Spanish cuisine consists of the traditions and practices of Spanish cooking. It features considerable regional diversity, with important differences between the traditions of each part of Spain (see #Regional cuisines).

Olive oil Olive oil is a liquid fat obtained from olives (the fruit of ''Olea europaea''; family Oleaceae), a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin, produced by pressing whole olives and extracting the oil. It is commonly used in cooking: f ...

(of which Spain is the world's largest producer) is heavily used in Spanish cuisine. It forms the base of many vegetable sauces (known in Spanish as ''sofritos''). Herbs most commonly used include

parsley Parsley, or garden parsley (''Petroselinum crispum'') is a species of flowering plant in the family Apiaceae that is native to the central and eastern Mediterranean region (Sardinia, Lebanon, Israel, Cyprus, Turkey, southern Italy, Greece, Por ...

oregano Oregano (, ; ''Origanum vulgare'') is a species of flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae. It was native to the Mediterranean region, but widely naturalised elsewhere in the temperate Northern Hemisphere. Oregano is a woody perennial pla ...

rosemary ''Salvia rosmarinus'' (), commonly known as rosemary, is a shrub with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves and white, pink, purple, or blue flowers, native plant, native to the Mediterranean Region, Mediterranean region. Until 2017, it was kn ...

and

thyme Thyme () is the herb (dried aerial parts) of some members of the genus ''Thymus'' of aromatic perennial evergreen herbs in the mint family Lamiaceae. Thymes are relatives of the oregano genus ''Origanum'', with both plants being mostly indigenou ...

. The use of

garlic Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plant in the genus ''Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, Allium fistulosum, Welsh onion and Allium chinense, Chinese onion. It is native to South A ...

has been noted as common in Spanish cooking. The most used meats in Spanish cuisine include

chicken The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated junglefowl species, with attributes of wild species such as the grey and the Ceylon junglefowl that are originally from Southeastern Asia. Rooster or cock is a term for an adult m ...

pork Pork is the culinary name for the meat of the domestic pig (''Sus domesticus''). It is the most commonly consumed meat worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BCE. Pork is eaten both freshly cooked and preserved; ...

lamb Lamb or The Lamb may refer to: * A young sheep * Lamb and mutton, the meat of sheep Arts and media Film, television, and theatre * ''The Lamb'' (1915 film), a silent film starring Douglas Fairbanks Sr. in his screen debut * ''The Lamb'' (1918 ...

and

veal Veal is the meat of calves, in contrast to the beef from older cattle. Veal can be produced from a calf of either sex and any breed, however most veal comes from young male calves of dairy breeds which are not used for breeding. Generally, v ...

Fish Fish are aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct related groups. Approximately 95% of li ...

and

seafood Seafood is any form of sea life regarded as food by humans, prominently including fish and shellfish. Shellfish include various species of molluscs (e.g. bivalve molluscs such as clams, oysters and mussels, and cephalopods such as octopus an ...

are also consumed on a regular basis.

Tapas A tapa () is an appetizer or snack in Spanish cuisine. Tapas can be combined to make a full meal, and can be cold (such as mixed olives and cheese) or hot (such as ''chopitos'', which are battered, fried baby squid, or patatas bravas). In some ...

and

pincho A pincho (; literally "thorn" or "spike"), pintxo () or pinchu () is a small snack, typically eaten in bars, traditional in northern Spain and especially popular in the Basque country, Navarre, La Rioja, Cantabria, and Asturias. They are usually ...

s are snacks and appetizers commonly served in bars and cafes.

History

Antiquity

Authors like

Strabo Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-sighted that he could see ...

wrote about aboriginal people of Spain using nuts and acorns as staple food. The extension of the vines along the Mediterranean seems to be due to the colonization of the Greeks and the

Phoenicia Phoenicia () was an ancient thalassocratic civilization originating in the Levant region of the eastern Mediterranean, primarily located in modern Lebanon. The territory of the Phoenician city-states extended and shrank throughout their histor ...

ns who introduced the cultivation of

olive oil Olive oil is a liquid fat obtained from olives (the fruit of ''Olea europaea''; family Oleaceae), a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin, produced by pressing whole olives and extracting the oil. It is commonly used in cooking: f ...

. Spain is the largest producer of olive oil in the world. The growing of crops of the so-called ''tríada mediterránea'' (the "Mediterranean triad":

wheat Wheat is a grass widely cultivated for its seed, a cereal grain that is a worldwide staple food. The many species of wheat together make up the genus ''Triticum'' ; the most widely grown is common wheat (''T. aestivum''). The archaeologi ...

grapevines ''Vitis'' (grapevine) is a genus of 79 accepted species of vining plants in the flowering plant family Vitaceae. The genus is made up of species predominantly from the Northern Hemisphere. It is economically important as the source of grapes, b ...

, and

olives The olive, botanical name ''Olea europaea'', meaning 'European olive' in Latin, is a species of small tree or shrub in the family Oleaceae, found traditionally in the Mediterranean Basin. When in shrub form, it is known as ''Olea europaea'' 'M ...

) underpinned the staple meal products for the inhabitants of the south of the Iberian Peninsula during the Roman Era (

bread Bread is a staple food prepared from a dough of flour (usually wheat) and water, usually by baking. Throughout recorded history and around the world, it has been an important part of many cultures' diet. It is one of the oldest human-made f ...

wine Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are m ...

and

oil An oil is any nonpolar chemical substance that is composed primarily of hydrocarbons and is hydrophobic (does not mix with water) & lipophilic (mixes with other oils). Oils are usually flammable and surface active. Most oils are unsaturated ...

Middle Ages

The

Visigoths The Visigoths (; la, Visigothi, Wisigothi, Vesi, Visi, Wesi, Wisi) were an early Germanic people who, along with the Ostrogoths, constituted the two major political entities of the Goths within the Roman Empire in late antiquity, or what is ...

’ limited but lasting contributions to Spanish cuisine include the spread of consumption of

fermented milk Fermented milk products or fermented dairy products, also known as cultured dairy foods, cultured dairy products, or cultured milk products, are dairy foods that have been fermented with lactic acid bacteria such as ''Lactobacillus'', ''Lactococc ...

and the preference for avoiding the mixing of water and wine.

Rice Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima ''Oryza glaberrima'', commonly known as African rice, is one of the two domesticated rice species. It was first domesticated and grown i ...

was possibly introduced for the first time by Byzantines in the Iberian Peninsula by the 6th century, while, following the Muslim conquest of the Iberian peninsula in the 8th century, Arabs expanded rice cultivation, bringing new irrigation techniques originally from the Indian subcontinent that also allowed for the cultivation of crops such as

sugar cane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of (often hybrid) tall, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with stout, jointed, fibrous stalks t ...

watermelon Watermelon (''Citrullus lanatus'') is a flowering plant species of the Cucurbitaceae family and the name of its edible fruit. A scrambling and trailing vine-like plant, it is a highly cultivated fruit worldwide, with more than 1,000 varieti ...

lemon The lemon (''Citrus limon'') is a species of small evergreen trees in the flowering plant family Rutaceae, native to Asia, primarily Northeast India (Assam), Northern Myanmar or China. The tree's ellipsoidal yellow fruit is used for culin ...

and

orange Orange most often refers to: *Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis'' ** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower *Orange (colour), from the color of an orange, occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum * ...

s. Other ingredients introduced in the Iberian Peninsula during the Hispano-Muslim period include

sorghum ''Sorghum'' () is a genus of about 25 species of flowering plants in the grass family (Poaceae). Some of these species are grown as cereals for human consumption and some in pastures for animals. One species is grown for grain, while many othe ...

spinach Spinach (''Spinacia oleracea'') is a leafy green flowering plant native to central and western Asia. It is of the order Caryophyllales, family Amaranthaceae, subfamily Chenopodioideae. Its leaves are a common edible vegetable consumed either f ...

eggplant Eggplant ( US, Canada), aubergine ( UK, Ireland) or brinjal (Indian subcontinent, Singapore, Malaysia, South Africa) is a plant species in the nightshade family Solanaceae. ''Solanum melongena'' is grown worldwide for its edible fruit. Mos ...

peach The peach (''Prunus persica'') is a deciduous tree first domesticated and cultivated in Zhejiang province of Eastern China. It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and others (the glossy-skinned, non-fu ...

apricot An apricot (, ) is a fruit, or the tree that bears the fruit, of several species in the genus ''Prunus''. Usually, an apricot is from the species '' P. armeniaca'', but the fruits of the other species in ''Prunus'' sect. ''Armeniaca'' are also ...

and

saffron Saffron () is a spice derived from the flower of ''Crocus sativus'', commonly known as the "saffron crocus". The vivid crimson stigma and styles, called threads, are collected and dried for use mainly as a seasoning and colouring agent i ...

. The most famous Spanish dish,

paella Paella (, , , , , ) is a rice dish originally from Valencian Community, Valencia. While non-Spaniards commonly view it as Spain's national dish, Spaniards almost unanimously consider it to be a dish from the Valencian community, Valencian region ...

, uses two ingredients introduced by the Moors, rice and saffron. Llibre-dels-Feyts-XXVIIr (cropped) Sopar de Tarragona

Moors The term Moor, derived from the ancient Mauri, is an exonym first used by Christian Europeans to designate the Muslim inhabitants of the Maghreb, the Iberian Peninsula, Sicily and Malta during the Middle Ages. Moors are not a distinct or ...

also developed the basis for the art of

pastry Pastry is baked food made with a dough of flour, water and shortening (solid fats, including butter or lard) that may be savoury or sweetened. Sweetened pastries are often described as '' bakers' confectionery''. The word "pastries" suggests ma ...

-making and introduced ''

escabeche __NOTOC__ Escabeche is the name for a number of dishes in Spanish, Portuguese, Filipino and Latin American cuisines, consisting of marinated fish, meat or vegetables, cooked or pickled in an acidic sauce (usually with vinegar), and colored w ...

'', a food preservation technique relying on vinegar. Dishes like '' ajo blanco'', '' alboronía'', '' alajú'', '' hallulla'', '' albóndigas'', ''

mojama Mojama (; Portuguese: ''muxama'') is a Mediterranean delicacy consisting of filleted salt-cured tuna, typically found in the Murcia and Andalusia regions of Spain, particularly in Huelva and Cádiz. Bluefin or yellowfin tuna are the most common ...

'', ''

arrope Grape syrup is a condiment made with concentrated grape juice. It is thick and sweet because of its high ratio of sugar to water. Grape syrup is made by boiling grapes, removing their skins, squeezing them through a sieve to extract the juice, a ...

'', are some of the many legacies of

Moorish The term Moor, derived from the ancient Mauri, is an exonym first used by Christian Europeans to designate the Muslim inhabitants of the Maghreb, the Iberian Peninsula, Sicily and Malta during the Middle Ages. Moors are not a distinct or se ...

cuisine. Although Muslim religion does not allow alcoholic drinks, the consumption of wine was widespread as the Qur'anic precepts never got to overrule the preexisting traditions in this regard. There are many accounts of the "drinking chats" of

Abd al-Rahman II Abd ar-Rahman II () (792–852) was the fourth ''Umayyad'' Emir of Córdoba in al-Andalus from 822 until his death. A vigorous and effective frontier warrior, he was also well known as a patron of the arts. Abd ar-Rahman was born in Toledo, the ...

