the history of spanish food (2)

Previously, I focused on the Paella's history. Today, I will like to show the history of spanish food in general...
Now, pay attention........
Basically, we could divide what has impacted on spanish food into three reasons.
I quote from "Enforex", the website.

Geography of Spanish Food

The basis of the history of Spanish food of course has to do with its geographical situation. First of all, the country is located on the Iberian peninsula and is  almost entirely surrounded by the waters. Naturally, due to this fortunate location, seafood forms one of the pillars of Spain's gastronomy and categorizes the country as having a Mediterranean diet. The rest of Spain is a diverse terrain made up of mountain ranges, lush pastures, fertile farmgrounds, extensive coastlines and more, which together provide quite the variety of fresh products. For example, Spain's famous hams are cured high in the mountains, vineyards and olive groves sprawl across expanses of land, and fresh fruits and vegetables hail from throughout the country..(http://www.enforex.com/culture/history-spanish-food.html

Cultures Throughout the History of Spanish Food

Endless cultures, as they passed through or settled in Spain, have influenced the history of Spanish food. The Phoenicians left their sauces, the Greeks introduced Spain to the wonders of olive oil, and Romans, Carthaginians, and Jews integrated elements of their own cooking into that of Spain. However it was the Moors who, during their centuries of reign, most impacted Spanish gastronomy. They introduced fruits and light seasonings into the Iberian diet, as well as combinations of fruits and nuts with meats and fish. Rice- a genuine staple of Spanish gastronomy- and therefore Spain's vast array of rice dishes, come straight from the Moors, as does the use of saffron, cinnamon, and nutmeg. As you eat gazpacho on a hot summer day, thank this clearly gastronomically talented Moorish culture, as it too comes straight from them. Conclusion? Ironically enough, the foods we consider to be "typically Spanish" would either not exist or would be extremely different without the intervention of so many cultures into the history of Spanish food..(http://www.enforex.com/culture/history-spanish-food.html

The Americas' Impact on the History of Spanish Food

Along with its obvious historical impact, the discovery of the Americas with Christopher Columbus' famous 1492 voyage resulted in the addition of more important elements to the history of Spanish food. As of 1520, foods from the new lands arrived in Spain and immediately began to integrate themselves into the Spanish diet. Amongst the many products that crossed the Atlantic and arrived on Spanish turf, tomatoes, vanilla, chocolate, various beans, and potatoes - which surprisingly arrived in Spain before arriving in Ireland- are all staples of today's Spanish kitchen.(http://www.enforex.com/culture/history-spanish-food.html)
So, you see? because of the geographical, cultural and American's impact, here comes spanish food.

The histoy of spanish food (1)

Part 1!!!!!
We all know "Paella" is quite famous around the world and the food is originated from Spain. But, we do not know why spanish people created paella, right?
Today, I am going to be the teller. Let's talk about Paella's history.
 Paella is from Valencia, one of the city nearby by sea in Spain. Factories are around in Valencia. Paella was originally a laborers' meal, cooked over an open fire in the fields and eaten directly from the pan using wooden spoons. Seafood is rare in the fields of Valencia, which is why they used chicken, rabbit, duck and snails.
Snails were the most commonly used meat as they were cheap; for special occasions rabbit or duck would be added and the well-off would have chicken. Anyone that tries to tell you that the original paella was a seafood dish is wrong.
Today, we have two kinds of paella.. paella with seafood; paella with meat(duck, rabbit...). The first one is always much more expensive than the second one. After all, seafood is pretty rare in Spain. Somehow, we don't find any paella with meat in spanish restaurant of Taiwan. Maybe, they took the wrong concept? (they thought paella with seafood was the originated one. )
Anyhow, personally, i prefer paella with seafood, because that's more fresh. And, paella with lemon is much a perfect match!!
 

