Andorra is one of the smallest countries in the world, located in Southern Europe, in the Pyrenees, between France and Spain, popularly known for its ski slopes and duty-free shopping. Beyond these, Andorra has a rich food culture, which has been influenced by its mountains over the years.
In this article, we will explore how Andorrans store their jams, preserves, mountain syrups, and drinks in glass jars and bottles, and some myths about their food culture, recipes, and how to pick the right glass container when preserving Andorra’s food and drinks.
Andorra's Location and Mountain Food Culture
Andorra occupies about 468 square kilometres, with an average elevation of 1,996 metres above sea level, making it one of the highest countries in Europe. This means that in Andorra, summers are short, while winters are long and harsh, and the planting/growing season is shorter than usual, between late spring and early autumn.
Precisely, this climate has always shaped how Andorrans eat. An example is they don’t grow tomatoes in December or pick strawberries in January. Instead, they preserve what they get during the summer and autumn seasons.
Some of Adonarran's food that influences both Catalan (the official language of Andorra) and Pyrenean food traditions include:
● Escudella: a slow-cooked meat and vegetable broth
● Trinxat: a pressed cake of cabbage and potato
● Cured meats like carn d’olla
● Mountain cheeses from grazing sheep and cows
Unlike in other European countries, veggies and fresh fruit like wild berries, stone fruits, and mountain herbs are a luxury in Andorra because it only lasts for a few weeks each year. That’s why they preserve them by making jams, compotes, chutneys, and syrups, which are now as essential as stacking firewood. Hence, glass bottles and jars have become the natural storage containers for all of these preservations.
How Andorrans Store Food Through Generations
The traditional food storage of Andorra was built around stone bordes, which are stone and timber mountain buildings used for farming, livestock, and storing bulk hay, dried grains, cheese, cured meats, potatoes, cabbage, and other root vegetables throughout the winter seasons. In fact, when you visit Andorran villages like Sant Julià de Lòria or Ordino, you will mostly see old stone bordes.
These buildings helped keep these provisions cool and dark, but weren’t suitable for preserved food like jams, pickles, syrups, and fruit preserves. Containers such as ceramic pots, clay containers, and wax-sealed earthenware were the traditional options.
These containers did great at preserving them, but they were heavy, fragile, and porous for long-term storage. In modern days, Andorrans now use glass jars and bottles for everything that once went into ceramic pots or wax-sealed containers.
They now use:
● Jam jars for fruit jams, preserves, and marmalades,
● Wide-mouth pickle jars for chutneys and vegetable compotes.
● Glass bottles for syrups, cordials, and drinks.
Glass containers have become Andorrans’ go-to preserving containers that are more hygienic, non-porous, and ensure the freshness of the contents.
Andorran Jams, Preserves, and Chutneys Stored in Jam Jars and Pickle Jars
During harvest, blackberries are some of the most widely foraged fruits in Andorra, hence blackberry jam is one of the most loved preserves in the country. The blackberries are harvested in late summer, then cooked down with sugar and lemon juice into a flavoured jam.
Aside from blackberries, the summer season also yields a range of fruits and vegetables that end up being stored in glass jars across the country. That’s why you often see fruit jams and marmalades made from locally grown or foraged produce, including:
● Apricot jam, which is made from fruit grown in the warmer, lower valleys.
● Plum and cherry preserves: These are often seasonal and highly prized.
● Wild berry marmalades, which are mixed preserves using harvested produce.
● Chutneys, pickles, and vegetable compotes, which are often made from tomatoes, peppers, and onions, are slowly cooked with vinegar and sugar, which can be paired with Andorra's charcuterie and cured meat.
These preserves, chutneys, and vegetable compotes are suitable are often preserved in large jars, medium-sized wide-mouth pickle jars 500ml to 1-litre range of glass jars, and smaller standard jam jars like 250ml to 500ml sized jars with screw-top lids.
Glass jars are often compared to plastic jars because:
● It does not react with the natural fruit acids in blackberry, apricot, or plum jam, maintaining the natural flavour for a long period.
● It preserves the colour of the jam for a long period, like the deep purple-red of blackberry, the golden-orange of apricot discolouration, which are seen in tin or plastic.
● They are easier to sterilise, stack in a pantry, and endlessly reusable every season.
● Another reason is that when the content is properly sealed in a glass jar and stored in a cool, dark place, jams like the Andorran blackberry jam can last up to twelve months.
Andorran Syrups and Mountain Drinks Preserved and Stored in Glass Bottles
Syrup-oriented drinks and cordials made from local fruits, mountain herbs, and natural sweeteners are used both as everyday drinks diluted with water or soda and as condiments drizzled over desserts and breads in Andorra.
One of the most popular syrup-oriented drinks is pineapple-based syrup, traditionally called “xarop de pinya,” which is similar to “nectum.” It is used as a natural remedy for sore throats and digestive issues, but also consumed as a sweet, diluted drink with sparkling water, stirred into yoghurt, or over an ice cream. Other herb and fruit syrups are made from other fruits and herbs, and sweetened with honey or sugar, are bottled and sold.
