Spain is one of the most loved European destinations with thousands of tourists coming back for holidays every year. There is so much to enjoy about this vibrant country, including the sunny weather, breathtaking landscapes, charming historic towns, sophisticated museums and galleries, world-famous music festivals and much more.. The Spanish cuisine, however, deserves a special mention as the mouth-watering cuisine is popular across the globe – food and travel in Spain truly goes hand in hand. If you are a huge foodie like us and want to experience the deliciousness that the Spanish cuisine is, here are some must-tries.
Tapas
Tapas as a concept for meals is now famous around the world and so you are most likely already familiar with it. However, originating in Spain, the local tapas is where you get the real authentic experience. Tapas is essentially a selection of small dishes that vary greatly in their textures and flavours – people who like bland foods can surely run away from Spanish tapas. The small dishes will typically include different cured meats and seafoods, cheeses, breads, cold and hot appetisers. Some of the most common appetisers you may expect in tapas include patatas bravas, albondigas, croquetas and pimientos de padron.
Paella
Seafood is the one thing that you see lots and lots of in the Mediterranean diet and Spain is no different. Paella is a beautiful rice dish that is most commonly made with a variety of seafoods, such as fish, shrimp, muscles and even snails in addition to smoked meats like chorizo. The unique combination of spices, a delicious sauce and protein cooked to perfection is absolutely sublime.
Gazpacho
Don’t leave Spain unless you’ve tried Gazpacho, the authentic local soup. Made with fresh tomatoes, lots of garlic, olive oil and peppers, often served with some diced cucumber and ham on top as well as bread on the side. Besides the beautifully-balanced flavours, Gazpacho is unique due to it being served as a cold soup, which often comes as a shock to tourists. However, in the summer heat, the cold tomato-based soup is a real hit.
Spanish tortilla
Don’t let the name mistaken you, as Spanish tortilla is actually an authentic omelette. This dish is great for breakfast, lunch or dinner and it’s made with a perfect selection of ingredients: eggs, potatoes, onions, chorizo and other veggies or herbs. The secret behind the amazing flavours and the extremely fluffy texture is olive oil. Unlike most popular omelette variations, Spanish tortilla is slow fried in olive oil for a very long time – and the patience truly pays off..
Churros
If your mouth is not watering just yet, be prepared to hear about churros. Churros is yet another food that has been adopted by many other countries around the globe, however, originally came from Spain. The crunchiness and silkiness of this deep fried dessert is so perfect that it simply melts in your mouth, while the coating of sugar and cinnamon splendidly compliments the subtle flavours of choux pastry dough. Churros are also commonly served with a chocolate or caramel dipping for an extra bit of oomph.
