Octopus Festival
Attention cephalopod fans: this foodie fest definitely should be on your radar. The annual Fiesta del Pulpo takes place August 11, 2013.
Yes, Road Trips Foodies: it’s the Octopus Festival in O Carballiño, Ourense, Spain (map).
Thousands of diners come together around huge copper cooking pots to sample the seafood so typical of Galicia. Close to 40,000 kilos of octopus are prepared during the festivities, as well as other traditional regional dishes such as Cea bread, carne o caldeiro and pies, accompanied by Ribeiro wine.
The octopus is cooked by the Arcos pulpeiras (specialist octopus sellers and cooks). The “pulpo” has played a major role in the area for centuries, even though it’s not on the coast. Octopus was used as a monetary unit by Cistercian monks in the Middle Ages.
(Photo courtesy of Spain is Culture)
