The gastronomic scene in Spain

Easily accessible from most european countries, Spain, little jewel of southern Europe, is growing in popularity every year. Take a short break with your family, friends, or your other half, regardless of the time of year, the weather will always be delightful. One of Spain’s selling points has to be its fine gastronomy, which is renowned all over the world. Villanovo is taking you on a food safari of Spanish cuisine. Seatbelt on, it will be a tasty ride.

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Patatas Bravas

This traditional potato based dish was first created in the 60’s in Madrid and owes its popularity to its delicious simplicity. The irregularly shaped potatoes are deep fried and then served with the famous “bravas” sauce. This bizarre red and spicy sauce makes the potatoes “braves”, meaning brave. The sauce varies throughout Spain, for example in Madrid it is tomato based and in Barcelona is it pepper based, and always accompanied by the delicious aioli mayonnaise.

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Paella

This extravagant dish is the most famous spanish dish of all and made its first appearance in Valencia in the XVIIIth century It is important to note that the spanish tradition is to eat paella for lunch. There are two types of Paella: the ‘paella Valenciana’, which contains rabbit and chicken, or the seafood paella which usually includes fish, clams, calamari and mussels. There are variations of the paella which are rare but just as delicious. These include black rice stained by octopus ink paella, duck, or eel paella.

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Cured meats: Jamon and Chorizo

Jamon, or Iberian ham, is a must-try while you are in Spain. It is carved off cured legs of pork, which are usually hung in bars and restaurants across Spain. The quality of the meat is determined by factors such as the type of pig, what is it fed and the curing process. The finest Jamon is Jamon Iberico de Bellota, which is usually served as an appetizer or on bread. Spanish chorizo differs from the one found across the world with its distinct red colour and its smokey paprika taste, cooked in cider, and forms a dish named ‘Chorizo a la sidra’, another one of Spain’s most traditional dishes. Why not get a taste for cure meats while sipping on a cocktail in Andalusia?

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Tortilla

This sensational dish which is usually a starter is also referred to as a spanish omelette. Its recipe is amazingly simple as it contains 5 ingredients: salt, oil, potatoes, eggs and onions, even though the use of onions in the recipe has been debated as a controversial topic for ages. Come taste it for yourself in the Costa blanca!

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Croquetas

Croquetas aren’t the healthiest of foods but are definitely irresistible. They are deep fried breaded balls which are then stuffed with bechamel sauce and either cod or jamon iberico. Their creamy texture might make you think that they contain cheese or mashed potato but they don’t. Villanovo recommends Calau tapas restaurant in Costa Brava, to savour some delicious croquetas.

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