Asturias

This Month in Asturias (March):

Shopping: Not only does Malosa Lula sell cute clothes for kids, it also crafts children's bedroom accessories on site, with most small enough to fit in your suitcase (13 Gonzalez Abarca, Avilés).

Sightseeing: Don't miss An Evening of Ballet with Tamara Rojo accompanied by David Makhateli and Natalia Kremen - it's surely the highlight of Oviedo's Dance Festival 2010 (23 March Teatro Campoamor, Diecinueve de Julio, tel: 985 207 590).

Key areas: When spring arrives the locals from Oviedo get out of town at weekends and head for nearby Las Caldas for an aperitif or lunch. It's a short drive - or a pleasant walk along the converted old railway track from the Parque de Invierno.

Day trips: Head to Candas fishing village to wind down, snack on fresh fish tapas, stroll around the harbour and visit nearby beaches. It's within easy driving distance of the three main cities and accessible by local train. On display at the Museo Antón is the work of local sculptor Antonio Rodríguez.

Asturias News & Gossip

Tastebuds: Razor Clams

Galicians foraging for razor clams have two options. First, they can capture them on foot, usually in inter-tidal areas using a sharp, 60cm-long fishing spear. Once the shell has been speared, the puncture wound is located and the harpoon on the end of the spear is used to extract the meat. The second option is diving, using the "free lung" method, which involves rubber suits, goggles, snorkels and weight bells. As razor clams are often buried in the sand, they need to be skilfully removed by hand. Thanks to the streamlined design of its shell and the powerful thrust of its muscular "foot", the razor can propel itself down through the wet sand like a rocket in reverse. The clam will pop its siphon up out of the sand at the taste of a new tide. The hunter must swiftly pinch the shell firmly and apply an even, upward pressure. Pulling too hard on the siphon, which is designed to break off and re-grow, means all is lost. Clams caught using the diving method are of a particularly high quality due to the climate of the seawater and because the shells are extracted directly from their natural habitat.

Galicians use every bit of what they grow or catch. Not only are the tasty bodies of these gastronomic prizes relished, the shells are also used as garden fertiliser - not surprising, considering the effort put into their capture. Aptly, navajas, the Spanish word for these molluscs, translates as "pocket knives".

Not only does eating shellfish seem to be a major pastime in Galicia, danger seems to come hand in hand with feasting. Percebes, another favourite that can be found on menus alongside razor clams, is gathered in equally perilous methods from the same coast. These tasty barnacles only grow on rocks with a heavy surf, so fishermen must get close to the cliffs in small rowing boats, jump into the water with a rope tied to their ankles and quickly chisel off a handful.

For shellfish sweetness, razor clams are right up there with percebes and scallops. In Galician cooking, the emphasis is on simple preparation and serving, so the flavours of the raw ingredients can shine through. This perfectly suits razor clams, which are best cooked briefly or not at all - they're often prepared on open-air grills in their own water to preserve flavour, with just a touch of lemon.

After watching the sunset over the Atlantic at Finisterre, Galicia's version of Land's End in England, razor clams can be sampled at Casa Velay (tel: +34 981 740 127), a traditional, beachfront restaurant close to the port. It's a dish best served as an appetiser or first course, as Eduardo Lage, who co-owns Galicia (323 Portobello Road, London W10, tel: +44 (0)20 8969 3539) restaurant in London, will verify. Originally from the Galician countryside, he still looks forward with hungry anticipation to a dish of razor clams on visits home. "They're expensive, so I like to sit at a table with friends and enjoy them as a special starter with a nice bottle of wine."

WHERE TO TRY RAZOR CLAMS

BARCELONA
LA PARADETA

At this unusual self-service shellfish restaurant, you choose your own razor clams from the shellfish counter, serve yourself and then collect your own meal, which is completely fresh and great value. 7 Carrer Commercial, tel: +34 932 681 939

LONDON
BARRAFINA

This fabulously authentic Spanish tapas bar has fresh deliveries of razor clams every day when they're in season and the dish is usually grilled and served with Spanish olive oil, garlic and parsley. It's great to see that the razor clam, which has been underrated for so long in the UK, is now also relished outside of Spain for its unique taste. 54 Frith Street, London W1, tel: +44 (0)20 7813 8016

Asturias Trivia

• March: Not only babies babble in Asturias: the region has its own language, Bable, which is spoken by 100,000 people. It's the second language of another 450,000.

• February: Madreñas are wooden clogs, traditionally used in winter to fend off the wet and cold and still worn by many locals. Try catching one run in them - a very difficult task!

• January: The Oscar Niemeyer Internacional Cultural Centre is due to open in Avilés this year - it's named after the Brazilian architect who designed the centre itself and the Brazilian capital Brasilia.

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