The Malaga town crowned a Spanish foodie paradise – where bread is legend and  soups heal the soul 

ALHAURIN el Grande has just bagged itself a place in Spain’s brand-new Red de Pueblos Gastronomicos – a national roll of honour for towns where food is more than just a meal, it’s a way of life.

The whitewashed town has joined Baena (Cordoba) and Aracena (Huelva) as one of only three Andalucian entries. And it’s not hard to see why – here, the kitchen really is ‘the very soul of the place’, say organisers.

Top of the foodie list? The legendary pan cateto – a dark, rustic village loaf that’s kneaded with patience, baked in wood ovens and hunted down by Malagueños as if it were buried treasure.

Then come the soups. Locals swear by their cachorreñas – hearty winter bowls of bread, garlic, eggs and salted fish, honoured every year in a festival of their own. There’s also the herby sopa poncima, mojete (a zingy mix of cod, tomato, onion and orange) and the famous migas, best eaten with a side of grapes or pomegranate.

READ MORE:

• SPANISH RECIPE: Make gazpacho the traditional Andalucian way
• SPANISH RECIPE: Andalucian Fish Casserole (Cazuela de Pescado)
• Cool, colourful and 100% local – Malaga’s must-try summer dishes (with recipes)

And for sweet tooths? Brace yourself. From fluffy olive oil buns and crunchy egg doughnuts to melt-in-the-mouth tortas de aceite, Alhaurin’s pastries have been called ‘heaven in a single bite’. Special mention goes to sweet potato and honey torrijas, rich fig bread packed with almonds and spices, and polcas – golden pastries hiding sticky surprises of pumpkin jam or cream.

The fertile huerta (market gardens) surrounding the town make sure the dishes are fresh, seasonal and bursting with flavour.

Where to eat it all – the top 10 picks

The Red de Pueblos Gastronomicos has hand-picked a line-up of must-visit restaurants and tapas bars in Alhaurin el Grande:

• Bar Restaurante La Higuera – Ctra. Coín, 27
  
• Bodega Ancar – C. Guerrero Gajete, 7
  
• El Fogon de Morales – C. Gerald Brenan, 111
  
• El Rincon del Perete – C. Vicente Blasco Ibáñez, 8
  
• Las Anforas – C. Poeta Luis Cernuda, 24, 26
  
• Marisqueria Casa Paco – C. Gerald Brenan, 70
  
• Mucho Mas Restaurante – C. Gerald Brenan, 68
  
• Santiago’s Kitchen – C. Calvario, 38
  
• Taperia Casa La Abuela – C. Prta de la Villa, 6
  
• Voguem – C. Gerald Brenan, 75

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