José Manuel Mójica Legarre

José Manuel Mójica Legarre is a Spanish writer born in Castiliscar, in September, 1955; he is according to some media, one of the last adventurers.

The only child of a humble family, he began his education with a scholarship of the P.I.O. (Principle of Equality of Opportunities) graduating as a bachelor and later initiated studies in the School of Arts and Artistic Offices of Zaragoza, Spain, in whom one never graduated since it entailed volunteering for the Air Force. After passing the parachutists course, he enlisted in the Legion but did not finish his contract.

An untiring traveller, he studied cookery in France and, during most his life worked as a chef in many different countries, although his inherent restlessness meant he did not stay long in one place. His contacts in the south of France with the " Romaní ", " Manouche ", and " Tsigane " tribes, compelled him to initiate a work on " Laws of the Romaní Towns ".

Throughout his life he has worked as a sketch artist, a singer and director/commentator of the radio program "One hour or more" on Radio Santa Marta pertaining to the Radio Colombian Station, Caracol. He has also edited the newspaper the "Informer of Santa Marta" and as a tourist guide.

Traveller and writer

During one stay in South America, he travelled from Puerto Inírida in Colombia into the interior of the jungle, to meet a tribe of Puinave Indians (known as the ant men). Later, in Venezuelan territory, he mixed with the Pemone Indians and also on the Venezuela-Brazil border, with the Yanomani. The knowledge that he acquired on the customs of these primitive towns, that still conserve a moral leadership, induced him to find parallels between the regulations and customs of the towns non-integrated in modern society.

On returning to Europe, he was able to survive by working as Chef of Kitchen in Spain and publishing his first book: " "Gastronomy in the days of San Francisco de Javier" ", by order of the " Cultural Society Baja Montaña/Mendi Behera, of Sangüesa, Navarre ". A short time later he published, under the auspices of the " Most excellent City Council of Sos del Rey Católico, Zaragoza ", another investigative book: " " Medieval Cookery in the Villa de Sos del Rey Católico" "; but its inclination to the investigation does not confine to the kitchen or the gastronomy, reason why finishes publishing a third titled book " "The flame in front of the hurricane" " in " Editorial AQUA, Zaragoza, Spain ".

" "The flame in front of the hurricane" ", gathers everything what it has been able to learn of the Romaní Town. The subtitle of this book "the Testament of the Patriarch" indicates clearly that, under the literary form of a testament, a Gypsy Patriarch, all whatever keeps awake to its successors must make to exert with property its position of Patriarchs. Next, in this same line, " "With the glance of a cowardly god" "will publish the novel in which it tells to the fates of " Salubha Soniché ", the Patriarch, until the moment in which it decided to write its Testament

In 2006, the book "La Cocina Medieval en la Villa de Sos del Rey Católico" was finalist in the Prize Gourmet "World Award Cookbook", of the "Cointreau" house, in the category "Culinary History".

Books

* "La gastronomía en tiempos de San Francisco Javier"; Baja Montaña-Mendi Behera, 2005.
* "La Cocina Medieval en la Villa de Sos del Rey Católico"; Ayuntamiento de Sos del Rey Católico, Zaragoza 2006.
* "La llama frente al huracán. El testamento del patriarca"; Edición: Aqua 2007.
* "Con la mirada de un dios cobarde"; Edición: Aqua 2007.
* "Cocina Medieval y Renacentista"; Edición: Aqua 2008.

External links

* [http://www.diariodenavarra.es/especiales/javier/actualidad/pagina.asp?not=A36ART836709A.INC&seccion=navarra&dia=20060422] (En español) "Publicado un libro de Gastronomía". Diario de Navarra.
* [http://www.noticiasdealava.com/ediciones/2006/04/25/mirarte/ocio/d25oci72.347891.php] (En español) "Se publica un libro sobre la Gastronomía en tiempos de San Francisco de Javier". Diario de Alava.
* [http://www.javier2006.com/es/noticias/ficha.php?id=107] "La Asociación Baja Montaña edita un libro de Gastronomía. Web official del V Centenario de S.Francisco de Javier.
* [http://www.elperiodicodearagon.com/noticias/noticia.asp?pkid=339046] (En español)"El Pueblo gitano ha durado cuatro mil años". El Periódico de Aragón.
* [http://www.redaragon.com/cronicas/cincovillas/noticia.asp?pkid=343692&numero=84] (En español)"El Testamento de un Patriarca Gitano". La Crónica.
* [http://www.gourmandbooks.com/2007ybook.htm] "Gourmand 2007 Yearbook"
* [http://www.wadhoo.com/maestro%5Fsalubha.com] (En español) Website of "The flame in front of the hurricane"