10 must try ‘edible items’ while you are in Spain

A walk around the Mercado San Miguel,Madrid is the ultimate of a Spanish gastronomic tour

 Spain, a vibrant country is known for the excellent weather conditions, exotic beaches, cathedrals, enormous history and of course a plethora of gastronomical variety. Various regions, various traditional dishes, and various cooking techniques have made this country the most desired destination for tourists, who love relishing the best of food tour. Yes, you will see ‘Mercado’ (market in Spanish), and also street side eatery, where you can have the best of culinary experience.

The Spanish people are a bit lazy by habit (as they quote themselves), late to rise, late to go to bed and of course late lunch and dinner. But, the fortnight I spent in Spain was a great experience and my ‘food hunt’ initiative took detailed turn, until I felt confident enough to pen down on the best 10 food items, which should be a must try for any travel freak, travelling to Spain.

Tapas or the fun filled snack of Spain

                                                        

1.      Tapas:  If you are in Spain never go without trying tapas. Tapas, is derived from the Spanish verb ‘tapar’ which means to cover. Before the 19^th century, the tapas were served with posados, bogedas and albugues. The inns used to offer their guests a sample of the dish served on tapa or cover of the pot. Tapas could be of two variety, hot and cold served.  According to the concept of ‘Joy of Cooking’ tapas are thin slices of bread or meat which is used to cover their sherry glasses in between slips. Tapas generally comes with a drink, Vermud or Sangria. There are various types of tapas, depending on their popularity and the consumer’s taste buds. Tapas could be served with fried potatoes, cured ham, cheese, olives, calamari, croquets, mussels, pan tumaca, gilda, cuttlefish, octopus and many more.

We had an awesome experience in Madrid’s ‘Mercado de la san Miguel’, where the market specializes in tapas and a number of sea foods. The market starts just at 12 noon and you should see people queueing outside the market waiting to devour eatables inside.

The crunchy bite dipped in chocolaty sauce

2.      Churros:  When you think about churros, your mouth literary waters up. The luscious bread stick like snacks dipped in chocolaty syrup, will definitely take your heart and soul in the first bite.  Well, the history of churros has various explanations. The first theory says that it’s a descendant of the Chinese pastry called youtiao, which looks like two joint breadsticks dunked in chocolate syrup. Others say that churros was an invention of  Spanish shepherd, made from a dough of flour, salt and water which resembles the horns of the native Chura sheep.

             My experience was truly awesome. While hanging round the streets of Madrid, in the month of December, got to take a bit at the crunchy churros dipped in hot piping chocolate sauce.  Hot crunchy churros, beat the essence of mercury dipping below three degrees.

3.      Calamari: The calamari is a fish extremely popular in the Mediterranean country zones, is one of the hot favourite food in Spain. Also known as squid, calamari rings sliced, battered in flour and then deep fried, tossed with lemon juice is simply fabulous.  There are various health benefits of calamari.  They are rich in protein, contain cancer preventive antioxidant, filled with vitamins and minerals and fight anaemia in humans.

I tried calamari many a times, in places like Barcelona, Alicante, Madrid and Granada. It was spread widely as a popular fried sea food in North America in 1975.

Gazpacho soup, the traditional Spanish meal

4.      Gazpacho soup:  The gazpacho soup is a typical invention of the Andalusian region of Spain. The soup has its own specialty as its made from dried bread, vegetable and fruits all blended together to form a cold soup. The history of the food traces to the era when Spain used to be conquered by the roman soldiers who used to carry dried bread. The bread were ground in a mortar, mixed with tomato, olives, beetroot, olive and apples altogether , which got the generic term gazpacho. All ingredients were readily available in Spain.

The soup has its term derived from Arabic influence, or might be from a term ‘Gazaz’ which has Hebrew origin. It can even be derived from the Latin word ‘Caspa’ which means little pieces or fragments. It’s said that Christopher Columbus preferred this soup when he used to go to voyages from Spain.

 I tried this cold soup in Granada, which was really a juicy, tangy experience. In fact a bread along with the soup could be a very desirable option to satiate your hunger at the minimal cost.

