Spanish Cuisine

Food, we all love it. Spain has a very rich tradition in the culinary arts. Similar to other places, their geographic location dictates there eating habits. Spain is very big on seafood. This is understandable because they are surrounded by water. Also, the climate of the country allows for fishing weather most of the year. Two main ingredients are almost always found in Spanish cuisine. These are, Olive oil and garlic. Olive oil is known to be a healthy type of oil to consume. Everything that is fried or uses oil in Spain is made with Olive Oil. This allows for the inhabitants to eat "healthy" even if you decide to consume something that was fried. Just like other countries, the Spanish have their own specialty.

Every country is known for at least one specific dish. The Spanish are known for the paella. The Paella is a combination of rice, seafood, meat, vegetables and sometimes beans. This dish originated from Valencia which is on the east coast of Spain. That is why at times it is referred to as the Valencian Paella or La Paella Valenciana, in Spanish. It is also important to note that in Spain a meal is not considered complete without the addition of wine. The large consumption of wine in Spain has a lot to do with the heavy production of it (duke). What's interesting is that the wine consumed during regular meal times is not straight. Sparkling water is added to the wine to give it a kick of refreshing flavor. That is why it is easier to drink it.

Paella







Sources :

1. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/Red_paella_with_mussels.jpg
2. http://www.duke.edu/web/soc142/team5/europeanmarket.html
3. http://spanishfood.about.com/od/discoverspanishfood/a/SpanCuisineGenl.htm