{"id":9826,"date":"2025-10-27T13:12:33","date_gmt":"2025-10-27T12:12:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oriolgracia.cat\/blog-oriol-gracia-2\/"},"modified":"2025-10-28T08:26:55","modified_gmt":"2025-10-28T07:26:55","slug":"blog-oriol-gracia-2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/oriolgracia.cat\/en\/blog-oriol-gracia-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Blog"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tLa Batalla de l’Ebre als fogons\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\toriolgracia\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\tJanuary 6, 2018\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

RESTAURANT MIRAVALL, BATEA<\/p>\n

“[…] que mengin llenties, com nosaltres. Em surten per les orelles. Putes llenties”. Aquestes paraules em van recordar a mon iaio que, pel que m’han explicat, va avorrir les llenties durat la Guerra Civil despr\u00e9s de passar pel front d\u2019Arag\u00f3. La frase \u00e9s un fragment del conte La comuna de Par\u00eds<\/em><\/a> de l’escriptora M\u00edriam Cano<\/a>, que tot just acaba de publicar La Breu<\/a>; una conversa que recrea les cab\u00f2ries de dos brigadistes desganats a punt de creuar l’Ebre per Campred\u00f3<\/a>, el juliol de 1938, en una de les maniobres m\u00e9s mort\u00edferes de la guerra.<\/p>\n

El conflicte \u2014especialment en les zones properes al front\u2014 feia dif\u00edcil trobar carn, ous, sucre, fins i tot cigrons i fesols. Un dels pocs aliments que les tropes podien menjar amb certa regularitat eren les llenties, que es cuinaven bullides amb aigua i, si hi havia sort, amb alguna ceba. Les arengades salades, les sardines enllaunades provinents de Gal\u00edcia, Noruega i Tail\u00e0ndia (!), les sopes d\u2019all \u2014fetes amb restes de pa dur, aigua, oli i pebrot\u2014 i, de tant en tant, la xocolata, completaven la dieta que els havia de donar forces per lluitar en el camp de batalla.<\/p>\n

Ara, m\u00e9s de setanta-cinc anys despr\u00e9s de la Guerra i\u00a0amb aquest substrat culinari com a punt de partida, el Ricard Vidal \u2014cap de sala\u00a0del Restaurant Miravall de Batea<\/a>, a la comarca de la Terra Alta\u2014 i l\u2019empresa Terra Enll\u00e0<\/a> \u2014especialitzada en el guiatge pels espais hist\u00f2rics de la Batalla de l\u2019Ebre<\/a>\u2014 han creat un \u2018men\u00fa de guerra\u2019 que combina l\u2019arqueologia gastron\u00f2mica, la cuina d\u2019autor, l\u2019aposta pels productes de proximitat i certa voluntat did\u00e0ctica.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/em>El men\u00fa comen\u00e7a amb una crema freda, inspirada amb les sopes d\u2019all. Una mica de pa sec, sobrassada, ma\u00e7ana i encenalls de formatge\u2026 i la destresa del Ricard Vidal que s\u2019apropa a la taula per explicar als comensals el perqu\u00e8 de cada ingredient. De segon una curiosa llauna de sardina escabetxada acompanyada d\u2019herbes arom\u00e0tiques i olives negres. L\u2019\u00e0pat continua amb un plat de truita en suc, condimentada amb patata, una salsa farinosa i una mica de cansalada. I per tancar el men\u00fa: ranxo de porc, amb m\u00e9s carn que llegums, just a l\u2019inrev\u00e9s del que devia passar en \u00e8poca de pen\u00faries. L\u2019oferta es completa amb unes postres de xocolata, un dol\u00e7 preuad\u00edssim entre els soldats, especialment entre els voluntaris de les brigades internacionals.<\/p>\n

El restaurant Miravall \u00a0de Batea\u00a0i l\u2019empresa Terra Enll\u00e0\u00a0han creat un \u2018men\u00fa de guerra\u2019 que combina l\u2019arqueologia gastron\u00f2mica, la cuina d\u2019autor, l\u2019aposta pels productes de proximitat i certa voluntat did\u00e0ctica.<\/em><\/h4>\n

