Travel and leisure
Interests
Spanish food and drink
Most of us have a favourite dish from Spain’s rich platter... Hannah Whitby delves into the wonderfully varied world of Spanish food and drink
Eating in Spain is an institution. It reflects the Spanish lifestyle and ethos and is synonymous with their values surrounding large intimate extended families and fervent socialising. The Spanish tend to enjoy communal eating with large groups of family and friends. The climate in Spain is also instrumental to their eating habits, not only the food they eat and produce, but also the nature of their long days with meals often lasting into the early hours.
There is no such thing as a definitive Spanish style of food, as the cuisine varies from region to region depending on climate, cultures and geography. However, there are typical ingredients. Cured ham, olives and olive oil, fresh fish and seafood, pulses, game, saffron, spicy red powder pepper, sausages, garlic and seasonal vegetables combine to make up the country’s diverse and colourful dishes.
Northern Spain’s cuisine can be defined by its plentiful seafood and fish fresh from the Atlantic Ocean. You will find mussels, octopus, scallops, lobsters and edible barnacles called percebes, along with anchovies and tuna, for which this region is famed. A healthy rainfall ensures that there is always a copious amount of vegetables too.
Asturias in Northern Spain also champions the hearty bean; an ingredient used in many of their dishes and cultivated in the region. A particularly special, and suitably pricey, bean is the granja from Segovia. And to wash it all down there is the region’s mature and full red wine.
Moving down to central Spain the influence is delightfully eclectic, encompassing an array of specialities from the other regions. There is still the delicious seafood, plus a good supply of game and lots of delicious bread. Central Spain seems to favour the modest one-pot stew, created with various pulses such as lentils, chickpeas and pinto beans mixed with sausages, rabbit or pork.
Another popular stew is called cocido madrileno and the broth is served as soup for a starter. Then if you fancy a sweet treat Toledo is famous for its small marzipan cakes.
Eastern Spain’s cuisine is colourful, zesty and characteristically Mediterranean. You will be able to eat succulent fruit and vegetables with everything and dishes often favour savory and sweet mixtures.
Rice dishes are common, with the most well known dish being paella, which originated in Valencia and is cooked in a large double-handled pan over a fire. It consists of chicken or rabbit, seafood, herbs and tomatoes, saffron, beans and short-grain rice. The region also produces the popular export Cava.
Southern Spain’s cuisine was supplemented with spices, fruits and vegetables introduced by the Arabs. The dishes that dominate the region incorporate grilled fish, barbecued meat and the particular speciality – deep-fried calamares.
The food is often flavoured with saffron and cumin and you will find tomatoes, peppers, oranges and sherry used in many dishes. Andalusia’s mountainous areas supply some of the best cured hams in Spain, while a third of Europe’s olive oil is also made here. Then there’s Andalusia’s illustrious sherry vinegar, often used on salads.
In fact of all Spain’s cuisines, tapas is perhaps best-loved by the British. Featuring small portions of stuffed olives, cured ham, chorizo, grilled prawns, mussels in garlic and spicy meat balls, it is traditionally eaten standing up. Tapas was designed for sharing and socialising with friends and family, making it perfect for what the Spaniards do so well.