The Aula Magna of the Diocesan Seminary of Astorga has welcomed this Monday the act of delivery of the Leonese Academy of Gastronomy Awards 2021.
As usual, the academy establishes, on an annual basis, four provincial awards: Best Producer Award, Best Restaurant Award, Best Institution Award and Character Award.
The award for the best restaurant 2021 has landed at the Casa Coscolo Restaurantlocated in Castrillo de los Polvazares.
Almost 25 years have passed since Pedro and Eva fulfilled their dream: a small restaurant where they share their passion for cooking and feed visitors. The chosen place was the crossroads of the legendary maragato muleteers, Castrillo de los Polvazares.
Since then, they have fed the memory with aromas, flavors and textures of always, recreating the authentic cocido maragato, the star dish of the region. Always being respectful of the roots but incorporating new culinary techniques with which they have given the traditional maragato stew its personal stamp, turning it into a high-end dish.
Peter and Eve They could not attend the gala due to a commitment, but they wanted to thank this award: «We want to dedicate this recognition to our families, who have been by our side from the beginning. We can only thank the Leonese Academy of Gastronomy for thinking of us and our humble restaurant. We do not lower our guard and promise to live up to what this implies.
Eve’s parents Marcial Garcia and Milagros Diezhave collected this award from the Mayor of Astorga, Juan José Alonso Perandones.
The award for the best producer 2021 has been for the Flecha Bakery, which has been with a philosophy for more than 65 years: progress is always in the return. They began their journey in the town of Santibáñez del Bernesga, and later, in the year 2000, opened a small shop in the capital of León, where in addition to selling bread and cakes, you could also taste products for breakfast and snacks.
Subsequently, the avenue of Mariano Andrés, in León, has been the location point for a traditional bakery, with a workshop and a wood-burning oven. His latest project is the one on Calle Señor de Bembibre, also with the sale and tasting of pastries, bakery and pastry.
Ramon Villa Carnerohonorary president of the academy, has been in charge of presenting the award to Daniel Arrow, who has thanked the institution for this type of initiative: «Wherever we go we always defend the product of León, the flavors of our land. As bakers we try to incorporate that hallmark of Leonese identity in our products, which we see as very normal, but when they are exported, they are very popular and are first class”.
The award for the best institution 2021 has been for Bierzo Wine Tourism.
El Bierzo offers almost everything to a 21st century traveler: rivers that rush from the Motes Aquilianos, large valleys or vineyards with a millenary tradition. A history marked by the Romans and their great works and also by the Mozarabic culture. A land of the Templars, crossed by the Camino de Santiago, where beauty is the work of nature and the man who pampers it. A whole world, which Enoturismo has managed to combine within its magnificent plans.
Daniel Velascovice president of the institution, has been the host to collect the award from the general secretary of the Leonese Academy of Gastronomy.
Lastly, the character award 2021 has gone to stop Alvaro Palacios Muro.
In 1999, Corullón attracted the Palacios family with its vertiginous slopes of old Mencía vineyards and the Camino de Santiago winding between mountains and valleys. All this together with the sum of spirituality and the environment make up the Descendientes J. Palacios winery. A life of vineyards and successes.
José Cañedo, president of the academy, presented the award to Álvaro Palacios himself.
«It is a great honor for me, but this recognition is also for my nephew Ricardo. I want to thank all of El Bierzo, who has always welcomed us and continues to treat us with love and a natural way that is pleasing. We have taken advantage of the natural and historical environment of winemaking, unaltered over time, to serve these wines that give us so much pride, because wine also has its emotional side”, claimed the winner.
To close the event, the president of the academy reiterated that the Leonese Academy of Gastronomy has been awarding these awards for eleven years, the only ones at the gastronomic level: «With these awards we recognize those leaders in each category for their career and dedication. Now, we are already thinking about next year’s awards.”
For its part, the mayor of Astorga He argued that these awards show that there are initiatives and very valuable people in the province: «Today wine production has been awarded, something fundamental for El Bierzo, as well as confectionery and cocido maragato. It is very important that these initiatives exist in society to help promote well-being, progress and the social aspect in our Community”.
To end the act, the academy pin was delivered to a new academic, the berciano Pedro Gonzalez Vazquez.
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Casa Coscolo receives the award for the best restaurant 2021 from the Leonese Academy of Gastronomy