Culinary Experience Spain

Spain enjoys a vastly diffuse and dramatic gastronomic heritage. Traditional Spanish cooking draws on European impressions from the north, Moorish influences from the south and, thanks to early explorers ingredients from the Americas and the Far East. Spanish food is existing and diverse. Contrary to most North Americans beliefs it is also mild and deeply flavoured.
Moors bought pomegranates and pesto and North African Jews cooking with nuts. Potatoes and tomatoes were brought first by navigators sailing to the Americas and returning with plants, gold, and new ideas. Coriander came to the Canary Islands via traders.

The fact that Spain has spent so much of her history overrun by outsiders intent on possession might first appear a disadvantage from a culinary point of view. The result, however, has been that Spanish cooking has absorbed a range of quite wonderful and different cooking styles, “cocinas”, and made them her own. Some are simple, others more complex, but in all the quality and freshness of ingredients are paramount. Even today homemakers shop daily sometimes twice a day to secure the freshest vegetables and/or fruits. Spain by European standards is a relatively large and geographically diverse country.

Cocinas (cookery or cuisines) in Spain can be divided into a number of gastronomic regions. These divisions have come about because of the evolution of local traditions, each enriched in various ways in antiquity by Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans and Moors.

A good part of the country is along the Mediterranean Sea, the north along the Atlantic Ocean the middle on a high plateau. Some parts are dry throughout the year in others rain falls frequently and on others sunshine tends to be abundant.

Catalonia just west of Languedoc along the Mediterranean Sea has a different cuisine than other parts. They are Catalans with a different language and culture. The food has French overtones. Further west along the coast, the Levante distinguishes itself by rice dishes like paella and others.

Andalusians like to fry everything and love cold soups (Gazpacho) due to the hot weather.
In Central Spain, people prefer roast meats to other types of preparations.

Around Rioja, just west of the Pyrenees cooks have been known to stew everything that can be stewed and excel with their specialties. The north along the Atlantic Ocean stands out with its specialties that require sauces and fish dishes. Spanish consume inordinate amount of fish and have been coming to Newfoundland for centuries to load up on cod and other valuable species.
The main ingredients of Spanish cuisine are:

Saffron, mild and sweet or hot and spicy pimenton, olive oil, Sherry vinegar, rice, pulses, bay, thyme, rosemary, fresh fruits and vegetables, piquillo peppers, garlic, capers, pickles, hams, cured meats, canned tuna, salted anchovies, cheeses, meats, fish and poultry.

Galicia along the Atlantic coast is never without the maritime influence of the ocean. Specialties include octopus with potatoes and onion, or stewed in olive oil and paprika. Shellfish is boiled a la plancha. Pork, veal, lamb, partridge, quail and wild boar are also used in stews, roasts
Everywhere in Galicia one finds empanadas, a dough-based Gallego dish may arrive in many forms, usually stuffed with sofrito – chopped onion fried in oil, with a little tomato. And they are thoroughly enjoyable before the main dish is served.

Many different local cow’s milk cheese exist, with San Simon famously smoked over birch bark shavings, whilst Tarta de Santiago, a confection of eggs,almonds, sugar and breadcrumbs dusted with icing sugar, carries an imprint of the cross of Santiago, St James.