Sangria or the fruity Alcohol drink 

                                             

                 

5.      Sangria:  Try the cool, refreshing, fruity alcohol drink while you are in Spain.  The word Sangria literary means bloodletting in Spanish. The use of the term Sangria can be traced back to history in the 18^th century. The main ingredients are red win and fruit. Later, in 1964, Sangria was tasted in 1964 World’s fair in New York city. It’s made from Spanish wine Tempranillo and other wine from the Rioja, which has added flavours of fruit in it. Basically it’s aromatizing, diluting and fortifying the Spanish wine.

A weekend in Spain is always celebrated by welcoming the guests with Sangria followed by a seafood meal, Paella.

Paella - the Mediterranean sea food wonder!

                         

6.      Paella: Paella is originally a seafood meal originated from Valencia. In one word, Paella covers all the flavours of Spain in one dish.  A flat dish made with all sea food – mussels, prawns, and rice flavoured with saffron. The dish is served with lemon, which will give a unique taste once tossed upon. In fact, you will find the black version of Paella, which is made from squid ink.  The world paella comes from ‘La Paella’, Catalan language which means the plate.

Paella has a very humble beginning where it was known that the farmers cooked rice combined with meat and other vegetable for a meal. Mught be sea food found place in paella plate in the next generations. Today, Paella is a weekend sea food culture. We enjoyed Paella which we has lunch in Valencia.

Tortilla or Spanish omlette

                                                      

7.      Espana tortilla: This is popularly known as Spanish omelette. The dish is made from egg casquaded with potatoes and bread. It’s a filling meal and often served during Spanish breakfast. The origin of this dish is not really known, but tales do like when General Gumalacarrlegui visited the home of a poor farmwife, requested her to feed the troop during the siege of Bilbao. Thereafter, the food became famous throughout Spain. The dish became famous in Mexico in later times.

       You may get one of the best tortillas if you visit Madrid. Well, if you want to cook it for yourself, you may bring variation with cheese, herbs, onions and tomatoes.

Patatas Bravas or the cubed potatoes tossed with sauce

               

8.     Patatas Bravas:  A bowl filled with potatoes, cut unevenly, chunked and then topped with tomato sauce, is the most favourite and economic dish for Spain. Like the French likes French fries, the British like fish and chips, for Spain there is only one winner and that’s patatas bravas. The potatoes are often accompanied by hot sauce, named cayenne sauce. The origin of this dish comes from Madrid, from two restaurants namely, La Casa Perico and La Casona. They were the creators of white potatoes. While some fry the potatoes, some bake it.

We tried patatas bravas as a snack. It was truly awesome and a fulfilling food for a minimum 3-4 euros.

Jamon Iberico or the spiced grooves of Pig

     

9.      Jamon Iberico: As you visit the tapas bars of Spanish cities, you will see the bar owners prefer to hand the whole leg piece of the pig from the ceiling. The scene looks a bit weird to a first time traveller to Spain, but there is an age old tradition behind this. The pork meat is mixed with salt and then allowed to hang and dried, so that it ensures maximum taste of the piece of meat.

Since Spain has been a melting pot of various traditions, but not necessarily that all were loved equally. The Jews, who were forced out of the country, never ate pig or pork meat. The meat were hanged so that the Jews knew they were not welcome to the country. Jamon Iberico is awesome, especially with tapas. It’s salty, and the dried fat gives a crunchy feel.

Croquets, the melt in mouth wonder

                

1  10. Croquets:  Croquets are small pieces of cylindrical or spherical succulent bite made from eggs and breadcrumbs fried with lot of oil. As per the tales go, the origin of this dish was not Spanish but a French one. The dish was invented at an urgency when meat was left over from the previous day, along with remains of ham which were getting hard; the meat was put together with béchamel, a flour of the 19^th century which was mixed to make the classic item croquet.

        The person credited with the  invention of this snack was named Antoine Careme, popularly known as the ‘ chef of kings’ presented the dish in a society in the occasion of a dinner, which represented items of European nobility. 

