Spanish national cuisine in the country itself is the same attraction as the Sagrada Familia or, say, flamenco. It would be a big miss to visit here and not try the famous national dishes, even if you have to give up your usual diet to do this. The local cuisine is famous for its hearty dishes, which certainly do not fit into the Mediterranean diet.
A little about culinary preferences
The formation of Spanish cuisine was influenced by several factors:
- historical background caused by numerous conquests by different peoples;
- territorial location on the Mediterranean coast;
- climatic conditions.
A distinctive feature of everything that is eaten in Spain is the incredible nutritional value of the dishes that are prepared here. This characteristic has its roots in the distant past. After all, as you know, local cuisine was formed not in royal palaces, but in peasant families, in which the main task of each housewife was to cook a lot, tasty and satisfying. It is for this reason that in many dishes of local origin you can sometimes find the most incompatible ingredients, for example, seafood and chicken.
The second feature is the influence of many cultures that appeared here in different historical eras thanks to new conquerors - the Romans, the Moors, and the Spaniards themselves. In addition, it should be noted that each individual Spanish region is unique, and they can be distinguished from each other precisely by the composition of the dishes and the menu as a whole.
Spanish national cuisine: menu
If you don’t know what food to try in Spain, we recommend trying everything they serve. You definitely won’t be disappointed, and you won’t leave hungry either. It is simply impossible to list all the national treats, so we will focus on those through which the whole world learned about Spain.
Spanish national cuisine: Tapas
This dish belongs to the category of appetizers. The name comes from the word “lid”. Once upon a time, travelers were treated to cool wine in large glasses, the top of which was covered with a piece of bread with cheese, meat or tomato so that the wind would not blow dust and sand into the container. Since then, such “lids” have become a regular treat in any bar where travelers drop by.
Today, tapas bars are not just a culinary phenomenon, but also an entertainment one. The main entertainment of local residents on Fridays is visiting such establishments, of which they can count at least a dozen in one evening.
Tapas are always served with beer or wine. The main ingredients are olives, tuna, almonds, jamon, marinated pork, and cheese. The base can be a piece of bread, which is incredibly tasty in Spain.
In your list of what dishes to try in Spain, be sure to include gazpacho. This is a vegetable soup, which is mainly prepared from tomatoes, and is not subject to heat treatment. Cool gazpacho is especially good in summer. Its recipe is very simple: pieces of bread are soaked in water, then mixed with tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and seasonings.
Caring housewives usually prepare this treat in the evening. First, to let it sit overnight. Secondly, so that the soup reaches the desired temperature. If you find it not cool enough, you can add ice cubes to it.
Paella was invented in Valencia. It was here that the first dish was prepared, which the whole world now enjoys eating. The peculiarity of paella lies in the combination of the most contradictory products.
The basis of paella is rice - one of the main ingredients in Spain, which is included in most dishes. It is prepared in a special frying pan from many ingredients - rice, chicken, seafood, white wine, spices, herbs, fish. In total, there are more than 300 recipes for this treat in the country. In some regions, rice is replaced with beans, another popular national product. But classical technology is still based on the use of rice.
Jamon - Spanish national cuisine
Jamon has long been loved by gourmets all over the world, and you can already find it on the shelves of almost all stores. But you can only try real jamon in Spain itself. This product is a smoked pork ham, which is prepared using a special technology. The whole process takes at least a year.
It is believed that the ham is prepared from a special Iberian breed of pigs, which is fed exclusively on acorns. It is for this reason that jamon has a pronounced nutty taste.
The national food in Spain also includes incredibly delicious desserts, representatives of which are Catalan cream and turrones. The latter, by the way, were inherited by the Spaniards from the Arabs and are nougat made from egg whites, honey and various types of nuts.
The Spanish cuisine is varied and tempting. This is a surprisingly harmonious combination of traditions and innovative developments and trends. It is impossible to imagine Spanish cuisine without the Iberian pig, which is most often located in the center of the table, as well as the innovative molecular cuisine that appeared in the north of the country and became popular throughout the world.
Photo: National cuisine of Spain Spanish cuisine - the vanguard of dishes
Most people judge the taste of this country's cuisine by its tourist dishes, which are dominated by tasteless paella and fatty meats of unknown origin. And this is very sad, since Spanish cuisine is rich in delicious, healthy and nutritious dishes. The Spaniards are proud of their national cuisine. This is also proven by statistical data, since in this country the population spends more money on food than in other countries of the world. And this is not surprising. After all, the country’s cuisine is characterized by exquisite simplicity, but at the same time, many famous chefs do not hesitate to experiment, surprising their users with the variety of prepared dishes. The owner of the El Bulli restaurant, Ferran, located in the town of Roses, was especially successful in the development of modern Spanish cuisine. Thanks to his experiments and innovations, Spanish cuisine can compete with French cuisine for the title of “haute cuisine.”
