You haven’t had the date yet and you’re imagining yourself strolling under the stone arches in the Playa de las Catedrales, sitting on the prettiest bench in the world and enjoying the finest Galician cuisine. To make all these fantasies come true, here are some tips to make your Galician date a resounding success.
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Don’t even think of postponing the date due to bad weather.
In Galicia, foul weather is the norm, so you won’t be forgiven for canceling a date because it’s drizzling. Show your courage from the start and you will win over their heart.
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Accept from the get-go that you will need a second date to get to know each other better.
It’s a cliché, but it’s true: in Galicia, it’s all relative. Get ready to hear a few “it depends” during the evening. You’re going to need a couple more dates to see if they’re “the one.”
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If you’re asked something you’d rather not answer, reply with another question.
It’s the best trick for getting out of a jam with flair. Galicians do it all the time, so they won’t even notice when you try to dodge their questions.
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If they call you “riquiño” or “riquiña,” the date is as good as over.
This simply means that they like you, just not like that. The date’s a wash, but you’ve made a good friend.
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Don’t even think of taking the last bit of food from the dish.
If you can resist, you will have earned their trust. It’s not that they want it; it’s staying on the plate. There’s an unwritten rule in Galicia that the last morsel of food is left on the plate. It’s called “the shame of the Galician.” You’ll only be able to eat it if it’s been offered to you ten times and you turned it down each time.
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Tell them what you like most about Galicia.
Or what you would like to see, and their interest in you will multiply a hundred-fold. If they promise to take you to Galicia and show you those parts you haven’t been to yet, the date’s on the right track.
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Win their heart during the after-dinner chat.
If you’ve gotten this far, things look good and it’s time to fall in love: order a glass of Nordés and feign surprise if your date’s never heard of it. Write this down: say it’s a gin made in Galicia with local botanicals on a base of albariño grape wine. That will at least get you a second date.
