The 18th Botelo Festival will have its Big Day tomorrow Saturday with the official meal at the Calabagueiros Pavilion in Barco de Valdeorras and the previous events of the Reading of the Proclamation and the presentation of the Honorable Mention. A meal in which around 800 kilos of botelo will be tasted accompanied by potatoes, sausages and vegetables. This official meal will be attended by 1300 people in addition to those who will taste the product in the town’s seven restaurants that will also have the bottle on their menus during the weekend..

In addition, during the two days of the festival there will be a fair of traditional products on the Paseo do Malecón (Casino Area) and the musical performances of the Aramio Orchestra (Praza Andrés de Prada) and the groups of III Foliada Cantos de Taberna on Saturday afternoon. A whole series of events to celebrate the 18 years of existence of this party around the botelo.

This year’s announcer will be the first organizer of this event, José María Rodríguez Ramos, who started this gastronomic party when he held the position of Councilor for Culture. The current councillor, Margarida Pizcueta, pointed out that “thanks to him, a project started which later also involved the work of many people and today it is becoming the third most important gastronomic festival in Galicia”. The honorable mention will once again go to a cook from the village, Manola García (Parra), belonging to a family closely linked to cooking in the region. The announcement will take place tomorrow, the 20th, and will act as the opening event of the Festa do Botelo on the official day.

Entre as novidades deste ano no programa estivo a celebración o día 13, dun novo  Blog Trip do Botelo, a segunda edición, onde 6 blogueiros e comunicadores galegos viaxaron ata a comarca para coñecer como se elabora e como sabe o botelo, ademais de coñecer a zona dende o punto de vista turístico e tamén se completou con visitas a adegas.

A Festa do Botelo do Barco celebrase do 20 e 21 de xaneiro e tal e como explica o alcalde, Alfredo García: “ampliamos a toda a fin de semana a actividade porque queremos que a xente nos visite e deguste o botelo nos restaurantes da vila, non só o día da comida institucional do día 20 no pavillón de Calabagueiros”.  Para o rexedor barquense “a posibilidade de que a festa creza está en aumentar o número de restaurantes que poñan o botelo nos seus menús esa fin de semana”. Ademais de comer botelo tamén se poderán degustar pinchos na VIII edición da Ruta de Pinchos “O Barco vai de viños” por bares da vila que rematará o día 21. Unha actividade organizada pola asociación Centro Comercial Aberto (Aeva) e coa colaboración do Concello do Barco.

Restaurantes que ofrecerán botelo esta fin de semana

-Cafetería Restaurante Fernando III

-Casa Galaica

-Pulpería El Dorado

-Piquiño restaurante

-Casa Lameiro

-Tapería Al Natural

-Restaurante Tomás

Asistentes ao II Blog Trip do Botelo

1- Jose Arnoso: www.turvegal.com  e www.paseargalicia.com.

2.-Chus Nenalinda. Blog: siguiendoanenalinda.blogspot.com (Valdeorras)

3-Ana Otero: www.murmullosentremaletas.wordpress.com  .Twitter e Instagram: @Dacoteroo (La Otero). (Ourense).

4-Emilio Vila: www.cocinaandgo.blogspot.com   (Vigo)

5-Jesus Hermida Iglesias. Blog: www.viajerosnosotros.com

6-Emilia Santiago Blanco. Blog: www.cousasdemilia.com.  (Pontevedra)