Abd al-Rahman III ʿAbd al-Rahmān ibn Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn al-Ḥakam al-Rabdī ibn Hishām ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Dākhil () or ʿAbd al-Rahmān III (890 - 961), was the Umayyad Emir of Córdoba from 912 to 92 ...

and

Almanzor Abu ʿĀmir Muḥammad ibn ʿAbdullāh ibn Abi ʿĀmir al-Maʿafiri ( ar, أبو عامر محمد بن عبد الله بن أبي عامر المعافري), nicknamed al-Manṣūr ( ar, المنصور, "the Victorious"), which is often Latiniz ...

. '' Almodrote'' (a formerly popular sauce preparation out of vogue since the late 17th century) was a Sephardic recipe in origin. Observing the

kashrut (also or , ) is a set of dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to Jewish law. Food that may be consumed is deemed kosher ( in English, yi, כּשר), fro ...

regulations, Jews and '' judaizantes'' opted for blood-drained meat and without fat, outright rejecting bacon. ''

Potaje Pottage or potage (, ; ) is a term for a thick soup or stew made by boiling vegetables, grains, and, if available, meat or fish. It was a staple food for many centuries. The word ''pottage'' comes from the same Old French root as ''potage'' ...

s'' were an important part of the Jewish cuisine in the Middle Ages, most notably ''

adafina Cholent and other Sabbath stews ( yi, טשאָלנט, tsholnt ''or'' tshulnt) are traditional Jewish stews. It is usually simmered overnight for 10–12 hours or more, and eaten for lunch on Shabbat (the Sabbath). Shabbat stews were develope ...

'', a local name for a '' ḥamin'' dish, along with other Jewish culinary legacies in Spain since. The cookbook history in the country might be traced back to works such as the '' Llibre de Sent Soví'' (1324) and Ruperto de Nola's '' Llibre de Coch'' (1520), both written in the Catalan language.

Modern era

1908-10-17, Blanco y Negro, La cocina (cropped)

The arrival of Europeans to the

Americas The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. Along with th ...

in 1492 initiated the advent of new culinary elements, such as

tomato The tomato is the edible berry of the plant ''Solanum lycopersicum'', commonly known as the tomato plant. The species originated in western South America, Mexico, and Central America. The Mexican Nahuatl word gave rise to the Spanish word ...

es,

potato The potato is a starchy food, a tuber of the plant ''Solanum tuberosum'' and is a root vegetable native to the Americas. The plant is a perennial in the nightshade family Solanaceae. Wild potato species can be found from the southern Unit ...

es,

maize Maize ( ; ''Zea mays'' subsp. ''mays'', from es, maíz after tnq, mahiz), also known as corn (North American and Australian English), is a cereal grain first domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 10,000 years ago. Th ...

bell pepper The bell pepper (also known as paprika, sweet pepper, pepper, or capsicum ) is the fruit of plants in the Grossum Group of the species ''Capsicum annuum''. Cultivars of the plant produce fruits in different colors, including red, yellow, orange ...

s, spicy

peppers Pepper or peppers may refer to: Food and spice * Piperaceae or the pepper family, a large family of flowering plant ** Black pepper * ''Capsicum'' or pepper, a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family Solanaceae ** Bell pepper ** Chili ...

paprika Paprika ( US , ; UK , ) is a spice made from dried and ground red peppers. It is traditionally made from ''Capsicum annuum'' varietals in the Longum group, which also includes chili peppers, but the peppers used for paprika tend to be milder an ...

vanilla Vanilla is a spice derived from orchids of the genus ''Vanilla (genus), Vanilla'', primarily obtained from pods of the Mexican species, flat-leaved vanilla (''Vanilla planifolia, V. planifolia''). Pollination is required to make the p ...

and

cocoa Cocoa may refer to: Chocolate * Chocolate * ''Theobroma cacao'', the cocoa tree * Cocoa bean, seed of ''Theobroma cacao'' * Chocolate liquor, or cocoa liquor, pure, liquid chocolate extracted from the cocoa bean, including both cocoa butter and ...

, or

chocolate Chocolate is a food made from roasted and ground cacao seed kernels that is available as a liquid, solid, or paste, either on its own or as a flavoring agent in other foods. Cacao has been consumed in some form since at least the Olmec civ ...

. Spain is where chocolate was first mixed with sugar to temper its natural bitterness. Other ingredients traveled to the Americas, such as rice, grapes, olives and many types of cereals. Spain was the bridge for the

Columbian exchange The Columbian exchange, also known as the Columbian interchange, was the widespread transfer of plants, animals, precious metals, commodities, culture, human populations, technology, diseases, and ideas between the New World (the Americas) in ...

between the rest of Europe and the New World. Influenced by

Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...

harisa ''Harees'', ''jareesh'' ( ar, هريس), boko boko, or harisa () is a dish of boiled, cracked, or coarsely-ground wheat, mixed with meat and seasoned. Its consistency varies between a porridge and a gruel. Harees is a popular dish known throu ...

'', grain-based soups such as '' farinetes'' (along the Mediterranean coast) and, similarly, ''

gachas Gachas is an ancestral basic dish from central and southern Spain. Its main ingredients are flour, water, olive oil, garlic, paprika and salt. Origin Gachas are based on a very ancient Iberian flour-based staple food preparation. Gachas may hav ...

'' (in Castile) were customary in Early Modern Spain. Foreign visitors noted with disdain the Spaniards' use of

and (pig's)

lard Lard is a semi-solid white fat product obtained by rendering the fatty tissue of a pig.Lard
entry in the o ...

for cooking rather than their preferred (cow's)

butter Butter is a dairy product made from the fat and protein components of churned cream. It is a semi-solid emulsion at room temperature, consisting of approximately 80% butterfat. It is used at room temperature as a spread, melted as a condiment ...

. The latter was barely available and, according to the 17th-century account of

Madame d'Aulnoy Marie-Catherine Le Jumel de Barneville, Baroness d'Aulnoy (1650/1651 – 14 January 1705), also known as Countess d'Aulnoy, was a French author known for her literary fairy tales. When she termed her works ''contes de fées'' (fairy tales), sh ...

, on the rare occasions that it was, would come "from afar, preserved in pig's tripes and full of worms". Butter was only produced locally in places such as Galicia, Asturias and Soria, or was imported, preserved in

potassium nitrate Potassium nitrate is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . This alkali metal nitrate salt is also known as Indian saltpetre (large deposits of which were historically mined in India). It is an ionic salt of potassium ions K+ and nitrat ...

, (the so-called "Flanders' butter"). By the 18th century, many American ingredients, such as peppers and tomatoes, had been already fully incorporated to the Spanish cuisine, bringing new strong flavours; contemporary foreign visitors such as French ambassador

Jean-François de Bourgoing Jean-François, baron de Bourgoing (20 November 1748 in Nevers – 20 July 1811 in Karlovy Vary) was a French diplomat, writer and translator. A commander of the Legion of Honour, he was also a corresponding member of the French Academy of Scien ...

, judged negatively this gastronomic synthesis happening in Spain by the late part of the century: "Spanish cooking, which they have inherited, is not generally pleasing to foreigners. Spaniards like strong condiments such as pepper, tomato sauce, hot peppers and saffron, which color or infect nearly all their dishes". Many traditional Spanish dishes such as '' tortilla de patata'' (an omelette made with

potatoes The potato is a starchy food, a tuber of the plant ''Solanum tuberosum'' and is a root vegetable native to the Americas. The plant is a perennial in the nightshade family Solanaceae. Wild potato species can be found from the southern United ...

), would not be possible without the Columbian exchange. ''

Gazpacho Gazpacho (; ) or Gaspacho (), also called Andalusian gazpacho, is a cold soup and drink made of raw, blended vegetables. It originated in the southern regions of the Iberian peninsula and spread into other areas. Gazpacho is widely eaten in S ...

'', ''

salmorejo Salmorejo, sometimes known as ardoria or ardorío, is a traditional soup originating from Andalusia, southern Spain, made of tomato, bread, extra virgin olive oil and garlic. Normally, the tomatoes are skinned and then puréed with the other ingr ...

'', and '' pan con tomate'' are made with

tomatoes The tomato is the edible Berry (botany), berry of the plant ''Solanum lycopersicum'', commonly known as the tomato plant. The species originated in western South America, Mexico, and Central America. The Mexican Nahuatl word gave rise to th ...

, which traveled from the New World to the Old World. For most of the 19th century, the aristocracy consumed a set of dishes that was largely an imitation of French cuisine. That was the available cuisine at the time, together with the degeneration of regional cuisines. A positive foreign take on the Spanish dishes opposing the largely negative views from foreign commentators was that of

Richard Ford Richard Ford (born February 16, 1944) is an American novelist and short story writer. His best-known works are the novel '' The Sportswriter'' and its sequels, '' Independence Day'', ''The Lay of the Land'' and ''Let Me Be Frank With You'', and t ...

, fond of Spanish specialties such as

Sherry Sherry ( es, jerez ) is a fortified wine made from white grapes that are grown near the city of Jerez de la Frontera in Andalusia, Spain. Sherry is produced in a variety of styles made primarily from the Palomino grape, ranging from light versi ...

and

ham Ham is pork from a leg cut of pork, cut that has been food preservation, preserved by wet or dry Curing (food preservation), curing, with or without smoking (cooking), smoking."Bacon: Bacon and Ham Curing" in ''Chambers's Encyclopædia''. Lo ...

. Modern Spanish cuisine was gestated in the late 19th to early 20th century, with gastronomes and writers such as

Mariano Pardo de Figueroa Mariano Pardo de Figueroa of Medina (18 November 1828 – 11 December 1918), who used the nom-de-plume Dr. Thebussem (or Thebussen), was a Spanish nobleman and philatelist who was one of the "Fathers of Philately" entered on the Roll of Distinguish ...

(Dr. Thebussem), José Castro y Serrano, Ángel Muro,

Emilia Pardo Bazán Emilia Pardo Bazán y de la Rúa-Figueroa (16 September 185112 May 1921), countess of Pardo Bazán, was a Spanish novelist, journalist, literary critic, poet, playwright, translator, editor and professor. She is known for introducing naturalis ...

and Dionisio Pérez, some of which put an effort in developing the idea of a "national cuisine" recognisable by Spaniards as their own. Keen on participating in the Spanish nation-building process, Dr. Thebussem, in an autochthonous example of

culinary nationalism Gastronationalism or culinary nationalism is the use of food and its history, production, control, preparation and consumption as a way of promoting nationalism and national identity. It may involve arguments between two or more regions or countrie ...

, proposed to the King's Chef that the ''

olla podrida (, also , , ; literally "rotten pot", although ''podrida'' is probably a version of the original word ''poderida'', so it could be translated as "powerful pot") is a Spanish stew, usually made with chickpeas or beans, and assorted meats like por ...

'' (a rustic stew typically made of meat, legumes and other vegetables) should be served at official banquets as a national dish. This can be considered as an important step to stray away from the French cooking paradigm, hegemonic in the 19th century in Europe. ''Olla podrida'' had been indeed previously ridiculed in foreign (most notably French) satires. Although the new foodscape built in opposition to the French centralist culinary model accounted for the awareness of the distinctive regional singularities, subsequent food writers in the country would continue to cope with the tension between the Spanish peripheral and centralist foodscapes. The extremely influential cooking book ''1080 recetas de cocina'' by

Simone Ortega Simone Ortega Klein (29 May 1919 – 2 July 2008) was a bestselling Spanish culinary author. Born in Barcelona to a family originally from Alsace in France, she published her first and bestselling book '' 1080 recetas de cocina'' (republished i ...

