Friday, May 6, 2011

Spanish meals and most typical dishes

Dear travellers, here you have some suggestions on Spanish food issues: Meals and dishes.

Notice you will find local specialties by city as well, in other posts. Cuisine is a part of the culture, so be adventorous and enjoy it!


MEALS:

Breakfast: is small in Spain. Better said, just coffe - sometimes with a roll - is quite an usual breakfast. Then we have “el pincho” or “el café” – like an early lunch. This is when we have something to eat. It usually takes people out of their offices from 11 to 12… so this it the time when you have the longest lines in the banks, etc...!


Tapas: We call so to different appetizers we use to combine and share in a meal. It helps you to try different foods. Tapa means literally “lid”, coming from the Medieval Times, when they used to serve slices of ham/cheese/bread etc on top of the wine carafe.Tapas are great as they are cheap and small. So is a good way to try different food.


Comida: late big lunch: we usually have a great meal around 2 – 3 pm. We have 2 courses and dessert.

MENU: is what we call “Plate of the day”, it is usually a great option: freshest food, 2 courses and dessert/coffee and sometimes also the drink for 10-15 Euros.


Cena: our dinner time: at home, it is usually small: one dish often with salad/dairy. But when eating outside it is as big as Comida (lunch). It is usually a bit more expensive than Comida too.



LA CUENTA: Please ask for the bill as soon as you get served the last thing you ordered. It takes forever to get bills!! This system will allow you to leave as soon as you finish. If not, you will be waiting a long time!



FOOD YOU SHOULD TRY, FROM ALL OVER SPAIN:


Jamón Serrano: One of the most famous Spanish specialties. It is pork cured ham. It has to be from Iberian Black Pork – not from the pink pig. Then of course you have different qualities:

Blanco: Not the real one. This is done from pink pig fed with bad fodder.

Ibérico: it means it is from the Iberian Black Pork: less fat, healthier.

Bellota: The best: It is Ibérico but the pork is fed naturally only with acorn.


Olive oil: You will find it best in Mediterranean Coast and South Spain. The pure juice press in cold is called: Extra Virgen.

Other qualities are lower, not really so good - and Orujo is really bad.


Olive oil varies from transparent gold to cloudy green. It is naturally bitter and the acidity decreases with transparency and yellow. We love thick cloudy green one – really thick, and really bitter.



Gazpacho: This cold tomato and garlic soup is only to be found in Mediterranean

and South Spain area, and only in summer. Much of the gazpacho you will find will be done with the “tomato concentrated” can, so ask if they have the "real" one…







and of course, we have to present one of our most favourite sweet proposals:

Chocolate con churros: This is hot chocolate to dip churros inside. Churro is a fritter: a long dough fried and covered with sugar. Do not worry, you will loose the calories with the walking!

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