Groundhog day was actually two days ago, when Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow and predicted six weeks more of winter, but that’s another story. Most of us remember Groundhog Day because of the well-known Bill Murray film, finding himself trapped, living the same day over and over again. Today’s subject is not exactly a daily recurrence, but actually an annual event that I have written about at least once before….. the Cocido Festival!

Cocido is a type of local stew or casserole made by cooking various types of meat and vegetables in stock – in many ways similar to the French ‘Pot au Feu’ (except using different meats). Usually a traditional Galician cocido would be made from a selection of salt pork cuts, including the head, ears or tail, together with pieces of cock or chicken. Chorizo and pork belly or bacon, are also added. The selection of vegetables includes potato (a food staple of the Galician diet), grelos, which are actually the leaves of turnips (although cabbage can be used as an alternative to this), and finally garbanzos, or chickpeas to you and me.

OK, so it’s not for me to judge whether Cocido is good or bad, as with everything, it’s all a matter of personal taste. As always, my only problem is with the publicity shot that they have used to advertise the Festival (todays’ photo). For the undecided, or uninitiated I don’t believe that you would be particularly attracted to Cocido by the picture that they have chosen….. but then that’s just my own point of view.

Groundhog day was actually two days ago, when Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow and predicted six weeks more of winter, but that’s another story. Most of us remember Groundhog Day because of the well-known Bill Murray film, finding himself trapped, living the same day over and over again. Today’s subject is not exactly a daily recurrence, but actually an annual event that I have written about at least once before….. the Cocido Festival!

Cocido is a type of local stew or casserole made by cooking various types of meat and vegetables in stock – in many ways similar to the French ‘Pot au Feu’ (except using different meats). Usually a traditional Galician cocido would be made from a selection of salt pork cuts, including the head, ears or tail, together with pieces of cock or chicken. Chorizo and pork belly or bacon, are also added. The selection of vegetables includes potato (a food staple of the Galician diet), grelos, which are actually the leaves of turnips (although cabbage can be used as an alternative to this), and finally garbanzos, or chickpeas to you and me.

OK, so it’s not for me to judge whether Cocido is good or bad, as with everything, it’s all a matter of personal taste. As always, my only problem is with the publicity shot that they have used to advertise the Festival (todays’ photo). For the undecided, or uninitiated I don’t believe that you would be particularly attracted to Cocido by the picture that they have chosen….. but then that’s just my own point of view.