Spanish cuisine features traditional specialties with unique flavors, adopted from surrounding countries. Coastal areas focus on fish, while agricultural areas focus on vegetables. Lentils, beans, chickpeas, garlic, saffron, and paprika dominate the central plain. Northern coast cuisine uses fish, cheese, and vegetables, while Mediterranean cuisine blends Arabic, Italian, and Roman flavors. Southern cuisine includes Spanish hams, olive oil, spices, and sherry. Manchego cheese, Marcona almonds, and Spanish canned tuna are popular ingredients.
Spanish cuisine is filled with traditional specialties that include savory spices and decadent meats, fish and cheeses. Many of the flavors are unique to Spain, but some are adopted from surrounding countries, often centuries ago. Some flavors are more popular in some regions of Spain than others, usually depending on the primary source of food in a given region. For example, coastal areas focus more on fish and agricultural areas focus more on vegetables.
The central plain of Spain is overwhelmingly dominated by lentils, beans, chickpeas, garlic, saffron and paprika. Dried Spanish lentils, beans and chickpeas are incredibly creamy and flavorful after cooking. Smoked paprika has a special color and unforgettable taste: it can be sweet, sweet and sour or spicy. Saffron is expensive; but it may be worth the price, as a little goes a long way. Saffron comes in threads that can be pulverized into a powder.
Spanish cuisine based on the ingredients of the northern coast of Spain focuses on fish, cheese, vegetables. The dishes are often abundant and very simple. Sometimes smoked pork and anchovies are used. Manchego cheese, made from the milk of Manchego sheep, reigns supreme in Spanish cuisine. It can be found in most luxury supermarkets.
Anchovies are a type of fish that is usually cured with salt. However, if they are too salty, they can be soaked in milk for about half an hour, then rinsed and dipped in olive oil. The milder, whiter Spanish anchovies are cured in vinegar instead of salt – they too taste amazing. Spanish anchovies can be found in upmarket supermarkets in the United States.
The Spanish cuisine of the Mediterranean region is a romantic blend of flavours. The food of this area combines Arabic, Italian and Roman flavors. Dishes range from robust fish casseroles with honey, dried fruit and sometimes chocolate to filled stews that have a sweet flavour. Rice dishes are very popular, paella being one of the most famous. Almonds, peppers and salted tuna are also often used.
Marcona almonds, grown along the coast of Spain, are used in everything from desserts to tapas. They are famous for their flat, round shape and crunchy texture. These almonds have an extreme taste that people find irresistible. The peppers should be fleshy and deeply colored. In fact, the redder the pepper, the sweeter the flavor. Spanish canned tuna is delicate and flaky – much better in quality than ordinary canned tuna.
Spanish cuisine in southern Spain includes Spanish hams, olive oil, and spices, such as cumin. Sherry is also commonly used. Bottled sherry can be fino – dry and delicate. It can also have a salty taste, a sweet taste, or even a creamy texture. The type of grape, in which the grapes were grown, and the manufacturing process of the sherry all affect the flavor of the sherry.
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