| George Orwell left a description of the porrón that could be described as ‘very English’: “We ate at trestle tables, very long, and on greasy tin plates, and we drank with something they called a ‘porrón’… a kind of glass flask with a pointed arm from which a stream of wine spurts out every time you raise it high; this way you can drink from a distance, without touching the porrón with your lips, and you can pass it from hand to hand”
In Valencia and Catalonia, the porrón or barral survives thanks to the llaurador or pagés (farmer), and rooted customs like serving mistela in a porrón for the “postres de músic.”
In the Dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy, it first appeared in the 1737 edition, with the meaning of “earthenware vessel, usually used for carrying and holding water.” It was in 1817 when it ceased to be made of earth and incorporated “a tube for drinking.” By 1852, its meaning was more in line with the idea we have today of a porrón “a kind of glass decanter used for drinking wine from the spout.” The physical act of raising the arm gave rise to the expression “to raise one’s elbow.” The etymological origin of the word may be linked to the Celtic term, parra. However, there is no unanimity on this.
 |
|
Collection of porróns from the abbatial church of “Mas Roqueta” (Avinyó, Barcelona)
|
Unit of capacity
In Catalan cuisine, it is mentioned that before the liter became the standard unit of capacity, in Catalonia, the porrón was used to measure liquids like wine or milk, although the size and therefore the volume of the porrón measurement varied by locality.
” In Vidrios de Levante, we have a wide selection of barral perfect for sharing and preserving these sociable customs of yesteryear.,because soon drinking from a Barral will be trendy.!!! “__
This curious and practical utensil has acquired a solid root in Catalonia, but its scope has been and still is much broader, as it can be found, in different versions, in very different points of the Mediterranean basin.
In any case, in Catalonia there are origins of great antiquity, with several focal points where its appearance can be located among them Barcelona, Mataró, Poblet, 0rdal, Begues and Vallbona. But the mystery of the porrón’s birth lies not so much in the geographical location of its first appearance as in the exact moment and circumstances of it. In other words, does the porrón derive from the oil cruet, the “setrill” so commonly used in Barcelona and Tarragona, and more slender and with a narrower neck in Lleida, or is the oil cruet the daughter of the porrón?
There seems to be no doubt as to the paternity of the oil cruet, especially since, despite the logical attention paid to wine and other beverages of greater alcoholic content, such as brandy, the use of oil in cooking, or even in the simple rural meals consumed by farmers, required more urgently the use of the appropriate container.
What is beyond doubt is the fact that in the 16th century a guild of glassmakers operated in Barcelona with commendable strength. Its members were required to undergo extensive training, and they were well-versed in the art of working with green, blue, or colorless glass. The green glass, abundant in impurities, was destined for kitchen utensils, jugs, and containers for pharmacies.
The colorless glass was rather used for delicate pieces, such as the bottle with a neck ring from Vimbodí.
The Glass Fairs, held in Barcelona on New Year’s Day and on Saint John’s Day, offer a wide range of samples. Among the classic pieces exhibited, there were undoubtedly many fantasy objects, showcasing the artisans’ skills.
Segador’s porrón and fisherman’s porrón
It is precisely the problem of transferring wine without compromising its temperature and qualities that suggests, if not the invention of the porrón, at least its popularization to deliver the precious wine in optimal conditions to the mouth of those most in need of it, for example, the overheated harvester.
This idea suggests, among other things, the existence and remarkable diffusion of the generous porrón of the harvester, with a capacity of four or more liters and a short, wide spout that was transported in a basket, well wrapped in damp straw to keep the wine cool. To drink, the basket was lifted by holding it by the handle, giving the porrón itself a category of untouchable.
The fisherman’s porrón had a straight neck and was provided with a thick rim, so that the user’s wet hand would not slip at the vital moment of taking a sip.
The list of more or less fanciful variants of the porrón would be endless, but among them, we must mention the well-known “matrimonio” divided into two compartments, one intended for brandy and muscatel, the other, where the drinker received directly in the mouth the equitable mixture of both liquids, the “barreja” so appreciated by carters, stevedores, and fishermen to combat the cold of the early morning. Also worth mentioning is the three-spout porrón, which contained only one wine but allowed the user to choose the hole that would ensure the most suitable flow of wine, according to their thirst, mood, or the time of day.
“Liberal and Carlist” Porróns
In this regard, it is worth mentioning that, at the end of the 19th century, it was common in Catalonia to classify porróns as “liberal” or “Carlist” depending on whether their stream was abundant, generous… or scarce and restricted.
As it usually happens with any household utensil, over the years there have been virtuosos of the porrón, from the one who knows how to drink from it while refreshing their mustache, to the refined one who projected the stream onto their forehead to make one or two streams flow down their face and end up on their lips. Not to mention those who drink from a porrón without this preventing them from reciting a verse or even singing a song. It’s all a matter of practice and patience, as well as – it must be recognized – a certain masculine pride, since the porrón has generally been an accessory of the head of the family, the master of the house, placed by his side at the head of the table.
That’s why Ramón Gómez de la Serna portrayed it in one of his “greguerías,” saying: “the porrón is a satyr.”
Despite its elegant simplicity, a Barral or Porrón is a container that has a series of exceptional characteristics. It is the perfect container as it has no impact on the environment; it is 100% Sustainable.
In Valencia, with a splash of cassalla, it refreshes even more. We call this mixture “Paloma” or “Nuvolet” – It may have originated from the need to improve the sanitary conditions of water in times when cholera and typhoid fever were prevalent. The 45º alcohol content in cassalla would surely kill microorganisms and brain cells, but the point is that it significantly improved the taste, provided a sense of freshness, and also changed the color.
Do you know why? It is due to the formation of micrometric bubbles of an oil found in anise that is insoluble in water, called trans-anethole, which is soluble in alcohol. The white color comes from the dispersion of light in that sea of bubbles that creates the emulsion. Fascinating, isn’t it? The same happens with other similar aniseed drinks that can be found throughout the Mediterranean basin: the Marseille pastis; Greek ouzo; Turkish raki… or the absinthe from Pego. Blame it, as always, on the Mare Nostrum.
The inhabitants of the Mediterranean have always been hospitable people; it is curious to see how poorly we have evolved in that sense. The greatest show of affection and trust is manifested by everyone eating from the same container. The drink also follows the same fate, passing from hand to hand, refreshing the throats of the diners. Pass it on… let it flow… don’t stop!
The other day I was quite surprised at a lunch |