(first published in 1972) became a hit in Spain, remaining as of 2019 the third best-selling book ever in the history of the country after ''Don Quixote'' and the Bible. This was however not a book exclusively of Spanish traditional recipes, but to a large extent it included French recipes, bringing an exotic penchant to the Spanish homes. Televised

cooking shows A cooking show, cookery show, or cooking program (also spelled cooking programme in British English) is a television genre that presents food preparation, often in a restaurant kitchen or on a studio set, or at the host's personal home. Typ ...

started in the country in 1984 with ''

Con las manos en la masa ''Con las manos en la masa'' is a Spanish cooking show by Televisión Española, directed and presented by Elena Santonja, aired between 1984 and 1991 on TVE-2. It is the first ever Spanish cooking show in the history of television. History Al ...

''.

Meal routines

A continental-style

breakfast Breakfast is the first meal of the day usually eaten in the morning. The word in English refers to breaking the fasting period of the previous night.Anderson, Heather Arndt (2013)''Breakfast: A History'' AltaMira Press. Various "typical" or "t ...

(''desayuno'') may be taken just after waking up, or before entering the workplace. Common products taken during breakfast include

coffee Coffee is a drink prepared from roasted coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulant, stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content. It is the most popular hot drink in the world. S ...

, milk, chocolate drink, biscuits (most notably Marie biscuits), ''magdalenas'', toasts (featuring ingredients such as oil, tomato and butter, bread toasts are a staple part of the ''desayuno'' either consumed at home or in bars) or

churros A churro (, ) is a type of fried dough from Spanish and Portuguese cuisine. They are also found in Latin American cuisine and in other areas that have received immigration from Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries, especially in the Sout ...

. Due to the large time span between breakfast and lunch, it is not uncommon to halt the working schedule to take a mid-morning snack.

Lunch Lunch is a meal eaten around the middle of the day. It is commonly the second meal of the day, after breakfast, and varies in size by culture and region. Etymology According to the ''Oxford English Dictionary'' (''OED''), the etymology ...

(''el almuerzo'' or simply ''la comida'', literally meaning "the food"), the large midday meal in Spain, contains several courses, especially in restaurants. In some regions of Spain, the word ''almuerzo'' refers to the mid-morning snack, instead of lunch. Lunch usually starts between 2:00 pm or 2:30 pm finishing around 3:00 pm to 3:30 pm, and is usually followed by ''

sobremesa Sobremesa (Spanish: “upon the table”) is the Hispanic tradition of relaxing at the table after a heavy meal. It begins after dessert is served, and typically lasts between half an hour and an hour. During summertime and holidays, the practi ...

'', which refers to the table talk that Spanish people undertake. Menus are organized according to these courses and include five or six choices in each course. At home, Spanish meals would contain one or two courses and a dessert. The content of this meal is usually a soup dish, salad, a meat or a fish dish and a dessert such as fruit, yoghurt or something sweet. ''

'' may also be typically served before or during lunch. In recent years, the Spanish government took action to shorten the lunch break, in order to end the working day earlier. Most businesses shut down for two or three hours for lunch, then resume the working day until dinner time in the evening. ''La cena'', meaning both

dinner Dinner usually refers to what is in many Western cultures the largest and most formal meal of the day, which is eaten in the evening. Historically, the largest meal used to be eaten around midday, and called dinner. Especially among the elite, ...

supper Supper was originally a secondary lighter evening meal. The main meal of the day, called dinner, used to be served closer to what is known as lunchtime, around the middle of the day, but crept later over the centuries, mostly over the course of ...

, is taken between 8:30pm and 11pm. It typically consists of one course and dessert. Due to the large time span between lunch and dinner, an afternoon snack, '' la merienda'', equivalent to

afternoon tea Tea (in reference to food, rather than the drink) has long been used as an umbrella term for several different meals. English writer Isabella Beeton, whose books on home economics were widely read in the 19th century, describes meals of var ...

, may take place at about 6pm. At merienda, people would typically drink coffee, eat something sweet, a sandwich or a piece of fruit. Some country-wide staple dishes common throughout Spain include '' croquetas'' (croquettes), ''

'' (a rice dish incorporating different ingredients as it moves away from the area of origin in the Valencia region), ''ensaladilla rusa'' (the local name for the Olivier salad), ''

gazpacho Gazpacho (; ) or Gaspacho (), also called Andalusian gazpacho, is a cold soup and drink made of raw, blended vegetables. It originated in the southern regions of the Iberian peninsula and spread into other areas. Gazpacho is widely eaten in S ...

'' (a vegetable cold soup) and ''

tortilla de patatas Spanish omelette or Spanish tortilla is a traditional dish from Spain. Celebrated as a national dish by Spaniards, it is an essential part of the Spanish cuisine. It is an omelette made with eggs and potatoes, optionally including onion. It is of ...

'' (Spanish omelette). There is a disagreement in Spanish society when it comes to preferring

onion An onion (''Allium cepa'' L., from Latin ''cepa'' meaning "onion"), also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus ''Allium''. The shallot is a botanical variety of the onion ...

as an ingredient in the Spanish omelette, often accompanied by exclusionary and vehement takes by either side. File:Boquerones en vinagre.jpg, ''Boquerones en vinagre'' File:Surtido de Croquetas.jpg, ''Croquetas'' File:Gazpachos-Refrigerados-super.jpg, Processed ''gazpacho'' carton packages File:Pincho de tortilla - Madrid (cropped) 4.3.jpg, ''Pincho de tortilla'' File:Mejillones escabechados.jpg, ''Mejillones en escabeche''

Appetizer An hors d'oeuvre ( ; french: hors-d'œuvre ), appetiser or starter is a small dish served before a meal in European cuisine. Some hors d'oeuvres are served cold, others hot. Hors d'oeuvres may be served at the dinner table as a part of the ...

s right before lunch or dinner, or during them, are common in the form of ''tapas'' (small portions). It is common for ''tapas'' to be provided as a complimentary appetizer in bars and cafes when ordering a drink. Aside from some of the aforementioned specialties, other signature ''tapas'' include: ''mejillones en

'' (marinated mussels), ''gildas'', '' albóndigas'' (meatballs), '' callos'', ''

torreznos ''Torrezno'' (plural: ''torreznos'') is a kind of fried bacon snack produced in Spain. A staple of bar tops in Spain, torreznos temporarily lost popularity to some extent due to its highly caloric nature. They are also sold as snack in supermarke ...

'' or ''raxo de cerdo''.

Regional cuisines

Andalusia

Andalusian cuisine Andalusian cuisine is the cuisine of Andalusia, Spain. Notable dishes include gazpacho, fried fish (often called ''pescaíto frito'' in the local vernacular), the jamones of Jabugo, Valle de los Pedroches and Trevélez, and the wines of Jerez, pa ...

is twofold: rural and coastal. Of all the Spanish regions, this region uses the most

in its cuisine. The Andalusian dish that has achieved the most international fame is ''

'', from Hispanic Arabic ''gazpáčo''. It is a cold soup made with five vegetables, vinegar, water, salt, olive oil, and stale bread crumbs. Other cold soups include '' poleá'', '' zoque'' and ''

''. Snacks made with olives are common. Meat dishes include '' flamenquín'', ''

pringá Pringá is a Spanish dish popular in Andalusia. It consists of roast beef or pork, cured sausages such as chorizo and morcilla, and beef or pork fat slow-cooked for many hours until the meat falls apart easily. Pieces of crusty bread are used to ...

'',

oxtail Oxtail (occasionally spelled ox tail or ox-tail) is the culinary name for the tail of cattle. While the word once meant only the tail of an ox, today it can also refer to the tails of other cattle. An oxtail typically weighs around and is ski ...

stew, and '' menudo gitano'' (also called Andalusian tripe). Hot soups include '' sopa de gato'' (made with bread), '' caldillo de perro'' (fish soup with orange juice) and ''

migas canas Migas canas is a traditional preparation of fried bread and milk. It is often consumed in rural areas of Spain and is associated with people of humble origin and shepherds. It is served in a clay pot for breakfast. The dish is often prepared with m ...

''. Fish dishes include '' pescaíto frito'', ''

soldaditos de Pavía Soldaditos de Pavía (lit. Soldiers of Pavia) are a dish of fried cod wrapped in a slice of roasted red pepper. The dish is found in Andalusian cuisine and common at tapas bars in Madrid, capital of Spain. The cod is marinated in a paprika and l ...

'', and '' parpandúa''. A culinary custom is the typical Andalusian breakfast, which is considered to be a traditional characteristic of laborers which is extending throughout Spain. Cured meats include

Serrano ham Serrano may refer to: People * Serrano people, a Native American tribe of Southern California * Serrano language, the language spoken by the Serrano people *Serrano (surname), people with the surname Serrano Places *Serrano, Lecce, an Italian tow ...

and Iberico ham. Typical drinks in the area include

anise Anise (; '), also called aniseed or rarely anix is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae native to Eurasia. The flavor and aroma of its seeds have similarities with some other spices and herbs, such as star anise, fennel, licorice, and ta ...

, wine (such as Malaga, Jerez, and

Pedro Ximénez Pedro Ximénez (also known as PX and many other variations) is the name of a white Spanish wine grape variety grown in several Spanish wine regions but most notably in the '' denominación de origen'' (DO) of Montilla-Moriles. Here it is used to ...

), and sherry brandy.

Aragon

Aragonese cuisine The Aragonese cuisine includes several typical dishes and ingredients of the local cuisine of Aragon, a community in Spain. Dishes and ingredients One of the most characteristic dishes of the traditional gastronomy of Aragon is roast lamb (prepare ...

has a rural and mountainous origin. The central part of Aragon, the flattest, is the richest in culinary specialties. Being in a land where lambs are raised on the slopes of the

Pyrenees The Pyrenees (; es, Pirineos ; french: Pyrénées ; ca, Pirineu ; eu, Pirinioak ; oc, Pirenèus ; an, Pirineus) is a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. It extends nearly from its union with the Cantabrian Mountains to C ...

, one of its most famous dishes is

roast lamb Lamb, hogget, and mutton, generically sheep meat, are the meat of domestic sheep, ''Ovis aries''. A sheep in its first year is a lamb and its meat is also lamb. The meat from sheep in their second year is hogget. Older sheep meat is mutton. Gen ...

, or ''asado de ternasco''. The lamb is cooked with garlic, salt, and bacon fat. Pork dishes are also very popular. Among them, ', roasted pork leg, and '' almojábanas de cerdo''. Among the recipes made with bread are '' migas de Pastor'', ', ', and '. The most notable condiment is

garlic oil Garlic oil is the volatile oil derived from garlic. It is usually prepared using steam distillation and can also be produced via distillation using ether. It is used in cooking and as a seasoning, a nutritional supplement, and also as an insecti ...

Legume A legume () is a plant in the family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or the fruit or seed of such a plant. When used as a dry grain, the seed is also called a pulse. Legumes are grown agriculturally, primarily for human consumption, for livestock f ...

s are very important, but the most popular vegetables are

borage Borage ( or ; ''Borago officinalis''), also known as starflower, is an annual herb in the flowering plant family Boraginaceae. It is native to the Mediterranean region, and has naturalized in many other locales. It grows satisfactorily in gard ...

and

thistle Thistle is the common name of a group of flowering plants characterised by leaves with sharp prickles on the margins, mostly in the family Asteraceae. Prickles can also occur all over the planton the stem and on the flat parts of the leaves. ...

