Along the Duero river bank, Pre-roman Celtiberian small towns were settled, especially those known under the name of "Vacceos". It began to be repopulated by the 11th Century A/C.
In 1998 Miguel Delibes published El Hereje ("The Heretic"), a magnificent account of a Lutheran trapped by the Inquisition in Delibes's lifelong hometown of Valladolid.
In it, Delibes tells the story of Cipriano Salcedo; a brilliant business man as well as a pious, merciful and gifted person. Because of it, Salcedo was killed along with other people who integrated a small secret Lutheran group in Valladolid, being all of them burnt on a religious festival given on 1.543 by the Spanish Inquisition (the seed of Franco dictatorship). The king Carlos V came expressly to the event to remind the Castilian nation that everyone who tried again to challenge the Catholic establishment "would receive a similar punishment."
Since the 11th Century, Valladolid begins to fall down intensely and it will never reach to be a succesful city. The wool market might have brought some splendor moments. It is so well known the prejudice that, on the 19th Century, the big familiar clans caused to the population by increasing their pesonal assets and paralyzing Valladolid economy, by considering the working class as an ignorant mass to whom must be supervised. These families have covered up ones each others along the centuries and they keep dark controlling the power. Because of this, Valladolid keeps without having its own identity, and it results a very cold city for visitors, mostly, in comparision with the bright and joyful Salamanca or the magic and shining Castronuño (A "land of nobody" by those centuries, in which, Muslims were being expulsed from the peninsula.)
Anyway, I will make for you a tour showing all these sweet places which I used to like visiting when I go:
THE “CUBERO” PASTRY SHOP
"Cubero" has always stood out because of its know how. This elegant coffee shop is nearby the "Plaza Mayor" and it is my favourite tea lounge.
Its staff is so professional and kind. You can taste cream and chocolate "bambas"; "empiñonados" (very typical ot this area); "blasones"; "amarguillos"; "rosquillas de palo"; cream, chocolate and coffee cupcakes. And, while drinking a very gorgeous chocolate, you can visit the "Museum of Sweets" that Mr. Cubero, the founder, carried out along his life.
You will be amazed by watching palaces and cathedrals which, on a small scale, he built by using sugar as his only raw material. They are so accurate copies made with such meticulously way that it seems difficult to believe such wonderful work: the same buttress in just the same place; little ogives; rose window in miniature; gargoyles and lyons; and columns.
THE OLD TOWN
It is nearby the "Plaza Mayor" too, and, there you could taste the delicious Castilian gastronomy. There is a Renaissance palace that I specially enjoy; I like its location because it is on a paved and narrow street where a singular atmosphere has been created.It is the "Caballo de Troya", built on the 15th Century, which worked as an old inn and has a particular architectural design with a three level plan facade and an arcade patio of Tuscan columns. Now, this building has become into the nice and luxurious restaurant where you can taste "rabo de toro"; Castilian lamb; gizzards and custards. All is served with the best Ribera de Duero wines.
You can "tapear" by the surroundings, or have an amazing dinner at the other restaurants. You will find the well known "morcones", which are delicious canapés made of a delicious bread and grilled loin, mushrooms and green pepper, cooked with oilve oil and a touch of garlic. It has a delicious flavour. Then, you can taste "broken eggs", and after, a countless of the best Castilian gastronomy: croquettes; "cayos"; fresh anchovies; mussels; Spanish omelette; or quail eggs.
All the area behind the "Plaza Mayor" has a special charm; the plazas of "Santa Ana" and "Coca". "Santiago" main street is very nice and, on the opposite side of the "Plaza Mayor", "Platerías" area is so special. There, you will find a delicatessen shop called "Casa Brígida", and, walking down this street, a chocolate shop and tea lounge called "El Sueño de Neblí".
Ahí tenéis una tienda de delicatessen con cosas riquísimas: “Casa Brígida” y, un poco más abajo, otra chocolatería, que se llama “El Sueño de Neblí”. Around the "Plaza Mayor" there are many tea lounges and coffees full of terraces where milshakes and other can be tasted, and it is also very nice to be there.
¡¡BON APETIT!!
"En el salón de té, para que Victoria se sentase, Vicente retiró caballerosamente la silla de estilo inglés. Luego, se sentó él y llamó a una camarera. Se oía el trasiego de cubiertos chocando contra las bandejas de rejilla, y el matinal y cerámico golpeteo de tazas contra platos.
El Museo del Dulce se exhibía frente a Vicente. Todas las obras de arte que Enrique Cubero había hecho a lo largo de su carrera artesanal y artística. Réplicas exactas en azúcar del Ayuntamiento de Valladolid, la Estación del Norte, el Palacio de Fabio Nelli, la Academia de Caballería, el Colegio de San Gregorio, la fachada de La Universidad de Valladolid y otras catedrales, conventos y palacios episcopales, más una colección de palomares castellanos. Era lo que el ser humano, en su grandeza, era capaz de hacer. Diminutos arbotantes y frontones; ojivas apuntadas con ventanas pequeñitas de majestuosas catedrales; minuciosos pináculos y acanaladas columnas clásicas; escudos, árboles y bancos de trece láminas; arquerías y rosetones; tejas y faroles. Se podía dudar sobre si fueron los que, cinco siglos antes levantaron, de una forma visionaria, lo que el señor Cubero iría a construir en dulces maquetas cinco siglos después. Luego, sobre las mesitas de mármol donde Victoria y Vicente se habían sentado, habían empotrado en las paredes vitrinas con cientos de condecoraciones que homenajeaban los años de meticulosa creatividad: galardones de los artesanos de pastelería de la federación de empresarios; medallas de oro; diplomas hechos en maderas nobles, bronce y terciopelo rojo; y otros que habían llegado de Tokio, de Nueva York, más el reconocimiento de asociaciones y artesanos franceses.
A las diez de la mañana, recién abierta, la cafetería mostraba sus expositores, suelos y mobiliario bruñido y limpio; las luces se reflejaban en los impolutos cristales, y los pasteles y la bollería se ordenaba y exhibía como si fuera de cera y se fueran a quedar allí para siempre: peces de acolchado hojaldre rellenos de nata; brillantes lazos de bizcocho; rebosantes tartaletas de crema con hermosas y escogidas nueces; pasteles de crujiente chocolate con almendras; petisús de café; buñuelos; y los dulces que la tierra daba: mantecados de Portillo; blasones; amarguillos; empiñonados; rosquillas de palo; yemas escarchadas y almendras de Villafrechós. Todo se presentaba en impecables envoltorios y bandejitas ordenadas con la precisión de un damero".
El Dios de las Praderas Verdes (capítulo primero, primera parte)
