By Victoria Rodriguez Rey (@victoriarodriguezrey)
With a four-month course of the career, the students of the Technician in Gastronomy of Zapala have already participated in various social events, promoting food as a cultural element.
130 students started. Currently there are 100 students from Zapala, Los Catutos, Cutral Co, Las Lajas and Mariano Moreno who are studying the Higher Technician in Gastronomy. It is a career in food that has already begun to forge the profile of an entrepreneur, although it is also a vehicle for cultural transmission, while proposing a rescue of the local gastronomic culture.
The coordinator of the course, Jorgelina Esper, comments that the technique “aims to give added value to Neuquén cuisine, fully committed to regional cuisine. The idea is to promote local and ancestral gastronomy, through the registration of historical recipes, and also to achieve a balance with European haute cuisine”. From the resources of regional and historical production, the training proposal promotes forging personnel with this profile in the food industry.
With a team of very committed teachers who generate tools to achieve the objectives of the career, agreements and participation in various events were made.
The first practice of the year was held in February. For World Pizza Day, February 10 and 11, a charity event was held where 2,000 pizzas were made and sold. The proceeds went to the El Caminito picnic area and the Don Bosco School in the city of Zapala.
The second practice of the year was in the National Championship of Asadores a la Estaca, on March 10, 11 and 12. One of the participations was the elaboration of curanto. “Curanto is an ancestral food from the Araucanía area. In this way, added value is generated with our local producers. It is carried out in a pit, covered with bochas stones, enough fire is made so that the stones are hot. Then, nalca leaves are placed, a plant that conserves heat and helps cooking. The already seasoned meat (lamb, goat, turkey, chorizos, steer), potato, sweet potato, cabutia squash and carrot are also incorporated. It is once more covered with nalca leaves and a cloth to protect the earthen ingredients and help to preserve the temperature. Finally, it is covered with earth and kept on fire and moderate coals for 6 hours for even cooking. The ingredients are just right. Tender meats and vegetables al dente. It is generally accompanied by a criolla sauce and pebre de piñón”, shares Jorgelina.
The next participation will be at the Yo Como Festival. There they will have a fundamental intervention. Students and teachers will be in charge of setting up the mise en place, which are all the preparations and previous organization so that the live cooking classes can be carried out.
“There will also be a cooking class from Araucanía, mainly highlighting our pehuén gastronomic corridor or route, with products such as pine nuts, aromatic herbs, agroecological products, giving value to our local productions”, advances the coordinator of the race.
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