In this version, 35 breeders have participated with 1,100 specimens. The capons weigh between 5 and seven kilos and the worth ranges from 100 to 140 euros. They are castrated males which are fed with a combination of cornmeal, potato and chestnuts.
Christmas begins in Vilalba (Lugo) when its conventional Feira do Capón is well known. Every December 21, the copies that would be the protagonists of many tables throughout these holidays are bought. The capons are castrated and fattened males which are distributed from this city in Lugo to all of Spain. They must be slaughtered at a minimal age of 150 days, after going by way of a fattening interval of at the least 77 days.
This yr 35 breeders have participated with 1,100 capons. They have observed the rise in uncooked materials and clarify that having to feed them cereals for a number of months, elevating them has meant extra effort. Therefore, this yr the sale costs are additionally considerably increased. Each specimen weighs between 5 and seven kilos and its value ranges between 100 and 140 euros.
The honest opened its doorways at ten within the morning and in simply half an hour all of the capons had been bought. Many are already reserved prematurely, so those that got here to the tent to purchase their capon have discovered that there have been hardly any copies left. It is frequent to organize them from one yr to the subsequent, as a result of this delicacy is a typical Christmas reward to present to household and pals.
How are capons bred?
After selecting the very best male specimens, when they’re a few month and a half outdated and weigh simply over a kilo they’re surgically castrated. Thus, the energies that they’d usually spend preventing, conquering the females and defending their territory are significantly diminished. This has an influence on higher progress, they accumulate extra fats and the meat is of a better high quality as a result of infiltration of fats into the muscle tissue, so its meat is extra tender and has a greater taste than that of a traditional hen.
Capons bought on the VilalbaNIUS Fair
Capons are raised outside, with a pure food plan based mostly on cereals. When the time comes, the fattening begins, a totally conventional course of during which they’re fed a paste referred to as amoado, made with a combination of water, native cornmeal, boiled potato, chestnut and egg yolk. Some components that have an effect on the flavour of the meat and in addition present the attribute golden hue of its pores and skin.
A bit historical past
The Feira do Capón de Vilalba is nearly 200 years outdated. The first historic entries within the city corridor books date from 1835.
But the capons seem collected within the literature a lot earlier. In The Book of Good Love, the Archpriest of Hita within the fourteenth century, already refers to this delicacy. Also Cervantes in 1615 speaks of them in Don Quixote de la Mancha.
The capon grew to become authorized tender. Its most widespread use was to pay for favors and based on the organizers of the honest, even at this time it’s attainable to seek out areas the place the fee of rents with capons remains to be in drive.