It is in such small towns and villages, off the beaten track, where I usually discover the hidden treasures and unappreciated delicacies unknown to most. My love for cuisine and its relating culture and people, combined with my wanderlust, have brought me once again to a picturesque and unique travel destination with the added advantage of Galicians having a long bread-making tradition called Pan de Cea. Spanish carbs are definitely some of my best friends!.
In comparison, this bread differs considerably from most artisan bread found elsewhere. The recipe for this special bread has been passed down from generation to generation from the 13th century onwards. The annual Festa Pan de Cea (Festival of the Cea bread) is celebrated in July in typical Galician tradition with music, folk dance and feasts throughout, in honour of this generational gem.
Pan de Cea is one of only two kinds of bread in Galicia that carries a Protected Geographical Indication by the European Union and is made under strict regulations. Some of the regulations stipulate that the bread is baked in a granite oven and in a fire made with only wood and/or plant-based matter.
The ingredients are simple and deliver a rustic artisan bread with a lovely crust and a dense yet soft inner. The kneading time, shape, size and weight of the bread are also of utmost importance. Every little detail counts. Plus-minus 20 traditional bread ovens are scattered all over Cea and the museum in the center of the town is dedicated to the famous bread and its rich historic importance. Visitors and pilgrims should, however, be made aware of false imitations that are sold everywhere. An authentic Pan de Cea is sold in a labeled and numbered bag towards the more than half a million loaves of bread sold annually and loved by thousands.
Cea also offers many restaurants, cafes, and eateries catering for the variety of travelers that frequent this part of the world. Tapas and pinchos (small bites) will always be part of the menu as I realized entering one of the local establishments with my host and later accompanied by traditionalists, Soly Luna and his wife.
Soly is a renowned resident artist and was more than willing to share his work and life's story with us. His wife is a cook and hostess and although I could not understand a word she said, we had a lovely time. I was fortunate to have a Galician interpreter at my side to help me make sense of all the food and laughter. Mrs Luna presented us with a Moon and Sun stone as a token of friendship and having nothing to give in return I took off my African bracelet, blessed it with a little Madiba Magic and handed it to Luna who accepted it with great admiration an appreciation.
With good comes the bad and unfortunately, in 2015, Cea made headlines all over Europe, when a heritage-protected Neolithic tomb was mistakenly destroyed by Spanish builders and replaced with a picnic table. Not their finest moment. Unfortunately, the builders were under the impression that it was just a pile of old stones with no historic value. The 'pile of stones' were, in fact, a prehistoric cemetery of the first inhabitants of Cea. Fortunately, the magnificence of Cristovo de Cea makes you forget all the sorrows and lamentations, in the word of the Spanish author Miguel de Cervats, and can I look forward to a hopeful return to this must-see village. " Todas las penas son menos con pan". (All sorrows are less with bread).
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| Interior of Soly Luna restaurant |
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| Interior |
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| Pinchos y Vino |
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| With Soly and his wife |
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| Interior |
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| Cea Bread |
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| The Grave |
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| The picnic table |