A little history
Photo: Olives The variety and rich flavor of Spanish dishes is due to the diversity of cultural and ethnic roots of the population. The history and origin of many dishes goes back to ancient times, when the Greeks and Phoenicians considered themselves masters of this peninsula. The latter introduced olives into the diet, which later became the national product. After all, after some time, the Romans began to import olive oil from Spain to their home in Rome. In turn, the Romans’ skills in preserving fish and growing grapes became useful for Spanish cooks.
Many of Spain's culinary traditions, regarding the use of seasonings and herbs, date back to the times of Arab-Moorish rule, which lasted about 8 centuries. Thanks to trade relations, Indian pomegranates, rice, eggplants, African melons and figs from Constantinople appeared in Spain. Since the time of the Moors, the Spanish population has remained partial to sweets. In the 13-14th century, products from the New World appeared in the country - zucchini, peppers, beans, potatoes, which further diversified the already colorful food of the Spaniards.
Important dates that relate specifically to Spanish cuisine
13th century - In Spain, thanks to the settlement of the country by the Moors, plants such as apricot, quince, carob and pistachio trees, almonds, oranges and carrots appeared.
1324 – The first cookbooks written in Catalan began to appear in the Spanish colony. This year the first cookbook, “The Book of St. Sofia" ("Libre de Sent Sovi"). It contained recipes for Catalan cuisine with step-by-step descriptions of preparation.
1519 - After Hernan Cortes conquered Mexico, the whole world learned about such products as tomatoes, chocolate, turkey, vanilla, and chili peppers.
1520 – The first printed book, “The Cookbook” (Libre del coch) by Robert de Nola, was published, which presented the most common dishes of Mediterranean cuisine.
2nd half of the 20th century - A classification system for food products began to be introduced in the country. The new list included more than 100 products that began to be marked with the DO (Denominacion de Origen) protection mark.
1970-1980 – This period is considered the date of the creation of the “new Basque cuisine” (nueva cocina vasca). The developers of the new, easier “healthy peasant food” were Basque chefs who innovated under the influence of French cuisine. In just a few years, innovations have become widespread throughout the country.
2009 - Starting this year, over the course of several years, the provocative cuisine of the El Bulli restaurant, owned by Ferran Adria, has become widespread and popular. His establishment received the title of “best restaurant in the world” for four years.
New provocative cuisine of Spain
Photo: Chef and restaurateur Ferran Adria Today, alchemy is common in the kitchens of many high-end Spanish restaurants and is gaining increasing popularity due to its innovative and radically new approaches. “New cuisine” (La nueva cocina) is a type of molecular gastronomy. The emerging technology is based on the use of components such as liquid nitrogen, dry ice and others, which were also used in the food industry. The pioneer and successful chef of this trend was Ferran Adria, who spends a huge amount of time in his own funded laboratory, where research takes place and more and more new recipes for innovative cuisine appear.
For the Spaniards, Ferran Adria is a real legend, because this man went through a long and difficult path to become the owner of a restaurant. He first started working in the kitchen by washing dishes. He got a job as a dishwasher to earn money for a trip to the sea for relaxation.
Today, this man's restaurant has a unique operating schedule. Visitors can come here only for six months; for the remaining six months, the establishment is closed for receiving guests. Table reservations are only made one day before the restaurant opens for the new season. The most surprising thing is that, despite the huge number of applications for one place in the restaurant, the establishment remains unprofitable. Since 2003, Adria has received the title of “best chef.”
It was Adria who became the founder of the new destructive cuisine. Moreover, he not only develops new dishes, but also conducts experiments with combinations of various products and the transformation of traditional dishes into new versions.
An example is the transformation of the usual hot Catalan dish, which includes spinach, raisins, pine nuts, olive oil, into a cold frozen dessert of spinach, served with sherry and fried pine nuts. There are a huge number of such attractive options and experiments. Popular experimenters include Juan Mari Arzaca, Sergi Arola and Pedro Subijan. Thanks to the developments and experiments of such chefs, Spain is a leader in the world of innovative, cutting-edge cuisine.
DO – quality mark
Modern people strive to eat not only tasty, but also without harm to the body. Today everyone cares about the quality of products. The Spanish government is no exception, they also strive to protect their products from counterfeiting. The National Institute for Quality Control (Instituto Nacional de Denominaciones de Origen) has developed its own DO (Denominacion de Origen) classification system, which includes the most common products. Only products that meet certain requirements and criteria can receive such a quality mark.
Bread, meat and vegetables are staple foods
The source of meat for the Spaniards is pigs
Photo: Spanish pork dish It can rightly be said that the main animal of Spain is the pig. More than 20 thousand heads of these animals are raised in the country. It is also worth noting that all parts of the pig, including legs, ears, and heads, find their use in Spanish cuisine. Pork gained its special significance in the Spanish diet back in the Reconquista period, when eating this meat was considered a distinctive feature of ethnic and political affiliation. Moors and Jews do not eat pork at all.