Croquette is simply a melt in mouth version. With lots of cheese, potato, egg and breadcrumbs, this dish which can be made with a bit of variation of composition, is rightly a must eat in Spain.

I am a foodie and love to remain so. I travelled extensively across Spain, watched the restaurants, eateries and thereby explored food items ready to create an explosion (taste of course) in my mouth. A trip to a county is incomplete without its characteristic food tour.

10 UNESCO world heritage sites covered in a 10 day trip to Spain

             

Alhambra palace is unique of its kind 

Spain is all about the sunny sky, food, ‘futbol’ (Spanish pronunciation of football), fun things and historical infrastructures. In this context I must say that I was lucky to see 10 UNESCO rated world heritage sites in a single trip. Well, the trip was hectic, and involved waking up early and going to bed late, but this would surely give goose bumps, when reminisced after 10 years.  For people who love history, Spain will be the most desired place for a holiday.

What’s a world heritage site and where lies the importance?

There are about 1121 world heritage sites in this planet, identified and maintained by UNESCO (United Nation’s Educational, Scientific and cultural organization. World heritage site could be cultural, natural or a mixed property, and spread over 167 State Parties. Sites having outstanding universal value, has been denoted as heritage sites. It’s important that these sites cannot be renovated by changing its structure, but can be maintained the way it is. The site could be cultural, scientific, nature or any other significant forms, but it’s generally protected by International legal treaties.

As for Spain, the country proudly shelters 48 UNESCO rated world heritage sites. Well, although my time was limited and my wishes couldn’t follow the leaps and bounds; I managed to see 10 of them.

1.      Monastery and site of the Escorial, Madrid:  Built at the end of 16^th century, the Escorial monastery, stands as a symbol of martyrdom of St. Lawrence. It is the retreat of mystic power and during the reign of King Philip II it became the seat of political power. The Royal seat of San Lorenza of El Escorial became a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1984. There are 16 inner courtyards, 4000 rooms, 86 staircases and 88 fountains inside.

                                          We were told by our guide that that present royal couple of Spain doesn’t reside in this palace, but in the palace of Zarzuela, although it’s the official residence of Spanish monarch. The palace is used in times of celebration.  The monastery is open from 10 am to 6pm. You may spend evening near the monastery and walk to the Plaza de Oriente, where several restaurants and café line up to welcome the tourists.

     

San loreza el Escorial 

                           

El Escorial, at Madrid 

2.      Barcelona Gaudi architecture: Barcelona is a vibrant city and the most important place of Catalonia region.  Known for its culture, and world class architecture by Antoni Gaudi, Barcelona has been the most favourite place for tourists in Spain. During late nineteenth and early twentieth century, Gaudi has contributed various structures that represent that gothic style with a blend of modernity to it.

                                       We visited the famous cathedral of Sagrada Familia, and other structures       like Park Guell, Palau Guell, Casa Mila, Casa Vicens, Casa Batlo, and the church at Colonia Guell. All these works were felicitated as UNESCO world heritage sites. Architect Gaudi used parabolic arches, incorporating Catalan vaults which worked as revolutionary load bearing system. The queue to each site was too long, but you can easily take advantage of ‘skip the line’ tickets by purchasing online. That proved to be a time saver.  The architectural legacy of Gaudi is contributed in the present construction of Sagrada familia, a catherdral that’s going to be the greatest in European continent by 2026.

Casa Batlo 

                    

Sagrada familia, Barcelona

             

3.      Seville:  Seville, the most important city of the Andalusia region of Spain boasts to host three UNESCO world heritage sites in the same complex. The three buildings cathedral, Alcazar and Archivo de Indivas forms the most remarkable complex.  The cathedral is a huge imposing basilica over a mosque. You may go to the terrace for getting the best bird’s eye view.  The Alcazar is a great architectural excellence and a mish mash of styles and periods, having a fascinating journey through history. The Archido de Indivas is an extraordinary structure that preserves over 40,000 documents and maps; formerly it used to be a stock exchange. The resources refer to the voyages to the new world,   covering the last three centuries.

