Blossoms, Almonds, and a Tarta de Santiago
A look back at the blooming blossoms in Dehesa de la Villa, almond cultivation and blossom festivals around Spain, and a recipe for the sumptuous St James Cake.
Blossoms in Madrid
Spring comes early to Madrid. A sure sign it’s on its way is when the almond trees are erupting into pink and white blossoms. My son and I used to head off for long meanderings in the nearby Dehesa de la Villa park at the first hint of warmer weather. The park, in the north-west of the city, is an oasis of wildlife, with woodland areas of stone and black pine, acacia and cedar trees, poplar, ash, eucalyptus, and elm, and best of all – almond trees.
It was such a pleasure to wander around in the warming sun watching woodpeckers hammering for worms hiding beneath the bark of a pine, invisible doves cooing from the tops of branches, and squirrels darting and scurrying up and down tree trunks. If we were lucky, we’d catch sight of the elusive hoopoe birds with their beautiful striped feathers and black-tipped crests, or a flock of green parakeets making their way noisily across the park.
The false spring promises the beginning of warmer weather before a return to the chillier (and wetter) months of March and April. An impossibly blue sky contrasts spectacularly with the bunches of delicate pink and white flowers. I’ve lost count how many photos I took of them, and of the large bumblebees that flitter frantically from one blossom to the next, delighting in the feast of nectar and pollen. They seem to know the warm weather will pass and the petals will soon fall along with the temperatures.
From the highest point in the park there are views of the distant snow topped Guadarrama mountains, and usually a group of old men playing handball against a cement wall, sweating and swearing in their sleeveless vests. This is the best time of the year to be here. It’s a magical wonderland before the assault of the allergy-inducing pollen of May, followed by the onslaught of the summer heat, and soon after the fluffy flying seeds from the poplar and plane trees that manage to lodge themselves beneath your eyelids and up your nose.
Dehesa de a Villa isn’t the only place to see almond blossoms in Madrid. In fact, the city is dotted all over with almond and cherry blossoms, but to immerse yourself in the full effect, I recommend heading to Retiro Park or Quinta de los Molinos’ almond orchards. The blooms only have a lifespan of about two weeks, so plan your Madrid visit wisely.
Sweet vs Bitter
Most of the almond trees that grow around the city produce the inedible bitter almonds. Typically, the sweet almonds produce white blooms with a pink centre, while bitter almond blossoms tend to have darker pink petals with a reddish centre. However, this is not always the case, and the surest way to tell the difference is by taste. Unfortunately, the bitterness comes from amygdalin, a compound that releases hydrocyanic acid – otherwise known as cyanide - in the body, so if you’re going to bite into one, be ready to spit it out once the tongue-curling sample hits the tastebuds. A few of these almonds could kill you.
Almonds in Spain
Almonds are one of the earliest domesticated fruit trees, showing up in archaeological sites of the Early Bronze Age (3000-2000BCE). They are thought to have been brought into Spain by traders from the Middle East over 2000 years ago.
Spain is now the second largest producer of almonds in the world after the United States. It produces 695,000 tonnes of almonds each year, mainly in the Mediterranean coastal regions of Catalunya, Valencia, the Balearic Islands (Mallorca), Andalusia and Aragon. The almond trees are hardy and robust, able to tolerate wet winters and hot summers, and their nuts, which are harvested between August and November, have become an important ingredient in the Mediterranean diet.
There are over a hundred varieties of almond in Spain, though the most common are the Marcona, Larguete, and Planet varieties. Spanish almonds are favoured for their high oil content which makes their texture smoother, juicier and tastier.
Climate change has been affecting the crops in recent years as the trees blossom earlier risking the frosts that destroy the development of the fruit. It also means the blossoms are out of sync with the insects such as bees and butterflies that appear later in the season and are essential for the flowers’ pollination.
