Spain. So close, yet…
Embutidos y Jamon en Trujillo, España. Photo by Filipe Gill
Leaving Portugal behind, we enter Spain at dawn. The excitement builds up. “We’re in Spain!”.
This is the beginning of a road trip that will take 2,653km and a full week with stops in Ciudad Real and Albacete in Castilla La Mancha; Mareny Blau and Valéncia in Comunitat Valenciana; Ampolla and Barcelona in Catalonia; Zaragoza in Aragon; Madrid; Trujillo in Extremadura.
For us in Portugal, Spain has historically been a constant source of mixed feelings.
““De Espanha, nem bom vento nem bom casamento”
In one hand Spain has been our companion throughout history, on the other they – I mean Castilla, of course – have this slightly patronizing attitude towards “little” Portugal. Castilla is, at the same time the centre of Iberia and the ones we love to hate. In a nice way, of course.
Yet this is a story about food.
Please keep in mind that there are many Spains. But there are things that you feel very much everywhere, from Galicia to Catalonia.
What I like about Spain: the incredible energy, the fact that there is always a place open to serve you some beer and tapas; the vast landscapes; the busy and concentrated cities; the “get up and go” attitude of “nuestros hermanos” – meaning literally “our brothers” the expression we use to describe Spaniards, with a hint of irony.
My view on Spanish food: great, but in small doses. One week at the most.
After that, I miss a bowl of Portuguese soup. But soon enough, I want to go back.
My top 10 of Spanish food and drink that, in my opinion, are quintessential Spanish eating culture:
Tapas, por supuesto. For me, one of the reasons to go to Spain. I get really excited about choosing and tasting all those small plates of rich, mostly oily, flavour-intense, and texture-diverse.
Una caña por favor. Great beer, especially in Catalonia. Estrella Dam, of course. That extra bitter twang is perfect to go with tapas.
Aceitunas. Large, fat, and sweet olives. Deep green yellow, stuffed – rellenas – with anchovies or red peppers…
Pa amb tomáquet. In Catalonia, the simplest, and most beautiful breakfast: light, crisp, toasted bread with olive oil and crushed tomato. eaten also in Valéncia.
Pa amb tomàquet in Catalan, or “Bread with tomato” made special by the lightness of the bread. Photo by Filipe Gill
Jamon Iberico. If possible “Bellota”. The best “presunto” in the World, is made in Extremadura, Spain and in Alentejo, Portugal. “Bellota” or “Bolota” in Portuguese, means the Black Pigs roamed free and ate acorns. Its aftertaste in the throat is one of the great eating experiences.
Horxata con fortons. A very strange drink – horxata or horchata – is probably the first non-dairy “milky” drink ever. Made with Tiger Nuts (Chufa in Valencian), water and sugar. It has a slightly sickly aftertaste, but still worth having, especially if you can get the homemade version. Served for breakfast with “fortons” (see picture below)
Horxata con Fortons in Valéncia. Photo by Filipe Gill
Pulpo a feira. Galicia is the place for seafood, second only to Portugal. This version of octopus is beautiful but requires large tentacles cut finely and seasoned with salt, olive oil, and “pimenton” (paprika).
Tortilla de patata. This is probably the staple food of Spain. As ubiquitous as bread and olives, it is a thick omelette made with eggs and potatoes. Served in slices, normally cold, it is a base for a snack, where you can add, olives, anchovies or pimiento de piquillo – red bell peppers.
Gazpacho. A cold soup perfect for the Summer days. Made with tomatoes, peppers, garlic and olive oil. Salmonejo is a simpler version made with tomato, garlic, bread crumbs and olive oil.
Paella Valenciana. Is this the most famous dish in Spain? Maybe. Strangely, rice does not pop up very often in restaurants. As we drove to Mareny Blau, a beach south of Valéncia, we saw miles of rice fields covering a huge area between the sea and the mountains, and it becomes clear why rice is such an important part of the gastronomy in this region. The type of rice is called “bomba” and someone told me, to be a true Paella Valenciana it must have conejo or rabbit. It must also have “socarrat” the slightly burned bits at the bottom of the dish that you can see in the image below.
Paella in Mereny Blau, south of Valéncia. Photo by Filipe Gill
Final notes
Spain is a “larger than life” place. So big and diverse and yet wherever we are, it always feels like Spain. Perhaps with the exception of Barcelona. And when it comes to food, it has an abundance of possibilities, colours, tastes, and textures. And yet, like I wrote earlier, after a while it feels good to come back to Portugal where life and food are less intense.
Of the 15 continental regions of Spain, I have had at least one meal in 12 of them. Some of them I know better, others lightly.
Still to go: Murcia, Navarra e Astúrias. Looking forward to discover the remaining regions, especially “El Principado de Asturias”.
Viva la(s) España(s)!
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Moltes gràcies: Mila, João e Carlota for your generosity, friendship i pa amb tomàquet!
Muchas gracias: Monica and Øivind for the Paella with “socarrat” and Spanish and Norwegian hospitality.