L\u2019oli i els vins locals acaben de donar el toc genu\u00efnament terralt\u00ed\u00a0a la menjada. La major part de plats s\u2019acompanyen de l\u2019Az-Azeytun<\/a>, un oli d’oliva verge extra 100% arbequ\u00ed, afruitat i elaborat a Batea. Pel que fa als vins, la proposta de maridatge inclou dos caldos: per als plats m\u00e9s suaus, el\u00a0Petit Almod\u00ed\u00a0[Celler Altavins<\/a>, DO Terra Alta<\/a>], un negre jove, fresc, fet amb garnatxa, Syrah i Merlot, varietats que potencien les aromes de fruita vermella i esp\u00e8cies. En canvi, per al ranxo de porc \u2014m\u00e9s contundent\u2014 un\u00a0Naturalis Mer\u00a0negre [Celler Cooperatiu de Batea<\/a>, DO Terra Alta<\/a>], que forma part d\u2019una l\u00ednia de vins ecol\u00f2gics de garnatxa negra i cabernet sauvignon, amb tres mesos de crian\u00e7a en b\u00f3tes de roure franc\u00e8s.<\/p>\n

PS: El men\u00fa forma part de la ruta\u00a0El secret dels brigadistes<\/em>\u00a0de l\u2019empresa\u00a0Terra Enll\u00e0<\/a>, un recorregut guiat per la serra de P\u00e0ndols \u2014escenari dels enfrontaments m\u00e9s cruents de la batalla de l\u2019Ebre\u2014 on s\u2019amaga un monument erigit l\u2019estiu de 1938 per les Brigades Internacionals en mem\u00f2ria dels soldats morts en batalla.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tBot\u00e0nic, un periple gastron\u00f2mic del mediterrani al Jap\u00f3\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\toriolgracia\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\tJanuary 4, 2018\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

RESTAURANT BOT\u00c0NIC, TORTOSA.<\/p>\n

Si f\u00f3ssim a Barcelona dir\u00edem all\u00f2 de \u2018volta al m\u00f3n i torna al Born\u2019. A Tortosa<\/a> no tenim una frase feta equiparable, per\u00f2 l\u2019expressi\u00f3 va b\u00e9 per definir la traject\u00f2ria del xef lleidat\u00e0 Carles Barber\u00e0, que fa vint-cinc anys va obrir el restaurant\u00a0Julivert<\/em>\u00a0\u2014un hist\u00f2ric a la capital del Baix Ebre\u2014 en l\u2019atzucac que queda una mica m\u00e9s amunt de l\u2019antic cinema F\u00e8mina, a l\u2019eixample tortos\u00ed. Ara, despr\u00e9s d\u2019un periple per diversos restaurants, ha tornat en aquell mateix local, ocupat des de fa dos anys pel\u00a0Bot\u00e0nic<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Amb la nova direcci\u00f3 de cuina, Jordi Mauri i Xavi Galiana \u2014els dos joves propietaris del restaurant\u2014 han pres una decisi\u00f3 encertada. Perqu\u00e8 des que el Carles \u00e9s al capdavant dels seus fogons, el restaurant ha fet un salt gastron\u00f2mic amb una carta gens ostentosa \u2014m\u00e9s aviat de vocaci\u00f3 popular\u2014 per\u00f2 refinada: raviolis farcits amb crema de llam\u00e0ntol i salsa marinera de gamba roja, caragols a la llauna salpebrats amb aquella destresa que nom\u00e9s tenen els nascuts a la\u00a0terra ferma<\/em>\u00a0o past\u00eds de foie mi-cuit amb poma i recobert d\u2019una capa caramel\u00b7litzada que li aporta una textura cruixent sense ser farragosa, a la vegada que potencia el punt subtil i deliciosament amargant del fetge.<\/p>\n

“El sushi \u00e9s tamb\u00e9 a la punta de llan\u00e7a d\u2019una carta que sap combinar els plats de la cuina mediterr\u00e0nia amb l\u2019emergent influ\u00e8ncia de la gastronomia nipona”<\/em><\/h4>\n

El Bot\u00e0nic<\/a>\u00a0tamb\u00e9 ha esdevingut un dels millors locals de la ciutat per gaudir de la cuina japonesa. El tataki de tonyina roja Balfeg\u00f3<\/a>\u00a0\u2014excel\u00b7lent mat\u00e8ria primera\u2014 amb llavors torrades de s\u00e8sam \u00e9s un plat sabor\u00f3s de preparaci\u00f3 relativament senzilla, per\u00f2 que requereix de l\u2019habilitat per marcar els daus a la paella sense que perdin el sabor i la textura del peix cru. El sushi elaborat amb arr\u00f2s glutin\u00f3s, de gra curt i rod\u00f3 i acompanyat de tonyina, bacall\u00e0 i salm\u00f3 \u00e9s tamb\u00e9 a la punta de llan\u00e7a d\u2019una carta que sap combinar els plats de la cuina mediterr\u00e0nia amb l\u2019emergent influ\u00e8ncia de la gastronomia nipona.<\/p>\n

