Tradition

Another Saints' Day, another day off...January 20th is the day of San Sebastián, patron of that city and repeller of the bubonic plague. In Donostia they start celebrating the night before-people dress up as soldiers or chefs and play music and beat drums. This goes on through the night and the next day, with marchers representing schools and the many gastronomic societies in the city. Why celebrate a saint that was martyred during Roman times with 19th-century trappings? Nobody seems to know exactly why, but it has something to do with Napoleon and locals picking on his soldiers when they occupied the Iberian peninsula. Also, since much of Donostia burned in the early 1800s, a lot of stuff is left from that time-lots of wrought iron, marble, elaborate wooden facades etc.-folks familiar with New Orleans would recognize the style. And any night out with your gastronomic society? Probably a good night. I've met people who belong to these societies-folks get together and plan big meals and chill out every once in a while. Sounds like my kind of club. If I ever start one, it will have an almond theme. We made the mistake of baking for the neighbor who has given us piles of almonds from her family's farm in Spain and so we have been flooded-with more almonds, some of which were garrapiñada, or carmelized. Any Californian readers who have been to Gilroy lately may want to check out this recipe-these things are more addicting than, well, marzipan. Really.