Story and Photographs by Christopher J Davies
Segovia, Spain, and its aqueduct were registered as World Heritage sites in 1985. The aqueduct dates to 1008. It has a walled-in city atop a hill and an ancient stone aqueduct system elevated overhead. The Romans built the aqueduct to bring water from springs in the mountains seventeen miles to the town. Amazingly, it stayed in operation until 1973.
José María Restaurante, Segovia, is a foodie's must-stop!
This iconic, Michelin-recommended restaurant opened in 1982 and has developed a serious reputation for its Segovia cuisine. Today, José María Ruiz and his daughter Rocío run the restaurant. Their specialty is Roast Suckling Pig. In 2018, they purchased their farm, Agrocorte Gourmet, and took control of every step to ensure they served the best-quality piglets at their restaurant.
The servers at José Maria are professional showmen. They will wheel a freshly roasted, steaming Suckling pig on a service cart into the dining room. The meat is falling off the bone, and the waiters use a dinner plate to "cut" it into four portions.
José Maria also offers a roasted Sweetbread appetizer served in a traditional cazuela, a small terracotta cooking pot. Sweetbread is a culinary name for the thymus or pancreas, typically from calf or lamb.
Sweetbreads have an elegant, gamey flavor and a tender, luscious texture.
Segovia is located within the Rueda DOP, Spain's only designated white wine region. The primary grape, Verdejo, is native to the area, and Sauvignon Blanc is second in popularity.
C. Cronista Lecea, 11, 40001 Segovia, Spain
Phone: +34 921 46 60 17
