ISLS Travel Stories

 

Every part of Spain has regional specialties and many have sub-regional specialties. This is true of Andalusia. The food of the coastal areas leans much more heavily upon seafood and soups, while the inland and mountain areas focus more on meat and stews. All areas though rely on a healthy dose of olive oil in just about every dish, as well as vegetables, salads and many different kids of fruit.

 

Paella, which originated in Valencia, farther to the east up the Mediterranean coast, has now become a staple food throughout the country. On the Costa del Sol it is all about the seafood: prawns, muscles, clams, white fish and squid are the most popular. Paella is traditionally cooked in very large cast iron skillet over an open flame or fire. The basic ingredients for any paella is long grain or paella rice, olive oil, onion, red pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic, peas, tomato, paprika and saffron.

 

A very Andalusian dish is gazpacho, which is essentially a cold soup that is popular during the hot summer months. Most people think that it is essentially cold tomato soup, which would be inaccurate. Tomatoes did not even become a standard ingredient until after the discovery of the New World. In addition to tomatoes the soup has garlic, peppers, onions, olive oil, vinegar and water. For those of you who have never tried it, you will be pleasantly surprised at how good and thirst quenching it is.

 

The pace of life in Andalusia is still very traditional. While most of the northern and central parts of Spain have moved toward the 9 to 5 work week, the towns and cities of the south still take their siestas. For the first time visitor it is odd to see the streets virtually deserted between 2 and 5pm. The vast majority of shops, stores and business are closed at this time. Restaurants on the other hand are not closed, as this is the time for the main meal of the day.

 

Most restaurants have what is called a Menu del Dia. This is usually a three course meal at a set price. This can vary from two courses with a drink, to as many as five courses. It all depends on the restaurant and their clientele. Price also varies from the very cheap, in the 6 Euro range to the expensive over 25 Euros. Many restaurants will have boards out front advertising their menus. Usually you have a couple of soups and salads to choose from for your first course, followed by 4 or 5 meat and or fish dishes followed by a selection of desserts.

 

Customarily the afternoon meal is enjoyed over about 2 hours followed by a time to nap before going back to work. To top off the meal most people have a glass of very strong coffee; Café solo (black) or café con leche (with half milk). This is usually fortified with a mound of sugar as well.

 

Breakfast is a much more modest affair. Coffee, orange juice, toast and pastries make it a more continental style. A popular option is a slice of bread with olive oil and tomato past. In Andalusia they like bread or toast rubbed with garlic and doused with olive oil. Many people will stop by a local cafeteria on their way to work to have a bite while they stand at the counter. Some will even have a class of wine to fortify themselves.

 

In the evening after people get out of work is the time to stop by a local bar, pub or cafeteria to have some tapas and a few drinks. In some areas of the Costa del Sol, the competition for clients is causing them to offer tapas for free when you order a drink. This is not the case in the majority of Spain, but tapas are a great way to eat fairly cheaply.

 

In general there are two types of tapas, cold and hot. In a traditional tapa bar or cafeteria the options will be lined up along the bar in glass display cases. You can choose from the menu of options or you can just go to the counter and point at your choices. If there is an outside seating option, it is usually about 10% more expensive than at the counter. Popular tapas are: Russian potato and egg salad, meatballs in tomato sauce, fried squid, Spanish tortilla, olives and patatas bravas (potatoes in a spicy red sauce).

 

After tapas and drinks, most Spaniards go home to have dinner with their families. It is not unusual to have dinner start as late as 10pm. This meal can also be a very long, multi-course affair. In general people take their time eating in Spain. It is the time when families and friends can catch up on their days and activities.

 

They say time moves slower in Spain and this is definitely true during meals. What’s the rush? Sit back and enjoy the waves of different foods coming your way until you are full. Then have a relaxing drink, a bite of dessert and you are ready for the night life that the country is so justifiably famous for.