Traditional spanish dishes 🍤

With today's post we will move again to my beloved Spain. And more specifically to its cuisine. As you probably know, Spanish dishes are quite peculiar and are not eaten on a daily basis in other countries. The cuisine is characterized by richness, variety, simplicity and high-quality products, accompanied by one of the best wines in the world. (If you don't know yet, the Spaniards are big gourmets of all kinds of wines)

Let's start with breakfasts. The Spanish people love to spend mornings with good coffee and newspaper in cafes, preferably with some nice views on such as the sea, mountains or just some streets. I don't know how they find time for it in the morning before work, but apparently they manage somehow because always all of the "cafeterías" are filled to the brim. 

So, Spaniards usually eat breakfast sweet. The first thing that should come to our mind are of course those popular "churros con chocolate". Churros are made from dough that is deep fried in high oil. It is served with a thick, almost-pudding like hot chocolate. As you probably guessed, it's very caloric, but so delicious! 

Another breakfast delicacy is "tortilla de patatas", which is an omelette prepared from eggs, potatoes and onions. Tortilla may seems easy to prepare, but from my own experience I know that even some Spaniards haven't got enough skills to get it perfectly done in one piece.

A popular dish for dinner is of course the well-known "paella", for which some compatriots would cut themselves (really, haha). Every year, living in Spain for 3 months, I noticed that they really love it and could eat it without a break, even for every meal. So... What is it exactly? Paella is a dish mainly consisting of rice and various kinds of additives. It is cooked in a metal pan with two handles and it is said that it should be consumed directly from the dish in which it was prepared. Depending on the variety, paella may also contain pieces of seafood, rabbit meat, poultry and various vegetables.

"Gambas al ajillo" is another favorite delicacy. It's nothing more than shrimps seasoned with lots of garlic. It also includes chili peppers, parsley, brandy or sherry, and salt. These ingredients create a course with a sharp taste and intense aroma. It's the perfect snack and it goes well with other dishes.

I don't know if we can specify exactly what Spaniards eat for supper, because it often depends on how abundant the dinner was. If they ate very little in the afternoon, the evening meal may even consist of main dishes such as paella. However, if they ate a lot, a popular delicacy for supper are all kinds of "tapas". One of the most popular starters are "patatas bravas"- potatoes in a spicy, garlic and cream sauce. Personally, I love it, but by eating it you can be full before the main course will be served. Spanish people also like "jamón serrano". It is a ripening ham made of white pig meat. Interestingly, the product name "jamón serrano" is determined by the way it is traditionally produced. It applies in particular to the ripening of the ham in the harsh, dry climate of the mesetas, characteristic of the Iberian Peninsula. This process takes place there, in mountainous conditions, at low temperatures, for a period of at least 9 months. It makes it possible to extract the maximum taste and value of meat. 

The dishes from above are one of many, because as I mentioned at the beginning, Spanish cuisine is varied. I hope that you have learned something new and while watching the dishes in the pictures, you got as much hungry as I did, haha!