by Christopher Arnett
Native Foods Cafe
It’s late summer, which means it’s tomato time in Spain (and here too, we are kind of obsessed with them here at Native Foods Cafe, can you tell?). The annual festival of La Tomatina is underway in the town of Buñol, in the province of Valencia (also known for its sweet orange trees, though actual Valencia oranges were developed by a Californian farmer in the 19th century whose cultivation led to Orange County receiving it’s namesake). The festival is held on the last Wednesday of every August, and basically is a bunch of rowdy people throwing over ripe tomatoes at each other (literally tons of over ripe tomatoes, in fact). Fun, huh?
Typical day in the kitchen at Native Foods Cafe. Chef Tanya is kinda wild. She's a Gemini.
So when did this fun and fruity (not a vegetable, right?) tradition begin? In 1944 there was a parade underway and some young guys who wanted to participate started a fight. Since there was a vegetable stand nearby, they used tomatoes as weapons (don’t underestimate the power of this nightshade—ever seen the The Killer Tomatoes?). The Spanish, who are always up for a party ( I speak from experience), decided to repeat the raucous ruckus the following year with tomatoes from their own homes. Eventually, everyone had such a good time that the tradition was unofficially left to continue. It’s only grown ever since, and now the small town of Buñol is visited by 30,000 tourists each year eager to participate in the frolic.
Hi Mom! I took a detour on the way back to school... La Tomatina in Spain then Portobello & Sausage Burger at Native Foods Cafe.
The fun officially gets underway at around 10a.m., when participants climb a greasy pole in an attempt to knock off a ham that is set on top (yuck!). This is done to the singing and dancing of onlookers who are being showered with hoses. Once a ham is knocked off, the signal to begin the tomato fight begins!
Chef Tanya (Native Foods Cafe) would like to officially offer up a Native Seitan Roast to replace the ham atop that greasy flagpole.
In the town plaza, trucks provide tomatoes that are specifically grown for the event (that’s dedication). The tomatoes are required to be crushed, and the use of goggles is recommended. After exactly one hour, the fight is signaled to stop. As it turns out, the tomatoes actually help clean the cobblestone streets of the town with their acidic juice, leaving them dazzling and just like new. So everyone wins!
Now stop fightting bulls... and concentrate on the tomatoes our Spanish friends!
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