Torremolinos serves up its annual contest to find coast's best skewered sardine
The ninth Concurso de Espetos de la Costa del Sol will be held on the beach next to the Costa Largo Hotel (Playamar) and, as in previous years, part of the proceedings from the sale of the sardines will be donated to a local charity
Torremolinos will host the annual competition to find Malaga province’s tastiest 'espetos' (skewered sardines) on the beach next to the Costa Largo Hotel (Playamar) from 6pm on Saturday 5 August.
The Concurso de Espetos de la Costa del Sol, which is organised by the local business and traders’ association, CET, will present chefs from along the coast, who will cook the local speciality over traditional charcoal barbeques on the beach in hope of producing the most succulent sardine.
Sardines cooked in this way over hot coals during the summer months have become a symbol of the Malaga coastline. The town’s acting mayor, Margarita del Cid, said that the speciality is a “custom and culinary art to be protected”.
“I believe that together we must take up the request that the traditional skewered sardine be recognised as intangible heritage by Unesco,” Del Cid said.
The competition, which will be judged by specialists from the local catering sector, is sponsored by Torremolinos town hall, the provincial council and the Sabor a Málaga brand.
As in previous years, part of the proceedings from the sale of the sardines will be donated to a local charity.
The director of Sabor a Málaga, Leonor García Aguado, said, “We are committed to this symbol of Malaga, and I want to convey support for this tradition, the espeteros and the many beach bars along the Malaga coast that promote this local delicacy.”
