{"id":6522,"date":"2025-05-02T15:41:53","date_gmt":"2025-05-02T13:41:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/?p=6522"},"modified":"2025-05-02T15:41:53","modified_gmt":"2025-05-02T13:41:53","slug":"cultures-of-wur-calcotada","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/2025\/05\/02\/cultures-of-wur-calcotada\/","title":{"rendered":"Cultures of WUR – Cal\u00e7otada"},"content":{"rendered":"

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 Cal\u00e7otada<\/strong>, a festive event that took place here recently. But what exactly is Cal\u00e7otada, and how do people celebrate it? Let\u2019s have a closer look!<\/p>\n

\"Preparing\u00a0 \u00a0 \"Preparing<\/p>\n

The Cal\u00e7otada Explained<\/h2>\n

In a nutshell, Cal\u00e7otada is a Catalan tradition of grilling big green onions and eating them with a local sauce. The name comes from cal\u00e7ot<\/strong>,<\/em> a type of spring onion that is huge in size and sweet. The tradition traces its roots<\/a> 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 cal\u00e7ot harvest runs from December through March, with the peak of the celebration typically taking place in early spring.<\/p>\n

\"Preparing\u00a0 \u00a0\"Grilling<\/p>\n

Preparation<\/h2>\n

The Cal\u00e7otada 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.\u00a0 It was held throughout the day, when organisers started preparing grills and cal\u00e7ots in advance.<\/p>\n

Cal\u00e7ots were put on fire until their outer skin was charred \u2013 you know it\u2019s 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.\u00a0 The ritual<\/a> of Cal\u00e7otada 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 \u2728embrace the mess\u2728<\/strong>\u2014peeling cal\u00e7ots is a fun and chaotic process, but it adds to the lively atmosphere.<\/p>\n

\"Enjoying<\/p>\n

More than just Onions<\/h2>\n

Cal\u00e7otada is not just a showcase of Catalan cuisine, but also a symbol of social unity <\/strong>and togetherness<\/strong>. There was so much happening around; after enjoying the cal\u00e7ots, 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.<\/p>\n

\"Students\u00a0 \u00a0\"Organisers<\/p>\n

My Experience<\/h2>\n

It was definitely one of my favourite days to remember and cherish. Apart from enjoying deliciously grilled cal\u00e7ots, 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.<\/p>\n

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<\/a>!<\/p>\n

Cheers,<\/p>\n

Samir<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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 Cal\u00e7otada, a festive event that took place here recently. 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