The Puntarrón Picnic Area, Between Mountains and Olive Groves

A Place for lovers of nature and anteroom of one of the most picturesque natural routes in the province, Puntarrón Merendero is nestled without fear between the vertical naked stone gorges (known as Cahorros) that mark the course of the river, offering any traveler an amazing view of the mountains and olive groves.

Soledad Córdoba is in charge, leaving no doubt. She has a serious face, but her voice is sweet and she does not neglect even a moment of any living being that is willing to cross the threshold of the old sale, be it a human, bird or cat. Soledad was not a cook, but from the hand of her niece, Ma. Camacho, she took up the craft again 9 years ago, learning from the locals and from the shepherds most traditional recipes of this mountain spirit region that extends to the skirts of Sierra Nevada. Puntarrón preserves the spirit of the raw winters and steaming stews that blur the windows of the wooden windows of its living room. Here, the great central chimney crisps and tempers us.

The vegetables, the fruits, the aromatic herbs, the oil and even the wine that is served are grown in the Los Franciscos orchard, which in an almost religious way, visits Sole each day to sing the harvest and wait patiently for her to choose the basket what is needed for today. The kitchen is fresh, from the land, from the day to the moment. In addition, they make their own goat cheese and a scandal quince liqueur.

For mountaineers and climbers it is fortunate to find this rustic jewel on the side of the path after physical effort, but the hustle and bustle of the lounge and the room make us deduce that it is not essential to be an athlete to enjoy their chickpeas with cod and turnip greens or their traditional stew “choto al ajillo”. We find the soul of the rawness in each dish, where the naked ingredients do not deceive: asparagus from the garden, crispy and toasted, grilled meats, confit potatoes with pumpkin or snails in picosita sauce. Everything is so authentic that it seems to transport us to the country farms where the free range eggs are fried with many sheets of garlic. The onion soup with cheese gratin and the mushrooms with toasted aioli could take us to another era.

In the lower part of the house, we find a terrace garden that stands facing the mountain surrounded by trees, pots and small gardens, which receive the same treatment as customers: dedication, time and good hand. The setting is a fairytale, and Sole wanted to accommodate the music when some friends asked for the first time to play in the flowery courtyard, under the vine. So Puntarrón is also the place for one to escape the hot summer nights of Granada and cool off with the breeze that rises from the river and its music cycle on weekends. The summer options include glorious salads with seeds and homemade cheese, vegetable crepes with cream and meats seasoned with their “salsa de la vida”, to dip and repeat.