Living in Madrid: Spanish Cuisine

Huevos rotos

Before making my way to Spain, my knowledge on Spanish Cuisine was very limited.  Paella? Yes I’ve heard of her. Jamón? I think I have heard that word once or twice before, it’s some sort of ham right? Frankly I had close to no clue what were considered traditional Spanish foods, actually I would go as far as saying I had some extreme misconceptions of what I thought it may be.  They speak Spanish over there so it has to be something kind of related to Mexican, right? No. I was not right. In fact I was very wrong. So today I am going to give you my spark notes lesson on some of the Spanish staples anyone making their way over to the Iberian Peninsula should know.

     Tapas, a concept you may already be familiar with, are a staple to the Spanish Culinary experience. Tapas are small portions of food typically served with a drink to snack on and share amongst those seated at the table.  There are a variety of theories on where the name and concept originated from but regardless, tapas have been a staple within Spanish Culture for hundreds of years possibly dating back to as far as the 13th century.  Some of the most typical dishes you may find in Madrid include Tortilla, Patatas Bravas, and Calamares. Some other very famous and delicious tapa options are Croquetas, a small breaded and fried balls filled with a creamy potato filling that contains meat, veggies or fish, or Gambas al Ajillo, a delicious hot plate of sauteed Prawns, garlic and oil.  Regardless of what you order, you will be pleased to find a variety of fresh, light and salty nibbles to satisfy your hunger.  Just remember tapas are about sharing so best to grab a few friends to enjoy an array of tasty platters.  You’d be surprised how much a table full of tapas can fill you up!

      It would be a crime not to touch on the world of drinks today so lets get into it.  Just like most places have foods famous to the region, drinks also find their place in the mix of it all. Get it, mix like a mixed drink? lol okay moving on.  Spain is famous for its long history of winemaking and tasteful light red and white wines.  With its diverse regions and climates, high quality wines such as Albariño, Rioja, Tempranillo and a variety of other well known bottles come from various parts of the country.  Did I mention how inexpensive you can find them? If you know the right spots to go you can find yourself a nice glass of wine for 3-4 euros. YUP you heard me right even in this economy.  Apart from wines you’ll arguably even more often find people out on a terrace having Tinto de Verano (highly recommended on a sunny afternoon), a Vermuth, a fortified wine that has an acquired but nonetheless delicious taste to it, or most commonly of all a good ole refreshing beer.  We could continue on with the drink selection you can find whether it's your looking for an afternoon refresh, a glass with your meal, or una copa on a night out on the town but for starters I think you have the basics down now.

      Hear me out. Two paragraphs doesn't begin to do Spanish Gastronomy justice but we;ve got to start somewhere.  Look at this as your rough draft, blueprint if you’d call it, on the basics as to what to expect when you touch down in Madrid.  Keep in mind not only does Madrid have a wide range of restaurants offering cuisines from all over the world but more so each city and region of Spain has its own rich cultural food history that takes your taste buds on a unique culinary experience.  So get out there and eat, explore and enjoy.  There is so much more in this world of food to discover.