By jdippel529
Spain is a culture rich in history, language, wine, and more importantly, food. Sitting down for a meal is one of Spain’s defining cultural experiences. People gather with friends, family, and co-workers everyday, hours on end, to enjoy each and every one of their meals. That is why it is pretty hard not to fall in love with all of the amazing food Spain has to offer. Although I have only been in Madrid for 3 weeks, there are dozens of dishes that I know I will go back to America sorely missing. But for now, here are my top 5 favorite Spanish foods:
- Paella – My all-time favorite. Although Paella is traditionally a Valencian dish, you can still find it just about anywhere in Madrid. It is a rice dish typically served with seafood and peppers, but I’ve also had it with chicken. Once its served, you can’t forget your squeeze of lemon on top. All in all, paella is an explosion of flavors you simply won’t be able to resist.
- Croquetas – Croquetas are small, fried, bread-crumbed rolls usually containing mashed potatoes and/or basically any type of ground meat. Warm, fried, and cheesy—croquetas, in my opinion, are the best comfort snack Spain has to offer.
- Patatas Bravas – This is another one of my go-to tapas dishes. Patatas bravas are diced potatoes fried in oil and then served with a spicy tomato sauce. They are basically hash browns 2.0
- Pan – Bread! Any Spanish meal is simply incomplete without a heaping portion of bread on the side. I thought I was a bread lover back in the States, but I knew nothing about real bread until I arrived in Madrid. This is the kind of bread made for Kings (and Queens).
- Tortilla – Spanish tortilla is nothing like Mexican tortilla. Instead, it is really an omelette. It consists of egg, potatoes and fried vegetable oil, and usually takes on the shape of a cake. Although you may think of breakfast when you think of eggs, this dish can be served at any and every Spanish meal. It’s great that tortilla is one of the most common dishes in Spain, since it is a food you will definitely begin to develop a craving for.
For me, the hardest thing about adjusting to life in Spain has been overcoming the language barrier. But, food is universal. My strongest and most confident immersion into the Spanish culture has most definitely been through its amazing dishes. With my host mom, especially, I find that we don’t have to say a word to agree on how delicious our dinner is. That’s the beautiful thing about this country, it can teach you so much through something as simple as food.