La Comida Española

Okay, so I have been very bad about writing new blog posts recently. I know. It is finals time and ever since returning from spring break my life has been infinitely busier. There are papers to write, exams to study for, and wine to be consumed. So while I will eventually post about my fabulous experiences in Paris, Lisbon, Barcelona, and other cities on spring break with my parents, I am going to share a newspaper article that I recently wrote for my communications class. The article is about the students’ experience with Spanish food while we have been living here, and I think it may be an accurate portrayal of how many Americans (though certainly not all) view the Spanish food. If you disagree or have any favorite Spanish dishes, leave a comment below! I’d love to hear from you! So here it goes..

 

La Comida Española

An American’s take on Spanish Cuisine

            While boarding the plane from Salt Lake City to Madrid in January, I remember having no idea what I was getting into. I was both excited and terrified to live in a new country, while having no idea that by the end of the four months I was going to spend in Spain, I would have had a taste of a very different culture than my own – both literally and figuratively. The Spanish food has been one of the most difficult things for me to adjust to here, and I have found that most of my classmates feel the same way.

We all had romantic ideas of what Spanish food would be: tall glasses of sangria, gourmet tapas, and a Latin-like flavor that is as spicy and sassy as the Flamenco dancers in Andalucía. Every American has heard rumors about the food in Europe. “You’ll never want to eat American food again,” all the former study abroad students say.

As it turns out, they were wrong.

“Yeah, I’m not a huge fan,” study abroad student Kalin Padberg says while talking about Spanish food, “Its definitely not my favorite.”

When speaking with other students about their experiences with Spanish food, these types of responses were overwhelmingly common. But whether it’s the late eating schedule, delicious coffee, or interesting choice of spices (or lack thereof), here are the most noticeable differences between Spanish and American food.

The eating schedule in Spain is probably the thing that we have struggled with the most. Perhaps our desire to eat at 6 has been bred into our American blood, but it seems that we all missed the memo about the late eating habits in Spain. Their breakfasts are unbelievably small, generally only a piece of toast and fruit or a yogurt. Lunch is eaten around 2 or 3, and here is where the Spaniards consume the greatest amount of their food. Finally, dinner is served around 10pm. Yes, that’s right, 10pm. It is possible to adjust to this schedule, but for some of us it was a difficult adjustment to make.

As student Diana Tenenbaum said, “It’s a fine change…temporarily.” The bonus of this eating schedule is that when you go out to the bars at 1am, there is still food in your stomach.

The lack of flavors in Spanish food was very unexpected. I suppose that most people figured Spanish food would be similar to that of Latin America, or at least have some of the same flavors given their close history for the past several centuries. However, the flavors found in Latin America, and for the most part flavors in general, are nowhere to be found in Spain. My host mom, Concha Barahona, once yelled at me for trying to put pepper in my soup.

“In Spain, we see the use of lots of spices and flavors as trying to cover up the taste of bad food. Its an insult to put pepper on your food,” Concha said. “If you bought the cheap fish from the store, then you would want to mask the flavor by covering it in spices. But if you buy the good fish, why wouldn’t you want to taste it?”

I guess this explanation just means that the quality of Spanish food is generally better. Or at least that’s what we’re telling ourselves.

The coffee in Spain and the rest of Europe is a force to be reckoned with, however. The day I tasted my first Spanish coffee was the day that my life changed forever. Never again will a Starbucks black coffee satisfy my caffeine craving. Someone once told me that in America, we take our coffee like the Europeans take their liquor: Lots of it and all at once. For this reason our coffee tends to be weaker and not taste as good. Since the Spaniards take the time to sit down and enjoy their coffee, it is produced and brewed to taste better.

A beautifully crafted Spanish cappuccino

The wine in Spain is also for some reason smoother than what you would find in the United States. Maybe it’s the Mediterranean wines or maybe it’s the adorable bars that serve it, but every student has certainly experienced the magic that is Spanish wine. The Spanish have many variations of wine-drinks, two of the most popular being sangria and tinto de verano. Sangria is a white or red wine that has been infused with fruits, making it slightly sweeter. Tinto de verano is made with red wine, and is best described as a type of red wine spritzer using carbonated lemonade. Most of us definitely plan on bringing these wine trends back with us when we return to the United States.

Being a Vegetarian is not easy. In fact, it may be nearly impossible, given the focus on meat and fish in Spanish cuisine. Almost every dish is served with some sort of meat, the most popular of which is Iberian Ham, Spain’s signature meat. If the dish is not being overwhelmed by meat, then there will certainly be some eggs or fish featured on the plate. Being a vegetarian in Spain is not a very popular life choice, and some people here do not even fully understand what it means to be a vegetarian. While it is not impossible to survive as a vegetarian in Spain, it certainly makes finding a place to eat more challenging.

My host mom, Concha Barahona, makes a vegetarian paella

Navigating the food in Spain has certainly given all of us a different and more authentic taste of Spanish culture. However, I doubt that many of us will miss the Spanish food.

When asked about her favorite food in Spain, Kalin said, “It hasn’t been Spanish.” While all of us will certainly treasure the time that we were able to get a different taste of world foods, as Kalin puts it, “the Spanish food? I’m not going to miss it.”

 

Until next time, happy traveling and happy eating!