In craftsmanship and gastronomy, every material and every ingredient tells a story. When these two worlds merge, the result is a unique sensory experience that goes beyond the visual and gustatory.
I had the honour of collaborating with chef Pedro Martino on a special project in which my artisanal work with Xalda sheep’s wool was integrated into the presentation of a lamb dish cooked at the table. The result was a ball of carded wool, processed and worked by hand, which accompanied the tasting and reinforced the connection between the product and its origin.
The combination of carded wool and lamb dish is a tribute to the connection between the territory, the product and creativity. A way of demonstrating that tradition is not only kept alive, but that it can be reinvented and find new ways to excite.
Xalda sheep: fibre, history and tradition
The xalda sheep, a breed native to Asturias, is part of a legacy that deserves to be preserved. Its wool, rustic and natural, has been underestimated over the last decades, but it has a great potential both in the textile world and in the sensory experience.
For this collaboration, I took the wool from my sheep, washed it, carded it and processed it by hand into a compact ball that was soft to the touch. More than a simple object, this piece sought to represent the natural cycle of the lamb: from its environment and its fibre to its role in local gastronomy.
A sensory experience at the table
The aim was for the wool to serve not only as a decorative element, but to add a sensory layer to the culinary experience. When diners touched the wool ball, they felt the original texture of the animal, establishing a direct connection with the raw material before tasting the dish.
Such details turn a meal into a story, a tale to be experienced with all the senses. Just as in Pedro Martino’s cuisine, where every ingredient has a meaning, in craftsmanship every fibre and every manual process reflects a cultural and emotional value.
Reclaiming craftsmanship in haute cuisine
Collaborations like this one remind us that craftsmanship has a fundamental role to play in innovation without losing its essence. Xalda wool, seen as an unused material for several decades, is revalued here as a vehicle for memory and identity.
The combination of carded wool and lamb dish is a tribute to the connection between the territory, the product and creativity. A way of demonstrating that tradition is not only kept alive, but that it can be reinvented and find new ways to excite.
