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Spanish cuisine

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This article is part
of the Cuisine series
Preparation techniques and cooking items
Techniques - Utensils
Weights and measures
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Sauces - Soups - Desserts
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Spanish cuisine consists of a great variety of dishes which stem from differences in geography, culture and climate. It is heavily influenced by seafood available from the waters that surround the country, and reflects the country's deep Mediterranean roots. Spain's extensive history with many cultural influences has led to a unique cuisine with literally thousands of recipes and flavors.

Contents

Main components of Spanish cuisine

A significant portion of Spanish cuisine derives from the Jewish and Moorish traditions. The Moors were a strong influence in Spain for many centuries and some of their food is still eaten in Spain today. However, pork is popular and for centuries eating pork was also a statement of Christian ethnicity or limpieza de sangre, because it was not eaten by Jews or Muslims. Several native foods of the Americas were introduced to Europe through Spain, and a modern Spanish cook couldn't do without potatoes, tomatoes, peppers or beans. These are some of the primary influences that have differentiated Spanish cuisine from Mediterranean cuisine, of which Spanish cuisine shares many techniques and food items.

The essential ingredient for real Spanish cooking is olive oil; 44% of the global production of olives is in Spain.

Daily meals eaten by the Spanish in many areas of the country are still very often made traditionally by hand, from fresh ingredients bought daily from the local market. This practice is more common in the rural areas and less common in the large urban areas like Madrid, where supermarkets are beginning to displace the open air markets. However, even in Madrid food can be bought from the local shops, bread from the panadería, meat from the carnicería, etc.

Traditional Spanish cooking also often revolves around outdoor cooking over a fire, perhaps in a special clay or brick oven.

One popular custom when going out is to be served tapas with a drink (sherry, wine, beer, etc.). In some places, like Granada, tapas are given for free with a drink and have become very famous for that reason. It should be noted that almost every tapas bar serves something edible when a drink is ordered, without charge.

Another traditional favorite is the churro with a mug of thick hot chocolate to dip the churro in. Churrerías, or stores that serve churros, are quite common. The Chocolatería de San Ginés in Madrid is especially famous as a place to stop and have some chocolate with churros, often late into the night (even dawn) after being out on the town. Often traditional Spanish singers will entertain the guests. [link]

As is true in many countries, the cuisines of Spain differ widely from one region to another, even though they all share certain common characteristics, among which are:

Spanish food is not spicy, and in fact many Spaniards find even common black pepper too hot for their palate.

History

The first introduction of a product then unknown to ancient Iberia was that of wheat, which was thought to be brought by Iberians from the south of the peninsula. It was brought from Aquitaine in the north of the peninsula, due to the difficulty of transporting from the south. In time, the wheat of Iberia came to be considered to be the best in the Roman Empire, and became one of the main articles of foreign trade.

There are two major diets in the peninsula. One was found in the northwest part of the peninsula, with more animal fats that correspond to the villages in the north. The other could be considered the precursor of the Mediterranean diet and was found in the Iberian part of the peninsula.

Foods found in archaeological excavations include diverse types of legumes, onions, and garlic. The olive was introduced by the Phoenicians.

Roman cuisine

As early as Roman times one can say that, with the exception of products later imported from the Americas, many modern foods were consumed, although mostly by the aristocracy, not the middle class. Cooking references from that era discuss the eating habits in Rome, where dishes from all of the Empire's provinces were brought. So, for example, it is known that thousands of amphoras of oil were sent to Rome from Spain. Nonetheless, and especially in the Celtic areas, consumption of animal products (from lamb, beef, etc.) was more common than consumption of vegetables.

Already in that era, cabbages were well known and appreciated, and considered a panacea for various ailments. Other popular vegetables of that time were thistles (such as artichokes) and onions.

In Roman Spain the hams of Pomeipolis (Pamplona) had great prestige. The export of pork products became the basis of a strong local economy.

It is almost certain that lentils were already consumed in Roman Spain, because they formed a staple food for the army and because they are easy to preserve and transport. Fava beans were known from antiquity and were considered sacred by the Romans. In the Saturnalia, the later December festival in honor of Saturn, fava beans were used to choose the king of the festival. This custom is believed to be the source of the present day custom of hiding an object in the Roscón de Reyes (similar to the sixpence traditional in a Christmas pudding); until quite recently, that object was a fava bean. Garbanzos were also popular, primarily among the poorer classes.

Mushrooms were common and popular in the northern part of the country.

They mastered the science of grafting. According to Pliny, Tibur saw a tree that produced a distinct fruit on each of its branches: nuts, apples, pomegranates, cherries, pears, but he added that they dried out quickly.

Viticulture already was known and practiced by the Romans, but it seemed as well the fact that it was the Greeks who extended the vine across the Mediterranean region. This includes those wines that were most popular in the Empire.

In this era (speaking now of the tables of the wealthy), they ate while lying in bed (a custom acquired from the Greeks) and using their hands, because forks were still unknown. Tablecloths were introduced in the 1st century. They came to use two plates, one flat (platina or patella) and the other deep (catinus), which they held with the left hand. That hand could not be used for many other things while eating, given that they ate with their left arms while reclining in bed, so that only the right hand was free. Knives were known, but not particularly needed at table because the dishes were cut up by slaves into bite-size pieces. They used spoons, which, like today, had different sizes, depending on what they were used for. The first spoons were made from clam shells (hence, the name cuchara), with silver handles.

The mode of flavoring and cooking was quite distinct from what is found in modern times. They were not used to using any harmony in the whole of their preparations, and they never arrived at a refined cuisine, like that of the Greeks.

Typical dishes

Among the multitude of recipes that make up the varied cuisines of Spain, a few can be considered common to all or almost all of Spain's regions, even though some of them have an origin known and associated with specific places. Examples include the potato omelette ("tortilla de patata"), gazpacho, paella, stews, migas, sausages (such as embutidos, chorizo, and morcilla), jamón serrano, and cheeses. There are also many dishes based on beans (chickpeas, lentils, green beans); soups, with many regional variations; and bread, that has numerous forms, with distinct varieties in each region. The regional variations are less pronounced in Spanish desserts and cakes: flan, custard, rice pudding (arroz con leche), torrijas, churros, and madeleines are some of the most representative examples. Others include:

Cuisine in each region

Chefs

Today, Spanish cooking is "in fashion", especially thanks to Ferran Adrià, who in the summer of 2003 attained international renown thanks to the praise that he was given in Sunday supplement of the New York Times. In a long article, the New York Times declared him the best chef in the world, and postulated the supremacy of Spanish cooking over French cuisine.

Besides Adrià and his restaurant "El Bulli" (located in the province of Girona), there are four other Spanish chefs who hold three stars of the prestigious Michelin Guide:

Others notable for their media presence include:

Prominent names in the history of Spanish cuisine include:

Spanish Gourmets

See also

References

External links

 

From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
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