Where Two Cultures Meet Vol. 1 Colcannon and Trinxat

In the dusk of the 16th century, lands, once very far away and unknown, were found and colonised by the old European kingdoms. The explorations of the americas would change for ever the route of the world history for centuries to come. No doubt, many would have thought that the life had changed for ever; alas, not for everyone. Still the majority of the people in europe would fight daily for their survival as poverty and hunger would take their turn after a year's poor harvest. The only difference now, was an newly crop emmigrating from the new world to the old with a dynamic to offer its benefits to those who would give it a try.

Two countries claim the point of entrance for the potato in Europe. Spain, whose conquistadores encounterd the strange tube in Peru and brought it with them to the other side of the Atlantic, is the one. Ireland is the second, when Sir Walter Raleigh, a british expoler, cultivated the first potatoes in the irish lands. In both these countries the benefits of the potato were noticed early and it didn't take long time for the creativy of the its cultivators to produce new dishes however simple or poor.

The intresting part of the story is how two communities from distant countries, with different language and habbits turned to the same direction in the preparation of this future staple food. I am talking for none other than the traditional dishes of colcannon and trinxat from Ireland and mountainous region of Catalonia respectivily. Both dishes consisting basicaly of cabbage and potato cooked in boiling water make of an excelent choice for the harsh winter which was very common in the two regions. Not only were they suitable for the clima but also were saviors for the poor financials of the majority of the peasant life.

Cabbage was already a staple for the european people since the early times of history. One of the few veggetables able to survive the cold of the winter, many times would pasiently wait under a bed of snow to be picked and offer its nutrients to whom it was picked by. Cut in medium pieces and blanched to get a bit soft but retaining its bite would get mixed with well boiled potatoes in a form of mash. Salt and maybe pepper, for those who could afford it, were the final touches to give flavour and reveal the rich caracter of the humble veggies. And voilá! The base for colcannon and trinxat is ready to be served. Nevertheless, necesity doesn't always make it for the need of flavour and joy, and as a house doesn't need colour to be habitable, it needs it though to be livable and pleasant.

Somewhere here the two dishes followed their own path that reaches till our days. In Ireland, colcannon, which in gaelic seems to mean white headed cabbage, was made with incorporation of the always trusted butter and its milk. The final result was a silky mash worthy to be savoured alone for a power up or as a side dish to a simple supper. On the other hand, on the mountains of Catalonia, a region named Cerdanya, trinxat, which means cut in small pieces, whould make excellent use of the fatty panceta, as pig was of great cuality there as it is in while iberian peninsula. The panceta, cut in small cubes and rendered in its own fat would be mixed with the mashed potato and cabbage to an earthy bowl of energy and flavour.

Almost five hundred years after the first encounter with this two dishes, who shared a common start and a very different journey, people still enjoy them all the same. Festivals were made where colcannon and trinxat were there to acompany the festivities with their warmth and strength. Chefs and home cooks take pride of their best interpratations of the classical recipe all over the world. In the end, a dish that was created by the need of the time and the creativity and resourcefullness of the simplicity, is meant to survive for centuries.