Food is one of the best ways to experience a different culture. Many dishes and recipes are vital to culture in a certain area. To truly experience what Spain has to offer, one must spend a great deal of time sampling the many foods.
Many ingredients put into products in the United States are banned in most European countries. Dishes in Spain are significantly less caloric and fattening as well. Olive oil is heavily relied upon by Spaniards and present in almost every meal. The Spanish are also huge coffee drinkers.
Specialty Spanish cuisine consists of multiple smaller appetizers rather than one large portion. These appetizers are called “tapas” which roughly translates to a small portion of food in English. Tapas are extremely popular in Spain and many restaurants only serve them.
Seafood is also very popular in Spain. While in the United States it is mostly prominent in the Northeast, it can be found in markets and restaurants across all Spain. It is a very important part of their culture because of the proximity to the Mediterranean Sea. Spaniards eat many different types of sea food and cook it in a variety of ways.
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Desayuno
A breakfast for most people in Spain is very simple. The main drink is a “café con leche” which translates to coffee with milk. Expressos are very simple, and baristas will traditionally not add any sugar, but only milk. The coffee beans are locally sourced which is a big difference compared to the United States.
Often “desayuno” or breakfast won’t consist of any food, however sometimes it might consist of a light pastry. They start their days later than most people in the United States. Eating light in the morning is to prepare for lunch, which is the biggest meal of the day.
A worker at Café Zurich had this to say about coffee in Spain, “Coffee is very simple here, we don’t like to add a lot of stuff. I think that’s what makes it nice.”
Almuerzo
“Almuerzo” or lunch is perhaps the most important meal of the day. It is typically followed by a nap to prepare for the rest of the day. Lunch will often consist of multiple courses. These courses typically involve soup, bread, cheese, meat or fish and a dessert.
The reason behind lunch being the biggest meal of the day as opposed to dinner is quite interesting. In 1965 the ruler of Spain, Francisco Franco, passed a law that required restaurants to provide healthy and affordable lunches to workers. The law ended in 1975, but most restaurants have continued the tradition. Dinner is mostly dedicated to drinking, so it makes sense that the Spanish fill up during their mid-day meal.
Cena
It is rare that you will pass by a table at dinner time and not see any alcohol in Spain. “Cena” or dinner is the final meal of the day, but my no means is it less important. Dinner might be the most traditional mealtime for most Spaniards. Most will have tapas to share while enjoying a few alcoholic beverages of their liking.
It is common that groups of people order a variety of tapas. They will share these light appetizers and then return home or venture off to a bar. Due to the general schedule of the Spanish being different, it makes sense that they have time for these during the day.
Diving into Tapas
It’s nearly impossible to eat at restaurants in Spain without at least seeing some of these famous dishes. Many of them are tapas that are served to share with a group. While these dishes only serve as appetizers, enjoying multiple of them are sure enough to satisfy one’s appetite.
A tourist favorite, patatas bravas are simple potatoes with a type of spicy aioli sauce. The potatoes are cut into small cubes and fried in oil. Each restaurant might have a minor spin on patatas bravas, but the results will almost always be a savory and moist potato.
A classic tapa is tortilla de patatas. Essentially it is a Spanish omelet but served at almost any time of the day. Tortilla and potatoes also have onions, eggs, salt and of course olive oil. A simple yet tasty dish can be ordered as an appetizer at any place in Spain. Its circular shape makes it cuttable and very easy to share in slices.
Paella may be the most famous dish in all the Iberian Peninsula. Its history takes it all the way back to when it was mainly used as food for peasants. While rice is one of the most farmed crops in the world due to its availability, the Spanish take on a rice dish is top tier. In Spanish Cuisine, paella is rice that is cooked with meat, seafood, and vegetables. It is most common near the Mediterranean where the seafood is caught. Paella is most famous in Valencia.
Another classic dish are las croquetas de jamon. They are a mix of butter, olive oil, onion, flour, milk, and ham. Croquettes are shaped like small fish sticks but have a similar taste to a potato. The ham is made inside, but they can be made without it as well. A recipe for them can be found here.
It is rare that one will go by a tapas restaurant without seeing bread with a type of red sauce spread over it. This bread is simply pan con tomate. Tomatoes are grated up and the residue is spread onto white bread. It’s an extremely simple tapa that is often homemade as there are only two ingredients. It is often paired with jamon iberico which is Iberian ham. The ham is simply placed on top of the bread and eaten like a half sandwich. This is one of the most common appetizers one will see in Spain.
Empanadas are also a staple food of Spain. They are very common in small restaurants that have all the flavors on display. An empanada is simply oven baked bread with cheese and meat inside. However, they are delicious! Local empanada store owner Julia Cesár said that “Empanadas are a tourist favorite, but us locals like them too. It’s hard to go around any street corner without seeing them.” (Translated from Spanish).
When asked about the most ordered tapa in Spain, Miguel a diner at Bar Lobo had this to say, “For me, it has always been pan con tomate.”
By Jake Bower
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