Although Valencian in origin, paella is often thought of as the most quintessential Spanish dish and no visit to Spain is complete without experiencing it at its best Paella may follow a traditional recipe, but it comes in many variations. Paella a la marinera combines rice with seafood, Paella a la Valencia is prepared with rabbit, snails and broad beans, while Paella huertana is a vegetarian version.
Paella is cooked in a wide, flat pan called a paellera , and is usually prepared for two people.
Although Spaniards swear it is best eaten at lunch time, you won't be making a culinary blunder is you choose it for your evening meal. Arroz a banda is another classic dish with rice and seafood, but in this case the seafood is serve abanda , meaning apart. This is the traditional way of preparing, but you can find variations. Try to avoid tourist-style restaurants which often have paella sitting ready cooked in the window. The best paellas are prepared according to centuries-old recipes and rushed straight from the kitchen to the table.