Autumn foodie events highlight local products and specialities

The onset of autumn announces the arrival of longstanding food festivals and culinary gatherings in many inland towns in the province of Malaga. Autumn is the season of chestnuts, aguardiente (a type of brandy) and the matanza, the traditional pig slaughter.

Throughout October and November, these culinary gatherings give visitors the opportunity to sample a wide range of locally grown and produced specialities, including wine, olive oil, cheese, pork products, traditional soups and stews, preserves and chestnuts, among other delicacies.

Many towns and villages across the Serranía de Ronda, Guadalhorce valley and Axarquía are gearing up to host gastronomic festivals celebrating the region’s rich harvest and the deep connection these communities have with the land.

The first of these festivals is Sabor a Cómpeta, which takes place on Saturday 26 September. The day features cuisine from over 23 countries and all proceeds will go to local charities.

The Teba artisan cheese fair is held from Thursday 1 until Sunday 4 October, a market and gastronomic event that celebrates the cheese making tradition of inland Andalucía. The streets of the town are lined with artisan cheese stalls, guided tastings, pairings with local wines and olive oil, live music and activities for the whole family. Organised by local associations and the town council, the fair originated as a continuation of the rural markets where producers from the region exchanged their cheeses and agricultural products.

The mountain-top town of Álora holds its annual Día de las Sopas Perotas on Saturday 3 October, which is dedicated to the typical ‘soup’ eaten in the Guadalhorce valley town. The day combines the richness of local gastronomy with a varied offer of cultural and entertainment activities, while around 7,000 portions of the classic dish, consisting of potatoes, peppers, asparagus, tomatoes and bread, will be offered to visitors for free.

Another popular gathering is the wine and chestnut fair held in Yunquera on 24 and 25 October, an event declared a festival of tourist interest. This festival, now in its 16th year, includes tastings of mosto (grape juice) made from grapes grown in the Sierra de las Nieves, roasted chestnuts, and typical Yunquera dishes such as malcocinao, consisting of chick peas, bacon, tripe, chorizo and black pudding.

The small village of Pujerra in the Serranía de Ronda also holds a chestnut festival on the first weekend of November, an event that offers visitors the opportunity to try a variety of chestnut dishes paired with anise. In addition to the local cuisine, exhibits featuring traditional chestnut-harvesting tools and practices provide insight into the village’s longstanding cultural and economic association with chestnut cultivation.

Other gastro festivals include Maroween held in Maro (Nerja) on 31 October, and the roasted chestnut festival in Ojén, usually held on the first Sunday after All Saints’ Day.