiration for the Zamora's invention of Licor 43. The name of the modern-day liqueur originates from its use of 43 different ingredients; while its recipe is a closely guarded secret by the Zamora family, it is known to contain citrus and fruit juices, and to be flavoured with vanilla, among other aromatic herbs and spices.

Mourvèdre is a red wine grape variety grown in many regions around the world. It is found in the Rhône and Provence regions of France, the Valencia and Jumilla, Bullas and Yecla denominaciones de origen (DOs) of Spain, as well as the Balearic Islands, California and Washington and the Australian regions of South Australia and New South Wales, plus South Africa. In addition to making red varietal wines, Mourvèdre is a prominent component in "GSM" (Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre) blends. The variety is also used to make rosé and port-style fortified wines. Mourvèdre tends to produce tannic wines that can be high in alcohol. The style of wine produced from the grapes varies greatly according to where it is produced, but according to wine expert Jancis Robinson Mourvèdre wines often have wild game, or earthy notes to them, with soft red fruit flavors. According to wine expert Oz Clarke, young Mourvèdre can come across as faulted due to the reductive, sulfur notes and "farmyard-y" flavors that some wines can exhibit before those flavors mellow with age. The variety can be a difficult grape to grow, preferring "its face in the hot sun and its feet in the water" meaning that it needs very warm weather, a low leaf-to-fruit ratio but adequate water or irrigation to produce intensely flavored fruit that is not overly jammy or herbaceous. The vines' susceptibility to many viticultural hazards such as powdery and downy mildew as well as overly vigorous foliage can present additional problems for vine growers.

Cod meatballs

Arròs a banda is a dish of rice cooked in fish stock, typical of the coastal area of Alicante (and, per extension, in most of the Valencian Community), Spain, and distinct from the paella of Valencia. It is popular up to Garraf, Barcelona (Catalonia) and down to Murcia (Region of Murcia). It originated with the fishermen of Alicante, who sold off their best fish and kept the leftovers for stock, used to cook the rice. It is usually served with alioli. Basically the recipe consists of cooking the rice in a cheap fish broth with many bones called whitebait that had little value in the market and constituted the livelihood of the poor fishermen who reserved the best pieces for sale. Little by little, it begins to be elaborated with seafood broths and the most select fish.

A wet mixed rice dish with fish, seafood, tomatoes, saffron, spices

Mixed rice casserole dish with butifarra blanca (white pork sausage), spare ribs, pork, chicken, vegetables and an egg-crust

Chicken or turkey and pork soup with meatballs, for example, beef, pork, turkey

Quail is a collective name for several genera of mid-sized birds generally placed in the order Galliformes. The collective noun for a group of quail is a flock, covey, or bevy. Old World quail are placed in the family Phasianidae, and New World quail are placed in the family Odontophoridae. The species of buttonquail are named for their superficial resemblance to quail, and form the family Turnicidae in the order Charadriiformes. The king quail, an Old World quail, often is sold in the pet trade, and within this trade is commonly, though mistakenly, referred to as a "button quail". Many of the common larger species are farm-raised for table food or egg consumption, and are hunted on game farms or in the wild, where they may be released to supplement the wild population, or extend into areas outside their natural range. In 2007, 40 million quail were produced in the United States.

A salad of canned tuna, canned tomatoes, hard boiled eggs, onions, olives, olive oil and salt

Game meat stew made with pieces of torta para gazpacho, an unleavened flatbread, common types of game used in this dish: rabbit, pigeon, quail

Cuttlefish soup (or stewed cuttlefish) with, for example, onions, potatoes, chickpeas

Hares and jackrabbits are mammals belonging to the genus Lepus. They are herbivores, and live solitarily or in pairs. They nest in slight depressions called forms, and their young are able to fend for themselves shortly after birth. The genus includes the largest lagomorphs. Most are fast runners with long, powerful hind legs, and large ears that dissipate body heat. Hare species are native to Africa, Eurasia and North America. A hare less than one year old is called a "leveret". A group of hares is called a "husk", a "down", or a "drove". Members of the Lepus genus are considered true hares, distinguishing them from rabbits which make up the rest of the Leporidae family. However, there are five leporid species with "hare" in their common names which are not considered true hares: the hispid hare , and four species known as red rock hares (Pronolagus). Conversely, several Lepus species are called "jackrabbits", but classed as hares rather than rabbits. The pet known as the Belgian hare is a domesticated European rabbit which has been selectively bred to resemble a hare.