. In terms of cured meats, ' and also ham from

Huesca Huesca (; an, Uesca) is a city in north-eastern Spain, within the autonomous community of Aragon. It is also the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and of the comarca of Hoya de Huesca. In 2009 it had a population of 52,059, almo ...

are used often. Among the cheeses, ' is notable. Fruit-based cuisine includes the very popular fruits of Aragon (Spanish: ''frutas de Aragon'', which are

candied fruit Candied fruit, also known as glacé fruit, is whole fruit, smaller pieces of fruit, or pieces of peel, placed in heated sugar syrup, which absorbs the moisture from within the fruit and eventually preserves it. Depending on the size and type of ...

s) and

maraschino cherries A maraschino cherry ( ) is a preserved, sweetened cherry, typically made from light-colored sweet cherries such as the Royal Ann, Rainier, or Gold varieties. In their modern form, the cherries are first preserved in a brine solution usual ...

Asturias

Asturian cuisine Asturian cuisine refers to the typical dishes and ingredients found in the cuisine of the Asturias region of Spain. Foods Asturias is especially known for its seafood, such as fresh squid, crab, shrimp and sea bass. Salmon are caught in Asturia ...

has a long and rich history, deeply rooted in Celtic traditions of

Atlantic Europe Atlantic Europe is a geographical term for the western portion of Europe which borders the Atlantic Ocean. The term may refer to the idea of Atlantic Europe as a cultural unit and/or as a biogeographical region. It comprises the Atlantic Isles ...

. One of its most famous dishes is ''

fabada asturiana Fabada asturiana, often simply known as fabada, is a rich Asturian bean stew, originally from and most commonly found in the autonomous community of Principality of Asturias, but widely available throughout the whole of Spain and in Spanish rest ...

''. ''Fabada'' is the traditional stew of the region, made with white beans, sausages (such as ''

chorizo Chorizo (, from Spanish ; similar to but distinct from Portuguese ) is a type of pork cured meat originating from the Iberian Peninsula. In Europe, chorizo is a fermented, cured, smoked meat, which may be sliced and eaten without cooking, or ...

'' and '), and pork. A well-known recipe is ''

fabes con almejas Fabes con almejas (English: Beans with claims, Spanish: ''Habas con almejas'', Asturian: ''Fabes con amasueles'') is a clam and bean stew that originated in the principality of Asturias in the 19th century as peasant fare. It is a lighter variat ...

'' (beans with

clams Clam is a common name for several kinds of bivalve molluscs. The word is often applied only to those that are edible and live as infauna, spending most of their lives halfway buried in the sand of the seafloor or riverbeds. Clams have two shel ...

). Asturian beans (''fabes'') can also be cooked with

hare Hares and jackrabbits are mammals belonging to the genus ''Lepus''. They are herbivores, and live solitarily or in pairs. They nest in slight depressions called forms, and their young are able to fend for themselves shortly after birth. The ge ...

partridge A partridge is a medium-sized Galliformes, galliform bird in any of several genera, with a wide Indigenous (ecology), native distribution throughout parts of Europe, Asia and Africa. Several species have been introduced to the Americas. They a ...

prawn Prawn is a common name for small aquatic crustaceans with an exoskeleton and ten legs (which is a member of the order decapoda), some of which can be eaten. The term "prawn"Mortenson, Philip B (2010''This is not a weasel: a close look at nature ...

s, or

octopus An octopus ( : octopuses or octopodes, see below for variants) is a soft-bodied, eight- limbed mollusc of the order Octopoda (, ). The order consists of some 300 species and is grouped within the class Cephalopoda with squids, cuttle ...

. Also of note are ' (made with white beans, kale, potatoes and a variety of sausages and bacon) and '. Pork-based foods, for example, ', ' and ' (chorizo-stuffed bread rolls), are popular. Common meat dishes include ' (roasted veal), ''

cachopo Cachopo is a ''freguesia'' (parish) in the municipality of Tavira (Algarve The Algarve (, , ; from ) is the southernmost NUTS II region of continental Portugal. It has an area of with 467,495 permanent inhabitants and incorporates 16 munici ...

'' (a crunchy, crumb-coated veal steak stuffed with ham and cheese), and '. Fish and seafood play an important role in Asturian cuisine. The

Cantabrian Sea The Cantabrian Sea; french: Mer Cantabrique, gl, Mar Cantábrico, ast, Mar Cantábricu, eu, Kantauri. is the term used mostly in Spain to describe the coastal sea of the Atlantic Ocean that borders the northern coast of Spain and the southwest ...

provides a rich variety of species, including tuna, hake and sardines. Asturian cheeses are very popular in the rest of Spain. Among them, the most representative is

Cabrales cheese Cabrales (Spanish: ''queso de Cabrales'') is a blue cheese made in the artisan tradition by rural dairy farmers in Asturias, Spain. This cheese can be made from pure, unpasteurized cow’s milk or blended in the traditional manner with goat and/ ...

, a pungent, blue cheese developed in the regions near the

Picos de Europa The Picos de Europa ("Peaks of Europe", also the Picos) are a mountain range extending for about , forming part of the Cantabrian Mountains in northern Spain. The range is situated in the Autonomous Communities of Asturias, Cantabria and Castil ...

. Other popular cheese types are '' gamonéu'' ''

afuega'l pitu Afuega'l pitu is an unpasteurised cow's milk cheese from Asturias, one of four Asturian cheeses (the others being Cabrales, Gamonedo cheese, and Casín cheese) to have been recognized with Protected Designation of Origin'' (''Denominación de ...

'', and '. These can be enjoyed with the local

cider Cider ( ) is an alcoholic beverage made from the fermented juice of apples. Cider is widely available in the United Kingdom (particularly in the West Country) and the Republic of Ireland. The UK has the world's highest per capita consumption, ...

, a low-alcohol drink made of Asturian apples, with a distinctive sourness. Asturian cider, ', made of a special type of apple, is traditionally poured ''escanciada'' from a certain height, usually over the head of the waiter/server: one hand holds the glass, slightly tilted, under the hip, while the other hand throws the cider from atop, the arm usually stretched upwards. When the cider falls into the glass from above, the drink "breaks", getting aerated and bubbly. It is consumed immediately after being served, in consecutive, tiny shots. Notable desserts are ' (similar to '' crêpes'', usually filled with cream or apple jam),

rice pudding Rice pudding is a dish made from rice mixed with water or milk and other ingredients such as cinnamon, vanilla and raisins. Variants are used for either desserts or dinners. When used as a dessert, it is commonly combined with a sweetener such ...

(white rice cooked with milk, lemon zest and sugar), and ' (

puff pastry Puff pastry, also known as ', is a flaky light pastry made from a laminated dough composed of dough (') and butter or other solid fat ('). The butter is put inside the dough (or vice versa), making a ' that is repeatedly folded and rolled out befo ...

cakes filled with almond mash and covered with sugar glaze).

Balearic Islands

Balearic cuisine Balearic cuisine is a Mediterranean cuisine as cooked in the Balearic Islands, Spain. It can be regarded as part of a wider Catalan cuisine, since it shares many dishes and ingredients with Catalonia and the Valencian Community. Others view it as ...

has purely

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the e ...

characteristics due to its location. The islands have been conquered several times throughout their history by the French and the English, which left some culinary influences. Some well known food items are the ''

sobrassada Sobrassada in Balearic or Sobrasada in Spanish, is a raw, cured sausage from the Balearic Islands (Spain) made with ground pork, paprika and salt and other spices. Sobrassada, along with , are traditional Balearic meat products prepared in t ...

'', ',

mahón cheese Maó cheese (''formatge de Maó'' in the original Catalan, ''queso de Mahón'' in Spanish) is a soft to hard white cheese made from cattle, cows' milk, named after the town and natural port of Maó (known as Mahón in Spanish), on the island of Men ...

, '' gin de Menorca'' (''pelota''), and

mayonnaise Mayonnaise (; ), colloquially referred to as "mayo" , is a thick, cold, and creamy sauce or dressing commonly used on sandwiches, hamburgers, composed salads, and French fries. It also forms the base for various other sauces, such as tartar ...

. Among the dishes are ''

tumbet Tombet or tumbet is a traditional vegetable dish from Majorca, consisting of layers of sliced potatoes, aubergines and red bell peppers previously fried in olive oil. It is available at almost every local restaurant on the island. Tombet is ofte ...

'', ', and roasted suckling pig. Popular deserts include ''

ensaïmada The ensaimada is a pastry product from Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain. It is a common cuisine eaten in Southwestern Europe, Latin America and the Philippines. The first written references to the Mallorcan ensaïmada date back to the 17th cent ...

'', ''

tambor d'ametlla Tambor can refer to: * Tambor, Costa Rica, a town in Costa Rica ** Tambor Airport, an airport that serves Tambor, Costa Rica * El Tambor River, river in Guatemala * Jeffrey Tambor (born 1944), American actor * Tambor (dance), Afro-Venezuelan mus ...

'', and '' suspiros de Manacor''. Balearic food is an example of the famous Mediterranean diet due to the importance of

legume A legume () is a plant in the family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or the fruit or seed of such a plant. When used as a dry grain, the seed is also called a pulse. Legumes are grown agriculturally, primarily for human consumption, for livestock f ...

s, unrefined cereals,

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particu ...

vegetable Vegetables are parts of plants that are consumed by humans or other animals as food. The original meaning is still commonly used and is applied to plants collectively to refer to all edible plant matter, including the flowers, fruits, stems, ...

s and

fish Fish are aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct related groups. Approximately 95% of li ...

Basque Country

Kokotxas al pilpil, Bilbao (33097477025)

The

cuisine A cuisine is a style of cooking characterized by distinctive ingredients, techniques and dishes, and usually associated with a specific culture or geographic region. Regional food preparation techniques, customs, and ingredients combine to ...

of the Basque Country has a wide and varied range of ingredients and preparations. The culture of eating is very strong among the inhabitants of this region. Highlights include meat and fish dishes. Among fish,

cod Cod is the common name for the demersal fish genus '' Gadus'', belonging to the family Gadidae. Cod is also used as part of the common name for a number of other fish species, and one species that belongs to genus ''Gadus'' is commonly not call ...

(''bacalao'') is produced in various preparations: ', ', to name a few. Also popular are

anchovies An anchovy is a small, common forage fish of the family Engraulidae. Most species are found in marine waters, but several will enter brackish water, and some in South America are restricted to fresh water. More than 140 species are placed in 1 ...

bream Bream ( ) are species of freshwater and marine fish belonging to a variety of genera including ''Abramis'' (e.g., ''A. brama'', the common bream), ''Acanthopagrus'', '' Argyrops'', ''Blicca'', '' Brama'', ''Chilotilapia'', '' Etelis'', ''Lepo ...

, and

bonito Bonitos are a tribe of medium-sized, ray-finned predatory fish in the family Scombridae – a family it shares with the mackerel, tuna, and Spanish mackerel tribes, and also the butterfly kingfish. Also called the tribe Sardini, it consists of ...

. Among the most famous dishes is '. Common meat dishes are beef steaks, pork loin with milk, fig leaf quail, and marinated goose. ''

Txakoli Txakoli (pronounced ) or chacolí (pronounced ) is a slightly sparkling, very dry white wine with high acidity and low alcohol content produced in the Spanish Basque Country, Cantabria and northern Burgos in Spain. Further afield, Chile is als ...

