- 注释版
- 纯净版
来源:
By Ellen Greenblatt
[1] When Americans think of Barcelona, most think of the sea, the '92 Olympics or the singular architecture of Gaud. They probably don't think of onions. But every year, for a few months beginning at the end of January, the Catalan people of Spain, especially from Barcelona and Tarragona, farther down the Balearic coast, think only of flocking to the countryside to indulge in a feast centered on calcots, specially grown green onions grilled over vines.
[2] The rituals of the calcotada, as the whole feast is called, are established and, like everything in Catalunya (as the Catalans call their Catalonia region), little publicized. Everyone just knows where to go and what to do, from donning a bib to peel the charred calcots before plunging them into the garlicky romesco sauce, to the drinking of wine from the porro, a traditional spouted glass vessel that requires great aim to avoid the disgrace of drips, to the obligatory walk afterward.
[3] Knowing what to do and what comes next seems to enhance the pleasure of tucking into a calcotada. Whether you are at a private calcotada or enjoying one with a group in a restaurant, you don't have to choose what to eat -- the menu is fairly standard, and the host or restaurant takes over with personal variations. And, as with anything to do with food, people are certain that their way is best.
[4] Calcots are, of course, the basis of the calcotada. They resemble particularly plump green onions, but their production is as complicated as that of asparagus and endive. Though devotees of calcotadas, city-dwelling Barcelona friends have been somewhat vague in helping me to discover the origins of the feast or the specifics of the onions themselves. Colman Andrews, in his excellent book "Catalan Cuisine" (Atheneum, 1988), clearly hasn't been able to nail down the origins either, but he gives a fine description of the onions. They take, he notes, about a year and a half to grow, starting with seed onions planted in the fall, then transplanted after the shoots have sprouted, about two months later. After they are harvested some 10 months later, in June or July, they are stored in a dry place until they germinate again. Then, almost a year after they were first planted, they're trimmed and replanted in trenches where, as they grow, they are buried so that the new growth is blanched. When they are finally harvested in January after several months of second growth, they are bigger, sweeter and milder than ordinary scallions or green onions, all because of the calcat or "shoe" of dirt they have worn during their second growth period. Hence the name calcots.
[5] Many large calcotadas begin outside, with everyone standing around the calcots, which, fresh from their cooking and resting, are often presented on terra cotta tiles to help keep them warm. The almond-flavored garlicky sauce, already on the table, is made from recipes that call for a "fistful" of ground roasted almonds and hazelnuts and a "few" roasted garlic cloves, along with tomato, olive oil, vinegar and a little hot pepper (Catalan cuisine is not piquant or spicy).
[6] But, like the growing process, preparation of the calcots requires more than one step. First they are grilled over a roaring fire, ideally made with vines. Then they rest and steam in a wrapping of newspaper, which makes the inside portion under the blackened outer layer tender. Only then are they ready to eat.
[7] And what a process that is. Attacking the calcots is satisfyingly messy. Holding the root end of the blackened calcot in one hand, you grasp the light green inner shoots with the other. As you pull, the glistening tender center slips smoothly out. Then, dipping it in the deliciously nutty, garlicky romesco sauce, you lift your chin proudly and slurp it in the way your mother told you it was impolite to eat asparagus.
[8] You repeat the process again and again, conversing over the deliciousness and the general indigestibility of the combination of onions and the sauce, until everyone has had enough. Even though wearing a bib is standard procedure, you can't help but end up with soot all over your hands and face, which provides another immediate and recurrent topic of conversation.
[9] An American who lives in Barcelona told me that when she went to her first calcotada, she ordered coffee after the calcots, thinking, quite reasonably, that there couldn't be more. But of course there is -- much more. After everyone retreats to the bathroom to wash off as much soot as possible, the main meal begins at freshly set tables, with mongetes and botifarra, white beans and grilled blood sausage, accompanied by carxofes, grilled artichokes and allioli or garlic mayonnaise. (With this dish, you reiterate your fervent thanks that everyone with you in the car back to Barcelona will have eaten the same breathtaking amount of garlic you have.)