El local, per\u00f2, tamb\u00e9 \u00e9s singular per la seva posada en escena: un espai di\u00e0fan, amb un reservat a la zona de l\u2019altell, llumin\u00f3s i que ha pensat b\u00e9 l\u2019interiorisme amb tocs industrials i elements de l\u2019arquitectura zen. Entre el personal, a m\u00e9s, s\u2019hi reconeixen treballadors d\u2019un altre hist\u00f2ric de la ciutat, el restaurant Rosa Pinyol, que va tancar ara deu fer deu anys. Un c\u00famul d\u2019experi\u00e8ncia en un equip de cuina i sala que garanteix menjar de gust i sentir-se ben servit.<\/p>\n

Per saber-ne m\u00e9s: C\/ Teodor Gonz\u00e1lez, 38. Tortosa. \/\/ Tel. 977 44 52 56 \/\/ www.botanictortosa.com\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0\/\/\u00a0Article publicat origin\u00e0riament a la revista<\/em>\u00a0L’ESTEL<\/a>\u00a0amb fotografies de Josep Pi\u00f1ol<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tSouthern Stars, the hiker\u2019s constellation\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\toriolgracia\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\tAugust 8, 2015\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

The hiking route \u2018Southern Stars\u2019\u00a0<\/a> [called \u2018Estels del sud\u2019 in Catalan] crosses the Natural Park of \u2018Els Ports\u2019, located in a mountain range right at the meeting point between the regions of Catalonia, Valencia and Aragon. Over five days, the route passes through the picturesque villages of Pa\u00fcls, Arnes and Bese\u00eft. This is a great walking route to explore the full range of human and natural landscapes, some of which inspired one of the most innovative painters of the twentieth century, Pablo Picasso.<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n

\"Estels<\/p>\n

“We marked five points on the map following the main path that circles the mountains of the natural park of \u2018Els Ports\u2019. Uniting every one of them in a straight line, we saw something that reminded us of the shape of a constellation,\u201d <\/i>said Gabriel Guti\u00e9rrez, who runs the Font Ferrera mountain refuge. Ten years ago, those sketches on paper gave the name to the hiking project Estels del Sud [Southern Stars]<\/i>. Southern<\/i>, because although shorter sections of the route are in the Matarranya (east Aragon) and the Maestrat (north Valencia) areas, the longest part crosses southern Catalonia. The full route took us five days walking twenty kilometres per section on average; maybe hard if you are a not used to walking at all, but quite easy for non-professional hikers who just want to enjoy natural areas. But what makes this route unique is the very different kind of spaces you pass through: beech woods, pine and oak forests, green meadows, bare mountains and deep ravines furrowed by little rivers. \u201cBut beyond the natural interest, Estels del Sud helps to discover small mountain villages and its people,\u201d<\/i> added Guti\u00e9rrez.<\/p>\n

<\/b>First stage: Mont-Caro Refuge – Pa\u00fcls \/\/\u00a0<\/b>The circular route can be started at any of the five stages and walked in both directions. So on our first day we decided to walk from the highest point of the mountain range \u2014the Mont-Caro<\/i> peak (1447m) \u2014 towards Pa\u00fcls, in an anticlockwise direction. We reached the village after passing Les Foies<\/i>, Les Rases del Maraco<\/i> and El Coll de l\u2019Espina<\/i>. Just after the Sant Roc<\/i> forest, we got our first glimpse of the houses at the centre of a natural amphitheatre enclosed by the foothills of the mountain. It is interesting to climb to the top of the village, where there are the remains of the medieval castle and the old church with a high viewpoint that embraces the entire valley.<\/p>\n

\"Estels<\/a><\/p>\n

Second stage: Pa\u00fcls-Arnes \/\/\u00a0<\/b>Between Pa\u00fcls and Arnes the track passes near les<\/i> Roques d\u2019en Benet<\/i> (1016m), an impressive compact group of sheer rocky outcrops. It was easy to see vultures flying over our heads and Iberian wild goats \u2014strong mountain animals with large and curved horns\u2014 climbing the cliffs. More than one hundred years ago, this area located near the village of Horta de Sant Joan, inspired the avant-garde painter Pablo Picasso to create cubist pictures. At the end of the stage, we reached Arnes on a flat hill with its church and its Renaissance style Town Hall building. Just in front, there is a huge natural balcony looking out over les<\/i> Roques d\u2019en Benet<\/i> from the distance, one of the most photographed landscapes in that part of the mountain range.<\/p>\n

