Xató () is a typical Catalan dish. It is a

sauce In cooking, a sauce is a liquid, cream, or semi- solid food, served on or used in preparing other foods. Most sauces are not normally consumed by themselves; they add flavour, texture, and visual appeal to a dish. ''Sauce'' is a French wor ...

made with

almond The almond (''Prunus amygdalus'', Synonym (taxonomy)#Botany, syn. ''Prunus dulcis'') is a species of tree from the genus ''Prunus''. Along with the peach, it is classified in the subgenus ''Amygdalus'', distinguished from the other subgenera ...

s, hazelnuts,

bread Bread is a baked food product made from water, flour, and often yeast. It is a staple food across the world, particularly in Europe and the Middle East. Throughout recorded history and around the world, it has been an important part of many cu ...

crumbs, vinegar, garlic,

olive oil Olive oil is a vegetable oil obtained by pressing whole olives (the fruit of ''Olea europaea'', a traditional Tree fruit, tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin) and extracting the oil. It is commonly used in cooking for frying foods, as a cond ...

salt In common usage, salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl). When used in food, especially in granulated form, it is more formally called table salt. In the form of a natural crystalline mineral, salt is also known as r ...

, and the nyora pepper. The sauce is often served with an endive

salad A salad is a dish consisting of mixed ingredients, frequently vegetables. They are typically served chilled or at room temperature, though some can be served warm. Condiments called '' salad dressings'', which exist in a variety of flavors, a ...

prepared with anchovy, tuna and dried and salted cod (bacallà). The "Xató Route" is formed by the following Catalan towns: Canyelles, Calafell, Cubelles, Cunit, El Vendrell, Sant Pere de Ribes,

Sitges ; , ) is a town about 35 kilometres southwest of Barcelona, in Catalonia, Spain, renowned worldwide for Sitges Film Festival, its film festival, Carnival, and LGBTQ culture. Located between the Garraf Massif and the Mediterranean Sea, it is know ...

and Vilanova i la Geltrú. There is a recipe for each town on the 'Xató route'.

Catalonia

The origin of xató lies in the world of

wine Wine is an alcoholic drink made from Fermentation in winemaking, fermented fruit. Yeast in winemaking, Yeast consumes the sugar in the fruit and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Wine is most often made f ...

. Once the wine was about to be tasted, a fundamental ceremony took place in the whole process that consisted of placing a small tap (l'aixetó) that allowed the wine to come out of the container. This moment marked the beginning of the new wine festival, a celebration that was accompanied by a meal made up of salty ingredients such as

fish A fish (: fish or fishes) is an aquatic animal, aquatic, Anamniotes, anamniotic, gill-bearing vertebrate animal with swimming fish fin, fins and craniate, a hard skull, but lacking limb (anatomy), limbs with digit (anatomy), digits. Fish can ...

, which were found in the houses of local farmers and fishermen, served with leaves of the vegetable corresponding to the winter season and salad with a special sauce. This ritual meal that accompanied the ceremony of shaking the wine boot is the origin of the current xató. In spite of everything, the paternity of this traditional dish in the Penedès and Garraf regions continues to be disputed. Currently, practically all the towns of Gran Panadés have their own variant of the recipe for this dish and the traditional xatonades have become popular in the region, which are popular gatherings in which the participants taste this dish.

Ambassador of Xató

*1998-1999 : Ferran Adrià *1999-2000 : Xavier Mestres *2000-2001 : Carles Gaig *2001-2002 : Jordi LP *2002-2003 : La Cubana *2003-2004 : Toni Albà *2004-2005 : Rosa Andreu *2005-2006 : Pere Tàpies *2006-2007 :

Lax'n'busto Lax'n'Busto are a Pop music, pop-Rock music, rock group formed in 1986 in El Vendrell, Catalonia, Spain. History In 1989 the group published their first album: ''Vas de punt?... o què!!!'' The album was re-released in both in 1992 and 1994, w ...

*2007-2008 : Anna Barrachina *2008-2009 : Montserrat Estruch *2009-2010 : Oriol Llavina

External links

Receta, en españolRecipe, translated from Spanish

Official 'Xató route' Site
Catalan cuisine Sauces Almond dishes Vilanova i la Geltrú {{catalonia-cuisine-stub

Catalonia

Ambassador of Xató

See also

External links