Other Places to See Blossoms
Gran Canaria
There are many places around Spain where you can delight in the magic of a blossoming orchard. Due to its mild climate, the island of Gran Canaria is one of the first to celebrate their almond trees in the Fiestas del Almendro en Flor in Tejeda. The Almond in Flower Festival takes place late January to early February attracting people from all over Spain and beyond to witness the spectacle and sample the typical products of the island.
Mallorca
If you’re on the island of Mallorca, in the Balearic Islands, a half-hour vintage train ride between Palma and Soller will take you through stunning picturesque valleys overlooking almond fields.
The almond tree is the most common tree on the island and has had significant cultural and economic importance for centuries. So, every February the pretty town of Son Servera hosts the Fira de la Flor d’Ametller (Almond Blossom Fair) to celebrate the blossoms and show off their artisanal products, folk music, and traditional costume.
Caceres
The town of Garrovillas de Alconétar in Cáceres in Extremadura holds the Muestra del Almendro en Flor for one day in mid-February. A gastronomic and a photographic competition encourages cooks and creatives to create sweet or savoury almond dishes or pictures of almond trees in blossom. Restaurants offer traditional almond dishes, and more than 2000 people take part in the organised walking, cycling, or horse riding routes through almond orchards.
Guaro
Another village that celebrates its almond blossoms with gastronomic events and guided walking routes through almond groves, is in Guaro, Malaga. Every year at the end of January or beginning of February on a Sunday, the Día el Almendro, (Almond Day) attracts visitors who take part in tastings and stock up on local crafts and artisanal almond products.
Alcalali
Alcalali, in the Jalon Valley, Alicante, celebrates its blossoming trees in February with guided tours of the orchards, a craft fair, musical performances, a photography competition, and an almond sweets competition.
As well as the numerous festivals, there are so many places around Spain where you can take a drive, walk or cycle through landscapes of flowering beauty. For those interested, THIS link gives a comprehensive guide to the best places to wander among almond trees in blossom.
Nutrition and Versatility
Almonds have long been prized for their nutritional value and versatility in savoury and sweet dishes. They are nutritionally dense nuts, high in fibre, protein, and a rich source of the B Vitamins, riboflavin and niacin. They contain essential minerals such as calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc. Even the almond blossoms contain a variety of nutrients, including Vitamin C, antioxidants, and folate.
Anywhere you go in Spain you will find dishes where almonds are the protagonist, from the Andalusian ajo blanco cold almond soup, the nougats popular at Christmas, the caramelised almonds sold at fairs and on the streets in winter, the marzipan sweets made by nuns, to sauces and the variety of biscuits, pastries, and of course, cakes, the most famous being the Tarta de Santiago.
Tarta de Santiago
I was hoping to whip up one of these cakes this week because they’re quick and simple to make, but unfortunately I’ve been up to my eyeballs in work, so it will have to be another time. However, this recipe seems to be the one most repeated and with positive comments from those who have tried the recipe, so I will share it here with you.
A little about the cake:
This is a flourless humdinger of a cake that boasts its own Wikipedia page and a history that dates back to the Middle Ages. It can be found in all pastry shops worth their salt, especially along the Camino de Santiago – the pilgrim’s route that leads to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in the northwest of Spain. The saint’s day is celebrated on the 25th June, which makes this a popular time to make this cake. However, I would argue that any time is a good time to make this moist delicious cake, so here you go…
Ingredients
250g ground almonds (preferably the Marcona variety if you can find it)
200g sugar
5 large eggs
Zest of one lemon
Rounded tsp of ground cinnamon
Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl.
Add the eggs and mix thoroughly.
Grease a shallow baking dish or cake tin.
Then sprinkle with a little flour (optional)
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 170 degrees C (338F) for 30 mins.
If it is getting too brown too early, cover it with some aluminium foil.
Once cooked, let cool.
Cut out a template of the Cross of Santiago – you can find one HERE.
Place the template in the centre of the cake.
Dust generously with icing sugar (you can do this yourself in a food processor using white sugar)
Remove template carefully.