Cultures of WUR – Calçotada
By Samir Mammadov
Wageningen is home to a vibrant international community, and with that comes a rich mix of cultural traditions shared and celebrated throughout the city. A standout example of this cultural exchange is Calçotada, a festive event that took place here recently. But what exactly is Calçotada, and how do people celebrate it? Let’s have a closer look!
The Calçotada Explained
In a nutshell, Calçotada is a Catalan tradition of grilling big green onions and eating them with a local sauce. The name comes from calçot, a type of spring onion that is huge in size and sweet. The tradition traces its roots back to the small village of Valls, near Barcelona, where a 19th-century farmer experimented with planting spring onion bulbs deeper in the soil. The result was so successful that locals began enthusiastically embracing the crop, eventually turning its harvest into an annual celebration which spread to the rest of Catalonia. The calçot harvest runs from December through March, with the peak of the celebration typically taking place in early spring.
Preparation
The Calçotada celebration in Wageningen took place on March 29th, enthusiastically organised by a group of WUR students who volunteered their time and energy to bring the tradition to life. Roughly 250 students attended the event, and people came from different parts of the Netherlands for the celebration. It was held throughout the day, when organisers started preparing grills and calçots in advance.
Calçots were put on fire until their outer skin was charred – you know it’s done when the onions start releasing the sweet juice. After being cooked, they are wrapped in newspaper for them to rest and be eaten later on. The ritual of Calçotada is eating them; you peel them by hand, remove the outer skin and dip the onions in traditional romesco sauce made of roasted tomatoes, hazelnuts, almonds, garlic and olive oil. The goal is to ✨embrace the mess✨—peeling calçots is a fun and chaotic process, but it adds to the lively atmosphere.
More than just Onions
Calçotada is not just a showcase of Catalan cuisine, but also a symbol of social unity and togetherness. There was so much happening around; after enjoying the calçots, people began to mingle and chat with others. Some relaxed on the grass with a bottle of Vermouth, while others gathered in a large circle to play volleyball. I remember guys slack lining to my left while I played, and to my right, my friends were tossing a Frisbee. There was so much going on, yet everything felt calm and inviting. As the evening approached, the music kicked up, and everyone danced into the night.
My Experience
It was definitely one of my favourite days to remember and cherish. Apart from enjoying deliciously grilled calçots, I got to meet new people from inside and outside of Wageningen. It was a perfect atmosphere to learn more about Catalonian culture and share light-hearted conversations with those around me.
It highlighted how Wageningen can foster such a warm, community-driven spirit, one that celebrates culture and builds meaningful connections. And, pro tip, if you want to see more content like this, you can always do so from our Instagram account. Check out the latest Cultures of WUR post!
Cheers,
Samir
