A trip to Spain must always include its food specialties. This country known for its amazing vibes, beautiful weather friendly people and magnificent variety of cities is also the favorite for many tourists Thanks to its culinary culture.
Who doesn’t like eating well while travelling? And when Italy is known for its Pasta, pizza and delicious Gelatosss, its neighbor Spain wont fail to impress you with its variety of amazing food paring it with some great Sangria.
I called this small article “Spanish specialties” . Although, some of the Spanish cities have their own specialties, the ones am going to tell you about are the must wherever you are in Spain. Your trip is never complete without trying them and why not bring some of those with you back home
Here is a small tip for you: While you are planning your trip to the Capital or any other city make sure to include a visit to a street food Market. You will find many of those in Madrid and a very famous one in Barcelona.
Oh and if you haven’t checked yet the Madrid Itinerary, or Madrid top Attractions Make sure you do😊
Now Let’s enjoy together those delicious and Various specialties🤩
1- The Famous Paella
This is without any doubt the most famous Spanish dish out there. The Paella is eaten in all corners of Spain and is not exclusively made with seafood.🍤
Oh Yes! To the surprise of many of you I suppose, the Original Valencian Paella can be made either with Rabbit and Chicken or with Seafood. So in case you are not a fan of seafood you can still taste this delicious Spanish dish. So as it might have slipped away, the paella is most famous in eastern Spain more precisely in Valencia.
But don’t worry about that you can find that fabulous dish in Madrid, Barcelona or any other city you wish to visit.
My bad! I haven’t yet talked about the main ingredient of the Paella. Influenced by the mix of two cultures in Spain, the Paella combined the Roman pan and the Arab rice. The main component is the crispy Rice! And what gives it the caramel color is the Saffron. Vegetables and sometimes beans are added to complete the dish.
When is the best to eat it? This specialty is mostly eaten at lunchtime and shared between many people. Bon Appetit!😋
2- The delicious Patatas Bravas
My favorite one of them all! Who doesn’t like potatoes?? Well this small dish of those delicious cubes potatoes is always part of the classic tapas menu. You can’t leave Spain without trying its special potatoes.
The Patatas bravas😍which means “Brave potatoes” is named because of its delicious unique spicy sauce that is rare in Spanish food.
The potatoes are typically white cut into small wide cubes and served almost the same everywhere.
What about the topping? When it comes to the sauce you can pick between spicy ketchup or garlic mayonnaise with some smoked paprika. Or why not try both?😉
Tip: don’t forget to pair your Patatas with some good Spanish Sangria😋
The Patatas Bravas price is around 5 euros. You can also grab a small box of those and eat them while having a walk.
3- The Spanish Jamon
When you say Spanish specialties, you say Jamón. 🍖You can’t possibly visit Spain without trying its finest Jamon. This ham is at the heart of Spanish cuisine. Wherever you are in the country you can’t miss out on the Jamón shops with their wide variety and tempting display.
The finest Spanish Jamón
While Spain’s regions vary in their local food traditions, both the cured Serrano and Ibérico hams are treasured in all markets and restaurants all over the country.
Jamón Serrano is a cured country ham made from conventional pork and holds about 90% of Spain’s annual ham production.
Jamón Ibérico is the pride of Spain.😎 In fact the Jamón Ibérico de Bellota is considered the world’s finest ham. And to my surprise, I was told that some of those whole hams can be sold for up to 2000$.
So if you are a Ham lover what are you still waiting for? This is where you will have the finest most delicious Jamon.
Tip: If you want the full Spanish experience, try those ham in the food Markets.
4- The Spanish Tapas
This is the typical Spanish way of eating. Having Tapas is the ultimate Spanish culinary experience. Either at lunch or at dinner, tapas are always a great choice. But what does Tapas stands for? 🤓
There is a wide variety of tapas that can be both cold and hot. And while the Patatas Bravas are the most famous Tapa, you should definitely try the Tortilla. 🥘This being the Spanish Omelets made with eggs potatoes and onions. Also don’t forget to try the calamari rings that are so popular especially in Barcelona, the delicious croquettes and of course some olives and cheese.
The list is endless! You have plenty of choices and you will definitely find what fits best your taste.
Recommendation: here is a small one for you😉 If you are ever in Barcelona, make sure to try this one. La Taverna del Clinic. Address: Rossello, 155, 08035 Barcelona Spain
5- The special Churros
So yes the Spanish also have their own special dessert and its nothing else than the delicious Churros.
What are they made from? Everything nice😅 They consists of a fried choux pastry coated in cinnamon sugar. They have a crisp outside and soft inside.
What are you waiting for? I don’t know😅 The Churros have become so popular in the United states that you find them sold with about 10 different flavors in Disneyland.
So you can’t basically leave Spain without trying its special dessert. Make sure to have them with chocolate😋
Tip: At 2min away from Plaza Mayor, Madrid you will find one of the best Cafes that serves Churros with chocolate. Chocolatería San Ginés, is the perfect place to visit for an afternoon dessert.
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