Sant Dionís, Valentine's Day valencianos

 

Still don't know what Valentine's Day is, Valencianyou? Would you like to learn more about this special day?

So come discover everything you need to know to celebrate Saint Dionis like a real valenciano.

That the February 14 is Valentine's Day, that is to say, the day of lovers, everyone knows it, but that the October 9 is Valentine's Day ValencianosOnly a few lucky ones know.

 

Sant Dionís: Love and the Valencian traditioniana

 

Surely you are wondering where this tradition of Sant Dionís day comes from and the truth is that a very curious story is hidden behind it.

As is known, the valencianThey love gunpowder, so much so that it is practically impossible to conceive of a party or celebration in Valencia in which firecrackers are not launched, incredible mascletás are exploded or beautiful night castles.

The problem appears in the XNUMXth century, when the New Plant Decrees prohibited celebrating the entry of Jaume I into Valencia and the Valencian confectionersianThey decided to protest by making marzipan sweets that represented the firecrackers and rockets that they could not fire.

These marzipan rockets were called piuleta, which is a small and thunderous firecracker, which is a large and very noisy firecracker.

In addition, they were accompanied by fruits and vegetables that symbolized the fertility of the Valencian orchard.ianay also referred to the vegetables that the Moors gave to Doña Violante of Hungary, wife of Jaume I.

Subsequently, the ban on celebrating October 9 was lifted, but the tradition of marzipan sweets and mockers the day of Sant Dionís continued.

 

The festival of Sant Dionis

 

The festival of Sant Dionís is celebrated in honor of the patron saint. It is a day in which lovers treat each other to mocaorà, a typical sweet from the city.

October 9 is Valentine's Day in Valencia.ianos, a very special date in which lovers give each other sweets and walk around the city.

 

What is mocadorà?

 

The mocadorà is a marzipan sweet that is given away during the festival of Sant Dionís. Tradition has it that the mocaorà originated in the XNUMXth century, when almonds began to be given to lovers on Sant Dionís day.

This date coincides with the day of Sant Dionís, patron saint of Valencian lovers.ianIt is traditional to eat marzipan sweets and men usually give silk scarves called “mocadors” to women.

This sweet is oval in shape and has a silk ribbon in the center. Lovers place it on the wrist of their partner as a bracelet.

These scarves can be woven with different types of materials, such as cotton, linen or silk.

Many Valencian womenianThey keep all the handkerchiefs that their partner has given them during the relationship as a token of love. What is romantic? Often the marzipan sweets are directly wrapped in the handkerchiefs and this was called “la Mocadorà”.

 

Fruit and vegetable shaped sweets

 

During the festival of Sant Dionís, in addition to the mocaorà, sweets in the shape of fruit and vegetables are given away. These sweets are typical of the city of Valencia and are made with marzipan, ground almonds and sugar.

 

Pastry shops and mocadorà contests

 

The festival of Sant Dionís is closely related to the pastry chefs of Valencia, since they are the ones in charge of making the delicious mocadoràs that are given away during this festivity.

Every year pastry chefs prepare hundreds of sweets for all those who want to celebrate this special day. In fact, it is estimated that around 70.000 kilos of marzipan can be used to make these beautiful and delicious figures.

Also, the GremiEvery year, the Bakers and Pastry Chefs of València celebrates the Sant Dionís contest, in which it chooses the best mocadorà and the best showcase in the entire city.

Therefore, when these dates approach, you will begin to see how the windows of all the pastry shops are decorated with great detail and enthusiasm.

 

If this Sant Dionís you are in Valencia, you already know what you have to do to celebrate it as a true valenciano.

And if you want to improve your Spanish or your culture by discovering more details and traditions like this one, don't hesitate to come to the wonderful Spanish classes y from cultural activities de Hispania, escuela de español, where our amazing equipment of professionals will enrich your stay in Valencia.

 

Article written by Rita Rodríguez Varela for Hispania, escuela de español.