ISLS Travel Stories

Over the years I have noticed that there are a few things that every American mentions about Spain the first time that the visit. Some things are regional while others are pretty consistent throughout the country. Three big ones are; graffiti, cigarette smoke and food.

Graffiti is everywhere. It is in the cities, the countryside, on the sides of highways, bridges, buildings, walls, fences, buses, trucks; pretty much any flat surface. Most of it is tagging so not very appealing, even for those who try to appreciate it. It is not just Spain, but everywhere in Europe. The European governments try and crackdown on it, but it is rampant everywhere. After a while you just stop noticing it until someone mentions it.

Cigarette smoke is becoming less and less an issue as more and more countries pass laws against it in public places. In Spain, even though they passed laws against it a couple of years ago, smoke is everywhere in bars and restaurants. For someone like me from California where you have not been able to smoke in a bar or restaurant in 10 years, it is pretty overwhelming. This too you get use to over time. It’s how it use to be in the states 30 years ago.

Food is another issue that most people mention as being very different. This is true for every country in Europe, but maybe more so in Spain. One of the issues is that meat tastes different over here. For the most part there are no high density feedlots. Most of the animals are essentially free range and they do not use a lot of the hormones and other chemicals to fatten them up. They eat a lot more seafood and lamb in Spain and they also use much more of the animal, not much is wasted.  

In Spain each region is very different and so is their food. Since the country is surrounded by water, seafood of every type and description is available. We went to the fish market down at the port here in Estepona where the local fishermen sell their catches wholesale to the local restaurants and markets. I could not recognize a fifth of the stuff that was for sale. We in the states have really only a few options when it comes to fish and seafood; tuna, swordfish, halibut, salmon, catfish, trout, shrimp and lobster. That makes up more than 90% of what you will see in a supermarket. In Spain that would represent less than 10%.

In the heart of Spain and furthest from the sea is Castile y Leon. Here, meat is king. Spaniards love their pork no mater the part of the country, but in the center they really love it. Their specialty is suckling pig. They serve the whole thing on a plate with the head and everything! They use a lot of olive oil in their cooking and love leg of lamb and lamb chops. Steaks are popular, but taste very different from their counterparts in the US. A popular way of cooking steak is with nothing other than sea salt.

The most identifiable food for the all of Spain is Jamón Iberico or Jamon Serrano. This is the smoked and cured ham that is served thinly sliced as an appetizer. It is renowned for its taste and texture and is very expensive. You will see these hams hanging in store windows, shops and restaurants. They are essentially large pig legs and quite a site the first time you see them. This too can be an acquired taste, but once you have come to appreciate it, you have to have it. It is a lot like Italian prochuttio ham.

All regions also have tapas. These are small plates of appetizers or other local dishes. All Spanish bars and restaurants have some form of tapa available. Popular tapas include; albundigas in salsa tomate (meatballs in tomato sauce), patatas bravas (cubed potatoes in a spicy red sause), tortilla Espanola (egg and potato, similar to a quiche), blood sausage (usually rice mixed with blood and spices), omelets (the most popular is with asparagus), fried calamari and Russian salad (lots of mayonnaise, pees, tuna fish, hardboiled eggs and potatoes). These are just a few of the many types that are available. A good tapa bar will have over 30 options form which to choose. You can also get what is called a racion, which is just a larger portion than a tapa.

It can take a while to get used to the food in Spain. It is different, looks different, smells different and tastes different. As long as you have an open mind you will come to enjoy Spanish cuisine sooner, rather than later. Buen provecho!