This topic interested me simply because I love food. I may not be a master chef, but I can appreciate a good meal. Before leaving for Spain, I knew Spanish food would vary from American food in quantity and the time of day when food is served, although I did not recognize the extreme difference until living in the culture for a few days. I was aware of what the Spanish call "tapas," or in San Sebastian "pintxos." They are small appetizers served at restaurants and bars, although I learned that the tradition is to eat a small amount of these appetizers with a drink and then go to another bar to taste their selection of tapas.
There are also many traditional Spanish food that is practically required to taste when one travels there. Some being chocolate con churros, paella, seafood, and a vast variety of ham.
Authentic chocolate con churros is served as you see here, with a hot cup of melted chocolate. The churros are a rich pastry that is meant to be dunked into the cup of chocolate. This combo makes an undeniably delicious snack for any time of the day.
Paella is a very famous Spanish rice dish. It usually comes with seafood, but it can also be vegetable, meat, or a mixture of the three. In the city of Barcelona I had the pleasure of enjoying authentic paella that was made to share with friends. This particular paella consists of seafood and meat. As one can see, there are shellfish decorating the top, along with prawns and baby lobsters that still have their heads and shells on. Unlike in America, this practice is extremely common in Spain. After peeling the prawns and lobsters, the paella was ready to be enjoyed and it was an experience that I am happy to have had. The food was delicious and to me, this dinner showed Spanish culture at its finest.
Seafood is a major staple in a Spaniard's life, especially in the cities along the coast. In the city of Santiago de Compostela, octopus, or "pulpo," is a very popular thing to eat. Above is a picture of one variety of pulpo. I had thought it would resemble something similar to calamari, but I was mistaken. Even with this misconception, if you have the courage to try, it was very tasty.
HAM. From our class prior to traveling to Spain, I knew ham was very important to the Spaniards, but I never thought it would be to the extent that I experienced. There was hardly a meal I ate that did not include ham. Whether the ham was sliced with bread, cooked into tapas, or the main entree, it was almost always present in some way. By the end of the trip, one could hear the choir pleading "¡No mas jamon!" At one point, I ordered a hamburger and to my surprise, I received a burger literally made out of ham! I do have to admit, I myself was tired of eating ham by the end of the trip, but it was all very tasty and a cultural experience I am happy to have.
Overall, I learned a lot about Spanish culture just from eating their food. I only knew a small portion about their culinary lifestyle, but after eating it for two weeks, I have learned to both love and appreciate it. Being back in the United States, I have to say I will miss the tapas. Some of the best food I ate were these small appetizer sized dishes. Tapas are an ingenious way of having the ability to taste and enjoy an array of food at one meal. I am thankful to have had the opportunity to experience authentic Spanish food and culture. There is so much I learned over the short course of two weeks and I will not forget any of it soon. Although to some, my report just may be about food, but food alone has the power to demonstrate a culture and inspire innovation, and I truly believe that the traditional food of Spain accomplishes these two things and more.