Porrón
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A porrón is a traditional glass wine pitcher, typical of Catalonia but famous throughout Spain. It resembles a cross between a wine bottle and a watering can. The top of the bottle is narrow and can be sealed off with a cork. Stemming upwards from the bottom of the pitcher is a spout that gradually tapers off to a small opening. It is shaped such that the wine stored inside it will have minimal contact with the air, while being ready to be used at all times. The idea originated as a replacement to Bota bags. Porróns are most commonly filled with regular wines, either white or red, but are also used to drink Cava, and a smaller version filled with dessert sweet wine are common in Catalan restaurants.
[edit] How to drink from a porrón
To drink from a porrón, start by bringing it very close to your mouth and tilt it back slowly so the beak points towards your teeth. Once liquid starts coming out, simultaneously pull the porrón away from your face and look up. Lower the porrón back close to your mouth before stopping so you don't spill any on yourself.
[edit] Porrón in literature
George Orwell described a porrón in Homage to Catalonia:
| “ | …and drank out of a dreadful thing called a porron. A porron is a sort of glass bottle with a pointed spout from which a thin jet of wine spurts out whenever you tip it up; you can thus drink from a distance, without touching it with your lips, and it can be passed from hand to hand. I went on strike and demanded a drinking-cup as soon as I saw a porron in use. To my eye the things were altogether too like bed-bottles, especially when they were filled with white wine. | ” |