'' or ''chacolí'' (a

white wine White wine is a wine that is Fermentation in winemaking, fermented without skin contact. The wine color, colour can be straw-yellow, yellow-green, or yellow-gold. It is produced by the alcoholic fermentation of the non-coloured Juice vesicles, ...

characterised by its high acidity and a lesser-than-average alcohol content) is a staple drink from the Basque Country, produced in

Álava Álava ( in Spanish) or Araba (), officially Araba/Álava, is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lordship of Álava, former medieval Catholic bishopric and now Latin titular see. Its ca ...

and

Biscay Biscay (; eu, Bizkaia ; es, Vizcaya ) is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lordship of Biscay, lying on the south shore of the eponymous bay. The capital and largest city is Bilbao. B ...

Canary Islands

The

Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; es, Canarias, ), also known informally as the Canaries, are a Spanish autonomous community and archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, in Macaronesia. At their closest point to the African mainland, they are west of Morocc ...

have a unique cuisine due to their geographical location in the

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...

ocean. The Canary Islands were part of the trading routes to the

, hence creating a melting pot of different culinary traditions.

(fresh or salted) and

es are among the most common staple foods in the islands. The consumption of

cheese Cheese is a dairy product produced in wide ranges of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk, usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats, or sheep. During production, ...

fruits In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particula ...

, and pork meat also characterizes Canarian cuisine. The closeness to Africa influences climate and creates a range of warm temperatures that in modern times have fostered the agriculture of tropical and semitropical crops:

bananas A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large herbaceous flowering plants in the genus ''Musa''. In some countries, bananas used for cooking may be called "plantains", distinguis ...

, yams,

mango A mango is an edible stone fruit produced by the tropical tree ''Mangifera indica''. It is believed to have originated in the region between northwestern Myanmar, Bangladesh, and northeastern India. ''M. indica'' has been cultivated in South a ...

es,

avocado The avocado (''Persea americana'') is a medium-sized, evergreen tree in the laurel family (Lauraceae). It is native to the Americas and was first domesticated by Mesoamerican tribes more than 5,000 years ago. Then as now it was prized for i ...

s, and

persimmon The persimmon is the edible fruit of a number of species of trees in the genus ''Diospyros''. The most widely cultivated of these is the Oriental persimmon, ''Diospyros kaki'' ''Diospyros'' is in the family Ebenaceae, and a number of non-pers ...

s which are heavily used in Canarian cuisine. The aboriginal people,

Guanches The Guanches were the indigenous inhabitants of the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean some west of Africa. It is believed that they may have arrived on the archipelago some time in the first millennium BCE. The Guanches were the only nativ ...

, based their diet on ''

gofio Gofio is a sort of Canarian flour made from roasted grains (typically wheat or certain varieties of maize) or other starchy plants (e.g. beans and, historically, fern root), some varieties containing a little added salt. Gofio has been an im ...

'' (a type of flour made of different toasted grains),

shellfish Shellfish is a colloquial and fisheries term for exoskeleton-bearing aquatic invertebrates used as food, including various species of molluscs, crustaceans, and echinoderms. Although most kinds of shellfish are harvested from saltwater envir ...

, and

goat The goat or domestic goat (''Capra hircus'') is a domesticated species of goat-antelope typically kept as livestock. It was domesticated from the wild goat (''C. aegagrus'') of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the a ...

and pork products. ''Gofio'' is still consumed in the islands and has become part of the traditional cuisine. A sauce called ''

mojo Mojo may refer to: *Mojo (African-American culture), a magical charm bag used in voodoo Arts, entertainment and media Film and television * MOJO HD, an American television network * ''Mojo'' (play), by Jez Butterworth, made into a 1997 film * '' ...

'' is very common throughout the islands. It has been adapted and developed in many ways, so that it may complement various main dishes. Fish dishes usually require a "green ''mojo''" made from

coriander Coriander (;

, while roasted meats require a red variety made from chilli peppers that are commonly known as ''mojo picón''. Some classic dishes in the Canary Islands include ''

papas arrugadas Papas arrugadas ( ) is a traditional boiled potato dish eaten in the Canary Islands. It is usually served with a chili pepper garlic sauce, called mojo rojo, or as an accompaniment to meat dishes. The dish is made from small new potatoes whi ...

'', ''

almogrote Almogrote is a soft paste made from hard cheese, peppers, olive oil, garlic, and other ingredients, which is typically eaten spread on toast. It is native to La Gomera in the Canary Islands. See also * List of spreads This is a list of ...

'', '' frangollo'', rabbit in "''

'' sauce", and stewed goat. Some popular desserts are: ''truchas'' (pastries filled with sweet potato or pumpkin), roasted ''gofio'' (a ''gofio''-based dough with nuts and honey), ''príncipe Alberto'' (a mousse-like preparation with almonds, coffee, and chocolate), and ''

quesillo Quesillo (, meaning "little cheese") refers to different Latin American, Spanish, and Filipino foods or dishes depending on the country: Argentina Argentine ''quesillo'' is a notable product of the Calchaquíes and Lerma valleys. It dates ...

'' (a variety of flan made with condensed milk). Wineries are common in the islands. However, only Malvasia wine from

Lanzarote Lanzarote (, , ) is a Spanish island, the easternmost of the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean. It is located approximately off the north coast of Africa and from the Iberian Peninsula. Covering , Lanzarote is the fourth-largest of the i ...

has gained international recognition.

Cantabria

A popular Cantabrian dish is ''

cocido montañés ''Cocido montañés'' ('highlander stew' or 'mountain stew') is a rich hearty Spanish bean stew, originally from and most commonly found in Cantabria in northern Spain. ''Cocido montañés'' is a warm and heavy dish whose origin is the 17th cen ...

'' (highlander stew), a rich

stew A stew is a combination of solid food ingredients that have been cooked in liquid and served in the resultant gravy. A stew needs to have raw ingredients added to the gravy. Ingredients in a stew can include any combination of vegetables and ...

made with

bean A bean is the seed of several plants in the family Fabaceae, which are used as vegetables for human or animal food. They can be cooked in many different ways, including boiling, frying, and baking, and are used in many traditional dishes th ...

cabbage Cabbage, comprising several cultivars of ''Brassica oleracea'', is a leafy green, red (purple), or white (pale green) biennial plant grown as an annual vegetable crop for its dense-leaved heads. It is descended from the wild cabbage ( ''B.&nb ...

, and pork.

Seafood Seafood is any form of sea life regarded as food by humans, prominently including fish and shellfish. Shellfish include various species of molluscs (e.g. bivalve molluscs such as clams, oysters and mussels, and cephalopods such as octopus an ...

is widely used and

is present in the typical ''sorropotún'' or ' ( tuna pot). Recognized quality meats are

Tudanca Tudanca is a municipality in Cantabria, Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , nation ...

and game meat. Cantabrian pastries include ''

sobao Sobao or sobao pasiego is a Spanish delicacy typical of the Valles Pasiegos and one of the signature delicacies of Cantabria. The ''sobao pasiego'' possesses Geographical indication since 2004. Variations In the first primitive recipes, the ingre ...

s'' and '' quesadas pasiegas''.

Dairy product Dairy products or milk products, also known as lacticinia, are food products made from (or containing) milk. The most common dairy animals are cow, water buffalo, nanny goat, and ewe. Dairy products include common grocery store food items in th ...

s include

Cantabrian cream cheese Cantabrian cream cheese (Spanish: ''Queso de nata de Cantabria'') is made from the milk of Friesian cows in Cantabria, an autonomous community in northern Spain. The cheese has a Protected Designation of Origin since 1985. The production of the ch ...

smoked cheese Smoked cheese is any cheese that has been specially treated by smoke-curing. It typically has a yellowish-brown outer pellicle which is a result of this curing process. Process Smoke-curing is typically done in one of two ways: cold-smoking an ...

s, ''

picón Bejes-Tresviso Picón Bejes-Tresviso is a blue cheese from Cantabria, in the north of Spain. It has been protected under Denominación de Origen (DO) legislation since 1994, prior to which it was traditionally known as ''Picón de Tresviso'' and ''Queso Picón ...

,'' and '. ''

Orujo ''Orujo'' is a pomace brandy (a liquor obtained from the distillation of marc, the solid remains left after pressing of the grape) from northern Spain. It is a transparent spirit with an alcohol content over 50% (100° proof). Its name comes fr ...

'' is the Cantabrian

pomace brandy Pomace spirit (or pomace brandy) is a liquor distilled from pomace that is left over from winemaking, after the grapes are pressed. It is called marc in both English and French, but " grappa" in Italian and "bagaço" in Portuguese. In Spanish it ...

Cider Cider ( ) is an alcoholic beverage made from the fermented juice of apples. Cider is widely available in the United Kingdom (particularly in the West Country) and the Republic of Ireland. The UK has the world's highest per capita consumption, ...

(''sidra'') and '' chacoli'' wine are also favorites. Cantabria has two

wines Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are m ...

labelled

DOC DOC, Doc, doc or DoC may refer to: In film and television * ''Doc'' (2001 TV series), a 2001–2004 PAX series * ''Doc'' (1975 TV series), a 1975–1976 CBS sitcom * "D.O.C." (''Lost''), a television episode * ''Doc'' (film), a 1971 Wester ...

Costa de Cantabria Costa de Cantabria is a Spanish geographical indication for '' vino de la tierra'' wines located in the autonomous region of Cantabria, on the north coast of Spain. ''Vino de la tierra'' is one step below the mainstream '' denominación de origen' ...

and

Liébana Liébana is a ''comarca'' of Cantabria (Spain). It covers 575 square kilometres and is located in the far southwest of Cantabria, bordering Asturias, León and Palencia. It is made up of the municipalities of: Cabezón de Liébana, Camaleño, Cil ...

Castile-La Mancha

In Castilla-La Mancha, the culinary habits reflect the origin of foods eaten by

shepherd A shepherd or sheepherder is a person who tends, herds, feeds, or guards flocks of sheep. ''Shepherd'' derives from Old English ''sceaphierde (''sceap'' 'sheep' + ''hierde'' 'herder'). ''Shepherding is one of the world's oldest occupations, i ...

s and

peasant A peasant is a pre-industrial agricultural laborer or a farmer with limited land-ownership, especially one living in the Middle Ages under feudalism and paying rent, tax, fees, or services to a landlord. In Europe, three classes of peasants ...

s. It is said that the best La Mancha cuisine cookbook is the novel ''

Don Quixote is a Spanish epic novel by Miguel de Cervantes. Originally published in two parts, in 1605 and 1615, its full title is ''The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha'' or, in Spanish, (changing in Part 2 to ). A founding work of Wester ...

'' by

Miguel de Cervantes Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (; 29 September 1547 (assumed) – 22 April 1616 Old Style and New Style dates, NS) was an Early Modern Spanish writer widely regarded as the greatest writer in the Spanish language and one of the world's pre-emin ...

. Wheat and grains are a dominant product and ingredient. They are used in bread, soups, ''

gazpacho manchego Torta de gazpacho is a type of torta, or flat bread, used to prepare a dish called ''gazpacho'' or ''gazpacho manchego'' in La Mancha and Southeast Spain, including Murcia and parts of the autonomous community of Valencia. A ''torta de g ...

'', crumbs,

porridge Porridge is a food made by heating or boiling ground, crushed or chopped starchy plants, typically grain, in milk or water. It is often cooked or served with added flavourings such as sugar, honey, (dried) fruit or syrup to make a sweet cereal, ...