Green, amber, and clear glass bottles are often the go-to choice for these syrups, drinks, and cordials because:
● Amber and green glass bottles protect light-sensitive compounds in the syrup, herbs or drinks from UV rays because they can degrade the compounds easily.
● Glass bottles keep the natural flavours stable over months of storage without the chemical leaching, which can happen with plastic bottles.
● Glass bottles are endlessly recyclable and reusable.
3 Andorran Blackberry Jam, Chutney, Berry and Herb Syrup Recipes
Andorran Blackberry Jam Recipe Using Jam Jars
Ingredients
● 500g fresh or frozen blackberries
● 350g caster sugar
● Juice of one lemon
Method
● Combine the blackberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a saucepan
● Place it on the heat to slowly boil while stirring to dissolve the sugar
● Increase the heat and boil rapidly for 10 to 12 minutes, skimming any foam, until the jam sets
● Test to see if it sets using the plating method by placing a small amount on a cold plate.
● When ready, pour it immediately into a sterilised glass jar, and seal with airtight lids, then leave it to cool upside down.
● Store in a cool, dark cupboard for up to twelve months.
● Once opened, keep in the fridge and use within four weeks.
Tomato and Pepper Chutney Recipe Using Pickle Jars
Ingredients
● 500g ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
● 2 red peppers, deseeded and diced
● 1 medium onion, finely chopped
● 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
● 2 tablespoons brown sugar
● 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
● Salt to taste
Method
● Combine all ingredients in a saucepan
● Bring it to a simmer slowly
● Cook for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring regularly, until the mixture thickens to a chutney-like consistency.
● Pour into sterilised wide-mouth pickle jars while hot, seal immediately, and leave to cool completely.
● Store in a cool, dark place for up to three months.
● Once opened, refrigerate and use within three weeks.
Berry and Herb Syrup Recipe Using Glass Bottles
Ingredients
● 300g mixed berries (blackberries, raspberries, or blueberries)
● 200g caster sugar
● 400ml water
● A small sprig of fresh thyme or rosemary (optional)
Method
● Combine the berries, sugar, and water in a saucepan
● Slowly bring it to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
● Simmer for 15 minutes until the berries have broken down and the syrup has thickened slightly.
● Strain through a fine sieve, pressing the berries to extract all the juice, and pour into a sterilised glass bottle while warm.
● Seal with a screw-top closure and store in the fridge for up to four weeks.
● To enjoy as a drink, dilute with still or sparkling water.
4 Interesting Myths and Facts About Andorran Food Culture
Myth: Andorran food is basically the same as Spanish or French food.
Fact: Spain and France definitely influenced Andorra’s cuisine, but the country’s climate and high terrains have majorly given Andorra its unique food profile.
Myth: Andorran food is only great winter cuisine.
Fact: Though escudella (the famous Andorran stew) is a cold-weather classic cuisine. But Andorrans are also known for their delicious summer delicacies like grilled snails called “cargols a la llauna”, and fresh goat cheese salads are some of their other cuisines.
Myth: Andorran food is delicate and light.
Fact: This is not completely true. Andorran food, like trinxat (a cabbage-and-potato mash) and rich, slowly cooked meats, is prepared for energy and warmth, and made to fuel your day-to-day activities like hiking. They have plenty of filling delicacies.
Myth: Seafood isn’t traditional in Andorra
Fact: You might expect that, but Andorra’s salt-preserved cod (bacallà) has been popular for centuries. It is often served as Cod au gratin with aioli drizzle on it.
Tips for Preserving Andorran’s Jams, Chutneys, and Syrups in Glass Jars and Bottles in the UK
Andorra's tradition of preserving jams, chutneys, syrup, drinks, etc, is found in homes around the UK. You will always find a growing community of individuals making their own jams, chutneys, syrups, and cordials from seasonal ingredients, just like the Andorrans and want the right glass containers to store them properly.
If you want to try Andorran-inspired preserving at home, here is how to match the right glass container to the food:
● Use standard jam jars (250ml-500ml) with solid screw-top lids for blackberry jam, apricot jam, and other fruit preserves. Fill the jars hot, seal immediately, and store in a cool, dark cupboard.
● Use wide-mouth pickle jars (500ml-1 litre) for chutneys and vegetable compotes that pair.
● Use glass bottles (250ml-1l) with cork or screw-top closures for berry syrups, herb cordials, and drinks. Consider amber glass for a syrup or drink that is light-sensitive.
● With respect to the type of lids for glass jars, use screw-top metal lids for hot-filled jams and chutneys or clip-top Le Parfait lids for a stronger airtight seal.
● With respect to the thickness of the glass containers, use standard food-grade glass containers for jams and syrups, and slightly thick-walled bottles for carbonated or pressurised drinks.
With more than 30 years of experience in glass bottles and jars, we have a curated collection of food-grade jam jars, pickle jars, and glass bottles that are suitable for Andorran food, syrups and drinks across all the sizes and designs mentioned in this guide.
If you are not sure of what to get specifically, ask us, and we will be willing to offer all the help you need by guiding you to get the suitable glass jars and bottles for your needs.