[10] After polishing off this course, the main course arrives -- a mixed grill of white botifarra and different cuts of lamb. At some point, cava, the delicious Spanish sparkling wine (don't, for heaven's sake, call it Champagne!), appears as a supplement to the red wine everyone has been pouring down their throats from the porro, the spouted glass beaker. As you might expect, hilarity increases as the afternoon progresses and the pace of eating slows. The dessert can vary -- either pudding or the traditional crema catalana, whose wonderfully burnt-sugar top comes not from putting it under a broiler but from laying a poker-hot salamander on top of the crema just before it is served. Sometimes before the main dessert there is a brief presentation of dried fruits and nuts.
[11] This is a Catalan custom, not a Spanish one. Catalunya, a region of Europe including the northeastern corner of Spain, Andorra and French Roussillon, is fiercely proud of its history and culture, and, since the death of Generalisimo Francisco Franco in 1975, Catalan has assumed an equal role with Castellano, or Castilian Spanish, as the languages of official life in Barcelona and many other parts of Catalunya. Franco's attempt to destroy Catalan culture and language through outright banning and ridicule failed entirely. (Franco would taunt Catalans, saying, "Si eres espan~ol, habla cristiano!" -- if you are Spanish, speak like a Christian, meaning a regular person.)
[12] Though the public use of Catalan disappeared during the 40 years of Franco's dictatorship, people continued to speak it with their families and friends, and, with his death, both language and culture came roaring back into public prominence. Now, official notices, program notes for concerts at the Palau de la Musica and instruction in the early grades of primary school are all in Catalan, though, as I have discovered, it is entirely possible to live happily in Barcelona knowing Castellano and only the rudiments of Catalan, the rudiments including, of course, the names of all the interesting dishes you want to order in restaurants.
[13] Catalans tell a joke that reveals both their sense of their own importance and their awareness that no one else knows much about them or their importance (you may have heard it used to poke fun at some other small ethnic group). Here's the joke: A group of Catalans is traveling in China, and one of them, trying to explain to a Chinese person where and what Catalunya is, says, "We're Catalan. There are 6 million of us." To which the Chinese person replies, "Oh really? In which hotel are you staying?"
[14] Well, the joke is really on that mythical Chinese person. Had he but listened to the tales the Catalan could tell, he might have learned about the calcotada.
CAPTION: Among the rituals of a Catalan calcotada: the gathering of specially grown mild onions, above; a properly sooty-handed calcot griller, left; and calcots on the fire, below.
重点单词：
singular /ˈsɪŋ.gjʊ.lə r / adj 非凡的，突出的
[ before noun ] formal of an unusual quality or standard; noticeable
It was a building of singular grace and beauty.
He showed a singular lack of skill in painting.
flock /flɒk/ verb [ I usually + adv/prep ]
to move or come together in large numbers
indulge /ɪnˈdʌldʒ/ verb 放纵;沉溺(于)
feast /fiːst/ noun 盛宴
vine /vaɪn/ noun [ C ] 葡萄藤
ritual /ˈrɪt.ju.əl/ noun [ C or U ] 仪式
establish /ɪˈstæb.lɪʃ/ verb
[ T often passive ] to start a company or organization that will continue for a long time
publicize , UK usually publicise /ˈpʌb.lɪ.saɪz/ verb [ T ] 公布
don /dɒn/ verb [ T ] -nn- formal
to put on a piece of clothing
bib /bɪb/ noun [ C ] 围嘴儿
peel /piːl/ verb
[ T ] to remove the skin of fruit and vegetables
char /tʃɑː r / verb -rr-
[ I or T ] to burn and become black or to burn something so that it becomes black
garlicky /ˈgɑː.lɪ.ki/ adj
containing, tasting or smelling of garlic
spouted （壶等）有嘴的
vessel /ˈves. ə l/ noun [ C ] （盛液体的）容器
disgrace /dɪsˈgreɪs/ noun [ U ] 出丑
drip /drɪp/ noun 滴落
obligatory /əˈblɪg.ə.t ə r.i/ adj
describes something you must do because of a rule or law, etc
enhance /ɪnˈhɑːn t s/ verb [ T ]
to improve the quality, amount or strength of something
tuck in/tuck into sth phrasal verb informal
to start eating something eagerly
Judging by the way they tucked into their dinner, they must have been very hungry.
There's plenty of food, so please tuck in.
resemble /rɪˈzem.bl ̩/ verb [ T ]
to look like or be like someone or something
You resemble your mother very closely.
