In defense of the rural world

In that part of the Principality, largely overlooked by the inspectors of the Red Guide, who are always more focused on the east and center of the region, Elio stands as a staunch defender of that rural world and its way of life. After all, Ferpel, by its location and its philosophy, is part of it.

He applies new culinary techniques to showcase local products, some of which have historically been considered of low gastronomic value, and to highlight the work of those small producers who are the backbone of the agricultural world. He also seeks to safeguard traditional recipes that are largely unknown to younger generations. As an example, consider the three dishes I mentioned at the beginning of this article, which are featured on the excellent menu that Elio offers at Ferpel.

The first two dishes featured corn, so abundant in that region. Toasted cornmeal was used to stave off hunger in times of scarcity. It was simply cornmeal cooked in water and salt until it formed a cream, to which sugar and a little milk were added.

Rapón is a flatbread found only in western Asturias. It's made with cornmeal mixed with onion and pork fat, baked on cabbage leaves. A hearty, survival-grade dish that provided essential calories.

The third recipe, somewhat more luxurious, was made with rabbits raised in the household. To make it more appealing to children, grandmothers added chocolate to the stew. Ferpel's menu also features Lebredo's creamy chorizo ​​and his neighbor Tom's milk, transformed into a magnificent butter.

And they take advantage of the products of the Cantabrian Sea, which can be seen from the restaurant's dining room. From the luxurious barnacles (so abundant on that rugged coast) and lobster to the humble mullet, a fish often overlooked in Asturias. And they pay homage to the saltworks that once existed in Ortiguera by marinating the meat of a pigeon in anchovy brine. A genuine defense of two disappearing worlds: the rural and the maritime.