We saw the structures, and posed photos surrounding the places. We were most fascinated by the trees, truncated with oranges almost reaching our hands. The guide told that these oranges are plucked for the purpose of making marmalades.  An interesting place indeed.  

Seville Cathedral 

  

Alcazar, Seville 

4.      Poblet monastery:  The Poblet monastery is situated at the south of Catalonia, and northeast of Iberian Peninsula. Built between 12^th to 15^th centuries, it’s known for its impressive architecture that includes a fortified royal residence and pantheon for the monarchs of Catalonia and Aragon.  The monastery is surrounded by three defensive walls around. The first enclosure was built in the 16^th century, has storehouse,  workshop and worker’s house. The second enclosure is a fortified golden door, and the third or innermost enclosure includes church, monastic room and cloister.  The defensive monastery is surrounded by a wall of polygonal or square tower, two of which is flanked by the royal doorway. It’s one of the most unique artistry of Cistercian abbeys in the 12^th, 13^th and 14^th century.  It was inscribes to the list of world heritage site in 1991.     

Poblet is accessible from Barcelona in a day trip. We saw monks around the premises. The trips are generally done in Spanish and Catalan language. You have to buy an English audio guide to get through the structure.

Poblet monastery 

5.      Cordoba: A city situated in southern Spain, Andalusia region, having a population of 325,000 only has the most number of UNESCO rated world heritage sites. Anybody, if asked over a dinner party, on which city having highest number of heritage sites, the answer probably would be Paris, Rome, Barcelona, Madrid, etc. But, truly speaking its Cordoba.   The other notable sites here are the Alcazar, a fortress dating back to the Arab rule, a spectacular visit.  The archaeological remains of the caliphate city, Medina Azahara, an Arabic term which means ‘shining city’, an establishment built in the 10^th century is worth viewing.  If you visit Cordoba in May, the patio festival starts which is another UNESCO rated distinction. People decorate their houses with summer flowers and that’s a wonderful spectacle. Tourists are invited to see, and take photographs of the same.

                 The most famous is the mesquite cathedral, which was built in 786 AD, then     conquered by the Arabs, converted to mosque and again after 16^th century taken by the Christians. The walls of the cathedral has Arabic inscriptions in it. People who come here offer their prayers, at the same time offer namaaz. We were told by our guide, that many people in Spain has been converted to Christianity, practise Islam in secrecy. The mesquite cathedral is a prominent example of this culture.  Cordoba, was the last powerful empire of the Muslims in Spain, bears eminent Moorish influence.

   

Mesquita Cathedral of Cordoba

6.      Avila:  Avila is a fortified Spanish city located in the Castile and Leon Community. It’s even regarded as the town of stones and saints.  It has the highest number of Romanesque gothic churches. It’s a complete medieval town built in the Romanesque style. Avila was declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1985. The site consists of walled city and four extra muros churches.

The main wall of Avila was built in the 11^th to 14^th century. The very sight of it was photogenic as we viewed in the afternoon sky. We took photographs from certain view points. The wall of Avila becomes a fantastic sight in the evening as they become totally illuminated. We saw the cathedral and took photographs of the northern façade, western front, interiors, capilla mayor, chapel of san Segundo, and the chapel of santa catalina. We saw various other structures like basilica of san vincente, Iglesia de san pedro, convent de san jose and many more. Walking through the cobblestone city gave me immense pleasure and I could understand the versatility of the city which existed of years before and still prevalent. For gastronomic requirements, try some bun stuffed with sausage, bacon, steak and eggs. ‘Hornazo’ is worth mentioning in this respect.  

  

The walled city of Avila 

7.      Segovia Aqueduct:  Segovia is a medieval town situated in central Spain, the autonomous community of Castile and Leon.  The centre is situated at the confluence of Eresma and Clamores River.  The Moors, Jews and Christians co -existed since a long period and worked together during the manufacture boom of the 16^th century. The roman aqueduct of Segovia was built in the 50 BC, is remarkably well preserved. Consisting of 128 pillars, the aqueduct stands 28.5 metres above the ground level.  The aqueduct of Segovia, is best known for the civil engineering feats, excellent state of conservation and cannot be separated from Segovia as a whole.