For the Spaniards, from ancient times to the present day, an important date for peasants is the day of pig slaughter - Matanza, which falls in November. In central Spain, most houses still have dried hams hanging from hooks today. And on holidays, the main central dish, which is placed with honor on the table, is suckling pig. To be fair, it should be noted that even today every Spaniard eats pork throughout the day. This meat is included in most Spanish national dishes that are common in the country:
- Chorizo is a delicious smoked sausage;
- Tocino – bacon;
- Lomo – dry-cured pork sausage;
- Salchichon – ham sausage;
- Morcilla is a blood sausage.
This is not a complete list of dishes based on pork.
Dry-cured ham – jamon
Photo: Hamon The mountains of Andalusia produce a high quality pork product that is popular and in demand throughout the country. This is a jamon ham, for the production of which the meat of white pigs (jamon Serrano) is used. It matures in special drying kilns (secaderos), which are located on the slopes of the Sierra Nevada. It is there that there is the dry cold wind necessary to obtain such a taste. Before hanging the hams to dry, they are thoroughly rubbed with sea salt. It can take from 12 to 32 months until the final readiness of the product from the moment of hanging for drying and removal.
The places in Treveles are famous for the best hams of this nature, but no less popular and tasty products are in Tereul (Aragon), the province of Girona (Catalonia) and Soria (Castile and Leon).
But the most revered of all cured hams is black leg jamon (pata negra). This meat is distinguished by the fact that it is made from the hams of black-hoofed pigs of the Iberian breed. The pigs used to prepare this product graze freely in the areas of Extremadura and Andalusia, where holm oaks grow. It is the acorns of this plant that pigs eat. The most delicious Andalusian jamon is produced in Jabugo.
Cohrizo – delicious sausage delicacies
Spain is second to none in the production of delicious and varied sausages. It is worth noting that the range of sausage products is dominated mainly by dry-cured sausages. Almost the entire country produces dry-cured sausage choriso, which has become famous throughout the world. There are many varieties of this product, but its main distinguishing feature is its bright red color. It is achieved due to the chili pepper and paprika included in the composition. Other ingredients include, naturally, pork, which is chopped and has a fatty nature, garlic, spices and other parts from the pig carcass. In each region, the composition of the recipe is slightly different. Today there is a huge variety of chorizo. These can range from mild to overly spicy sausages, as well as from a dry-cured nature to heat-treated products.
Bakery products
Photo: Pan candela – premium bread made from quality wheat When talking about the cuisine of Spain, the story would not be complete without mentioning bread. After all, this is a fundamental product in any country. There are two main types of baked goods common in Spain:
- Pan de barra is a thin loaf that spoils very quickly. In its appearance and taste characteristics it resembles a French baguette.
- Pan de chapata is a loaf-shaped bread with a denser structure that can remain fresh for several days.
The country's main breadbasket is Castile, where vast areas of land are devoted to the cultivation of high-quality wheat. Bread baking in Castile is done by trained bakers (panadero), who get up very early. They need to bake three main types of bread that are in demand by the population every morning:
- Pan candela – premium bread made from quality wheat;
- A kind of round bread;
- Breadsticks (colin).
But residents of each region have their own unique recipes. For example, residents of the Balearic Islands and Catalonia prefer pa de pages, a tomato-based type of bread. And in Andalusia, the favorite bakery product is cornbread (borona). It is sometimes stuffed with meat.
Vegetable dishes in Spain
Photo: Salad ensalada mixta Another favorite and almost obligatory dish among the Spaniards is salads. And this is probably the only salvation for vegetarians who live in the country or are going there on vacation. Not a single feast or even a simple meal would be complete without a salad. The most popular and common salad is ensalada mixta, which consists of onions, tomatoes, olives and lettuce. Most often, this dish is seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice and salt.
You can watch the recipe for making real Spanish paella in this video:
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Instead of hotels, you can book an apartment (on average 1.5-2 times cheaper) on AirBnB.com, a very convenient worldwide and well-known apartment rental service with a bonus of 2100 rubles upon registrationIt is almost impossible to beat Spain's gastronomic diversity. There are so many regions in the country that tourists will be amazed by thousands of aromas and tastes, because each region has its own specialties.
Famous for flamenco, football, its beautiful coastlines, long sunny days, exceptional nightlife, siestas, incredibly long names of locals, islands and the fact that Spanish is one of the most widely spoken languages on Earth after Mandarin and Chinese.
But don't forget that this vibrant region of the Iberian Peninsula is also famous for its excellent food.
Spanish cuisine is far from the healthiest cuisine in the world and it is not cheap, but it is not without its charm and surprises tourists with its colors, variety and incredible combination of flavors.
When I started writing this post, I wanted to make a Top 10 must-try dishes in Spain, but in the process I realized that I just couldn’t decide where to rank the dishes and instead I just decided to write a list. Each of these dishes reminds me of some amazing moment from my holiday in Spain, and I hope you will have pleasant memories associated with them too.
