The Ebro is the largest river on the Iberian Peninsula. When he is born in Fontibre (Cantabria), he is a beggar, but when he reaches the sea, his majesty is limitless: for over 930 kilometers, its waters have been greedily nourished by sediments of all kinds. When they flowed into the Mediterranean in southern Catalonia, these materials gave rise to the Ebro Delta (the largest alluvial deposit in our inland sea after the Nile). It is a humid area of more than 300 square kilometers, rich in vegetation and fauna, especially of an ornithological nature. This special place of international importance and of quiet and disappointing beauty is worth a visit. In 2013, UNESCO declared Terres de l’Ebre a biosphere reserve. If the traveler decides to spend a few days of rest and good food, this is without a doubt his goal.
This chronicler arrived there in the morning and without hesitation took a boat and set off for Musclarium. This place is a floating mussel farm in the middle of the bay of Els Alfacs, between La Ràpita and Poblenou del Delta (Tarragona). Els Alfacs is a magical bay as it promotes the connection between the sweet waters of the river and the salty waters of the sea. This nuptial passion produces an abundance of phytoplankton, essential for the formation of mussels and oysters, distributed throughout the territory’s 90 muscle areas (in Catalan, “mussel” means “muscle”).
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The origin of Musclarium must be sought in the post-war period. In 1942 the first muscle building was built in La Ràpita. Although mussels have been farmed since the Upper Paleolithic, the appeal of these floating platforms is that they are open to visitors (they are open to the public from March to November). Upon arrival, they are greeted with a plate of steamed mussels and another plate of live oysters. And to drink a bottle of Lo Xalador (Monsant designation of origin), which combines wonderfully with Bibalvos. Xalar (enjoy, enjoy) is a very Catalan word. See Then Macabeo and Garnacha Blanca, which gave birth to this magnificent white wine, prove to be the best companions for some unforgettable, sublime and blessed molluscs.
After such an aperitif, Albert Grasa, the guide of Musclarium, explains his cultivation techniques. Here the mussel beds are static and not floating like in Galicia. In fact, the muscle is more similar to the Valencian clòtxina than the Galician mussel. Four million kilos of muscle mass and 800,000 kilos of oysters are exported from here every year.
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So much information whets your appetite again. Then it’s time to visit Albert Guzmán’s restaurant in La Ràpita. Guzmán is a risky chef, heir to a small family saga. His family began restoring a beach picnic area in the late 19th century. His mother used this location to open the restaurant Les delícies. He took over the management in 2013 after studying cooking and pastry making in Cambrils. Its risks: use of local products (95% of the menu is local fish and seafood) and combination with all the necessary elements of avant-garde cuisine. The goal is to achieve maximum flavor without neglecting the essential tricks. Your tasting menu for the occasion begins with a squid fritter with katsoubushi (dried tuna) and kimchi (fermented cabbage). Then there is a shrimp wrapped in kataifi (Turkish pastry). A delta oyster gratin with aioli is a must. It seduces with its tomato ice cream with smoked sardines and arbequina olive oil and its grilled white aubergines with Les Coves de Vinromà cheese and honey. The whole thing is rounded off with a L’abrunet white wine with the Terra Alta designation of origin.
When we were full, the chef attacked again with grilled red mullet and a steamed finish with candied chives and quinces. And one of their star dishes is still to come: cow bone marrow with sauteed bacon and octopus, a more than powerful flavor. Then a mackerel with eggplant and cheese cream, seasoned with soy and chimichurri. To finish, a homemade rice (essential in the Ebro Delta) with grilled eels and a varied dessert of fried brie pasta, accompanied by Musivari cava from Sant Sadurní.
After this varied and long-lasting pleasure, you can end the day with a trip to Trabucador beach to watch the sunset. This sandy area is actually a narrow strip of land that separates the river mouth from the sea. As the sun approaches its cradle, a magical moment is created in which, in the distance, the friendly profile of the Montsià mountain range can be seen, cut out like a diorama, while the fresh water shimmers in a soft and magnetic iridescence with the immensity of the sea merges Mediterranean. .
View of the Ebro Delta from the Montsià Tower (Tarragona). Sergi Boixader (Alamy / CORDON PRESS)
Not far from here, towards Amposta, the most patient visitors spend the last moments of light at the ornithological observation posts. Of the 600 bird species in Europe, more than 300 are cataloged in the Ebro Delta. Because of course the delta doesn’t end here. We only examined the right river channel. On the left are Deltebre, L’Aldea, Camarles, L’Ampolla and the entire coast between Golf de Sant Jordi and Illa de Buda. These rice fields, the promiscuity of a carefree and playful fauna, the beauty of a place that, because of its personality, claims to be the “fifth province” of Catalonia… You have to go to the Delta and come back. It is a special place that deserves respect and protection. Like all accessible and necessary paradises.
Aerial view of the wetlands of the old salt mines of Sant Antoni in the Ebro Delta. Sergi Boixader (Alamy / CORDON PRESS)
Joan Gari He is the author of Cosmopolites amb arrels (Onada Publishing).
Believe in mistakes
In a previous version of the article the name was given as Sant Carles de la Ràpita, but since November 2021 this municipality of Tarragona is called La Ràpita, as approved by the city council of the city.
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