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Spanish Cuisine: Feed's All You Need Guide

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Spain’s rich history, culture, and cuisine are worth experiencing at least once in your lifetime. Likely, though, taking a trip may not be possible right now, but luckily we have the power of food to take us anywhere we want without having to leave the comfort of our homes! Spanish food’s profound influences from various cultures have influenced the country over thousands of years and have continued to deepen the rich flavors within the food and reveal a true story of the melting pot of what Spain truly is. For today’s Pop All You Need Guide, we’re grabbing our passports and heading to Spain to discover all of the beauty that is held within the flavors of Spanish cuisine.

History of Spanish Cooking

Before we dive into the beautiful flavors and dishes within Spanish cuisine, it’s a great time to discuss their origins. Spain, located within the Iberian Peninsula in Europe, has had a rich and bountiful history that has transformed it into the cuisine and culture it has become so well known for today. Starting with its geography, Spain’s proximity to the ocean and the Mediterranean sea has allowed its agriculture and seafood to thrive, becoming an essential foundation for much of its cuisine. Spain’s fertile soils have provided the perfect space for delicious olives, rice, oranges, and other produce to be cultivated by the Spanish people, becoming the foundation of dishes like paella, tapas,  patatas bravas, and more. On the other hand, access to the sea from the East and South allows Spain to enjoy copious amounts of fish and other seafood that has also become quite a staple of the cuisine. 

In terms of its history, Spain’s influence of food from the Romans, Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Jewish, and Moors integrated a variety of flavors into the cuisine. For example, many spices, fruits, nuts, rice, and different methods of preparation and cooking meats and other dishes can be attributed to the influences of Moorish culture, which had reigned over the country for centuries. Additionally, it is noted that Spain was essentially the gateway to “the New World” thanks to the colonization efforts of the Spanish over the Americas, so new ingredients and cooking practices continued to further spread within Spain and throughout the world. In Spain, there are seventeen recognized regional cuisines, all utilizing different ingredients and recipes that have been influenced by the past cultures which played a big role within the region. For example, Andalusian food, commonly enjoyed in the southernmost region of Spain, is heavily influenced by Muslim and Jewish cultures and relies quite heavily on seafood, given its location in the sea. On the other hand, Catalan food’s unique flavor and food profile result from Greek, Roman, Arab, French, and other European influences given its distance to the French border. 

Main Ingredients Used

In Spanish food, various ingredients are commonly found in many dishes throughout the country's regions. For instance, Spain is particularly known for its delicious olives and, in turn, its olive oil! Olive oil, according to Olive Oils From Spain, is an essential element of the Mediterranean diet, and Spain is even the leader in the production, processing, and sale of olive oil in the global market. Additionally, you may notice that Spanish food contains quite a bit of saffron; a spice typically used in Middle Eastern and Indian cuisines, saffron was brought to the country during the Moorish rule, and now almost three-quarters of the world’s production of saffron is grown in Spain!

Spanish Dishes Commonly Enjoyed

Now that we’ve covered some of the history and many of the ingredients enjoyed within Spanish cuisine, it’s time to explore the favorite dishes people in Spain and around the globe enjoy when it comes to Spanish cooking. If you’re a fan of healthy, hearty, summery flavors with a high emphasis on Mediterranean ingredients and flavors, Spanish food is a cuisine you should try! Here are some of the top dishes that are enjoyed by this country:

Paella

Paella, a classic and very popular Spanish dish, is made from rice, saffron, vegetables, chicken, and seafood mixed together in a pot and served as a main course meal. This dish is originally from Valencia but is now recognized as the national food of Spain and has become a common favorite worldwide for so many. Paella is easy to make and only requires about an hour to prepare and cook! If you’re interested in trying paella for yourself but can’t jump on a plane to Spain, try this classic paella recipe for your next meal! Interested in a vegetarian option? This paella features a veggie-heavy ingredients list with the classic Spanish style that will leave you wanting another helping!

Tapas

Another classic staple within Spanish cuisine has to be the infamous tapas. While not an individual dish, per se, tapas are noted to be small savory dishes or appetizers of different Spanish foods. Typically, many tapas servings range from bread to meats to even seafood or vegetables, depending on what you choose to order. This way of eating provides an excellent opportunity to try new foods and experience the abundance of what Spanish cuisine has to offer, and today tapas eating has become a popular option all around the world.

Jamon Iberico

If there is one thing that Spain is particularly known for, it has to be Jamon Iberico (or Iberico Ham). This meat is considered one of the finest and most expensive varieties in the world, and it’s prized in the food world as being incredibly sweet, nutty, and as good as ham can get, according to Serious Eats. The pigs used to create Jamon Iberico are special to the Iberian peninsula of Spain and are considered expensive to breed and upkeep, given their diets of acorns and the specialty process of curing the meat at the end. Interestingly enough, the acorns make the meat soft and creamy and pick up a recognizable nutty flavor. Iberico Ham is typically eaten with slices of bread or even paired with champagne or cava wine, which compliments the flavor of the ham well!

Gazpacho

You may be familiar with gazpacho, but did you know that this cold dish is originally from Spain? It is native to Andalusia and is actually classified as a salad by many Spanish cookbooks, despite what it is commonly known for throughout the world (as a soup!). Typical gazpacho is a mixture of uncooked garlic, tomatoes, olive oil, water, vinegar, onions, cucumbers, and green peppers, thickened with bread crumbs, although there are a variety of other ways to prepare it as well depending on the ingredients you have on hand. Gazpacho is typically served with bread, chips, or simply as a delicious appetizer and makes for the perfect dish for hot summer days!

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