Tapas - Spaniards eat it at any time of the day or night
You can't visit Spain without trying the famous tapas! It's like going to and not seeing the Eiffel Tower, or like ordering American coffee in Italy.
First of all, tapas is not a special dish; This is a small snack that Spaniards eat at any time of the day or night, anywhere. I will not talk in detail about tapas, because there is a lot of information about them on the Internet, and it will probably take me several hours to share my impressions of tapas with you.
I'll just tell you some interesting facts about tapas.
Tapas is a part of Spanish culture, and to better understand this, you should know that in Spanish there is even a verb "tapear", which means "to eat tapas". Because of the hype around tapas, sometimes you have to pay for these snacks.
While in these cities and even tourists they are provided free of charge with every drink you order at a bar or pub, there are still places like or where you are most likely not going to get free tapas.
The best tapas I tried were in Madrid, in the popular bars of this city, where you don’t even have to pay for lunch or dinner, because every time you order a beer, they bring you a plate of mini sandwiches, almonds, squid or whatever... then other snacks. And the coolest thing is that the dishes are not repeated.
On the other hand, the most delicious tapas I ate was made from blue cheese, I tried it on the beach of Mallorca, I paid for it, but undoubtedly it was worth the money.
Tortilla Española
The first time in my life I tried tortilla was when I was traveling on a ferry to Ibiza. I remember it was “bocadillo con tortilla,” a tortilla sandwich. I liked it so much that I ate three more.
Later, I learned that there are many types of tortillas, some thick, others thinner and softer. This Spanish omelette is the most common dish in the country and it always consists of potatoes, eggs, onions, salt and pepper.
Although they say tortillas are easy to make, I always have problems with it. I've never been able to get it to bake in the middle correctly, I wonder why?
The recipe is as follows: cut the potatoes into thick slices and place them in a pan of water until it boils. Next, fry it in a frying pan with a little olive oil. Make sure it is soft and not browned. Then drain the liquid and mix the potatoes with lightly chopped onions and raw beaten eggs.
Fry this mixture in a frying pan (preferably with a ceramic coating) for a few minutes on one side, then turn over with a spatula and leave for a few minutes.
Everything is very simple! Let me know if you can handle it!
Paella - the national dish of Spain
Paella is a traditional rice dish that originated in Valencia. In Spain, there are three types of paella: Valencian paella (white rice, vegetables, chicken, duck and rabbit meat, snails, beans and spices), seafood paella (rice, seafood and seasonings) and mixed paella, which is a free combination products, usually rice, chicken, seafood including shellfish, vegetables, olive oil, saffron and other spices.
I love mixed paella, especially the one served in a paellera pan, just imagine a romantic dinner on the beach, late summer evening, a glass of cold sangria, a light breeze...
Gazpacho in Andalusian style
Like most Spanish dishes, gazpacho can be prepared in many different ways. Gazpacho can be warm or cold, as a soup, salad, or even as a stew. Typically, gazpacho is made from tomatoes, cucumber, onion, garlic, with a little olive oil, wine vinegar, salt and sometimes (but rarely) ham.
My favorite is gazpacho, a soup made with tomatoes, cucumber, onion, olive oil, wine vinegar and salt. All this is mixed and served with croutons, ice cubes and chopped tomatoes, onions and cucumbers. The perfect lunch in Andalusia!
Crema catalana - Barcelona dessert
Many people think that Crema Catalana is the same as French Creme Brulee, but there are still tiny differences between these two incredible desserts. For example, crème brûlée is cooked in a bain-marie and is usually served warm, but creme Catalan is always served cold and its custard is made from lemon zest and cinnamon rather than vanilla, so it tastes fresher than the French dessert.
I love both desserts, I love vanilla, but on a hot summer day nothing beats Crema Catalana in Barcelona!
Gambas ajiyo - garlic shrimp
I'm usually a reserved person when it comes to seafood, but trust me, the gambas ajiyo in Spain is simply amazing! Whether served as tapas or as a main course, garlic prawns are quick and easy to prepare: take a few fresh prawns, cook them with a little garlicky olive oil and chili flakes and in about 10 minutes you'll have one of these on the table. delicious dishes. Buen provecho! (Bon appetit!;))
Queso Manchego - Spanish sheep's milk cheese
Queso Manchego, also called Don Quixote Cheese, as Cervantes mentioned it in his legendary work “Don Quixote of La Mancha”. This is a very tasty sheep's milk cheese. Authentic Queso Manchego is prepared exclusively in the province of La Mancha from a special breed of sheep called "Manchega", but you can try the cheese throughout Spain.
I was lucky enough to try it in Madrid and I can say that its bright aroma impressed me from the first seconds. Amazing!
