Cuisine
Background Information
Spain has everything from coffee to wine and from rich cheese to fresh vegetables. Spain’s geography provides them with the freshest ingredients. Since 88%of Spain’s boundaries are surrounded by water, the country eats and produces a lot of seafood. An average Spaniard eats about 70 pounds of seafood a year. Also, their mountains contain cured meats and cheeses and their fertile farmland provides fresh fruits and vegetables. Lastly, both olives and olive oil are straight from groves in Spain’s hills. In addition, Spain also has some of the best wine in the world. Over 55 of Spain’s wine producing regions have received awards for their outstanding wine. Most of Spain’s foods are traditional recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation. For example, tapas are very popular in Spain. They are served throughout the whole day in Spain, but mostly at night when people are bar hopping. Tapas are different dishes with little portions of food in which groups can share. Spaniards also drink a lot of coffee. In fact, they drink it multiple times a day. Spanish coffee is very strong, so for tourists that either don’t like the strong taste or just can’t take it order Café Americano which is a shot of expresso with a lot of water to dilute it a bit. In Spain their meal times are a little bit later than most countries. For example a tourist who wants to eat at 6:00PM will have to wait because most restaurants don’t even open until 8:00PM. Anywhere before 10 AM is breakfast time, churros are a very popular dish for this first meal of the day. Churros are fried dough usually served with melted chocolate or powdered sugar. Then lunch is served between 2:00 PM and 4:00PM. Snacks are usually eaten after lunch and before dinner because many people do not sit down for another meal until 10:00PM. Spain has delicious food, such as tortilla de patatas, which is a Spanish omelet. Then there is Gazpacho which is a cold vegetable soup. Spain brings culture and tradition into their cuisine; this is what makes this cuisine so tasty.
Important Person in Spanish Cuisine - Ferran Adria
The person of importance who relates to Spain’s cuisine is Ferran Adria. He is a famous chef from Catalonia, Spain that is known, around the world. He has become a national hero for his country. Adria is probably one of the most famous chefs in the world currently and he was named number one chef adn has worked in many restaurants around the world. He works hard to recreate many traditional family recipes with his great creativity. Although he travels far he always remembers where he comes from and his culture.
Important Place in Spanish Cuisine - Restaurante La Dorada
One place of importance that relates to Spain’s cuisine is Restaurante La Dorada. This place is one of Spain’s best fish restaurants. This restaurant is located in Madrid and both locals and tourists go there to eat and have a great time. Restaurante La Dorada is very big and opens at 8:00 PM, which is early for most restaurants. Fritura Malaguena is one of the place's most popular dishes. It is basically fried fish. Another popular menu item is Dorada a la Sal or Lubina a la Sal, which translates to bream or sea bass baked in salt. Restaurante La Dorada has famous wines also.
Important Object in Spanish Cuisine - Sangria
One symbolic object for Spain cuisine is sangria. This drink is popular all throughout Spain and has many ingredients. These ingredients contain red wine, lemonade, fruit chunks, ice, and sometimes people add more liquor. Also, many restaurants shake up the original recipe and add their own secret ingredients. Sangria is actually the outcome of an experimental drink mixing. Sangria is basically served at every Spanish/local restaurant. From tourists to locals, everyone enjoys a good cup of sangria.