Two Outstanding National Dishes

Mention Spanish cuisine and two things come to mind: tapas and paella. Especially popular is the traditional tapas offering which is actually more of an appetizer.

The tapa(s) consists of very strong flavours such as garlic, burnt red peppers, cumin, saffron, and/or tomato slices with anchovy-stuffed olives swimming in olive oil. Other varieties consists of meats mixed with seafood: chorizo sausages, anchovies, sardines, and/or mackerels on a dish with thick slices of bread covering the wine glass. This makes the traditional tapa or cover and sells from $1 to $4.00 most anywhere.

The traditional components of Paella to those of more mature and discriminating taste are red wine, Spanish rice and Mediterranean seafood. Spanish Valencia rice, pieces of chicken and chorizo sausages, every Mediterranean delicacy from the sea imaginable and red wine all simmered together and combined make one of the truly great international culinary experiences known to this planet. A Paella runs anywhere from $15 – $25.00. Both tapas and Paella are the two outstanding national dishes of Spain.