Cuisine

Spanish

Strongly regional Iberian cooking built on olive oil, garlic, pimentón, saffron, cured ham, seafood and rice, eaten socially as tapas and long family lunches.

Flavour character: Savoury and direct: fruity olive oil, garlic, sweet or smoked paprika, saffron, sherry vinegar, salty cured pork and seafood, slow sofrito of onion, tomato and pepper.

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History

Nearly eight centuries of Moorish rule in al-Andalus (711–1492) left rice, saffron, almonds, citrus, sugar and many sweets. After 1492, Spain was the first European gateway for American crops: tomatoes, peppers (dried and smoked as pimentón), potatoes, chocolate and beans transformed Spanish cooking. Spain is the world's largest producer of olive oil. In the late 20th century Basque and Catalan chefs (Juan Mari Arzak, Ferran Adrià) made Spain a centre of modern cooking.

Well documented

Geography and influences

A high central plateau (Meseta) ringed by mountains, a green Atlantic north, a hot Andalusian south and a Mediterranean east coast of rice fields and orchards.

Roman Hispania (olive oil, wine)
Moorish al-Andalus
Sephardic Jewish cooking
Columbian exchange crops

Regional variations

Basque Country: Pintxos, salt-cod in pil-pil and bizkaina sauces, grilled fish and Basque cheesecake.
Catalonia: Sofregit, picada, romesco, pan con tomate, crema catalana, mar i muntanya dishes.
Valencia: Rice: paella valenciana, arroz a banda, fideuà.
Andalusia: Cold soups (gazpacho, salmorejo, ajo blanco), fried fish, sherry and jamón.
Galicia and Asturias: Octopus, shellfish, empanada gallega, fabada and cider.
Castile and Madrid: Roast lamb and suckling pig, cocido, garlic soup.