Valencia

Paella only with meat

paella with seafood.:)

Now, are you mouth watering? If you are hungry, let's go spanish restaurant!! (Next, spanish restaurant in Taiwan)

Life In Spain

Although you may feel that my title is nothing to do with spanish food, those are related. Firstly, if we know the way spanish people live their lives, we will also know why they create this kind of food: paella, tortilla de patata....
If we understand their cultures, we can also know everything is related.
OK!! today, I will focus more on my life in Spain. I would like to share some photos-- where I have been and what I was doing there briefly.
My life was quite simple there in Spain.
From Monday to Friday
8:00~ Get up time.
9:00~ Go to school
1:00~ Back to dorm.
1:30-3:00~ have lunch(if you want to see what i was eating, please look at the previous article)
3:00-5:00~  have a break.
5:00-8:00~ have some sightseeing.
9:00-10:30~ dinner time.
after 10:30~free time (sometimes, we have party)

Did you notice that? my life is quite simple there. Same as spanish people. They get up pretty late, and go to work. But, they do not stay at work for such a long time. They care more about their resting time.
That's the reason why there are a lot of bars and clubs in Spain. For them, drinking and dancing are the way that they can be relaxed.
OH~ Honestly, I am not a lazy girl. Just because I had to get adapt to their living style. Now, photo time~~~

This photo was taken when we went to the bar nearby our school. I was not drunk yo! I think I did practice drining a lot when i was in spain, that's the reason why I am not easily to be drunk.

See the beautiful scenery? I used to go there. When we went hiking, we used to across this bridge.

I was quite satisfied of my life in Spain because I did not really need to worry about something, like the homework. Nothing stress me out there. In short, life in spain is really different from life here in Taiwan. (Now, yeah, i do worry about my homework.)

Spanish meals in Cuenca

When I was in Cuenca, Spain, sometimes, I had my meals in bars or some restaurant with my friends, but almost the time, I stayed in the student restaurant. I like staying in the student restaurant having meals with my friends because that is more relaxing and also, eating in the student restaurant is FOR FREE(probably, the fee was included in our tuition.) But, compared to eating outside, eating inside is greatly much cheaper.

So... let me introduce Spanish food by posting some photos of the food I had in the student restaurant

This is the first meal I had in Cuenca... Firstly, see the dessert? the white one in the bowl. That is rice with milk(arroz con leche). that's well-known in Spain, nevertheless, people from Taiwan couldn't get used to this kind of food(normally, for us, rice is our main meal and is supposed to eat it with something salty.) As a result, the chef decided not to make arroz con leche anymore. That was my first time but also the last time to taste arroz con leche........
In Spain, people usually have two meals, the first meal and the second meal. See the potato on the right side? that is the first meal. People in Spain often take potato or french fried as their main meals(probably it's the same in the whole Europe.)But, as what I know, I had either potato or french fried in every meal everyday.
The second dish on the left side was my second meal.  Oh, right now I am so hungry.

 This was the last dinner I had in the student restaurant. And, this was my first meal. See... potato again. But..
I like potato so much. You can say I was born just for potato.

My second meal for the last day. I seldom took vegetable in Spain. I think that was because I did not like vegetable without being cooked or without adding every sauce. I don't know if you can see I did truly "pour" much and much salt in my meal. To put short, I like eating something salty.
So, that was my last meal in the student restaurant.. I miss them so much!!!

\

Our last day. Altough we seemed to be fine, inside in our heart, we were bleeding because of the saddness of our departure.

the End~~~~~~~ 

the Introduction of Tapas

      Tapas is not a particular type of food. Anything can be tapas - tortilla de patata, croquettes, ham and cheese on toast..etc.  As long as it is small and served with drinks, like beer or sangria. Paella cannot be taken as one type of tapas because, normally, we eat paella without drinks.
    
      I like to eat my meals in bars because, firstly, it's cheaper compared to eat in restaurants; secondly, usually, we could have some free tapas, like chips, beans or some tiny things if ordering drinks.

Let me show some photos about me and tapas in bars......

   This is Spanish jamon(ham). Ham could be one of tapas ya!! Of course, I didn't take this photo in bar.. Just way too curious what it is when I astonishingly saw jamon in the supermarket.

this is french fried. Probably you are thinking,why is this special. But, it's truly special for me because it's the first time I went to bar having dinner with my friends in Spain.

The first time I was in bar with friends. It was like 11:00 o'clock then, and we were still having our DINNER.

Speak of that, let me tell you guys about the correct time for Spanish to have their meals....

Breakfast: around 8:00-9:00 depends what time they are going to school or work.

                    Lunch: approximately starts from 2:00. It's pretty late and that is the thing I couldnt' get used to in the first week.

                  Dinner: starts from 9:00 o'clock. But, those of my Spanish friends usually take their dinner  after  

                   10. Heard the more late we take our dinner, the easier we will gain our weight. But, I don't 

                    know why Spanish could always keep their figure fit.

