3.211 / 5.000 Saint Christopher, Gastronomic Evolution

July 10th, Saint Christopher, was the day on which people in ancient times began taking sea baths, and it was also the day chosen for the little ones in the house to learn to swim, due to the popular belief that on this day the Saint did not allow drowning.

Josep Pons Lluch, in a piece published in El Iris on July 9, 1949, 76 years ago, recalled that "according to tradition, more than swimming, people went to the seashore on that day to bathe or wash their feet. Although today we find that, following this custom, people go to the seashore to dine not on this greixera of potatoes—few people preserve this old tradition—but on cocas and graseras, but sweet, reaching true feasts.

Here, in terms of gastronomy, is where Pons Lluch gives us a clue and at the same time points out the difference between a greixera of potatoes and a greixera of potatoes, which is very interesting.

Bep Padet, in a note, tells us that the old greixera of potatoes, which 76 years ago was already disappearing as a delicacy for July 10, was when this dish was made with sofrito, While the potato greixera, which is also currently disappearing and giving way more to sweet potato, is when it is sweet.

Would this potato greixera that Pons Lluch tells us about be what we know today as summer food? The basin or pot of potatoes with onions, from Levante (some also include peppers) and tomatoes, baked in the oven? Was this potato greixera then part of the main delicacies of the afternoon snack for San Cristóbal more than 75 years ago?

Today, the afternoon snack for San Cristóbal, whether served by the sea or in villas, has been revived, and sweet and savory cocas are eaten, but not potato or sweet potato greixeras. Stuffed zucchini and eggplant are cooked, which seem to have been part of this day forever, and as we can see, just over 75 years ago, they weren't even mentioned, something that which indicates the constant evolution of gastronomy, even the most popular and/or festive.

This is the gastronomy of Sant Cristóbal in the Ponent part, while in the Levante part, the main dishes are, or at least were, cooked snails and oven-baked ribs with potatoes, in addition to sweet and savory cocas.

As we can see, there are gastronomic differences between the two parts of the island, between Levante and Poniente, and how, in 75 years, some dishes have changed, disappearing, and others have been introduced that weren't even mentioned, such as Menorcan-style stuffed eggplant and zucchini.

Perhaps in view of the upcoming Sant Cristóbals, it would be good to revive the ancient custom of potato greixeres (fried potatoes), along with cocas made with seasonal produce, such as those from the estivada (seasonal pastry): tomatoes, peppers, sofrito (fried potatoes)... in the case of the savory ones, and with seasonal fruits, such as the latter cherries, the first plums, peaches, and nectarines.

It's all about nodding to the gastronomic treasures of a more than recent past, and recovering them for our own culinary memories and those of future generations who must follow us.