After the earthquake, the city resembled a battlefield.
plump /plʌmp/ adj
having a pleasantly soft rounded body or shape
asparagus /əˈspær.ə.gəs/ noun [ U ] 芦笋
endive /ˈen.daɪv/ noun [ C or U ] 菊苣
devotee /ˌdev.əˈtiː/ noun [ C ] 爱好者
a person who strongly admires a particular person or is extremely interested in a subject
city-dwelling 住在城市的
somewhat /ˈsʌm.wɒt/ adv slightly formal slightly
The resort has changed somewhat over the last few years.
She's somewhat more confident than she used to be.
We were somewhat tired after our long walk.
vague /veɪg/ adj 含糊的
specifics /spəˈsɪf.ɪks/ plural noun exact details
nail sth down phrasal verb
US informal to understand something completely, or to describe something correctly
We haven't been able to nail down the cause of the fire yet.
shoot /ʃuːt/ noun （植物的）芽
[ C ] the first part of a plant to appear above the ground as it develops from a seed, or any new growth on an already existing plant
sprout /spraʊt/ verb 发芽
[ I or T ] to produce leaves, hair and other new developing parts, or (of leaves, hair and other developing parts) to begin to grow
some adv
used before a number to mean approximately; about
germinate /ˈdʒɜː.mɪ.neɪt/ verb 发芽
[ I or T ] specialized to (cause a seed to) start growing
trim /trɪm/ verb [ T ] -mm- 修剪
to make something tidier or more level by cutting a small amount off it
trench /tren t ʃ/ noun 壕沟
[ C ] a narrow hole which is dug into the ground
blanch /blɑːn t ʃ/ verb
[ T ] to make a plant pale by covering it up so that the light does not reach it as it grows
terracotta /ˌter.əˈkɒt.ə/ noun [ U ] 红褐色陶
hard, baked reddish-brown clay
tile /taɪl/ noun [ C ] 瓦
fistful /ˈfɪs t .fʊl/ noun [ C ] 一把
an amount of something that you can hold in your fist
piquant /ˈpiː.k ə nt/ adj
having a pleasant sharp or spicy taste
roaring /ˈrɔː.rɪŋ/ adj
loud and powerful
roaring fire 熊熊烈火
attack /əˈtæk/ verb 解决
[ T ] to deal with something quickly and in an effective way
glisten /ˈglɪs. ə n/ verb [ I ] （油亮或潮湿物）闪光
to shine by reflecting light from a wet, oily or smooth surface
chin /tʃɪn/ noun [ C ] 下巴
the part of a person's face below their mouth
slurp /slɜːp/ verb 出声地吃或喝
[ I or T ] informal to drink a liquid noisily as a result of sucking air into the mouth at the same time as the liquid
converse /kənˈvɜːs/ verb [ I ] formal
to have a conversation with someone
indigestible /ˌɪn.dɪˈdʒes.tɪ.bl ̩/ adj 不好消化的
describes food that is difficult or impossible for the stomach to break down
soot /sʊt/ noun [ U ] 烟灰
a black powder made mainly of carbon which is produced when coal, wood, etc. is burnt
recurring /rɪˈkɜː.rɪŋ/ adjective ( also recurrent ) 反复出现的
happening many times, or happening again
The father-daughter relationship is a recurring theme in her novels.
For much of his life he suffered from recurring bouts of depression.
LeFanu suffered all his life from a recurrent nightmare that he was trapped in a falling house.
retreat /rɪˈtriːt/ verb 退避
[ I ] to go to a quiet safe place in order to avoid a difficult situation
reiterate /riˈɪt. ə r.eɪt/ verb [ T ] formal 重申
to say something again, once or several times
fervent /ˈfɜː.v ə nt/ adj formal 强烈的
describes beliefs that are strongly and sincerely felt or people who have strong and sincere beliefs
breathtaking /ˈbreθˌteɪ.kɪŋ/ adj 惊人的，令人激动的
extremely exciting, beautiful or surprising
The view from the top of the mountain is breathtaking.
His performance is described in the paper as 'a breathtaking display of physical agility'.
polish sth off phrasal verb informal
to finish something quickly and easily, especially a lot of food or work
He polished off the whole pie.