See!! We were so Spanish. We had dinner with beers and only had tapas. And, we started our dinner at like 10:00.

Finally, the last photo...

Beer with lemon, coke and me.............................................................................

Hope you like the photos I share with my TAPAS:)

CIAO

Let's make Paella

     Paella is spanish fried rice with sea food or meat.  My first time to take paella was in Barcelona and I think that is the most tasty paella I have ever taken. Compared to tortilla de patata or Sangria,  Paella is more difficult to learn to cook for me because I cannot even make fried rice. Accordingly, if we want to learn how to make paella, my suggestion - learn fried rice firstly.

Firsly, let's talk about the History of Paella...

Paella was originally a laborers' meal, cooked over an open fire in the fields and eaten directly from the pan using wooden spoons. Seafood is rare in the fields of Valencia, which is why they used chicken, rabbit, duck and snails.

Valencia was a city where paella was originated from. My second  time to take Paella was in Valencia. To be honest, I was kinda disappointed of the paella there because I thought it was supposed to be paella with seafood rather than that with meat. After all, valencia is a city along side the sea.

Anyhow, I have found "how to make paella" video in youtube. Let's take a look at it together!


What a super huge paella...

 Here is the recipe:
INGREDIENTS:
1 small onion, finely chopped 1 green pepper, finely chopped
½ red pepper, boiled until soft and then cut into long thin strips
2 medium-sized tomatoes, skinned and finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
100g peas, cooked
200g prawns
200g small clams
200g squid
12 mussels
350g rice 2 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
a pinch of saffron strands
a sprig of parsley, finely chopped
olive oil
about 800ml water

This is the paella I took in Valencia!!  jeje heard it's tasty.
GOODBYE!!

Sangria-- a famous cocktail in Spain(una bebida)

Previously, I have taught you how to make tortilla de patata. Today, I am going to teach you how to make Sangria by yourselves.
Same as the title, Sangria is a famous cocktail in Spain. The reason why spainsh like Sangria so much is because- firstly, this kind of drinking is easy to be made; secondly, S is a good parter in party.
During my stay in Spain, I fell in love with Sangria and gradually got addicted. So, I started to dig into how to make sangria by myself. YA!!!!

                                          Let's watch "How to Make a Traditional Sangria"

According to the video, we need:
1.Larger pitcher.
2.A bottle of wine.
3.Two spoons of sugar.
4 Three.orange wheels.
5.Three lime wheels.
6.Three lemon wheels.
7.Two oz. fresh lemon juice
8. Three oz. brandy of vodka.
9.Three oz. triple sec.
10.Wooden spoon.
11. Ice.
12. Measuring jigger.
13. A red wine glass.

Seems so many ingredients, right? But, actually, those are just easy to be prepared.
Also, you can add grape juice, pieapple juice or whatever, depend on you.


Now, let's begin our Sangria making.....

Step 1, Throw 3 slices of lemon 3 slices of orange and three lime wheels.

Step 2, Add a half bottle of juice and some sugar.

Step 3, mix them.

Step 4, Pour a bottle of red wine and 6 oz. of brandy.

Step 5, Add three oz. triple sec.

Step 6, add ice right away.

I think if we follow those steps, then, a wonderful Sangria will be made.


Let's party with Sangria, shall we?

The first meal in spanish restaurant: tortilla de patata

In English, tortilla de patata is called potato omlette. It's simple to be made, therefore, lots spanish know how to home-made tortilla de patata. It triggers my interent to make one by myself, and that's why I went to search a video on youtube and expect that I could make my own tortilla de patata.


The video spoken in Spanish,

My spanish is not that good enough to understand all, but I could try my best to translate it for you guys.

Firstly, lets get to know the recipe:
Ingredients: olive oil, 5 eggs, salt,  and potatos
1. Peel off the skin of potato and wash it to make sure it's clean.
2. Cut those potatos into pieces. The smaller, the better.  And, slice the onion.
3. Put the potatots into the pot and then, put the onion.
4. Break those eggs and put them into a pot and stir them.
5. When you think those potatos are ready, get them out of the pot and stir with eggs together.
6. Put them into the pot again and wait for a few minutes.
7. Remember to turn to another side, when you think this side is ready.

Get it? Do you already know those steps of making delicious tortilla de patata?

Then, are you ready? Let's make one right now.