Cooking demonstrations and tastings on offer at Costa del Sol anchovy festival

Rincón de la Victoria on the eastern Costa del Sol is hosting its annual Fiesta del Boquerón Victoriano from Tuesday 9 to Sunday 14 September. The culinary festival showcases this traditional Malaga dish with over thousand kilos of anchovies being prepared for tastings, cooking demonstrations and other activities open to the public.

The festival, recognised for its tourist importance in the province, will also provide an opportunity to try and buy other local products through a Sabor a Málaga market on the town's Plaza Al-Ándalus over the weekend.

Among the objectives of this event is "to promote the consumption of anchovies and the culinary possibilities they offer, helping to revive tourism and the economy of Rincón de la Victoria", according to the mayor, Francisco Salado.

A total of 63 restaurants will be serving 'boquerones', all identified by a sign at the entrance, from 1 to 2.30pm and from 8.30 to 10pm on each of the days.

As in previous years, there will be a tent where visitors can taste boquerones en vinagre (anchovies in vinegar) free of charge, during the same hours as in the restaurants, for the purchase of drinks with proceeds giong to the Nuestra Señora del Rocío de Rincón de la Victoria Holy Week brotherhood.

The event is sponsored by the provincial authority, the Diputación de Málaga and its promotional brand Sabor a Málaga, as well as various entities and companies that support the event with their work: ACERV, the University of Malaga, Eurotoques, Amuco, Artcua, La Carta Malacitana, Mahos, Gastroarte, the Gastronomic Academy of Málaga, AOVE Spain, the Asociación de Cocineros de Parados and Tecnyhostel.

There will be cooking demonstrations at Lacaliza restaurant from 8.30pm, with the exception of Friday 12 September, when it will be held on Plaza Al-Ándalus as part of the Sabor a Málaga market.

The event will once again bring together renowned chefs from all over Andalucía, including Xanty Elías, from the Huelva restaurant Finca Alfoliz, which has a Michelin Green star for its sustainable gastronomic project. There will also be demonstrations from an Italian and a Colombian chef, both based in Malaga.

"The cooking demonstrations will serve to show that anchovies are a versatile product that can be enjoyed both traditionally and as a haute cuisine dish," said Salado. There will also be signature cocktails made with products from Malaga and the Sabor a Málaga brand.

From Friday 5 September, participating restaurants will be preparing and offering dishes that will be included in a recipe book published by the town hall and presented at this year's FITUR travel market in Madrid, with 500 copies available. Prices range from 2.50 to 24 euros.

Some 32 producers from all over Malaga province will be taking part in the Sabor a Málaga market, offering the best of Malaga's produce including oils, wines, coffee, craft beer, cured meats, cheeses, pastries, honey, bread, homemade chocolate, croquettes and more.

Demonstrations include a workshop on artisan cheese making offered by Cabraline; another on cooking and baking for celiacs given by Celi Ali; the popular children's baking workshop by Las Delicias de Mi Noe; concerts by the groups Abelito Terrones, Money Makers and Hakuma Matata and puppet theatre by Peneque el Valiente.