We explored the city, posed before the historic remains of aqueduct, and felt as state of satisfaction standing beside of one of the oldest structures of the world.

  

Aqueduct at Segovia 

8.      Salamanca:  Salamanca, a city situated at the Northwestern Spain, a part of Castile and Leon region, dates back tits presence to the Celtic era.  The architecture is made from ornate sandstone and the oldest university, Universidad de Salamanca exists here.  Research says that the university was established in 1100 AD and became the centre of education for the intellectuals during 15^th – 16^th AD.

We made a day trip to the place from Madrid and enjoyed exploring the city. The historic city has important Romanesque, Gothic, Moorish and Baroque monuments. We saw the cathedrals, palaces, churches placed at the Plaza Mayor. The stones that has inscriptions of the life of a student, prevents the city from ageing.

 We were accompanied by our guide, who narrated stories taking us to the nook and corner of the streets of Salamanca. Needless to say, I fell in love with the centennial stones. We saw the house of shells (casa de las conchas) and loved the traditional ambrosia flavours of the city.  We tried some tostas and montaditos for our gastronomic needs.  It was an absolute pleasure for a photography freak to click alluring views of the age old city.

      

Universidad de salamanca 

9.      Granada:  Granada, a city situated in Southern Spain’s Andalusia region, and at the foothills of Sierra Nevada has grand examples of Moorish architecture. The city proudly possess Alhambra, the fortress, reflecting the Nasrid dynasty built in 889 AD. Eminent personalities like Cristopher Columbus stepped in to have discussions with the then monarch.  We availed the walking tour of Alhambra, and it was a wonderful experience. The patios, the enclaves, the wooden architecture, the gardens and the lion like structures speak some untold stories.  The Moorish poets described Alhambra as’ a pearl set in an emeralds’. On the Eastern side of Alhambra, stands the Generalife, where the Emirs used to reside during the 13^th and 14^th centuries.  The Alhambra, Generalife and Albayzin, stand on two adjacent hills separated by the Darro river.  The district of Albayzin, constitutes the origin of the city of Granada, is a rich legacy of the Moorish town planning. The Christian tradition co-exit harmoniously. Albayzin district is the best site where Hispano- Muslim tradition exists.

Another attraction that draws tourists to Granada is the flamenco show organized at the caves, which gives a traditional touch.  A picturesque city, Granada is a photographer’s paradise.  We stayed 2 nights at Granada, and explored the city.

Generalife 

 

Alhambra

10.  Toledo:  Toledo, an ancient city situated at the La Mancha plains of Central Spain, known to be UNESCO world heritage site from 1986. Known for having a wall all around the city, having Christian, Islamic and Jewish influence.  We did a day trip to Toledo from Madrid. The first sight of the city was from a view point where we could see the walled city, Alcazar, cathedral overlooking the Tagus River. We were following our tour guide, along the meandering narrow roads of the city. We learned about the religious history of Toledo, and appreciated the Synagogue of El transito which resembled the Mud’ejar style.  We visited the museum of El Greco and museum of Santa cruz. Although , there is no point wasting in shopping, but the steel swords displayed at the shops are truly mind boggling. I bought a miniature sample, as a sign of novelty.  We had a guided tour along the Jewish neighbourhood and learnt how they were expelled from the city. We viewed the two synagogues that turned to churches.

Toledo has over 2000 years old history which involves being the capital of Visigothic kingdom, fortress of the Emirate of Cordoba, an  early Roman establishment, temporary set of power under the jurisdiction of Charles V, and an outpost of the temporary Christians fighting the Moors in the 16^th century. In one word, its history revisited.

                  

Medieval city of Toledo  overlooking the Tagus river 

Scotland, the land of loch, Harry Potter and many more

  

Edinburgh, a beautiful Victorian city preserves the European culture

 

Scotland, the land of medieval kings attracted me from a long time, since I was a movie freak, and loved watching fiction based films based on the early ages of Europe. From London we took a flight to Edinburgh and then opted for a 3 day package tour to cover the delights of picturesque Scotland.  You may even travel by train at quite affordable rates.