, etc. One of the most abundant ingredients in Manchego cuisine is

, leading to dishes such as ', ''

ajo puerco Ajo, Ajó, or AJO may refer to: Places *Ajo, Arizona, a census-designated place in Pima County, Arizona, US ** Ajo Peak, a mountain peak in southern Arizona ** Little Ajo Mountains, a mountain range in southern Arizona ** Ajo Unified School Di ...

'', and garlic marinade. Some traditional recipes are ''gazpacho manchego'', '' pisto manchego'', and '. Also popular is ', a kind of foie gras manchego.

Manchego cheese Manchego (officially es, queso manchego, ) is a cheese made in the La Mancha region of Spain from the milk of sheep of the Manchega breed. It is aged between 60 days and 2 years. Manchego has a firm and compact consistency and a buttery textu ...

is also renowned. Given the fact that its lands are dry, and thus unable to sustain large amounts of

cattle Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus ''Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult mal ...

living on grass, an abundance of small animals, such as

rabbit Rabbits, also known as bunnies or bunny rabbits, are small mammals in the family Leporidae (which also contains the hares) of the order Lagomorpha (which also contains the pikas). ''Oryctolagus cuniculus'' includes the European rabbit speci ...

, and especially birds (

pheasant Pheasants ( ) are birds of several genera within the family (biology), family Phasianidae in the order (biology), order Galliformes. Although they can be found all over the world in introduced (and captive) populations, the pheasant genera na ...

quail Quail is a collective name for several genera of mid-sized birds generally placed in the order Galliformes. The collective noun for a group of quail is a flock, covey, or bevy. Old World quail are placed in the family Phasianidae, and New Wor ...

squab In culinary terminology, squab is an immature domestic pigeon, typically under four weeks old, or its meat. The meat is widely described as tastes like chicken, tasting like dark chicken. The term is probably of Scandinavian origin; the Swedish w ...

), can be found. This led to

game meat Game or quarry is any wild animal hunted for animal products (primarily meat), for recreation (" sporting"), or for trophies. The species of animals hunted as game varies in different parts of the world and by different local jurisdictions, thou ...

being incorporated into traditional dishes, such as ''

conejo al Ajillo Conejo may refer to: *Conejo, California, an unincorporated community *Conejo, New Mexico, a census-designated place *Conejo Valley, a region in Southern California *Conejo Island, Honduras, in the Gulf of Fonseca See also * Conejos (disambigua ...

'' (rabbit in

garlic sauce Garlic sauce is a sauce prepared using garlic as a primary ingredient. It is typically a pungent sauce, with the depth of garlic flavor determined by the amount of garlic used. The garlic is typically crushed or finely diced. Simple garlic sauce ...

), ' (marinated partridge) or '' huevos de codorniz'' (

quail eggs Quail eggs are eaten and considered a delicacy in many parts of the world, including Asia, Europe, and North America. In Japanese cuisine, they are sometimes used raw or cooked as ''tamago'' in sushi and often found in ''bento'' lunches. In ...

)).

Castile and León

Castile and León Castile and León ( es, Castilla y León ; ast-leo, Castiella y Llión ; gl, Castela e León ) is an autonomous community in northwestern Spain. It was created in 1983, eight years after the end of the Francoist regime, by the merging of the ...

characteristic dishes include ''

morcilla A blood sausage is a sausage filled with blood that is cooked or dried and mixed with a filler until it is thick enough to solidify when cooled. Most commonly, the blood of pigs, sheep, lamb, cow, chicken, or goose is used. In Europe and the A ...

'', (a black pudding made with special spices), ', ''

sopa de ajo Garlic soup is a type of soup using garlic as a main ingredient. In Spanish cuisine, ''sopa de ajo'' (soup of garlic) is a traditional garlic soup made with bread and egg poached in chicken broth, and laced with garlic and sherry. By country ...

'' (garlic soup), '' Cochinillo asado'' ( roast piglet), ''

lechazo Lechazo is a Spanish dish made from "cordero lechal". Overview The meat used is from unweaned lambs, and is similar to veal, or the meat of "cochinillo" (Spanish suckling pigs like tostón asado). The autonomous region of Castile and León ...

'' (roast lamb), '' botillo del Bierzo'', ''

hornazo Hornazo () is a Spanish meat pie eaten in the provinces of Salamanca and Ávila. It is made with flour and yeast and stuffed with pork loin, spicy chorizo, and hard-boiled eggs. In Salamanca, it is traditionally eaten in the field during the "M ...

'' from Salamanca, ' (a cured ham from Guijuelo, Salamanca), '','' other sausages, Serrada cheese, ', and

Ribera del Duero Ribera del Duero is a Spanish Denominación de Origen Protegida (DOP) located in the country's northern plateau and is one of eleven 'quality wine' regions within the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is also one of several recogni ...

wines. Major wines in Castilian-Leonese cuisine include the robust wine of Toro, reds from

, whites from Rueda, and

claret Bordeaux wine ( oc, vin de Bordèu, french: vin de Bordeaux) is produced in the Bordeaux region of southwest France, around the city of Bordeaux, on the Garonne River. To the north of the city the Dordogne River joins the Garonne forming the ...

s from

Cigales Cigales is a municipality in Province of Valladolid, Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyo ...

Catalonia

The cuisine of

Catalonia Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy. Most of the territory (except the Val d'Aran) lies on the north ...

is based in a rural culture; it is very extensive and has great culinary wealth. It features cuisine from three climates: coastal (seafood), mountains, and the interiors. Some famous dishes include ''

escudella Escudella i carn d'olla, or shorter escudella, (; lit. "bowl") is a traditional Catalan and Valencian meat and vegetable stew and soup. Francesc Eiximenis wrote in the 14th century that it was eaten every day by Catalan people.''Totes les sopes ...

'', ''

pa amb tomàquet ''Pa amb tomàquet'' () ("Bread with tomato"), is a traditional food of Catalan, Aragonese and Balearic cuisine . ''Pa amb tomàquet'' is considered a staple of Catalan cuisine and identity. While considered a signature toast dish in the Catalan ...

'', bean omelette, ', ''

samfaina Samfaina is a Catalan - Valencian dish based on diced eggplant and zucchini, a sofrito of chopped garlic and onion and grated tomato, cooked in olive oil. Other ingredients like red and green peppers can be added, as well as herbs like thyme an ...

'',

soup Soup is a primarily liquid food, generally served warm or hot (but may be cool or cold), that is made by combining ingredients of meat or vegetables with stock, milk, or water. Hot soups are additionally characterized by boiling solid ing ...

, and ''

caragols a la llauna Caragols a la llauna (or ''cargols a la llauna'', in certain dialects, or "cargolada" in Northern Catalonia) is a delicacy of Catalan cuisine. It is a simple plate for Land_snail#Snails_as_human_food, land snails cooked on a grill, or in a llauna ( ...

''. Notable sauces are

romesco sauce Romesco () is a tomato-based sauce that originated from Valls, province of Tarragona, in Catalonia. The fishermen in this area made this sauce to be eaten with fish. It is typically made from any mixture of roasted tomatoes and garlic, toasted al ...

aioli Aioli, allioli or aïoli ( or ; Provençal oc, alhòli or ''aiòli'' ; ca, allioli ; es, alioli ) is a cold sauce consisting of an emulsion of garlic and olive oil; it is found in the cuisines of the northwest Mediterranean, from Andalusia ...

bouillabaisse Bouillabaisse (; oc, bolhabaissa, bullabessa ) is a traditional Provençal fish stew originating in the port city of Marseille. The French and English form ''bouillabaisse'' comes from the Provençal Occitan word ''bolhabaissa'', a compound t ...

of Catalan origin and ''

picada Picada () is one of the characteristic sauces and culinary techniques essential to Catalan cuisine. The technique is typically found in Catalonia and Valencia and subsequently Catalan cuisine and Valencian cuisine. It is not an autonomous sauce ...

''. Cured pork cuisine includes ''

botifarra ''Botifarra'' ( es, butifarra; french: boutifarre) is a type of sausage and one of the most important dishes of the Catalan cuisine. ''Botifarra'' is based on ancient recipes, either the Roman sausage ''botulu'' or the ''lucanica'', made of r ...

'' (white and black) and the ''

fuet Fuet (, lit. "whip") is a Catalan thin, dry-cured, sausage of pork meat in a pork gut. The most famous is made in the ''comarca'' (county) of Osona and is also known as ''Vic fuet'' (''fuet de Vic'', after the city of Vic, capital of Osona). O ...

'' of

Vic Vic (; es, Vic or Pancracio Celdrán (2004). Diccionario de topónimos españoles y sus gentilicios (5ª edición). Madrid: Espasa Calpe. p. 843. ISBN 978-84-670-3054-9. «Vic o Vich (viquense, vigitano, vigatán, ausense, ausetano, ausonense): ...

. Fish dishes include ' (

fish stew Fish stew is a generic name for a stew with a base or food ingredients of fish or seafood. It is also rarely used to refer to stew ponds. List of fish stews Types of fish stew from around the world include: * ''Asam Pedas'' (Indonesian) and (M ...

), cod stew, and ''

arròs negre ''Arròs negre'' (, es, arroz negro) is a Valencian and Catalan dish made with cuttlefish (or squid) and rice, somewhat similar to seafood paella. Some call it ''paella negra'' (''"black paella"''), although it is traditionally not called a pae ...

''. Among the vegetable dishes, the most famous are ''

calçot Calçot () is a type of green onion. The name ''calçot'' comes from the Catalan language. The calçot from Valls (Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain) is a registered EU Protected Geographical Indication. Calçots are milder and less bulbous than oni ...

s'' and ''

escalivada Escalivada (), also sometimes transcribed in Spanish as escalibada,Anya Von Bremzen, ''The New Spanish Table'' (Workman Publishing, 2005), p. 129 is a traditional dish from Catalonia, Valencia, Murcia and Aragón of smoky grilled vegetables. It ...

'' (roasted vegetables). Desserts dishes include Catalan cream, '' carquinyolis'', ''

panellets Panellets (, singular: ''panellet''; Catalan for "little bread") are the traditional dessert of the All Saints' Day, known as Castanyada, in Catalonia, Andorra, Ibiza and the Land of Valencia, with chestnuts and sweet potatoes. Panellets ar ...

'', ''

tortell A king cake, also known as a three kings cake, is a cake associated in many countries with Epiphany. Its form and ingredients are variable, but in most cases a () such as a figurine, often said to represent the Christ Child, is hidden inside. ...

'', and '' neules''.

La Rioja

La Rioja La Rioja () is an autonomous community and province in Spain, in the north of the Iberian Peninsula. Its capital is Logroño. Other cities and towns in the province include Calahorra, Arnedo, Alfaro, Haro, Santo Domingo de la Calzada, and N� ...

is recognized by the use of meats such as pork and

cold cuts Lunch meats—also known as cold cuts, luncheon meats, cooked meats, sliced meats, cold meats, sandwich meats, and deli meats—are precooked or cured meats that are sliced and served cold or hot. They are typically served in sandwiches or on ...

, which are produced after the traditional slaughter. Lamb is perhaps the second most popular meat product in this region ('). Veal is common in mountainous areas. Another well-known dish is ''

caparrones Caparrones is a Spanish stew made of ''caparrón'', a variety of red kidney bean, and a spicy sausage chorizo, both of which are local specialties of the Spanish La Rioja region. The shape of ''caparrón'' bean is shorter and rounder than common ...

