TYPICAL SPANISH CUISINE – HAVE YOU TRIED ANY?
Percebes (barnacles)
Take it from me, living here from a young age, I have adopted some of the ways that portray normal life here in Spain.
For example, eating late, having the odd siesta, putting olive oil on my salads, muttering in Spanish when I´m angry….it´s now the norm for me. But one thing is for sure that this country produces some of the finest ham & cheeses across Europe, as well as other delicious foods that are typically Mediterranean.
Here are just some lovely dishes/produce that you find everyday in Spain. Have you tried any?
-Churros: A typical breakfast snack. A fried pastry sometimes made from potato dough and served with sugar and chocolate sauce, (one of my favourites!).
-Pipas: Sunflower seeds that are sometimes covered in salt, a ketchup flavoured substance or just plain. Typicaly a spanish snack, whether its someone walking along the path or and elderly chap sat on a bench, I can guarantee you will see people with a bag of pipas in their hands along your travels.
-Barnacles: This is a delicacy and must be tried at least once while in Spain. A seafood dish, most often served as an appetizer.
-Turron: A nougat confection made with nuts, eaten all year round but always served at Christmas time.
-Three Kings Cake (Tortell): A circular ring cake with optional cream inside, topped with glazed fruit and sugar icing. Typicaly served around Three Kings Day, which here in Spain is the 5th (Kings eve) & 6th of January. When eating, the person who finds the almond (hard stone) inside, has to buy the cake the following year.
-Kalimoxto: (pronounced ´calimucho´) 50% Red wine & 50% Coca Cola based drink. Best served over ice, I love it!
-Black Rice (Arroz Negra): Made with cuttlefish (or squid) and rice. Mistaken for Paella Negra, although it is prepared in the same way.
-Xato: A sauce you may find in a spanish restaurant served along side a pot of garlic mayo (alioli) and a basket of bread. Made with hazelnuts, almonds, breadcrumbs, vinegar, olive oil, salt, garlic and the nyona pepper.
-Horchata: Made with ´Chufas´ (Tigernuts), water and sugar. A typical mediterranean non-alcoholic beverage that has an aquired taste, not for everyone I admit. It can also be frozen to make icecream.
-Rabbit: A popular option to put in Paella dishes as well as stews. If you go to the local supermarket, maybe you would have seen it in the butcher section where, the rabbit is skinned and served complete ready for cooking.
-Jamon: This is their normal ham carved straight from the leg of the pig and is popular amongst all Spanish with them eating it in bocadillos (rolls), sandwiches, ect. Normally served with goats cheese or melon as a starter. It ranges considerably in quality.
So how many things have you tried…?
Sophie Chambers