Aioli
I always thought that aioli was Spanish mayonnaise with a lot of garlic. In fact, aioli is not of Spanish, French or even Italian origin. According to James Oliver, and I have no choice but to believe him, aioli originally originated in the Middle East.
Anyway, I first tried it in Spain and for me it is a Spanish sauce, exciting and insidious).
The aioli recipe is very simple and should be easy to make. Well, that's not true, at least not for me. That's why I prefer to eat it in Spain with anything: tortillas, fish, baked potatoes, anything but something sweet. , I miss so much!
Jamon Iberico in Madrid
What I loved most about Spain were the long, crammed bar counters with huge pieces of jamon suspended from above instead of chandeliers. At first glance it seems surprising, but then original and cute. It was absolutely wonderful to have a drink while the bartender cut me a piece of incredible ham. An amazing experience in Spain that every tourist should experience!
Grilled fish on Marbella beach
If you are on holiday in Marbella, or somewhere in Andalusia, or, be sure to try grilled fish on the beach.
Take the time to find a restaurant; On Andalusian beaches there are original boats filled with sand, where fishermen cook the most delicious sardines on hot coals with their own hands. Delicious, healthy and cheap food, perfect for a hot summer day at the beach!
Finally, I must mention that every meal I had in Spain, in any part of the country or on any of its islands, traditionally began with bread (fried or not, white or black), a bowl of pickled green olives (sometimes served with pickled onions ), and the well-known aioli (sometimes replaced with butter).
I hope that my post will help add some spice to your holiday in Spain!
Cuisine of Spain, national and local: what to cook and where to eat. Recipes, cooking methods, snacks, desserts, hot dishes and drinks in Spain.
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Those who have already been to Spain will agree with us that traveling through this kingdom is an exciting and unique activity in itself. For every tourist, Spain is unique, but for gourmets, perhaps, it is a real Paradise.
Cuisine in Spain is one of the main attractions of the country. The original Spanish cuisine is quite simple, based on onions, garlic, bell peppers, herbs, sage and olive oil. Many dishes are characterized by cooking techniques such as grilling, baking with sheep's cheese and braising in wine.
Despite this, it is wrong to talk about a single national Spanish cuisine, because traditional Spanish cuisine is rather a community of cuisines from numerous regions of the kingdom. This is what makes her unique. The character of modern Spanish cuisine was once heavily influenced by the Romans, Moors and Americans. Each regional cuisine of Spain was influenced by climatic conditions, life and customs of the population, traditions and history.
Spain is a Mediterranean country, and therefore, like the population of any Mediterranean country, the Spaniards are very fond of fish and seafood. Seafood dishes are found everywhere: in restaurants, in homes, in stores. But despite everything, fish delicacies are not the main thing that Spanish cuisine offers us. It turns out that in reality there are more meat dishes in the country's traditional cuisine.
Spanish cuisine is endless, you can’t try everything in your entire life. However, each of you should definitely try the dishes that have become classics and the pride of Spain: the famous Valencian paella (paella, rice with seafood), delicious gazpacho (cold tomato soup), the popular Spanish omelette of potatoes and eggs - tortilla, the iconic churros (something like donut cookies) with hot chocolate, spicy chorizo sausage, the famous Spanish blue cheese cabrales and the national delicacy ham jamon.
Let’s also not forget that more than a hundred brands of wine are produced in Spain, as well as Asturian cider and the Tenerife beer Dorada and Tropical, popular in the Canary Islands.
Paella in Catalan style
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Northern cuisine
Northern cuisine is primarily rich in a variety of fish dishes, which is due to the presence of numerous fishing villages on the Atlantic coast. Popular fish dishes in the Basque Country include marmitaco (potatoes with mackerel), changurro (clams with crab) and delicious baby eels. In Cantabria, the cuisine was influenced by the mountains, rich in pastures - beef and cheeses are favorite dishes on the tables of Cantabrian residents. In Galicia, prominent representatives of the local cuisine are pote (pork and cabbage stew), pulpo a feira (boiled octopus) and whiting fish stewed in a clay pot. The calling card of the northern province of Asturias is cider, and the Principality of Asturias is also known for its traditional fabada - a thick bean soup with ham and sausage.
Cider
When in Spain, be sure to try cider. The best cider in all of Spain, and perhaps in the world, is produced in Asturias. The climate of Asturias is characterized by high humidity: the province receives heavy rains all year round. Thanks to this gift of nature, Asturias is the ideal region for growing excellent apples. It would be a sin not to produce cider in Asturias! It is here, in northern Spain, that 80% of the country's apple wine is produced. Cider is the wealth and attraction of Asturias. It is no coincidence that the Asturian proverb says: “If a man lost paradise because of an apple, then thanks to cider he found it again.”
In Asturias there are traditions of drinking cider. For example, it is not allowed to be mixed with other drinks, which is why Asturians even call cider the “jealous bride.”