,'' Rioja stew. The most famous dish is Rioja style potatoes and ''fritada''. Lesser-known dishes are Holy lunch and '' ajo huevo'' (garlic eggs). ''Pimientos asados'' (roasted peppers) is a notable vegetable dish. La Rioja is famously known in Spain for its

red wine Red wine is a type of wine made from dark-colored grape varieties. The color of the wine can range from intense violet, typical of young wines, through to brick red for mature wines and brown for older red wines. The juice from most purple grap ...

, so most of these dishes are served with wine. Rioja wine has designated origin status.

Extremadura

The cuisine of

Extremadura Extremadura (; ext, Estremaúra; pt, Estremadura; Fala: ''Extremaúra'') is an autonomous community of Spain. Its capital city is Mérida, and its largest city is Badajoz. Located in the central-western part of the Iberian Peninsula, it ...

is austere, with dishes prepared by shepherds. It is very similar to the cuisine of Castilla. Extremaduran cuisine is abundant in pork; it is said that the region is one of the best for breeding pigs in Spain, thanks to the

acorn The acorn, or oaknut, is the nut of the oaks and their close relatives (genera ''Quercus'' and '' Lithocarpus'', in the family Fagaceae). It usually contains one seed (occasionally two seeds), enclosed in a tough, leathery shell, and borne ...

s that grow in their fields. Iberian pig herds raised in the fields of

Montánchez Montánchez is a municipality located in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain. It is situated at , some 702 metres above sea level. The municipality has an approximate population of just over 2,000. The town sits in the Sierra de Montánc ...

are characterized by dark skin and thin legs. This breed of pig is found exclusively in Southwestern Iberia, both in Spain and Portugal. Iberian pork products such as sausages are common and often added to stews ('), as well as ' (pork liver pâté seasoned with paprika, garlic and other spices). Other meat dishes are lamb stew or goat stew (''caldereta de cordero'' and ''caldereta de cabrito''). Highlights include game meats, such as

wild boar The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The species is ...

, partridge, pheasant, or venison. Distinctive cheeses from the region include the so-called ''quesos de torta'', sheep milk cheeses typically curdled with the infusion of

: both the torta of La Serena and the torta of El Casar enjoy a protected designation of origin. Among the desserts are ''

leche frita Leche frita (literally ''fried milk'') is a Spanish sweet typical of northern Spain. It is made by cooking flour with milk and sugar until it thickens to a firm dough which is then portioned, fried and served with a sugar glaze and cinnamon ...

'', ', and ''

pestiños A ''pestiño'' is a Christmas or Holy Week pastry that is popular in Andalusia and other regions of southern Spain. It is a piece of dough, deep-fried in olive oil and glazed with honey or cinnamon sugar. History The prestiño dates back to t ...

'' (

fritters A fritter is a portion of meat, seafood, fruit, vegetables or other ingredients which have been battered or breaded, or just a portion of dough without further ingredients, that is deep-fried. Fritters are prepared in both sweet and savory var ...

), as well as many sweets that have their origins in

convent A convent is a community of monks, nuns, religious brothers or, sisters or priests. Alternatively, ''convent'' means the building used by the community. The word is particularly used in the Catholic Church, Lutheran churches, and the Anglican ...

s. Cod preparations are known, and

tench The tench or doctor fish (''Tinca tinca'') is a fresh- and brackish-water fish of the order Cypriniformes found throughout Eurasia from Western Europe including the British Isles east into Asia as far as the Ob and Yenisei Rivers. It is also ...

is among the most traditional freshwater fish, with fish and vegetable dishes such as '' moje de peces'' or '' escarapuche''. Pimentondelavera

Soups are often bread-based and include a variety of both hot and cold ones. Pennyroyal mint is sometimes used to season ''

s'' or soups such as '' sopa de poleo''. Extremaduran ''ajoblanco'' ('' ajoblanco extremeño'') is a cold soup different from Andalusian ''ajoblanco'' since it contains egg yolk in the emulsion and vegetables but no almonds. The Northeastern ''comarca'' of

La Vera La Vera is a comarca (county, but with no administrative role) in Extremadura, western Spain. The largest town is Jaraíz de la Vera. Located at the feet of the Sierra de Gredos mountain range, in the Tiétar river valley, the comarca is economic ...

produces ', smoked paprika highly valued all over Spain and extensively used in Extremaduran cuisine. The region is also known for its '' vino de pitarra'' tradition, home-made wine made in small earthenware vessels.

Galicia

Galician cuisine is known in Spanish territory because of the emigration of its inhabitants. Similarly to neighbouring Asturias, Galicia shares some culinary traditions in stews and soups with the Celtic nations of Atlantic Europe. One of the most noted Galician dishes is soup. Also notable is pork with turnip tops, a popular component of the Galician carnival meal ''laconadas''. Another remarkable recipe is ' (a chestnut broth), which is commonly consumed during winter. Pork products are also popular. The simplicity and authenticity of the Galician cooking methods were extolled already in the early 20th century by popular gastronome Manuel Puga e Parga (aka ''Picadillo''), praising dishes such as ' or ''

caldeirada Caldeirada (, ) is a Portuguese and Galician (Northwestern Spain region) fish stew consisting of a wide variety of fish and potatoes, along with other ingredients.Ilí Lacerda, ''The Secrets of Portuguese Cookery'' (2009), p. 45. A fishermen's ...

s'' (

), opposed to the perceived sophistication of the French cuisine. The seafood dishes are very famous and rich in variety. Among these are the Galician ''

empanada An empanada is a type of baked or fried turnover consisting of pastry and filling, common in Spanish, other Southern European, Latin American, and Iberian-influenced cultures around the world. The name comes from the Spanish (to bread, i.e., ...

s'', octopus, scallops, crab, and barnacles. In the city of

Santiago de Compostela Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, in northwestern Spain. The city has its origin in the shrine of Saint James the Great, now the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, as the destination of the Way of St ...

, located along an ancient pilgrim trail from the

, it was customary for travellers to first eat scallops upon arriving in the city. Among the many dairy products is '' queso de tetilla''. The '' queimadas'' (a folkloric preparation of ''

orujo ''Orujo'' is a pomace brandy (a liquor obtained from the distillation of marc, the solid remains left after pressing of the grape) from northern Spain. It is a transparent spirit with an alcohol content over 50% (100° proof). Its name comes fr ...

'') consists of mixing of the alcoholic beverage with peels of orange or lemon, sugar or

coffee bean A coffee bean is a seed of the ''Coffea'' plant and the source for coffee. It is the pip inside the red or purple fruit often referred to as a coffee cherry. Just like ordinary cherries, the coffee fruit is also a so-called stone fruit. Even thou ...

s, prepared in a nearly ritual ceremony involving the ''

flambé :''Flambé is also a type of ceramic glaze.'' Flambé (, , ; also spelled flambe) is a cooking procedure in which alcohol is added to a hot pan to create a burst of flames. The word means "flamed" in French. Flambéing is often associated with t ...

'' of the beverage. Sweets that are famous throughout the Iberian Peninsula are the ''

tarta de Santiago Torta de Santiago (in Galician) or Tarta de Santiago (in Spanish), literally meaning ''cake of St. James'', is an almond cake or pie from Galicia with origin in the Middle Ages and the Camino de Santiago. The filling principally consists of gro ...

'' and ' ('' crêpes''). Cattle breeding is very common in Galicia, therefore, a lot of red meat is consumed, typically with potatoes.

Madrid

Madrid did not gain its own identity in the Court until 1561, when

Philip II Philip II may refer to: * Philip II of Macedon (382–336 BC) * Philip II (emperor) (238–249), Roman emperor * Philip II, Prince of Taranto (1329–1374) * Philip II, Duke of Burgundy (1342–1404) * Philip II, Duke of Savoy (1438-1497) * Philip ...

moved the capital to Madrid. Since then, due to immigration, many of Madrid's culinary dishes have been made from modifications to dishes from other Spanish regions. Madrid, due to the influx of visitors from the nineteenth century onwards, was one of the first cities to introduce the concept of the restaurant, hosting some of the earliest examples.

Murcia

The cuisine of the

region of Murcia The Region of Murcia (, ; es, Región de Murcia ), is an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Spain located in the southeastern part of the Iberian Peninsula, on the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean coast. The region is in ...

has two sides with the influence of Manchego cuisine. The region of Murcia is famous for its varied fruit production. Among the most outstanding dishes are: '' tortilla murciana'', '' zarangollo'', '' mojete'', ''aubergine a la crème,'' '' pipirrana'', etc. A typical sauce of this area is '' ajo cabañil'', used to accompany meat dishes. Regional dishes include '' michirones'' (beans cooked with bay leaves, hot peppers and garlic), ''

olla gitana Andalusian cuisine is the cuisine of Andalusia, Spain. Notable dishes include gazpacho, fried fish (often called ''pescaíto frito'' in the local vernacular), the jamones of Jabugo, Valle de los Pedroches and Trevélez, and the wines of Jerez, p ...

'', '' cocido murciano con pelotas'', ''

sopa de mondongo ''Sopa de mondongo'' is a soup made from diced tripe (the stomach of a cow or pig) slow-cooked with vegetables such as bell peppers, onions, carrots, cabbage, celery, tomatoes, cilantro, garlic or root vegetables. The dish is generally prepare ...

,'' and others. Some meat products from Murcia are ''

'' (

black pudding , type = , course = , place_of_origin = Great Britain and Ireland , region =England, Ireland, Scotland , associated_cuisine = United Kingdom and Ireland , creator = , year = , mintime = , maxtime = , served = Hot, occasionally ...

), which is flavored with oregano, and '' pastel murciano'', made with ground beef. Among fish and seafood are the golden salt,

Mar Menor Mar Menor (, "minor/smaller sea") is a coastal saltwater lagoon in the Iberian Peninsula located south-east of the Autonomous Community of Murcia, Spain, near Cartagena. Its name is the opposite of the Mediterranean, which is the (greater/larg ...

prawns and baked octopus. Rice dishes are common and include '' caldero'', '' arroz empedrado'', '' paella Valenciana (rice with rabbit and snails)'', '' arroz de escribano'', and '' arroz viudo.'' Among confectionery products are ''exploradores'' and '' pastel de Cierva''. They are typical in Murcia gastronomy and are found in almost every pastry shop in Murcia. They are both sweet and savoury at the same time. Desserts are abundant; among them are '' paparajotes'', Orchard, stuffed pastries, and others. This region also has wine appellation of origin, as the wine from

Jumilla Jumilla () is a town and a municipality in southeastern Spain. It is located in the north east of the Region of Murcia, close to the towns of Cieza and Yecla. According to the 2018 census, the town population was 25,547. Geography The municipa ...

Bullas Bullas () is a municipality and town in the Region of Murcia, southeast Spain, located 53 km from the provincial capital, Murcia. it is the highest municipality in the Region of Murcia after Moratalla. The surrounding area is noted for the ...

wine and wine

Yecla Yecla () is a town and municipality in eastern Spain, in the extreme north of the autonomous community of Murcia, located 96 km from the capital of the region, Murcia. Toponymy The origin of the term Yecla comes from the Arabic Yakka, which wa ...

Navarra

The gastronomy of

Navarra Navarre (; es, Navarra ; eu, Nafarroa ), officially the Chartered Community of Navarre ( es, Comunidad Foral de Navarra, links=no ; eu, Nafarroako Foru Komunitatea, links=no ), is a foral autonomous community and province in northern Spain, ...

has many similarities with

Basque cuisine Basque cuisine refers to the cuisine of the Basque Country and includes meats and fish grilled over hot coals, ''marmitako'' and lamb stews, cod, Tolosa bean dishes, paprikas from Lekeitio, '' pintxos'' (Basque ''tapas)'', Idiazabal sheep's c ...

