The typical product of the gastronomy of Santa Coloma de Queralt is the "romescu". It is a starter that contains "bacalao esqueixat" (codfish) and the "romesco" sauce: it is cooked in a mud casserole, and served with the "romesco" sauce.
Every year, on the first Sunday of July, the village celebrates the "Aplec del romesco".
This is a very popular meeting, where many inhabitants participe. The most important act in the meeting is the "romesco" competition. The jury has into account the presentation, the innovations and the imagination of the participants, in the art of preparing the sauce. The end of the feast consists on a popular meal for everybody, and a performance of the typical dances of Catalunya, the "sardanas".

The recipe of the Santa Coloma Romesco

Ingredients (three people): 400 gr. "bacalao esqueixat" (godfish); three garlics;one hot pepper, cinnamon, one bay leaf, red pepper (paprika), a dozen toast almonds, clove, marjoram, 250 ml. Of olive oil, and some brandy.

Elaboration:

Fry the garlics in the casserole with the oil. Do it slowly so as they do not get burnt. Add the godfish and the brandy, and move. In the mortar, prepare the "romescu" by the following way: crush the almonds, and mix with the marjoram, the red pepper, and the hot pepper. Add some water to the casserole, together with the bay leaf and the cinnamon. Boil for forty-five minutes. Then, it is ready to be served.

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