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Ares
municipality is situated at the north of A Coruña province, in the
Estuary of the same name, between 43º 25' and 43º 28' North latitude,
and 8º 19' and 8º 12' West longitude, forming a peninsula along
with Mugardos municipality. At North it borders on Mugardos municipality,
at West on Fene and at South on the Athlantic Ocean. It has a surface of
18 km2 and its population is divided between three parishes: San Vicente
of Caamouco, San Pedro of Cervás and San José of Ares, where
the municipal capital, Ares, stands. The municipality is one of the lesser
expand in the A Coruña province, having a population of 4.576 inhabitants
(1.996 census), which gives it a great a great population density, 250,9
inhabitants per square kilometre. There are two very distinctive areas:
the east side is under the 50 meters of altitude, except the North-East
area, where superior heights exist. The West side doesn´t show many
differences, but its flat topography gets interrupted by a granodiorite
band that gives raise to the presence of Montefaro (262 meters). From this
point we can enjoy a magnificent outlook of the Ares, Ferrol and A Coruña
estuaries. |
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Ares
is rooted in the castrexa (Celtic) culture, in the Artabro Gulf, an arch
formed by the Ferrol, Ares, Betanzos and A Coruña estuaries, named
like that by the Romans. There are remains of several castros (Celtic villages),
like the Pena Bailadora of Montefaro. Pre-Christian ritual objects date
from this, and possibly, an earlier age. Romans would leave testimony on
remains of flagstones belonging to an ancient paved road that would link
this village with that of Pontumio, the present Pontedeume. The powerful
House of the Andrade had rights over this territory, from which it would
receive important incomes during the medieval ages. Due to the Catholic
Monarchs persecution in the late middle ages, a Jewish community settled
there, later on they would establish themselves in the Port quarter, working
on the salt market. Much later, already in the XVIII century, the so called
Fomentadores catalanes (Catalonian Promoters) settled in town to start a
preserved fish industry. The economic crisis of the XIX century and the
first half of the XX, caused the migration of many of the inhabitants to
the nearby and prosper town of Ferrol, or otherwise, they would start the
overseas route to Cuba, of which there are deep tracks at present, like
the Cuban inspired architecture: houses of “Indianos” (returned
Spanish emigrants), schools, etc. The emigrants in Cuba contributed enormously
to the cultural development of Ares population, opening numerous education
schools, like Las Alianzas, founded in 1.911. |
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Ares,
being a maritime town, offers excellent sea product based dishes, all of
them cooked using the highest quality products. But not only from the sea
is served the Ares table: you can enjoy foods coming from the countryside
to go with the formerly mentioned as a second dish or starter, comforting
and tasty stocks and soups as the “caldo gallego” (Galician
stock) or a seafood soup to accommodate the gourmet for a better enjoy of
the first courses, being these fish or seafood, or meat and vegetables,
where, in the case of opting for dishes from the sea, we can choose from
“ameixas a mariñeira” (Clams marinière) to “merluza
á galega” (Galician style Hake), all the way up to a tasty
“caldeirada de pescados” (fish stew) or a “arroz ó
cantil” (cliff style rice); if our preferences are focused on countryside
recipes, a good “cocido galego” (Galician stew) or “lacón
con grelos” (Shoulder of pork with turnip tops), a “carne á
sal” (salted meat), will allow us to enjoy the great quality of of
this land´s products; not to mention the traditional desserts like
the “filloas doces” (sweet crepes) or the “requeixo”
(curd cottage cheese) and the “quesadillas” (curd cake). Of
course, the “xiba guisada” (cuttlefish stew) stands out, this
product had in 2009 the 1st gastronomic fair in its honor in Ares. It is
obliged, before sitting at the table, to pay a visit to the “tapeo”
(snack) and wine establishments, essential to appreciate the essence of
the place, in this way we will be able to sample a variety of “empanadas”
savory pies stuffed with a diversity of fillings, “pementos fritidos”
(fried peppers), tortilla (Spanish omelet), “choupas” (squid)
stew, tongue in sauce... |
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