. Two of its flag dishes are '' trucha a la navarra'' (Navarra-style trout) and '' ajoarriero'', although we must not forget the '' cordero en chilindrón'' or ''

relleno The chile relleno (, literally "stuffed chile") is a dish in Mexican cuisine that originated in the city of Puebla. In 1858, it was described as a "green chile pepper stuffed with minced meat and coated with eggs". The most common pepper used is ...

''. There are very curious recipes such as the Carlists eggs. Salted products are common and include ''

chorizo de Pamplona ''Chorizo de Pamplona'' is a sausage that is typical in the cuisine of the Navarre region of Spain. It is prepared with equal parts of finely chopped beef and pork and significant amounts of a strong smoked paprika, pork fat and a natural or pl ...

'', stuffing and sausage. The lamb and beef have, at present, designations of origin. Among the dairy products are

Roncal cheese Roncal (''Erronkariko gazta'' in Basque) is a hard, creamy sheep milk cheese. It is made in one of seven villages in the Valle de Roncal of Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (m ...

, the

curd Curd is obtained by coagulating milk in a sequential process called curdling. It can be a final dairy product or the first stage in cheesemaking. The coagulation can be caused by adding rennet or any edible acidic substance such as lemon ...

Idiazabal cheese Idiazabal is a pressed cheese made from unpasteurized sheep milk, usually from Latxa and Carranzana sheep in the Basque Country and Navarre. It has a somewhat smokey flavor, but is usually un-smoked. The cheese is handmade and covered in a h ...

. Typical alcoholic drinks include

and ''

pacharán Patxaran () ( es, Pacharán) is a sloe-flavoured liqueur commonly drunk in Navarre, and other areas of Spain. It is usually served as a digestif either chilled or on ice. Etymology The word ''patxaran'' is the Upper Navarrese dialect, Upper Nav ...

''.

Valencia

The cuisine of

Valencia Valencia ( va, València) is the capital of the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, Valencia and the Municipalities of Spain, third-most populated municipality in Spain, with 791,413 inhabitants. It is ...

has two components, the rural (products of the field) and the coastal (seafood). One popular Valencia creation is ''

'', a rice dish cooked in a circular pan and topped with vegetables and meats (originally rabbit and chicken). Dishes such as '' arroz con costra,'' ''

'', '' fideuá'', '' arròz al horn'', and rice with beans and turnips are also common in the city. Coastal towns supply the region with fish, leading to popular dishes like '' all i pebre'' (

), typical of the

Albufera The Albufera, La Albufera or L'Albufera de València (, meaning "lagoon" in Valencian, from Arabic ''al-buhayra'', "small sea"), is a freshwater lagoon and estuary on the Gulf of Valencia coast of the Valencian Community in eastern Spain. It ...

. Among the desserts are

coffee liqueur Liqueurs are alcoholic beverages that are bottled with added sugar and have added flavours that are usually derived from fruits, herbs, or nuts. Liqueurs are distinct from eaux-de-vie, fruit brandy, and flavored liquors, which contain no adde ...

, chocolate Alicante, and '' arnadí'' and ''

horchata Horchata (; ), or (), is a name given to various beverages, which are generally plant-based, but sometimes contain animal milk. In Spain, it is made with soaked, ground, and sweetened tiger nuts. In Latin America and other parts of the Americas ...

'', both of Muslim origin. Notably, during Christmas,

nougat Nougat ( , ; ; az, nuqa; fa, نوقا) is a family of confections made with sugar or honey, roasted nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, and macadamia nuts are common), whipped egg whites, and sometimes chopped candied fruit. The c ...

is made in

Alicante Alicante ( ca-valencia, Alacant) is a city and municipality in the Valencian Community, Spain. It is the capital of the province of Alicante and a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city was 337,482 , the second-largest in t ...

and

Jijona Jijona () or Xixona () is a town and municipality in the Valencian Community on the eastern coast of Spain. Turrón The town is famous for a type of soft nougat, known in Spanish as '' Turrón de Jijona'' and in Valencian as ''Torró de Xixona'' ...

; also well-known are '' peladillas'' (almonds wrapped in a thick layer of caramel).

Customs

It is traditional to prepare and eat small honey cakes (''galletas de miel'') for the feast of Corpus Christi.

Notable Spanish chefs

Ferran Adrià Ferran Adrià i Acosta (; born 14 May 1962) is a Spanish chef. He was the head chef of the ''El Bulli'' restaurant in Roses on the Costa Brava and is considered one of the best chefs in the world. He has often collaborated with his brother, the ...

El Bulli El Bulli () was a restaurant near the town of Roses, Catalonia, Spain, run by chef Ferran Adrià and driven by the culinary ideas of Albert Adrià. The restaurant overlooked Cala Montjoi, a bay on Catalonia's Costa Brava. It held three Michelin st ...

Girona Girona (officially and in Catalan language, Catalan , Spanish: ''Gerona'' ) is a city in northern Catalonia, Spain, at the confluence of the Ter River, Ter, Onyar, Galligants, and Güell rivers. The city had an official population of 103,369 in ...

(closed). *

Juan Mari Arzak Juan Mari Arzak Arratibel (born July 31, 1942) is a Spanish chef, the owner and chef for Arzak restaurant. He is considered to be one of the great masters of New Basque cuisine. He describes his cooking as "signature cuisine, Basque cuisine ...

, ''

Arzak Arzak is a restaurant in San Sebastián, Spain. It features New Basque Cuisine. In 2008, Arzak's owner and chef, Juan Mari Arzak, was awarded the Universal Basque award for "adapting gastronomy, one of the most important traditions of the ...

'',

San Sebastián San Sebastian, officially known as Donostia–San Sebastián (names in both local languages: ''Donostia'' () and ''San Sebastián'' ()) is a city and Municipalities of Spain, municipality located in the Basque Country (autonomous community), B ...

Guipúzcoa Gipuzkoa (, , ; es, Guipúzcoa ; french: Guipuscoa) is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the autonomous community of the Basque Country. Its capital city is Donostia-San Sebastián. Gipuzkoa shares borders with the French depa ...

(1989). *

Santi Santamaría Santiago Santamaria i Puig (26 July 1957 – 16 February 2011), known as Santi Santamaria (), was a Spanish Catalan avant-garde chef. He was the first Catalan chef and owner to have his restaurant receive three stars from the Michelin Guide ...

, ''El Raco'',

Can Fabes Can Fabes was a restaurant close to Barcelona, in Sant Celoni, Catalonia, Spain. The chef was Santi Santamaria, who was the first Catalan cook ever to get 3 Michelin stars. Santamaria has been the president of Relais Gourmands and vice president o ...

Barcelona Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ci ...

(1994). *

Martín Berasategui Martín Berasategui Olazábal is a Spanish chef expert in Basque cuisine and owner of an eponymous restaurant in Lasarte-Oria (Gipuzkoa), Spain. Since 2001 it has been awarded three Michelin stars. He holds twelve stars in total, more than any ...

''Berasategui''

Lasarte Restaurante Lasarte is a restaurant in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Furthe ...

(2001). *

Carme Ruscalleda Carme Ruscalleda i Serra (, born in 1952) is the renowned Spanish chef of the restaurant Sant Pau in Sant Pol de Mar, near Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. She also owns and manages the restaurant Sant Pau de Tòquio in Japan. Ruscalleda was raise ...

''Sant Pau'' Sant Pol de Mar, Barcelona (2006). *

José Andrés José Ramón Andrés Puerta (born 13 July 1969) is a Spanish chef, and founder of World Central Kitchen (WCK), a non-profit devoted to providing meals in the wake of natural disasters. A Spanish-born and raised cook, he is often credited with br ...

''Minibar by José Andrés''

Washington D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, Na ...

Andres is a student of Adrià. He hosts ''Made in Spain'' on

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...

. *

Karlos Arguiñano Karlos Arguiñano UrkiolaNote the mixed spelling of his name. ''Karlos'' and ''Urkiola'' are spelled in Basque language, Basque, not the Spanish ''Carlos (given name), Carlos'' and ''Urquiola'', but ''Arguiñano'' is spelled in Spanish, not the B ...

, celebrity television chef. * Sergi Arola, ''La Broché'', ''Arola'' and ''Sergi Arola Gastro''. Arola is a student of Adrià who has been awarded two

Michelin star The Michelin Guides ( ) are a series of guide books that have been published by the French tyre company Michelin since 1900. The Guide awards up to three Michelin stars for excellence to a select few establishments. The acquisition or loss of a ...

s. *

Penelope Casas Penelope Casas (May 25, 1943 – August 11, 2013) was an American food writer, cookbook author and expert on the cuisine of Spain. Casas began authoring a series of English-language cookbooks focusing on the food of Spain during the 1980s, effective ...

, New York-born cookbook author. * Carlos Dominguez Cidon (León 1959–2009), recipient of the "Premio Alimentos" award in 1999 and Michelin Guiding Star award in 2004; author of eight books. *

María Mestayer de Echagüe María Mestayer de Echagüe (Bilbao, Vizcaya, December 20, 1877 - Madrid, 19 November, 1949), commonly known by her pen name, the ''Marquesa de Parabere'', was a basque gastronome, food writer and businesswoman. Author of several recipe books and ...

(Bilbao b. 1878 d. 1956), also known as "Marquesa de Parabere", the author of a two-volume cooking encyclopaedia entitled ''La Cocina Completa''. There are sections dedicated to the

pantry A pantry is a room or cupboard where beverages, food, and sometimes dishes, household cleaning products, linens or provisions are stored within a home or office. Food and beverage pantries serve in an ancillary capacity to the kitchen. Etymol ...

and table

etiquette Etiquette () is the set of norms of personal behaviour in polite society, usually occurring in the form of an ethical code of the expected and accepted social behaviours that accord with the conventions and norms observed and practised by a ...

. * Ángel Muro, a 19th-century food expert and author of the book ''Practicón''. * Simone and Ines Ortega, authors of ''1080 recetas'' (''1080 Recipes''). * Manuel Maria Puga and Parga, an early 20th century food expert and author of ''La cocina práctica''. *

Ilan Hall Ilan D. Hall is an American chef, television personality, and restaurateur. He won second season of ''Top Chef,'' and is owner-chef of Ramen Hood in Los Angeles. Early life and education Hall is a native of Great Neck, New York. His parents wer ...

, ''Casa Mono'', Manhattan, NY, winner of ''

Top Chef ''Top Chef'' is an American reality competition television series which premiered on Bravo on March 8, 2006. The show features chefs competing against each other in culinary challenges. The contestants are judged by a panel of professional chef ...

'' Season 2. *

Joan Roca Joan may refer to: People and fictional characters *Joan (given name), including a list of women, men and fictional characters *:Joan of Arc, a French military heroine *Joan (surname) Weather events *Tropical Storm Joan (disambiguation), multiple ...

, Jordi Roca i Fontané and Josep Roca i Fontané.

El Celler de Can Roca El Celler de Can Roca is a restaurant in Girona, Catalonia, Spain opened in 1986 by the Roca brothers, Joan, Josep and Jordi. It was first located next to their parents' restaurant Can Roca, but moved to its current purpose-built building in 200 ...

, "Rocambolesc", "Can Roca", "Mas Marroch" and "Cap Roig", in the province of

, and he restaurant "Roca Barcelona" in the province of

. Three Michelin stars in 2009. In 2013,

was selected as the best restaurant in the world by ''Restaurant'' magazine.