Extremaduran Food

Extremaduran food is simple and hearty. In addition to fresh produce, Extremadurans rely on pigs, and they use every part, including the criadillas (testicles—but don't confuse them with criadillas de la tierra, "earth testicles" aka truffles). Meats are outstanding, most notably the complex and nutty jamones ibérico de bellota (hams from acorn-fed Iberian black pigs, or etiqueta negra) such as those hailing from the Sierra de Montánchez, north of Cáceres, and the Dehesa de Extremadura, from the southern oak forests around Zafra. Equally irresistible are the chorizo and a spicy regional variation of morcilla made with potatoes. Caldereta de cordero (lamb stew), redolent of garlic and wine, is particularly tasty, as is beef from longhorn retinto cows, a local breed. Game is common, and perdiz al modo de Alcántara (partridge cooked with truffles) is a specialty. Extremadurans make a tomato-less gazpacho using cucumbers, green peppers, and broth. The region's most famous dish is migas, bread crumbs fried in olive oil with garlic, and sometimes peppers, and sausage (also famous across the border in Portugal).

Local sheep, goat, and cow cheeses are known for their strong flavors. Seek out tortas, round, semisoft cheeses of Cáceres: Torta del Casar and Queso de La Serena are frequent prizewinners in international cheese competitions. Pimentón de la Vera, smoked paprika from the Vera Valley packaged in colorful, old-timey tins, makes a terrific souvenir. Round out your meals with técula mécula, an almond-flavored marzipan tart that combines the flavors of Spain and Portugal.

Marketed under the generic appellation "Ribera del Guadiana," Extremadura's little-known grippy red wines are up-and-coming on the Spanish wine scene and a good value. Typical digestifs include liqueurs made from cherries or acorns.