“It is the first time that I am in Bembibre, my first foray into the Bierzo, and the first time that I am going to eat a botillo”. In this way, the maintainer of the XLVIII National Festival of Exaltation of Botillo, Ana Ibáñez, began her speech. But it is never too late, “I can’t think of a better place to debut than the National Festival of Exaltation of Botillo de Bembibre”.

The presenter of the program España Directo turned to the history of the event, and acknowledged that she searched for its social connotations on the internet. All this to conclude that its trajectory justifies its quality because “what is not good does not last”, which is why today it is considered as “a quality and first-rate product”. “And I’m not saying it, but more than 900 years of history support us.”

But his speech did not focus on the internet, but rather highlighted the role of women, today grandmothers, in preserving tradition. To them he attributed the condition of “true maintainers of traditions”, and the importance that botillo has today “they are largely to blame.”

He evoked the massacres, the botillos that were prepared and even the good times as a family. “Possibly, through this simple but forceful dish, they have not only fed your body to the point of indulgence, but also your soul.”

The botillo as a symbol of tradition, of affection and love in the family with the role of women in its preparation, from the marinade to the smoking, drying and preparation.

This family bond with the grandmothers led the caregiver to establish a bond with Bembibre: “I have never eaten a botillo, but I have made some sausages,” he said, “because my grandmother, like the women of Bercia, gathered all the family with the excuse of the massacre ”.

And it is that, the origin of parties like the one that honors the botillo lies “in the pride of showing off what we feel like ours.” For this reason, “to say botillo is to say Bembibre, and to say Bembibre is to savor Bierzo”.