I polished off three essays in one week.
beaker /ˈbiː.kə r / noun [ C ]
a cup, usually with no handles, used for drinking, or a glass or plastic container used in chemistry
hilarity /hɪˈlær.ə.ti/ noun [ U ] 欢笑
when people laugh very loudly and think something is very funny
broiler /ˈbrɔɪ.lə r / noun [ C ] 烤架
poker-hot salamander 烧红的烙铁
assume /əˈsjuːm/ verb [ T ]
to accept something to be true without question or proof
outright /ˈaʊt.raɪt/ adj [ before noun ] complete
ban /bæn/ verb [ T usually passive ] -nn-
to forbid (= refuse to allow) , especially officially
ridicule /ˈrɪd.ɪ.kjuːl/ noun [ U ]
unkind words or actions that make someone or something look stupid
taunt /tɔːnt/ verb [ T ] 嘲弄；讥讽
to intentionally annoy and upset someone by making unkind remarks to them, laughing at them, etc.
dictatorship /dɪkˈteɪ.tə.ʃɪp/ noun
[ U ] the state of being, or being ruled by, a dictator
The dictatorship of General Franco lasted for nearly 40 years.
roar /rɔː r / /rɔːr/ verb
[ I ] to make a long, loud, deep sound
prominence /ˈprɒm.ɪ.nən t s/ noun [ U ]
the state of being easily seen or well known
Most of the papers give prominence to (= put in a noticeable position) the same story this morning.
It's the first time that a lawyer of such prominence (= fame and importance) has been given the freedom to air his views on TV.
Elton was one of the comedians who came to/rose to/gained prominence in the 1980s.
the rudiments /ðəˈruː.dɪ.mənts/ plural noun
the simplest and most basic facts about a subject or activity
poke fun at sb 取笑，嘲弄
to make someone seem stupid by making jokes about them or laughing unkindly at them
mythical /ˈmɪθ.ɪ.k ə l/ adj imaginary or not real 虚构的
but adv
used to give force to a statement
Everyone, but everyone, will be there.
来源:
By Ellen Greenblatt
[1] When Americans think of Barcelona, most think of the sea, the '92 Olympics or the singular architecture of Gaud. They probably don't think of onions. But every year, for a few months beginning at the end of January, the Catalan people of Spain, especially from Barcelona and Tarragona, farther down the Balearic coast, think only of flocking to the countryside to indulge in a feast centered on calcots, specially grown green onions grilled over vines.
[2] The rituals of the calcotada, as the whole feast is called, are established and, like everything in Catalunya (as the Catalans call their Catalonia region), little publicized. Everyone just knows where to go and what to do, from donning a bib to peel the charred calcots before plunging them into the garlicky romesco sauce, to the drinking of wine from the porro, a traditional spouted glass vessel that requires great aim to avoid the disgrace of drips, to the obligatory walk afterward.
[3] Knowing what to do and what comes next seems to enhance the pleasure of tucking into a calcotada. Whether you are at a private calcotada or enjoying one with a group in a restaurant, you don't have to choose what to eat -- the menu is fairly standard, and the host or restaurant takes over with personal variations. And, as with anything to do with food, people are certain that their way is best.
[4] Calcots are, of course, the basis of the calcotada. They resemble particularly plump green onions, but their production is as complicated as that of asparagus and endive. Though devotees of calcotadas, city-dwelling Barcelona friends have been somewhat vague in helping me to discover the origins of the feast or the specifics of the onions themselves. Colman Andrews, in his excellent book "Catalan Cuisine" (Atheneum, 1988), clearly hasn't been able to nail down the origins either, but he gives a fine description of the onions. They take, he notes, about a year and a half to grow, starting with seed onions planted in the fall, then transplanted after the shoots have sprouted, about two months later. After they are harvested some 10 months later, in June or July, they are stored in a dry place until they germinate again. Then, almost a year after they were first planted, they're trimmed and replanted in trenches where, as they grow, they are buried so that the new growth is blanched. When they are finally harvested in January after several months of second growth, they are bigger, sweeter and milder than ordinary scallions or green onions, all because of the calcat or "shoe" of dirt they have worn during their second growth period. Hence the name calcots.
