Catalonia - Jan Read

Catalonia, host to the 1992 Olympic Games, has always been a country within a country. During the fourteenth century she was Queen of the Mediterranean with a fleet surpassing those of Genoa and Venice. The kingdom was incorporated into Spain only after fierce opposition, and even today Catalonia's government, the Generalitat, is autonomous. Jan Read, historian and wine writer, and Maite Manjon, leading exponent of the cuisines of Spain and Portugal, have together created a portrait of Catalonia that reveals the true ambience and character of a region that has so much more to offer than her seaside resorts on the Costa Brava and the Costa Daurada. For the inquiring visitor, this introduction to the country and its people covers Catalan history and traditions; literature, the arts and the glowing achievements of the Renaixenca, which culminated in the visionary architecture of Gaudi in Barcelona; and descriptions of the widely varied terrain that appeals to nature lovers, artists, hikers, skiers, and summer tourists alike. It also contains maps, itineraries written from first-hand knowledge, and practical information about hotels, restaurants and the Catalan language. Catalonia produces excellent wines, and has an intriguing and little-known cuisine. The book includes expert accounts of leading wineries and their wines, of culinary history and traditions, and ends with recipes for cooking Catalan delicacies in your own kitchen.