Asturias has its own cider consumption traditions. Firstly, cider is not allowed to be mixed with other drinks, which is why Asturians even call cider the “jealous bride”. Secondly, the drink must be served at a certain temperature (+12...+14 °C), at which the unique apple aroma is emphasized. Thirdly, the glass should be made of thin glass, at least 12 cm in height, wide and slightly wider at the top. Fourthly, in order to pour cider into glasses, you need to have special skill. Standing straight, the bottle is held above your head at arm's length, the glass is held as low as possible with the other hand, a thin vertical stream of cider is directed into the glass so that the drink touches the edge of the glass, this is the only way to achieve high foam, and the cider gets rid of excess carbon dioxide. Fifth, drink the entire contents of the glass at once, before the optimal taste of the cider disappears. And yet, at the bottom of the glass they always leave a little drink, which is poured onto the floor. That is why in cideries the floor is covered with sawdust or shavings. There are several explanations for this tradition. The first explanation is that the cider is thrown onto the floor to give back to the earth what it has given. The second is to clear a glass for a neighbor at the table (previously, one glass was often shared at the table, and it was customary to drink cider in a large group). Third, to drain the sediment that appears at the bottom of the glass. The fourth explanation was most likely invented as a joke - to wet the neighbor’s feet.
Mediterranean Kitchen
Mediterranean cuisine is rich and varied. She is famous for her eponymous diet, based on the trinity of wheat, olives and vines, to which are added fish and meat, rice and eggs, vegetables and fruits, cheese and kefir, garlic and herbs.
Catalan cuisine is based on sauces: sofrito (garlic, onions, tomatoes, peppers and herbs), samfaina (tomatoes, peppers and eggplant), picada (garlic, peppers and roasted almonds) or ali oli (garlic and olive oil). A favorite dish of the Catalans is cazuela (oxtail and vegetable stew). The chefs of Catalonia will also delight you with a stew of pork heads and legs, thick and aromatic monkfish soup and fried sausages with white beans.
If you are lucky enough to visit Valencia, try the famous paella and fideua. Real Spanish paella is a dish of rice, tinted with saffron, with the addition of olive oil, as well as various fillings (seafood, meat, vegetables, etc.). Fideua, or vermicelli in Valencian style, is a dish of vermicelli and seafood. There is a legend that fideua is a dish that was born thanks to the absent-mindedness of a young fisherman. A fisherman, preparing paella for his comrades, mistakenly, thinking about his beloved, poured vermicelli into the dish instead of rice. Fishermen really liked Fideua and quickly spread along the entire Mediterranean coast. Unlike paella, which contains not only seafood, but also meat and vegetables, fideua is prepared only with seafood.
In Murcia, the cuisine is also based on seafood, for example, in this province a popular dish is caldero, prepared from rice and fish, traditionally in a cauldron.
But the city of Mahon, on the island of Menorca in the Balearic Islands, is the birthplace of mayonnaise, which has spread throughout the world and is well known to you. So, when you find yourself in the Balearic Islands, try this popular sauce. I wonder if it is different from the “Provençal” we are used to?
Walk through the market
Cuisine of Central Spain
The nature of the cuisine of central Spain was greatly influenced by the geographical location and occupation of the population: there is a harsh climate, mountainous terrain all around, and people engage in hard physical labor. Therefore, the food in this region is hearty, mainly meat, game, various sausages, beans, lentils and rich cocido soups.
A special asset of Spanish cuisine is the dry-cured pork leg of the hind leg, popular throughout the kingdom - jamon.
Chorizo (or chorizo), chistorra, lomo, salchichon, morcilla, sobrassada, butifarra, fuet - all these are the names of numerous and beloved Spanish sausages all over the world. Surprisingly, Spanish sausages are very popular among tourists as souvenirs. By the way, you can try Spanish sausages not only in Central Spain - each region of the kingdom is famous for its variety of Spanish sausage.
A special asset of Spanish cuisine is the dry-cured pork ham of the hind leg, popular both in Central Spain and throughout the kingdom.
Ham, like good expensive wine, takes many years to be born and has its own quality mark (Denominación de Origen). It is no coincidence that Iberico jamon is delivered to the royal court.
The most valuable jamon is jamon iberico, or it is also called jamon pata negra, which translates as “black leg”. This jamon is made from the meat of black pigs of the Iberian breed, fed on a special diet: either acorn-based - beyota, or combining acorns with fodder - resebo. Serrano jamon is considered a cheaper jamon. It is made from the meat of white pigs, usually fed on forage. In addition to the jamon itself, there is also jamon delantero, or it is also called jamon paleta, which means “front leg”.
Southern cuisine
Southern cuisine merges the cuisines of all the peoples who once lived on this fertile land. For example, the famous and beloved cold soup made from pureed vegetables, primarily tomatoes, gazpacho, as well as the intoxicating sherry from the city of Jerez de la Frontera were born in Andalusia, and this province inherited sweet turrones from the Moors.
