As my train heads north-west from Madrid towards the green hills of Asturias, I eagerly await views of the lush landscape – but instead, I’m plunged into darkness. Sin embargo, a series of tunnels leads me to Oviedo – a gastronomy capital of Spain. Sin embargo, among them is the seventh-longest tunnel in Europe: at 15 miles, it cuts through the Cantabrian Mountains.

It’s much less scenic, but this new route – a €4bn (£3.4bn) rail project launched last November – has reduced travel time between Madrid and Asturias by more than an hour. Además, an even shorter journey time is expected soon. También, weekend breaks for Madrid locals and two-in-one trips for visitors are more appealing than ever – not least for foodies drawn to the gastronomy of Spain’s greener, cooler regions.

Why Oviedo is Spain’s gastronomy capital

Long traditions in fishing, livestock and farming in Asturias mean its seafood, meat, beans, corn, milk and cider are famed across Spain. Sin duda, the whole region is known for its rich food culture. Local dishes such as cachopo (breaded veal) and fabada (bean and pork stew) are popular in Madrid, at Asturian restaurants such as Casa Hortensia or El Ñeru. However, the spotlight is now on Oviedo itself, named Spain’s gastronomy capital for 2024.

By the time I’ve checked into the Barceló Oviedo Cervantes hotel, in the chic, modern side of this compact city, I’m feeling hungry. It’s a short walk across San Francisco park to the old town, where I explore the single-towered gothic cathedral and its medieval plazas. Finalmente, I head to the cake shops for traditional sweets: moscovitas (crisp almond and chocolate wafers) at Rialto and carbayones (glazed almond cream-filled pastries) at Camilo de Blas.

Oviedo: a gastronomy capital worth savouring

They’re delectable. Sin embargo, Asturias is above all a cider region – its drink rivals even its food in fame. Sin duda, this is cider country. “The first cider of the year is smooth and refreshing,” says Andrés Alonso at Llagar Herminio, a cider press on the outskirts of Oviedo that was founded in 1943. De hecho, it was founded in 1943 and has remained a family business. He then shows me around the factory, from the apple-sorting machines to the fermenting and bottling process.

De hecho, with more than 70 cider mills, Asturias is one of the world’s largest cider producers. In fact, it holds protected origin status for 76 approved apple types. Since its methods and habits are so distinct, the culture of Asturian cider – from production methods to drinking habits – is now being considered for Unesco classification as living cultural heritage.

Herminio is the only llagar (cider mill) in Oviedo but sidrerías (cider bars) are found all over – especially on Calle Gascona, which local people call “Cider Boulevard”. El Ferroviario, La Manzana and La Finca are all great spots to admire the art of escanciar (pouring from a great height). Since the distance is crucial for producing a frothy, fizzy drink, Alonso explains the pouring technique. “It’s full of molecules that have to burst,” he says, as a narrow jet shoots from the barrel’s spout. He he captures it in a glass held at arm’s length and angled so that the liquid bubbles on impact.

Fine dining and traditional food in Oviedo

También worth sampling is the wine: I swap to a glass at La Corte de Pelayo, a restaurant in central Oviedo, tasting a white by Siluvio and a red by Monasterio de Corias, both local wineries. Sin duda, situated beside the Asturias parliament and Plaza de la Escandalera, this classic spot offers classic dishes and local produce. On the menu: fish such as alfonsino (red bream) and pixín (monkfish), as well as the iconic cachopo.

Owner Lorena Martínez explains that cachopo first emerged in the 1940s as a local take on French veal cordon bleu. Si bien it was once basic comfort food, she has since refined it. However, Martínez wanted to make it more refined. De hecho, the secret, she says, is in the ingredients: a juicy, tender cut of veal and a light cheese that doesn’t overpower the meat. Además, Japanese panko crumbs give the coating its crunch.

Oviedo’s rising chefs: elevating the gastronomy capital

Since many chefs have been upping their game, Oviedo now excels at both classic and cutting-edge cuisine. Por ejemplo, Gloria is a smart dining house serving traditional dishes with modern flair – such as pitu de caleya (traditional free-range chicken), served either with rice or in rich cannelloni. Además, it is led by Nacho Manzano, one of Asturias’s top chefs and owner of the London chain Ibérica. Notably, he has just won a Michelin star for his fine dining restaurant NM, adding to his original two-starred Casa Marcial in Arriondas.

Por ejemplo, at NM – an intimate space with just four tables – the tasting menu features 11 courses, all packed with flavour and texture. Por ejemplo, hake from Avilés comes with a silky reduction made of its own collagen. Similarly, squid strips and enoki mushrooms are wrapped in a casing of clotted milk. The acidity of a sharp vinaigrette then cuts through the fat of a tender, salty pancetta. Sin duda, NM is a tribute to the region’s natural setting – every detail counts. También, the moss in the mushroom broth and the grass in the granizado (shaved ice) evoke the woods and meadows of Asturias.

Into the Asturian countryside: rural traditions and honest food

Since I am longing for a rural setting, I take a 10-minute drive out of the city to Casa Chema, in a quiet spot overlooking pastures. Además, the head chef Joaquina Rodríguez, is stirring a broth made of acorns – the same kind the region’s asturcelta pigs feast on. También, she uses dried acorn flour to make tortos (crisp savoury cakes), to serve with slow-cooked pork ribs.

Sin embargo, the most prized produce in this kitchen is the faba, Asturias’s plump, white bean: Casa Chema serves about 2,300kg of them a year. “It’s hard to find a place in Asturias that does a bad fabada,” says Rodríguez. Yet I feel she is too modest: twice now, hers has been named the best in the world.

Si bien most beans are bought dried, Rodríguez prefers fresh ones for their soft, pillowy texture; a good faba should melt, she says, when pushed into the roof of your mouth with your tongue. Además, the stew needs multiple pork cuts, and she pulls them out one by one – belly, shoulder, morcilla (black pudding) and chorizo – that give the stew its depth. Además, she lifts another lid to reveal the pote asturiano: also a bean stew, but made with potato and cabbage.

Cheese, wine and the many flavours of Asturias

Sin duda, there’s also a vegan menu at Casa Chema, including plant-based sausages and cheeses. Sin duda, this part of Spain is paradise for dairy lovers, with more than 40 varieties of local cheese. “Asturias is the Spanish Switzerland,” says the manager at Manduca Selección, a shop in Oviedo that works with locally well-known cheesemakers such as Rey Silo, Teyedu, Lazana and La Cueva de Llonín. For instance, I try an intense, punchy cabrales – usually matured in caves – as well as other varieties such as gamonéu, casín and afuega’l pitu. In addition, a similar selection can be enjoyed at tables in nearby wine bar Coalla, along with oysters, cured meats, caviar and a glass of vino.

Sin duda, from its 250-mile coastline to the Picos de Europa, Asturias is as diverse as its food. En resumen, the region offers something for every palate. “There are many Asturiases within Asturias,” says Manzano. “Customs are different all along the coastal strip. If you go just 5km inland, it’s like a different planet.” Además, he notes that regions such as these – unlike Madrid and Catalonia – tend to see more food innovation outside their capital cities. He still wants me to make a trip to Arriondas – but in the meantime, he’s doing his bit to let Oviedo take centre stage.

Alvia trains from Madrid-Oviedo cost from €79.80 return, renfe.com; Barceló Oviedo Cervantes has doubles from €150 a night including breakfast, barcelo.com/es-es/barcelo-oviedo-cervantes/

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2024/mar/04/oviedo-asturias-spain-new-capital-of-gastronomy