Tasting Spain: Local Cuisine

Spain has earned a reputation as one of Europe's most sensual countries, and nowhere is this reputation more evident than in the abundant pleasure that Spaniards take in eating and drinking. One of the greatest attractions of a visit to Spain is the chance to follow suit, with all the gusto of the locals. Spain's predominantly Mediterranean diet is rich in olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, and peppers. The Moors introduced Middle Eastern elements, such as rice and saffron, to Spanish cooking. You've probably heard of, and maybe even have tried, signature dishes like paella (the huge rice-based seafood dish), gazpacho (cold vegetable soup), and tapas.

If you're expecting to find only the heavy, medieval-style cooking of classic Castilian dishes, such as roast suckling pig, or if you assume Spanish cooks crank out spicy Latino dishes, you're in for a big surprise. Beyond tapas, gazpacho, and the ubiquitous tortilla española (a potato-and-onion omelet, served hot or cold), speaking of a national Spanish cuisine is nearly impossible. Instead, Spain takes pride in a number of unique regional cuisines. With Catalonia's rich Mediterranean diet — both sophisticated and rustic — the Basque Country's delicate preparations, Central Spain's roasted meats and game, the north coast's fresh seafood, and Andalusia's revered cured hams, fried fish, and refreshing cold vegetable soups, you'll find a culinary variety in Spain that's hard to match anywhere else in the world. In addition to the almost endless regional bounty, a number of young Spanish chefs, especially in places such as Barcelona and San Sebastián, have revitalized Spanish cooking with edgy, modern flair and catapulted Spain into a European gastronomic temple. Indeed, many gastronomes now cite Spain, rather than France, as the European leader in culinary achievement.

Spain is surrounded on almost all sides by water, and fresh seafood is a fundamental part of the Spanish diet. But meat is equally important. Spaniards especially love pork and cured ham. Spaniards also eat plenty of salads, fresh fruits, and vegetables. Spain may not be the easiest place for vegetarians (and it's harder still for vegans), but nearly every restaurant has a good selection of salads, nonmeat soups, and vegetables.

At some places in the U.S. and Canada, tapas are just an excuse to serve tiny bits of food for a big price, but that's not the case in Spain. Tapas, which cover everything from olives and cubes of cheese to haute-cuisine minimeals, are a longtime Spanish tradition. Joining a jubilant tapas crawl is one of the finest eating experiences in Spain. Like ravenous Spaniards, you can saunter from bar to bar, nibbling on an amazing array of snack foods laid out before you and then wash it all down with a sherry, wine, or beer.

Knowing what to expect when you're eating out

Spaniards are passionate about many things, eating chief among them. Dining — whether at home, at a tavern, or at an elegant restaurant — is an important social affair, a time to relax, and an event to savor and talk about afterward. Lunch is the main meal of the day, and a fine meal is always cheaper at this time than it is at night. Look for the fixed-price menú del día (menu of the day), which usually includes an appetizer, main course, dessert, bread, and wine or water for a reasonable price (often around 15 euro). Be warned, though, that for most North Americans and northern Europeans, Spain's dinner hours are absurdly late.

You'll find a whole range of restaurants in Spain, from informal taverns and family-owned joints to elegant European dining rooms. In the cities, finding a wide variety of cuisines won't present a problem — French and Italian are common, and more diverse ethnic choices, such as Vietnamese, Mexican, and Indian, are also beginning to take hold.

Chow time: Knowing when and what to eat

Spaniards eat late — often very late — and meals are leisurely. You may want to try and adopt the rhythm of later meal times before you go, even if that requires snacking and/or napping. Only a handful of restaurants outside of the tourist areas adapt to foreigners who want to eat lunch at noon and dinner at 6 p.m.

Breakfast (desayuno)

For desayuno (breakfast), most Spaniards eat little — perhaps just a café con leche (coffee with milk) and toast with jam, cheese, or sometimes, ham and olive oil on their way to work. They more commonly get to the office and then, around 10 a.m., drop down to the local bar or cafe for a croissant and coffee, or even a beer or sherry.

Lunch (almuerzo; comida)

Membership in the European Union is slowly but surely changing Spaniards' daily routines and eroding some long-held traditions. Today, fewer and fewer people return home from the office for the midday meal and quick siesta. However, almuerzo (lunch — known as comida, too) remains the centerpiece of the day, and many offices close from 2 to 4 p.m. Most restaurants open for lunch at 1 p.m., but many only begin to see crowds just after 2 p.m. (Sneaking in before the 2 p.m. rush is wise.)

Dinner (cena)

In Spain, the tarde (afternoon) lasts until about 8 p.m., so if you sit down to supper at 7 p.m., you'll be eating dinner in the afternoon, a most peculiar concept. People in Spain eat dinner uncommonly late, usually no earlier than 9 p.m. and often as late as 11 p.m. or even past midnight.

You don't have to eat quite as late as locals, however. Restaurants generally open for dinner at 8 p.m., though you can expect to be one of the few people ordering dinner at that hour. Everybody else is enjoying tapas and cocktails in the bar. The best plan is to down some tapas at your normal dinnertime to pace yourself for the late hours.