Speak the Culture: Spain: Be Fluent in Spanish Life and Culture

abundant: squash, turnips, beans andgrelos, the

flowering stalks of the turnip which form the basic

ingredient in many winter dishes, are all regulars.

The cuisine is pure comfort food – hardly surprising

given the weather – featuring sturdy soups and stews

likecaldo Gallegoandcocido, thickened with beans or

chickpeas and teamed up with pork belly, streaky

bacon and cabbage.

Ernest Hemingway raved about the trout found in the

cold clean waters ofNavarreinThe Sun Also Rises, and

it remains popular, often served withserranoham,

smoked bacon, olives and garlic. Delicacies like white

asparagus andpimientos del piquillo(spicy chillies) are

grown in the fertile soils of the Ebro valley, and cardoon

(orcardoas it’s called here), a relative of the artichoke

largely forgotten elsewhere in Europe, is cooked here

in béchamel sauce or with herbs and vinaigrette.

At Christmascardois served with an almond sauce.

Basque Country

Bacalao al pil pil– salted cod fried in olive oil with garlic and chillies.

Galicia

Pulpo a la Gallega– octopus cooked in a pepper and paprika sauce.

Asturias

Fabada– a sturdy bean stew with shoulder pork,chorizo, blood sausage and saffron.

Navarre

Cordero al chilindrón– lamb chops stewed in a spicy tomato and chilli sauce.

Cantabria

Sorropotún– casserole featuring tuna, potatoes, chillies and tomatoes.

Iconic dishes from the north

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1. Identity: the
   building blocks of
   2. Literature
   and philosophy
   3. Art and
   architecture
   4. Performing
   arts
   5. Cinema
   and fashion
   6. Media and
   communications
   7. Food and drink 8. Living culture:
   the details of

Follow the pilgrimage to
Santiago de Compostela,
Galicia, and then dine on
the famous pilgrim
scallop.

Walk the cheese trail in
the Picos de Europa,
Asturias.

Collect chestnuts in the
woods throughout Lugo
and Orense, Galicia, in
November.

THERE’S AN OLD
SAYING THAT IN
THE SOUTH THEY
FRY, IN THE CENTRE
THEY ROAST AND
IN THE NORTH
THEY COOK.
(Presumably it’s a
northern saying!)

Earning your

northern supper