How to celebrate the Castañada
La Castañada is a traditional festival of Catalonia that is celebrated on All Saints' Day and its vigil, that is, the night of November 31st-1 st. Tradition says that tonight the bell-ringers had to play all night to remember the deceased; and, this was the way to get extra energy. Currently, celebrating the Castañada has become a ritual.
You will need to:- Chestnuts
- Sweet potatoes
- muscatel
- panellets
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To celebrate La Castañada, you will only have to meet your family around the table after dinner on October 31 or after eating on November 1. It should be noted that Halloween is currently celebrated in Catalonia as well as in the rest of the Iberian Peninsula but it is a recent fact, since the tradition marks the celebration of the 'Castanyada'.
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The traditional element of the party are the chestnuts, which, when roasted, were also used to warm their hands years ago. You will also have to roast sweet potatoes, which is another of the typical fruits.
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Something that can not be missing from a Catalan table is the panellets. These sweets made with almonds and pine nuts please everyone. Over time they have evolved in their original recipe and now you can find many flavors. They sell them in bakeries, shops and bakeries; but it can be very fun to make them yourself. If you want you can see it here.
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The family gathered around the table, tasting the typical products of the Castañada accompanied by a sweet wine, the Moscatel. This variety is very consumed in Catalonia and is drunk as a dessert wine, to accompany especially those who carry nuts. Hence, the extraordinary pairing that forms with chestnuts and panellets.
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The party also has a religious part, so the relatives fill the cemeteries going to honor their dead. You can see more about it in our article: How All Saints' Day is celebrated.
- This is a tradition that is celebrated as a family.
