12 months, 12 landscapes: experience Catalonia's culinary richness

Ever wondered where the apples you bought come from? Why you only eat "calçots" (grilled spring onions) in the winter or in which months the oil fairs take place? We invite you to discover Catalan seasonal produce and the landscapes they come from, where they have been planted and grown, through our "12 months, 12 landscapes" project.

The landscape and the produce we eat are part of our culture. If we cook and eat it at the right time, we are more sustainable while maintaining our culinary identity which you can experience at Catalan gastronomic events and festivals and also at traditional fairs and markets. Our forebears cultivated and ate the food they grew next to their homes and harvested fruit when it was in season. It’s all about respecting origins and territory and connecting with the land.

Winter: products that soothe the soul January is shaped by the "calçots" (grilled spring onions) landscape, one of the undisputed stars of the coldest months. At We are Gastronomy you will find many ideas to enjoy this popular produce accompanied by wine tastings. During the first month of the year, dramatised visits are also organised to discover the dry stone huts where the farmers kept their tools, the fields where nuts are grown and to taste "romesco" (nut, red pepper, tomato and garlic sauce), hazelnuts and almonds.

February represents the landscape of the farmhouses where traditional cold cuts are made. Enjoy tastings of "llonganissa" (dry-cured pork sausage), "xolís" (saucisson) and "pa de fetge" (pork liver pâté) paired with wines, craft beers, music, poetry and also visits to the "llonganissa" dryer.

If in March you feel like looking at orchard patchworks, seize the opportunity to enjoy the cherry, peach and almond blossom... an impressive visual landscape which you can explore on guided tours with local farmers accompanied by wine tastings and country breakfasts.

Spring of sea and mountains April is the time for harvesting flowering plants and the start of the honey production season. So this month's landscapes are beehives, flowers and flowering fields of aromatic and medicinal plants. Enjoy honey cooking days, beekeeping workshops and visits, tastings of aromatic herbal teas and medicinal walks to discover the benefits of the aromatic plants that grow all over Catalonia .

The Mediterranean coastal landscape is everywhere in May. This is the ideal time to eat many kinds of oily fish such as sardines and anchovies both salted and pickled. It is also the season for mussels and oysters. Come to the Ebro Delta to take part in the Delta Oyster Gastronomic Days and to Begur to savour its rock fish.

Mountain pastures are the scenery of June. These are extensive meat and dairy production areas. This is the time to take in events such as the Sant Joan Fair and Sheep Shearing at Sort plus the artisan cheese days in El Bages.

Summer of rice paddies, golden fields and sweet fruit July is when sweet fruit such as pears, plums, peaches and cherries are at their peak of ripeness. This is also the time of veraison when the grapes begin to take on their true colour, going from unripe green to the colour of each variety. The colours of these fruits pervade the landscape of this month when events are held including the Ordal Peach Market .

The fields of ears of corn, swaying in the wind like golden seas before the harvest, are the typical August landscape. With the end of the cereal harvesting season comes the time to taste the products made such as bread and pastries. Come to the Cervera Bread and Cereal Fair.

The landscapes of the Ebro Delta plains, areas of rice, citrus fruit and autumn orchards, are the setting in September for traditional rice harvest festivals such as those at Amposta. Various activities, tastings and communal meals are run during the harvest. In Deltebre and L'Ampolla, culinary days are held where establishments and restaurants prepare various rice dishes accompanied by DO wines. Citrus fruit gastronomic days are also hosted in Alcanar featuring dishes made with tangerines, the typical mandarin variety in the area.

Autumn amidst unique forests, olive trees and energy foods Unique and sheltering forests and mountain rivers are the stars of the October landscape. They are home to mushrooms, truffles, wild berries, game and fish. Come and enjoy the Mushroom Festivals in many Catalan towns and villages where as well as tasting and buying mushrooms there are lots of fun family activities to do.

November is the time when the new oil is produced and bottled. It is well worth exploring the world of olive oil tourism and discovering the olive grove landscape. Come to one of the fairs and events about new oil such as those in Reus (PDO Siurana), Maials and Les Borges Blanques (PDO Garrigues), La Fatarella, Godall, Jesús and Móra la Nova (PDO Baix Ebre-Montsià) and Espolla (PDO Empordà). You can taste this green oil, buy it from the producers and take in music performances, communal lunches, exhibitions, competitions and activities for kids.

Energy and Christmas products getting you ready for the winter cold and their growing areas are the landscape of December. Fields where potatoes are grown and farms where chickens and capons are reared. If you'd like to taste these products and find out more about them, come to the Bufet Potato Market in Orís and the Potato Festival in Prades.

For lovers of traditional liqueurs, December is the time for making Catalan ratafia and brandy. If you fancy it, come to the Ratafia Festival in Santa Coloma de Farners and the Ratafia Fair in Besalú where you can taste this Catalan digestif and learn how it is made. The most popular traditional nougat is made in the artisan bakeries of Les Terres de Lleida. This Christmas energy product, much appreciated by those with a sweet tooth, is the star turn at the Nougat and Stone Ground Chocolate Fair in Agramunt.

Follow what’s on every month In the We are Gastronomy agenda you will find all kinds of activities to do with the landscape of the month: many combine gastronomy with wine tastings, dramatised visits and cultural visits. There are also traditional festivals and even walks, poetry readings, concerts and discussion forums if you’d like to take part.