Why arroz negro’s black rice isn’t really black rice – at La Riua, Valencia

It was summer 2009 in Valencia, Spain. The classroom was cool, the students tanned with glistening skin, the sparkle of youth in our eyes. We were eager to learn, and eager to play. One warm night it was tapas and dancing in the old town, gliding through the cobbled streets, surrounded by churches and buildings with a history. The other night it was fooling around at the beach, grabbing a few beers to while the evening away on the golden sand, chilling and laughing and acknowledging the breaking sound of the waves as they touched and tickled our naked feet.

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The tapa that deserves an entry of its own: pa amb tomàquet

Pa amb tomàquet (tomato bread) is one of those foods that you can’t believe you didn’t know about sooner. Incredibly simple to make, yet infinitely delicious, surely this is a food that somebody will make trendy over in the UK at some point. Maybe you’re even reading this now and thinking, that could be me. I say, go for it! I would totally stop by regularly for an affordable pan con tomate, as it is also called. Because affordable is definitely what it is in Spain, and in my opinion what it should be, given the relatively low cost to make (which also means you can try it at home – yay!).

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Melt-in-your-mouth Spanish Carrillada

This summer, I was off to a mini-trip in Spain to revel in the sights and foods (mainly foods) of some of the country’s major cities. One of them was Sevilla, the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Andalucía and the province of Sevilla. I had heard from several friends that this was a beautiful place to visit, and finally I was able to get a sneak peek of it myself during our two-day stay.

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Mariscos galore – seafood at its best at Kiosko Universal, La Boquería, Barcelona

The beauty of many Spanish dishes is how simple they are in both cooking methods and number of ingredients, and yet how they still manage to be incredibly delicious and versatile. It’s the same with seafood too: there are many regional varieties, but often all you’ll need for a delicious seafood dish is grilled, boiled or fried clam or mussel or shrimp, a little salt and a sprinkle of olive oil on top. Simple indeed, but such an indulgence.
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Juicy, moist tortilla at Bodega de la Ardosa, Madrid

If you think of Spanish cuisine, more often than not a few key foods will come to mind. Aside from tapas (read more about Spain’s tapas culture here), jamón and paella, tortilla will likely be one of the hot contenders. But how much do you really know about this Spanish food ambassador? And do you know where to go for a melt-in-your-mouth feast of tortilla deliciousness?

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