[5] Many large calcotadas begin outside, with everyone standing around the calcots, which, fresh from their cooking and resting, are often presented on terra cotta tiles to help keep them warm. The almond-flavored garlicky sauce, already on the table, is made from recipes that call for a "fistful" of ground roasted almonds and hazelnuts and a "few" roasted garlic cloves, along with tomato, olive oil, vinegar and a little hot pepper (Catalan cuisine is not piquant or spicy).
[6] But, like the growing process, preparation of the calcots requires more than one step. First they are grilled over a roaring fire, ideally made with vines. Then they rest and steam in a wrapping of newspaper, which makes the inside portion under the blackened outer layer tender. Only then are they ready to eat.
[7] And what a process that is. Attacking the calcots is satisfyingly messy. Holding the root end of the blackened calcot in one hand, you grasp the light green inner shoots with the other. As you pull, the glistening tender center slips smoothly out. Then, dipping it in the deliciously nutty, garlicky romesco sauce, you lift your chin proudly and slurp it in the way your mother told you it was impolite to eat asparagus.
[8] You repeat the process again and again, conversing over the deliciousness and the general indigestibility of the combination of onions and the sauce, until everyone has had enough. Even though wearing a bib is standard procedure, you can't help but end up with soot all over your hands and face, which provides another immediate and recurrent topic of conversation.
[9] An American who lives in Barcelona told me that when she went to her first calcotada, she ordered coffee after the calcots, thinking, quite reasonably, that there couldn't be more. But of course there is -- much more. After everyone retreats to the bathroom to wash off as much soot as possible, the main meal begins at freshly set tables, with mongetes and botifarra, white beans and grilled blood sausage, accompanied by carxofes, grilled artichokes and allioli or garlic mayonnaise. (With this dish, you reiterate your fervent thanks that everyone with you in the car back to Barcelona will have eaten the same breathtaking amount of garlic you have.)
[10] After polishing off this course, the main course arrives -- a mixed grill of white botifarra and different cuts of lamb. At some point, cava, the delicious Spanish sparkling wine (don't, for heaven's sake, call it Champagne!), appears as a supplement to the red wine everyone has been pouring down their throats from the porro, the spouted glass beaker. As you might expect, hilarity increases as the afternoon progresses and the pace of eating slows. The dessert can vary -- either pudding or the traditional crema catalana, whose wonderfully burnt-sugar top comes not from putting it under a broiler but from laying a poker-hot salamander on top of the crema just before it is served. Sometimes before the main dessert there is a brief presentation of dried fruits and nuts.
[11] This is a Catalan custom, not a Spanish one. Catalunya, a region of Europe including the northeastern corner of Spain, Andorra and French Roussillon, is fiercely proud of its history and culture, and, since the death of Generalisimo Francisco Franco in 1975, Catalan has assumed an equal role with Castellano, or Castilian Spanish, as the languages of official life in Barcelona and many other parts of Catalunya. Franco's attempt to destroy Catalan culture and language through outright banning and ridicule failed entirely. (Franco would taunt Catalans, saying, "Si eres espan~ol, habla cristiano!" -- if you are Spanish, speak like a Christian, meaning a regular person.)
[12] Though the public use of Catalan disappeared during the 40 years of Franco's dictatorship, people continued to speak it with their families and friends, and, with his death, both language and culture came roaring back into public prominence. Now, official notices, program notes for concerts at the Palau de la Musica and instruction in the early grades of primary school are all in Catalan, though, as I have discovered, it is entirely possible to live happily in Barcelona knowing Castellano and only the rudiments of Catalan, the rudiments including, of course, the names of all the interesting dishes you want to order in restaurants.
[13] Catalans tell a joke that reveals both their sense of their own importance and their awareness that no one else knows much about them or their importance (you may have heard it used to poke fun at some other small ethnic group). Here's the joke: A group of Catalans is traveling in China, and one of them, trying to explain to a Chinese person where and what Catalunya is, says, "We're Catalan. There are 6 million of us." To which the Chinese person replies, "Oh really? In which hotel are you staying?"
[14] Well, the joke is really on that mythical Chinese person. Had he but listened to the tales the Catalan could tell, he might have learned about the calcotada.
CAPTION: Among the rituals of a Catalan calcotada: the gathering of specially grown mild onions, above; a properly sooty-handed calcot griller, left; and calcots on the fire, below.