La Calçotada

This is a pre-spring festival in the neighbourhood of Vails, held in the open air under the almond trees in flower, and sometimes in the snow. Originally it was a family affair but now draws crowds of people. It starts with the onion shoots, carefully grilled on mattress-sized grills, and proceeds with roast chickens, mutton cutlets, and sausages (llonganissa de Valis) and a great deal of wine drunk from the porró.

The pulled shoots are trimmed of their roots and the g