The red deer is one of the largest deer species. A male red deer is called a stag or hart, and a female is called a doe or hind. The red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Anatolia, Iran, and parts of western Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains of Northern Africa; being the only living species of deer to inhabit Africa. Red deer have been introduced to other areas, including Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, Peru, Uruguay, Chile and Argentina. In many parts of the world, the meat (venison) from red deer is used as a food source. The red deer is a ruminant, characterized by a four-chambered stomach. Genetic evidence indicates that the red deer, as traditionally defined, is a species group, rather than a single species, though exactly how many species the group includes remains disputed. The ancestor of the red deer probably originated in central Asia.

Migas ("crumbs" in English) is a dish traditionally made from stale bread and other ingredients in Spanish and Portuguese cuisines. Originally introduced by shepherds, migas are very popular across the Iberian Peninsula, and are the typical breakfast of hunters at monterías in some regions of Spain. The same name is used for a different dish made from maize or flour tortillas in Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisines. Migas is a traditional dish in Spanish cuisine. It was originally a breakfast dish that made use of leftover bread or tortas. Migas is usually served as a first course for lunch or dinner in restaurants in Spain.

Durum wheat flour cooked with water and, for example, chorizo, ribs, bacon, peppers, garlic

A partridge is a medium-sized galliform bird in any of several genera, with a wide native distribution throughout parts of Europe, Asia and Africa. Several species have been introduced to the Americas. They are sometimes grouped in the Perdicinae subfamily of the Phasianidae . However, molecular research suggests that partridges are not a distinct taxon within the family Phasianidae, but that some species are closer to the pheasants, while others are closer to the junglefowl. Partridges are medium-sized game birds, generally intermediate in size between the larger pheasants, smaller quail; they're ground-dwelling birds that feature variable plumage colouration across species, with most tending to grey and brown.

Meat pie with a puff pastry crust, filled with, for example, ground beef, boiled eggs, chorizo, veal

Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae , which is in the order Lagomorpha (which also includes pikas). They are familiar throughout the world as a small herbivore, a prey animal, a domesticated form of livestock, and a pet, having a widespread effect on ecologies and cultures. The most widespread rabbit genera are Oryctolagus and Sylvilagus. The former, Oryctolagus, includes the European rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus, which is the ancestor of the hundreds of breeds of domestic rabbit and has been introduced on every continent except Antarctica. The latter, Sylvilagus, includes over 13 wild rabbit species, among them the cottontails and tapetis. Wild rabbits not included in Oryctolagus and Sylvilagus include several species of limited distribution, including the pygmy rabbit, volcano rabbit, and Sumatran striped rabbit. Rabbits are a paraphyletic grouping, and do not constitute a clade, as hares (belonging to the genus Lepus) are nested within the Leporidae clade and are not described as rabbits. Although once considered rodents, lagomorphs diverged earlier and have a number of traits rodents lack, including two extra incisors. Similarities between rabbits and rodents were once attributed to convergent evolution, but studies in molecular biology have found a common ancestor between lagomorphs and rodents and place them in the clade Glires.

Fisherman's stew, fish and/or seafood stew

Seafood is any form of sea life regarded as food by humans, prominently including fish and shellfish. Shellfish include various species of molluscs , crustaceans (e.g. shrimp, crabs, and lobster), and echinoderms (e.g. sea cucumbers and sea urchins). Historically, marine mammals such as cetaceans (whales and dolphins) as well as seals have been eaten as food, though that happens to a lesser extent in modern times. Edible sea plants such as some seaweeds and microalgae are widely eaten as sea vegetables around the world, especially in Asia. Seafood is an important source of (animal) protein in many diets around the world, especially in coastal areas. Semi-vegetarians who consume seafood as the only source of meat are said to adhere to pescetarianism.

The turkey is a large bird in the genus Meleagris, native to North America. There are two extant turkey species: the wild turkey of eastern and central North America and the ocellated turkey (Meleagris ocellata) of the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. Males of both turkey species have a distinctive fleshy wattle, called a snood, that hangs from the top of the beak. They are among the largest birds in their ranges. As with many large ground-feeding birds (order Galliformes), the male is bigger and much more colorful than the female.

Puréed cod and potato spread, made with olive oil, walnuts, hard boiled eggs, garlic, serve with bread

Deep-fried shrimp

Calasparra rice is a variety of rice native to the region of Murcia, Spain. Along with rice produced in Valencia and the Ebro Delta, it is one of three Spanish rices with a Denominación de Origen, since 1986. It is named for the municipality of Calasparra. Rice cultivation is documented in Murcia dating back to the 14th century, and is thought to have been introduced to the area by Muslim occupiers. The use of terrace irrigation and well-drained soil make the region ideal for rice cultivation. Calasparra rice is matured longer than other strains of rice, and is exceptionally absorbent, making it well-suited for the preparation of paella.

