By NOVEMBER the weather has turned distinctly autumnal and, ojala, some rain will have fallen. This rain encourages the arrival of the jewels of the Sierra, the Setas, the wild mushrooms whose unique flavour and texture are famous in Spain far beyond the boundaries of Andalucia. The knowledgeable locals and, sadly, some poachers from outside the area, disappear into the woods only to return with wicker baskets groaning under the weight of the tanas, gurumelos and other wonderful mushrooms. They deliver these to the various bars and restaurants of the sierra where they are cooked in a myriad of different ways, which only have in common the fact that they are all delicious. In a number of bars they display a large selection of the setas which they have purchased and they are available to you to buy should you want to cook them at home. It is also a common practice in many of the smaller towns in the Sierra for people, who have found setas on their land, to hand them in to the village bar to be cooked by the proprietors and served to the lucky finder and as many of his friends as he has been able to find. This sort of thing can generate a spontaneous celebration that can result in the afternoon being lost….it's great fun.

Autumn also sees the hunting season in the Sierra, with wild boar, deer and game birds being in large supply in these parts. As with the setas a large part of the hunting bag makes its way onto the menus of the various bars and restaurants of the area, the wild boar being especially highly prized.


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