Caparrones is a Spanish

stew A stew is a combination of solid food ingredients that have been cooked in liquid and served in the resultant gravy. A stew needs to have raw ingredients added to the gravy. Ingredients in a stew can include any combination of vegetables and ...

made of ''caparrón'', a variety of red

kidney bean The kidney bean is a variety of the common bean (''Phaseolus vulgaris''). It resembles a human kidney and thus is named after such. Red kidney beans should not be confused with other red beans, such as adzuki beans. Classification There are d ...

, and a spicy sausage

chorizo Chorizo (, from Spanish ; similar to but distinct from Portuguese ) is a type of pork cured meat originating from the Iberian Peninsula. In Europe, chorizo is a fermented, cured, smoked meat, which may be sliced and eaten without cooking, or ...

, both of which are local specialties of the Spanish

La Rioja La Rioja () is an autonomous community and province in Spain, in the north of the Iberian Peninsula. Its capital is Logroño. Other cities and towns in the province include Calahorra, Arnedo, Alfaro, Haro, Santo Domingo de la Calzada, and N� ...

region. The shape of ''caparrón'' bean is shorter and rounder than common red kidney beans. The stew is regarded as one of the most important dishes in Riojan cooking. Its cultural importance in the region can be compared to Asturian

fabada Fabada asturiana, often simply known as fabada, is a rich Asturian cuisine, Asturian bean stew, originally from and most commonly found in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Principality of Asturias, but widely available ...

. Caparrones are associated with

strength Strength may refer to: Physical strength *Physical strength, as in people or animals * Hysterical strength, extreme strength occurring when people are in life-and-death situations *Superhuman strength, great physical strength far above human c ...

, as well as with

flatulence Flatulence, in humans, is the expulsion of gas from the intestines via the anus, commonly referred to as farting. "Flatus" is the medical word for gas generated in the stomach or bowels. A proportion of intestinal gas may be swallowed environm ...

. There are some restaurants and

inn Inns are generally establishments or buildings where travelers can seek lodging, and usually, food and drink. Inns are typically located in the country or along a highway; before the advent of motorized transportation they also provided accommo ...

s in La Rioja that take this name (''Mesón los Caparrones'', etc.). This plant is widely cultivated in groves around La Rioja, and the most famous are from

Anguiano Anguiano ( es, Anguiano) is a small town in the province of La Rioja, Spain. It is located near Nájera and has a population of about 546 people (2006). Anguiano is famous for its caparrones, red beans that are usually eaten in a stew with chor ...

where a yearly festival is held honoring these beans. Rods obtained from branches of trees like poplar or bushes like elder and used for guiding the plant's growth are called ''palos de caparrón'' (caparrón staves). These staves are saved from one year to another tied in bunches called ''gavillas''. There are also some varieties of caparrones called ''sin palo'' (without a stave) because they do not grow very tall and so do not require artificial support. Alubia del obispo or caparron beans 2

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Recipe
Spanish soups and stews Spanish legume dishes Bean soups Sausage dishes {{Spain-cuisine-stub

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