On reaching Edinburgh airport, we took a taxi to reach our hotel near Edinburgh station. I must say that if you are planning your tour, make sure you book your stay at the centre of the city, so that you spend the minimum time commuting to and fro from the hotel to city junctions like airport or train station. Finding hotels through internet and booking could be easily done, while you check the past review and ratings of the hotel.

    

Hop on hop off bus touring the city

Transporting around the city: Best is to avail the hop on hop off tour which operates throughout the year at vary affordable rates. You can buy tickets online. You may take a private transport or avail city buses. 

Edinburgh, the magical city:

Edinburgh, is a bustling city that houses Universities, castles, restaurants and a rich history. Walking though the stony streets of Edinburgh is no lesser than experiencing the history of a once culturally rich Victorian city. Somewhere in my mind, I had a hallucination that Madam JK Rowling, must be sitting in street side restaurant with a cup of coffee, to pen down her next series of Harry Potter.  

There are several tour agents, who will help you with a tour guide to cover the main spots of the city within 2-3 hours. Some adventure freaks prefer to go for a night tour with a story telling guide who would narrate the spine chilling horror stories from the past that includes witch rituals, pagan rituals, executions and some urban myths about local monsters.  Don’t be surprised to see some awesome magical feat performed by some local witchcraft on the streets. 

                          

An English dinner with fish and salsa

Mind boggling Scottish fabric on the plate

 St Gille’s Cathedral: Visit the St. Gille’s cathedral, the first parish church in Edinburgh established in the year 854, which was re- conseracted in 1243. Observe the gothic style architecture of the church and find the passionate stories attached to it. 

    

St. Gille's Cathedral, a coveted place of worship

You may avail the rooftop tour which is possible for a group of at least 4 people or more. You will enjoy the spectacular view of the city, as well as enjoy some beverage at the café. 

               

Edinburgh castle, address of the once rulers of Scotland

Edinburgh Castle:  Visit the Edinburgh castle, said to be one of the oldest castle that is situated over a great volcanic rock, which according to the guides is 70 million year old extinct volcano. This is not only an infrastructure, but the four walls have experienced history of wars, killing and birth of royals.

Your guide will narrate the magical stories associated with each and every wall, corners of the castle. 

 

Walking past the Royal Mile is invirogating

                

Royal Mile: Have a walk on the royal mile, a succession of streets that join the palace with its castle. You might be have seen this in various Hollywood movies like ’Edinburgh in the nineteenth century’, which was also published as a guide book. 

Magical feats at the street of Edinburgh- not a rare sight

Well, since Scotland is a city of magic, I saw various feats here that reminds of Harry Potter. Don’t be surprised to observe real magic here on the streets. 

Princess street garden:  This is built in between two public parks situated at the centre of Edinburgh. They lie in the shadow of the castle of Edinburgh. Spend some time around the Nor loch, which is situated on the Northern side of the loch. Edinburgh being a medieval town, you may see various structures quite off the time, but preserved with great care. 

           

National Museum of Scotland

National museum of Scotland:  National museum of Scotland is quite an interesting place.  You would love to see the grand galleries, art, design, fashion galleries and other archaeological collection of the world. Don’t be surprised to discover the T. rex grinning with it’s 5000 years old skeleton, posing to be your long lost brother ( just kidding).  Your kid will definitely love the interactive games and other wonders of science on display in the museum. 

 

Archaeological  sights of the Scotland museum

Greyfriars Crik: if you have time in hand, stroll the city to explore Greyfriars crik, the meadows, Holyrood palace and Scottish Parliament building and money. 

                 

Lot more interersting things at Edinburgh

 Well, this is not the end. If you are a bit interested in paranormal activities, you have a very interesting walking tour at night. This is a group tour led by a tour guide who will narrate stories of treachery, murder and suicide. Well, you might be so much indulged in his stories that you can come across a couple of Victorian character while in hallucinated state.  (I am kidding again). Everything depends on your thoughts. But exploring a land of the unknown, a Victorian city which races with modernity and a vibrant city is a matter of chance. A travel freak like me never leaves behind an opportunity to see the unseen.