Alberic Lettuce(!) Festival
After the gut-busting Requena Sausage Festival a few weeks ago, what better way to cleanse than the Lettuce Festival in Alberic!?! Alberic is a town about 30-45 minutes from Valencia by train and car, and while the town itself and lettuce aren't as historic or compelling as Requena's sausage festival for most people, I love turning humble things like lettuce into a festival!
And it was quite well attended!
Lining the walkway to the cathedral were teams competing for best lettuce. I'm not sure what the judging criteria was, though. Shape? Crispness? Flavor?
Posing for a picture with the lettuce contestants. Notice the partly-eaten lettuce in the hand of the picture-taker.
Babies like lettuce too!
You can buy the lettuce yourself to taste.
Everyone was doing it.
Here's the mayor of Alberic giving a TV interview at the festival.
Here come the falleras. The awards ceremony must be starting!
Lettuce Champions 2015! A residence for mentally handicapped people won.
So of course we had to taste the champion lettuce. You had your choice of olive oil, vinegar, and salt.
I got mine just with a sprinkle of salt.
Sweet and crunchy. Is it any better than the lettuce I get from my lettuce seller in the market? (Yes, I go to a guy who ONLY sells lettuce!) Well...