Not a single Christmas table in Spain is complete without traditional Spanish turron, translated as nougat. The most famous traditional Spanish turron is the soft turron of Jijona (turron de Jijona), it is prepared by hand in the town of the same name in the province of Alicante. Once upon a time, turrons were prepared exclusively with almonds (ground or whole - hence the two ancient types of turrons: Gijon turron - soft, Alicante turron - hard), currently the range of turrons has increased, and the sweetness is prepared with various nuts and even chocolate and dried fruits and puffed rice.
Southern cuisine merges the cuisines of all the peoples who once lived on this fertile land.
Turron has been eaten in Spain since ancient times. He was brought with him by a people unfriendly to the Spaniards - the Arabs, or as they were called then, the Moors. The Moors left, but the Turrons remained, and now it is difficult to imagine Spain without national nougat, especially during the Christmas holidays. And in Gijon, province of Alicante, there is even a museum of these sweets made from nuts, honey and egg white or yolk.
But no one brought Churros to Spain, and Spain itself is considered the birthplace of these sweet fried sausages or rings of choux pastry, shaped like a multi-pointed star in cross-section, where this dish is traditionally served for breakfast. Real Spanish churros are consumed by dipping in hot, gooey chocolate, which is always served with pastries.
Where to taste Spanish cuisine
Once in Spain, you can easily find a place where you can eat tasty and satisfying food everywhere. Perhaps many tourists will be pleased by the fact that food in Spain is most often an inexpensive pleasure (on average 12-18 EUR), although there are restaurants with higher prices, in which the bill for lunch will be from 25 EUR. Prices on the page are as of November 2018.
By the way, it’s worth paying attention to how the prices are written on the menu. If IVA is written next to the figure, then when calculating the cost of the dish you will have to add VAT equal to 7%. If the inscription is IVA includo, then VAT is already included in the price.
For those tourists who are interested in eating inexpensively and who do not want to end their meal with an unexpectedly large check, we advise you to choose establishments where menus with prices are presented at the entrance. The “star rating” of the restaurant you choose, indicated by the corresponding number of forks, also plays a role. Moreover, keep in mind that the cost of ordering at a bar at the counter will be approximately 15% lower than at a table. But if you decide to taste Spanish cuisine outdoors, it will cost you a little more than if you do it indoors in a restaurant. Also pay attention to the presence of a special menu - Menu del dia, offering you set meals that are cheaper than the included dishes, paid separately.
As for the service charge, it is included in the price of the dish listed on the menu. Therefore, tipping in Spain is a purely personal matter for each guest, although for good service it would not be a bad idea to thank the waiter by giving him 5-10% of the check amount. In bars and street cafes, the bill is usually rounded up; otherwise, you can leave the change given to you as change on the table.
Catering establishments in Spain usually have a day off on Sunday or Monday and also close for lunch, so plan your lunch an hour and a half earlier. And don't forget that Spanish cuisine is a pleasure that is pleasant to stretch out. ¡Buen provecho!
Bon appetit to you, tourists of Spain!
Review of the most popular Spanish dishes in Spain. Ingredients for main courses and desserts. How they are served, what are the features of Spanish cuisine, what are they eaten with and what is their history. Detailed and tasteful! Photos are attached
Spanish cuisine has been influenced by many nations over the centuries.- Romans, Moors, French, Italians. In general, the dishes are simple and uncomplicated, which is explained by their mostly peasant origin. Each region of Spain has its own gastronomic preferences. In Galicia, the tables are full of seafood, the cuisine of Catalonia is similar to Italian and French, hot Andalusia is characterized by cold soups, and in the autonomous community of Castile and Leon, tourists should not be surprised by the presence of stewed veal tails on the menu.
Spanish culinary traditions have only one thing in common - the products are always used fresh and as varied as possible, almost no dish is complete without olive oil, and on the table there is always the national pride of Spain - pork ham jamon (jamon). In addition, before the start of any meal, guests are offered a variety of snacks - tapas. Sometimes they are so plentiful that there is no room left for the main course.
Spanish snacks - huge selection and amazing taste
Tapas in Spain you can find it everywhere - in any housewife who wants to pamper her household, in bars and restaurants, where it is always crowded and noisy, and visitors discuss the latest news, enjoying a glass of wine or beer, accompanied by a variety of snacks. As a rule, any meal begins with tapas, which are served on small plates. In bars they accompany any drink and in most regions are included in its price. What are they offering guests as a snack?
Sausages
Most often it is jamon, lomo embuchado, salchichon, chistorra. - This is a pork ham, and everything else is similar to raw smoked sausages and salami.
Salad "Olivier"
In almost all regions of Spain, you can see a dish called “ensaladilla rusa” on the menu. This is the Spanish version of Olivier salad.
These are a kind of cutlets covered in breadcrumbs. Croquettes came to Spanish cuisine from France. They can be with potatoes, cheese, chicken, jamon. The croquettes have one thing in common - under the crispy crust there is a very delicate filling that literally melts in your mouth.
