In a country full of temper, fiestas and openness, food can’t be boring. If you have ever visited the streets of Madrid or Seville you’d definitely notice their hypnotizing street food.
Over the centuries, Spanish cuisine has developed into a wide range of delicious dishes based on fresh and colorful ingredients from all corners of the country
A brief history of Spanish Cuisine
Spanish food is, in many ways, a combination of several different cultural legacies. First of all, there’s the fact that Spain itself was formed from the union of several regions with their own languages, traditions, and cuisines. In addition, the Iberian Peninsula was occupied by various groups of people over the centuries. From the Romans to the Visigoths to the Moors, each of these groups left its mark on Spanish food. The coexistence of Christian, Jewish, and Muslim cultures has also had a strong influence throughout Spanish history, including in the kitchen. Finally, Spain played a central role in the transatlantic trade of goods following the “discovery” of the Americas. It was the gateway to the New World, which meant that many new ingredients and cooking practices passed through Spain before reaching the rest of Europe. All of these factors and more have intersected to give Spain a diverse, complex, and totally unique culinary identity. Today it may be most famous for molecular gastronomy and the global tapas trend, but Spanish food is way more complex and diverse than many people give it credit for.
What are Spanish specialties?
1. Paella
By most, considered the most famous and traditional Spanish dish. It’s made with rice, saffron, vegetables, chicken, and seafood cooked and served in one pan.
2. Gazpacho
Spanish cookbooks classify gazpacho as a salad. The most frequently encountered gazpacho is an uncooked mixture of tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, water, vinegar, onions, cucumbers, and green peppers, thickened with bread crumbs.
3. Churros
The distinct star-shape comes from being piped from a churrera, a syringe-like utensil that features that unique shape. Churros can either be straight or spiral-shaped. The fun part is deciding what to pair the churro with. They can come with cinnamon, chocolate or caramel.
4. Croquetas
Croquettes are simply a breadcrumbed and fried roll of food leftovers, usually bound with bechamel sauce or mashed potatoes.
5. Migas
A legendary dish spoken of in almost hushed tones by Spaniards, migas is a good example of how much of Spain’s cuisine has evolved from peasant food.
It’s essentially dry breadcrumbs torn up and fried in a variety of combinations — often served with chorizo or bacon.
6. Leche frita
Think it’s impossible to fry milk? Think again.
Leche frita, or fried milk, is a popular dessert made by whipping up milk, egg yolks and flour. This is left to chill and solidify, before being coated in breadcrumbs and fried.
Can be served hot or cold.