A soft-ripened sheep milk cheese

Saccharinus Naud. and Piel de Sapo melons grown in Murcia, Spain

Stewed fava beans with, ham, chorizo, bacon, garlic, peppers

Sausage made with pork head, dewlap and spices

Deep-fried eggplant sticks, may also be baked

Fried potatoes with garlic

Pears from Jumilla, Murcia, Spain

Paprika made from Ñora peppers grown in Murcia, Spain, three types: dulce (sweet), agridulce (medium) and picante (spicy)

Marinated vegetable salad made with tomatoes, bell peppers, Italian green peppers, cucumbers, olives, onions, hard boiled eggs, there are several variations, some resemble a salad whereas others are more like gazpacho

Murcian cheese is a fatty goats' milk cheese from the Murcia region of south-east Spain. It has a Protected Designation of Origin. The cheese is made exclusively using goat's milk of the Murcian breed from registered herds which graze freely on scrub and coarse pasture characteristic of that dry geographical zone. The cheese is made in two forms: The goats are milked daily and after filtration the milk is warmed and curdled with an animal enzyme or another authorised agent. Depending on the type of cheese to be produced the process continues thus: For fresh cheese the milk is curdled at 32–35 °C (90–95 °F) for 30–45 minutes. The curd is then cut to grain of 10 millimetres (0.39 in) and the temperature is raised a further 3–5 °C (5.4–9.0 °F). The curd is then worked a little to make a soft consistency and transferred to moulds. The moulds have an interior pattern of rushes (Sp: plieta) which transfers to the exterior of the fresh cheeses. The cheese is pressed lightly and for short duration and then salted by immersion in brine for 10 hours, drained and kept at a maximum temperature of 4 °C (39 °F) until sold.

Murcian wine cheese is a fatty goats’ milk cheese from the province of Murcia in the south-east of Spain. It has a Protected Designation of Origin. The cheese is made only from unpasteurized goats’ milk of the Murcian breed from registered herds. The term al vino refers to the washing of the rind with red wine during maturation. The cheese is presented in cylinders 6–7 cm (2.4–2.8 in) high and 7–9 cm (2.8–3.5 in) diameter weighing 400 g (14 ounces), or 7–9 cm (2.8–3.5 in) high and 12–18 cm (4.5–7 in) diameter weighing 1 or 2 kg (2.2 or 4.4 lb). The goats are milked daily and after filtration the milk is warmed to 30–34 °C (86–93 °F) and curdled with an animal enzyme or another authorised agent. The coagulation lasts from 40 to 60 minutes after which the curd is cut to grains of 6–8 mm (0.24–0.31 in) The curd is then washed and 15% of the whey is removed and replaced with water. The curd is then heated by a further 3–5 °C (37–41 °F) and then worked lightly. The curd is then placed in plain moulds and pressed for 2–4 hours until the appropriate pH is achieved. The cheese is then salted in a brine bath for a maximum of 20 hours. Maturation of the larger cheeses takes a minimum of 45 days, the smaller pieces take a minimum of 30 days, during which the cheeses are immersed several times in a bath of red wine from the region. The cheese has an agreeable creamy flavour, a slight saltiness and a mild aroma. Murcian wine cheese is coloured white to light cream and has a compact and elastic texture. The colour of the red wine baths does not permeate into the cheese. There are a few small cavities throughout the cheese.

Rice is a cereal grain and in its domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species Oryza sativa —or, much less commonly, Oryza glaberrima (African rice). Asian rice was domesticated in China some 13,500 to 8,200 years ago; African rice was domesticated in Africa about 3,000 years ago. Rice has become commonplace in many cultures worldwide; in 2021, 787 million tons were produced, placing it fourth after sugarcane, maize, and wheat. Only some 8% of rice is traded internationally. China, India, and Indonesia are the largest consumers of rice. A substantial amount of the rice produced in developing nations is lost after harvest through factors such as poor transport and storage. Rice yields can be reduced by pests including insects, rodents, and birds, as well as by weeds, and by diseases such as rice blast. Traditional rice polycultures such as rice-duck farming, and modern integrated pest management seek to control damage from pests in a sustainable way. Many varieties of rice have been bred to improve crop quality and productivity. Biotechnology has created Green Revolution rice able to produce high yields when supplied with nitrogen fertiliser and managed intensively. Other products are rice able to express human proteins for medicinal use; flood-tolerant or deepwater rice; and drought-tolerant and salt-tolerant varieties. Rice is used as a model organism in biology.

Torta de gazpacho is a type of torta, or flat bread, used to prepare a dish called gazpacho or gazpacho manchego in La Mancha and Southeast Spain, including Murcia and parts of the autonomous community of Valencia. The word gazpacho comes from the Latin adjective caccabaceus, derived from caccabus , attested in several works by Tertulian, Zeno of Verona and others. This word was applied in ancient Rome to a type of bread very similar to the torta de gazpacho.