Olives
A common snack in Spain is olives. Most often they are homemade, so they can surprise those who are used to buying olives in jars with their color and appearance. Homemade olives are soaked in brine to get rid of the characteristic bitterness, after lightly beating them with a wooden hammer so that a crack appears in the pulp. As a result, very tasty fruits appear on the plate, but their color can vary from purple to brown or dark green-brown - this depends on the time of harvesting the olives and the recipe according to which they were prepared.
Boquerones, fried fish chanquetes, Roman squid, almejas and other seafood
Every region of Spain has seafood loved by the locals. As tapas, you can often find boquerones (miniature anchovies fried until crisp), calamari alla Romana (squid rings in batter), chanquetes (small fish fried until crisp and served with lemon). The Spaniards are very fond of a type of seafood called almejas (almejas) - these are a variety of shellfish that can be steamed, in wine or in various sauces.
The list of tapas is almost endless, each chef tries to come up with something of his own to surprise visitors.
The national pride of Spain is jamon
Among Spanish delicacies, jamon takes pride of place. This is a dry-cured pork ham that has made Spain famous throughout the world.
Jamon is divided into 2 main types: jamon serrano and jamon iberico. The first is considered a budget option; most often Spaniards buy it for everyday meals. For Serrano jamon, white pigs are bred, and for Iberico jamon, exclusively black pigs are bred. In the store, you can distinguish hams by the color of the hoof - white (serrano) or black (iberico). The most expensive type of jamon is jamon iberico de bellota, for which pigs are fed exclusively on acorns. Depending on the weight of the ham, the process of drying and maturing can take from 6 to 36 months.
Jamon is eaten fresh, cut into thin slices, and added to various dishes.
Almost no Spaniard can imagine his life without jamon!
The “liquid” gold of Spain is olive oil!
If you look at some regions of Spain from a bird's eye view, you can see endless olive groves. has always occupied one of the main places in the life of Mediterranean residents, it is not for nothing that it is an integral ingredient of the Mediterranean diet. The peculiarity of olive oil is that it can (and should) be eaten in its unrefined form.
The best olive oil produced marked "virgen extra", this suggests that during the production process it did not interact with any chemical or organic substances; it is an exclusively natural product, maximally beneficial for health.
In Spain, the leader in the production of olive oil, considered the best in the world, is Andalusia, where the number of olive trees amounts to millions
Paella, gazpacho and other culinary masterpieces!
When you mention Spain, many will think not only of jamon and olive oil, but also of paella, gazpacho, and flan - a delicious dessert. The popularity of these dishes is easy to explain - they are unique and practically unlike other dishes served in other parts of the world.
Paella
The birthplace of paella is Valencia, here this dish is called paella valenciana. The dish gets its name from the special frying pan in which paella is traditionally prepared. The main ingredient is rice, and then everything depends on the recipe, of which there are about 300 in Spain. It can be seafood or meat (mostly chicken), to which vegetables and various spices are added, including aromatic saffron. The larger the company, the larger the size of the pan in which this dish is prepared. By the way, for big holidays, paella is cooked mainly by men.
Gazpacho
This cold dish was previously considered exclusively peasant; it was prepared from water with vinegar, garlic, stale bread and olive oil. Later they began to add tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers. Today, gazpacho is a salvation in the heat for those who live in the south of Spain, because in the summer the temperature here can reach 50C (for example, in Cordoba or Seville). Gazpacho can be liquid, in which case it is more like tomato juice in consistency and served in a glass, or thicker, in which case it is served like other soups in a plate. The dish is often complemented with crispy croutons; finely chopped vegetables can be added to it if desired.
If in France you can endlessly list types of cheese, then in Spain an impressive list will be made up of various sausages and sausages. The most popular type of deli meat is chorizo. This is a pork sausage with the addition of garlic, various herbs and spices, due to which it turns out to be a bright red color. Choriso can be fried, grilled, or baked. This sausage is often added to various Spanish soups. No less popular among the Spaniards is morcilla, a blood sausage made from pork blood and pork meat with the addition of onions and sometimes rice. Morcilla is most often fried and eaten with bread, and is sometimes made into pates or added to soups. Another leader among sausages is salchichon. It is made from pork and bacon, generously seasoned with pepper. Salchichon is most often served as an appetizer.
Flan
There are many different desserts in Spain, but the most common in restaurants is flan. It is based on eggs, milk, sugar and caramel; you can add cinnamon if desired. Flan is prepared in the oven in a water bath and always served cold.
In conclusion, eating in Spain is an enjoyable, everyday occasion. You should eat here with pleasure, in no case in a hurry or in a hurry. Visitors to Spain should be prepared for the fact that the evening meal may start late depending on the time of year. In summer, dinner often starts at 10-11 pm or even later.
