275- 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
ii. Eastern Spain
Catalonia’sirresistibility to both migrants and invading
armies has profoundly influenced its cuisine, although
we shouldn’t underplay the region’s own deep-seated
cultural traditions. Proximity to Provence accelerated
the development ofnouvelle cuisinehere and the
region now boasts the most gourmet restaurants per
capita in Spain.The Catalans excel in seafood cookery –
watch out for spiny lobster, sea bass and squid.They’re
particularly adept at combining fish with meat or poultry
in what they callmar i muntanya(sea and mountain).
Pollo con langosta, chicken with lobster, is a speciality.
In the foothills of the Pyrenees the grazing sheep
and goats constitute prime ingredients in the menu of
Aragón.Ternasco de Aragón, suckling lamb, is prepared
using a centuries-old method while snails, once poor
man’s food, are barbecued, broiled or cooked with rabbit
and lamb.The paddy fields ofValenciaare the biggest outside
Asia, so we shouldn’t be surprised that the region is the
home ofpaella.The sea serves up the key ingredients
for this and many other local specialities including
calamariandpulpo(octopus). If rice dishes aren’t your
bag – and they come in bewildering varieties: with a
crust, black with cuttlefish ink, in shellfish sauce – then
alternatives includepato a la naranja, duck with orange
sauce, ordorada a la sal, sea bass baked in salt. Inland,
the mountains contribute to a hearty diet of meat and
rice, producing dishes like rice with rabbit and snails.
Of Valencia’s abundant produce, oranges are the star
performers but grapes, figs and the like also abound.It’s suffered years of
abuse at the hands of
tourist restaurants but
original, authenticpaella
should featurebomba
rice, saffron, chicken,
rabbit,garrofobeans,
chicken stock and
tomatoes.The wordpaellaprobably
comes from the Latin,
patella, referring to an
iron cooking utensil.The perfectpaellahas a
crust at the bottom, the
socarrat, considered a
delicacy in Valencia.Paellais traditionally
eaten on a Sunday
afternoon.Valencians believe
paellacan only be made
successfully using
Valencian water.Paellabites