One of the main attractions in Spain is the food, as much for its presence and quality as for its characteristic flavour. Our food is also healthy as the Spahish cooking follows the principles of mediterranean diet.

However, there is no national cuisine common to the whole territory. You have to sample some regional plates to appreciate the esence base in the Spanish cooking.

THE COOKERY IN THE GREEN SPAIN

This gastronomy is rich and varied in meats and fish.

  • País Vasco: the Basque cooks are very appreciated in Spain. The most typical Basque dishes are family stoves such as the «marmitako» (potaoes with striped tuny) and the «txangurro» (clams and spider crab). They also cook a delightful codfish, squids in ink, elvers «a la bilbaína» (as the people in Bilbao prepare)... It is absolutely necessary to taste the «pimientos del piquillo» (spicy peppers) and the filled peppers. It is also worth to try the hake prepared in green sauce, in the «pil-pil» or «a la vizcaína» (as the people in Vizcaya prepare).
  • Asturias: the «fabada» is the most known plate (stew of beans and pig) and the most typical products are the «cabrales» (goat cheese) and the cider. In Carnival people cook «fiyueles» which are candies of flour, eggs and milk.
  • Cantabria: there are sea and mountain products of great quality like the cow meat, the anchovy and some products derived of milk. The plates that stand out are turnovers of stripped tune, the octopus, the «santiaguiños» and the mussels. Among the dessers we would reccomend the «sobaos pasiegos» and the «quesadas».
  • Galicia: they cook originally the pot, the «caldereiras», some products derived of milk and the confectionery.
  • La Rioja and Navarra: some fruits and vegetables have great quality in this area. That is why any plate accompanied with asparagus, «borrajas», pears, peaches and potatoes, enjoy deserved fame. The desserts they cook delightfully are derived from milk like the «cuajada» and some fresh fruit. In Navarra we recommend the partridge with chocolate.

THE MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE OF SUN AND BEACH


paella

This cookery is associated with the famous Mediterranean Diet, so beneficial for your health. This is based in the trilogy of wheat, olive oil and vineyard. They also add other typical products in each area such as rice in Valencia, vegetables in Murcia, fish, eggs and milk...

  • Cataluña: near the beach there is a wide variety of fish and on the inner areas we recommend roasted meat and the "escudella".
  • Comunidad Valenciana: here the rice plays the most important role in the coast is cooked with fish and shellfish as «paella» and in the more central areas people add some hunted meat in pottages and stews.
  • Murcia has a sea kitchen.
  • Andalucía: is a very extensive area and the gastronomy is influenced by the multitude of cultures that visited this area. On the coast there is a Mediterranean cookery in which the flavour of the fried fish stands out together with vegetables in «gazpachos» and soups. The inner Andalucía there are a lot of stews and pig dishes in winter. From the arab legacy they conserve an exquisite confectionery.

THE CENTRAL CUISINE


  • Castilla y León: their nutritios base lies in vegetables such as beans, chickpeas and lentils, The Iberian Pig fed with acorn and chestnut («cerdo Ibérico», as they say) is the regions typical product. This one is cooked in «botillo de León», Burgos pudding and in «Cantimpalo» in Segovia. There is a wide variety of goat cheeses and they also continue the arab tradition of yolk confectionnery and puff-pastry.
  • Extremadura: we have to mention the Iberian Pig in «caldereta» and in «cochifrito». The convents of Guadalupe, Yuste and Alcántara create the best cold pickles, wild vegetables and artisan cheeses.
  • Castilla-La Mancha: their cuisine is the one described in the Spanish novel «El Quijote» and it conserves a pastoral flavour in the Gazpacho Manchego and the «morteruelos» as well as in roasted lamb. Saffron, honey of the «Alcarria» and sheep cheese are also typical products.
  • Madrid: the people in Madrid have some plates of their own: Madrid stew, cod and tripes. The «torrijas» and candies are also delicious.

THE INSULAR KITCHEN


  • Balearic Islands: some vegetables, the fish in «caldereta» and the pig «sobrasada» stand out of the remaining cooking. The buns and mohonesa are also specialities in this area.
  • Canary Islands: they pick up the African coast tradition in the «gofio» (flour of toasted cereals) and in the tropical cultivation of bananas and vegetables. Their «mojos» (sauces of pepper and cilantro) are typical and famous.

Spain is one of the biggest producers of wine in Europe and this is reflected in the great number of trademarks under strict controls of quality (up to sixty). There are to recommend some denominations such as «Rioja», «Ribera del Duero», «Penedés» and «La Mancha». The Andalusian wine of Sherry in the varieties of fine, camomille, «amontillado», sweet and fragrant, have and international prestige.

The biggest cultivation of cava is in the area of «Penedés» in Cataluña.

Beer is served in the bars accompanied with «tapas». The most common products in Spain are used for preparing these «tapas»: dried ham, boiled jam or sweet jam and potato omelette. We recommend to try all them accompanied with wine.

The best known liquors are the brandy of Andalucía, the «orujo» prepared in «queimada» in Galicia, the cider in Asturias and the «pacharán» in Navarra.

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