Third stage: Arnes-Bese\u00eft \/\/\u00a0<\/b>On the third day, the dense forests of el Coll de la Creu<\/i>, La Roca Grossa<\/i> and the Algars contrasted with the bare, dry and windy summit of Roca Galera<\/i>, a bow-shaped plateau overlooking Terra Alta and Matarraya counties. Near the houses of Bese\u00eft, we crossed the river Ulldem\u00f3 and we saw the bell tower of the Sant Bartomeu church which guided us to the little town centre, the last village we would past through during our trip.<\/p>\n

\"Estels<\/a>Fourth stage: Bese\u00eft-Font Ferrera Refuge \/\/\u00a0<\/b>If you like swimming this is an enjoyable section to walk. June and July are the best months to swim in the Matarranya, the river that has shaped the rugged rocky landscape between Bese\u00eft and Font Ferrera. After a cooling dip we walked through the gorges with footbridges attached to the rocky walls. Going in to the canyon known as G<\/i>\u00fabies <\/i>del Parrissal<\/i>, the walls were so impressive and vertical that we could only see a narrow line of sky above us. Technically, this was one of the most complex parts of the route.<\/p>\n

Fifth stage: Font Ferrera Refuge \u2013 Caro Refuge\/\/\u00a0<\/b>The stage remaining \u2014which ends not far from the Mont-Caro peak\u2014 is a little bit gentler. The climb to the Coll dels Pallers<\/i> was quite hard, but worth it to enjoy the views of the east part of the mountain range and the Ebro river valley. From there, we just followed the last few blue stars signs painted on the rocks that had\u00a0 escorted us for the previous five days.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tBannockburn, Scotland 1314\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\toriolgracia\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\tMarch 5, 2014\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\"BarcelonaIn Catalonia, the commemoration of that defeat will have a strong political signification. After that battle, Catalan institutions were abolished, Catalan language banned during public activities and people had to accept the authority of Phillip V de Bourbon, the new king of Spain. It is obvious, that it is not by chance that the Catalan autonomous government has decided to organise a referendum for the independence in 2014, just three centuries after the defeat. But in Scotland \u2014where there will be a secession referendum this September 18th<\/sup>\u2014 almost no one gives political meaning to historical battles. \u00ab Contrary to Catalonia, in Scotland no one has ever denied our identity. And maybe because of that, we don\u2019t use the history to have arguments and justify our politics\u201d, claim Blair Jenkins, chief executive of YES Scotland pro-independence platform.<\/p>\n

So, without the political connotation that we can find in Catalonia, in 2014 Scotland commemorates the 700th<\/sup> anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn, where the king Robert the Bruce I defeated Edward II of England in a spot not far from the Stirling Castle. The victory meant the end of thirty years of English interferences in Scottish politics: Indeed in 1286, the death of Alexander II left the kingdom of Scotland without a crown prince and from that moment, the English tried to control their neighbours of the north. First William Wallace, and later Robert the Bruce I, have fought the English army. In the end, after the battle of Bannockburn, Scotland could declare its independence, even though there was no official recognition until 1320.<\/p>\n

In the middle of the battlefield \/\/ <\/b>700 years later, the battlefield where the English and the Scottish army fought is a green landscape \u2014without trees\u2014 close to the houses of Bannockburn village, just 2 miles from Stirling Castle. In this spot, nothing reminds us about war, except the bronze sculpture of Robert the Bruce I, set up during the 60s. Nowadays, a few meters away from the sculpture, we can find the new Battle of Bannockburn Visitor Centre<\/a> that has just opened this week.<\/p>\n

\"Battle<\/a><\/p>\n

One of the most interesting attractions there is the almost 360\u00ba screen that allows the visitors to be right in the middle of the 3D recreation. \u00ab\u00a0We want the visitors to feel part of the history, and even though it is a virtual battle, they can be in the fight, among knights, archers and soldiers coming out of the screen \u00bb, said Scott McMaster, property manager of the visitor centre. And after being submerged in the battle, the visitors can try their skills in military tactics in an adjacent room, where a circular table recreates the landscape of the area. Each player around the table is in charge of a group of soldiers of either the English or the Scottish army (it is the guide of the museum who decides). The aim is to defeat the enemies and occupy the Stirling Castle. If at the end of this activity the visitors still need more realism, they can wait for the medieval festival organised on the last weekend of June \u2014the actual date of the battle\u2014when they will be able to be in a Middle Ages army camp and to walk among soldiers in the flesh. (Sapiens.cat<\/a> 4\/2\/2014 \/\/ Photo1: Barcelona 1714 \/\/ Battle of Bannockburn Visitor Centre<\/a>)
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