Where to celebrate National Spanish Paella Day - TNT Magazine TNT Magazine Where to celebrate National Spanish Paella Day Where to celebrate National Spanish Paella Day 23rd Mar 2016 1:33pm | By Editor Spanish Chef Omar Allibhoy is celebrating National Paella Day in style this year at Tapas Revolution and will be offering all diners ordering Paella Valenciana or Paella de Verduras a free glass of sangria from Friday 25th to Monday 28 March. This year National Paella Day is on Sunday 27 March and Tapas Revolution are extending their celebrations for the whole weekend – all diners ordering Paella Valenciana or Paella de Verduras will receive a free glass of sangria from Friday 25 to Monday 28 March. Named for the pan it is cooked in, this famous rice dish dates back to the 18th century and, although internationally regarded as Spain’s national dish, it is actually a regional dish from Valencia in eastern Spain.

Originally a staple for farmers and labourers, cooked over a wood fire for lunch and eaten straight from the pan, Paella later became a flexible way of cooking for every occasion, from an acceptably simple meal during lent to an extravagant feast for religious and family celebrations. Despite the many endless possible combinations of ingredients, in Valencia only Paella Valenciana (Valencian Paella) and Paella de Marisco (Seafood Paella) are considered authentic, with all other recipes deemed inferior and known as ‘Arroz’, the Spanish for rice dishes. Chef Omar Allibhoy’s Paella Valenciana is made in the traditional way, with chicken, butter beans, sweet paprika, saffron and Spanish Bomba rice. The National Paella Day offer is available at Tapas Revolution Westfield (Shepherd’s Bush), Tapas Revolution Bluewater (Kent), Tapas Revolution Grand Central (Birmingham) and Tapas Revolution Shoreditch. Spanish Cuisine & Food Culture Read the Spanish version There is one phrase that you will often hear in Spain pronounced in English in a strong Latin accent which is: “Spain is different”.

The longer you live here the more random ways you will discover that this sentence is indeed very true, but perhaps the most immediate curiosity for most tourists are Spanish eating customs and cuisine. The moment you disembark your plane and make your way through the airport you will be greeted with various Spanish style bars/restaurants. In fact, a 2010 economic study by 'La Caixa' reported that in Spain there is a staggering ratio of one bar and/or restaurant for every 129 Spaniards. What we can deduce from these figures is simple: food and drink are an important part of the Spanish culture. Spanish Bars and Tapas One thing to keep clear for the typical foreigner is that in Spain most bars double as restaurants and vice versa. They serve as meeting points, social establishments, places to play games, watch football games, chat, have coffee, drink, eat, party or pretty much any other excuse is a good one, which explains why there are so many. A typical bar will boast an interesting array of “pinchos” or “tapas” (small snack size portions of food) that vary by region and are often discounted or even sometimes included in your drink price.

Doubling as restaurants, most bars will also offer daily menus (3 course meal for a fixed price), “platos combinados” (one plate with various items) and rations (large appetizers) which are often shared between the whole group for lunch or dinner. Of course another frequent option is to “ir de pinchos” which consists of going from one bar to the next and enjoying a different “tapa” in each until you have essentially had your meal. Mediterranean Cuisine The cuisine you can expect to find can be shocking for some and heaven on earth for others. However, there is one adjective which can safely categorize most of the food; “Mediterranean”. Spaniards are proud of their Mediterranean diet and often brag about how they have the best and most healthy food in the world. Mediterranean cuisine is often characterized by its wide range of ingredients with meals based on fruits, vegetables, beans and legumes, an abundance of bread, pasta, rice and other grain foods, “frutos secos” (nuts, sunflower seeds, etc), extra virgin olive oil, garlic, fish, seafood, poultry, various types of meat, cheese and yogurt, and of course wine.

This healthy and rich diet, which is traditionally found around the Mediterranean Sea, is considered one of the healthiest in the world. The next thing that any tourist will quickly discover is that Spaniards have their own dining timeline which is very different from most countries. It is important to keep this in mind as you plan your activities and to take full advantage of the local cuisine. Spanish Breakfast Breakfast or “desayuno” in the Spanish culture is easily the least important meal of the day, occurring first thing in the morning until about 10:00 am. Many Spaniards skip breakfast but if they do have breakfast it will likely be something light and simple which may consist of coffee, hot chocolate or fresh squeezed orange juice accompanied by a croissant, pastry, or toast with jam. Another common breakfast pastry which you will often see available in bars are “churros”, fried Spanish fritters with sugar. After such a light breakfast, from around 10:30 to noon, you can expect to find bars full of workers for their morning coffee breaks enjoying a beverage and a small snack to help them survive until lunch time.

Spanish Lunch Lunch, the most important meal of the day, generally consists of several courses starting with a light first course such as soup or salad, a heavier second course of meat or fish, fruit or a pastry as dessert, followed by coffee or shots of traditional liquor afterwards. The whole meal is accompanied by bread and also wine and water. Lunch and the famous “siesta” (nap) time occur from 2 until 4 pm and it is recommended that anyone visiting Spain plan accordingly since most shops and establishments close during this time to allow for their workers to make their way home to eat. Although this pause still exists, the famous siesta time is rarely used for sleeping but rather transportation as people gradually live farther and farther away from their workplaces. Spanish Dinner Due to this midday lunch break, many workers do not get out of work until around 8 pm. Typically, this is when they will have a small snack or “merienda” to get them through until dinner time. Dinner, similar to lunch but usually lighter, is a late affair in Spain which is normally served from 9 to 10:30 pm. In the summer time it is common to see Spaniards sitting down to dine as late as 12 am!

Typical Spanish Dishes Once you have accustomed yourself to these times and customs, you are ready to discover the diversity of Spanish cuisine. Depending on the region you are visiting, the “typical” dishes can vary, but here are some dining tips: Fish: A staple part of the Mediterranean diet. Especially good in coastal regions and large cities with a wide variety to choose from, you can experiment. Lamb: Especially popular in Northern Spain. Pork and Cured meats : Spain is famous for its ham and pork products such as cured Serrano ham and “chorizo”. Shellfish/Seafood: Abundant in many regions and meals such as the world renowned Spanish “paella” rice dish. Also recommended is “pulpo” (octopus) often served with potatoes and paprika and calamari (fried squid). Wine : “vino de la casa” (house wine), “vino tinto” (red wine), "vino blanco "(white wine), or "vino rosado" (rosé). Cheese : There are hundreds of varieties ranging from light, medium to strong in flavor and made from cow, sheep, or goat milk. The most known cheeses are Manchego and Cabrales.

Offal: For the brave, Spaniards make use of most parts of the animals they eat. You can try typical dishes such as “callos” (tripe or stomach lining), “jeta” (pig mug), “riñones” (kidneys), “criadillas” (testicles), “lengua” (tongue), “crestas de gallo” (rooster combs), “morcilla” (blood sausage), and the list goes on. Contact us Yummy Spain – Delicious Spanish and Mediterranean recipes. Healthy meals and… some treats. Spanish girl living in Norway parmesan cheese or other cheese olive oil and salt DIRECTIONS We prepare first the stock; put the water, the celery, the onion and the carrots cut in three-four pieces in a pot with a dash of oil and salt and boil everything together. Add the chicken breast in one piece after 10-15 minutes and continue boiling for 15 minutes more. Take out the chicken breast, chop it and reserve it for later. Strain the stock and put it back in the pot. Add the spinach and boil for 5 minutes. Add the chicken and the oats and continue boiling for three minutes.

Meanwhile, beat the two eggs with salt and mix them with the grated cheese. Add the eggs to the soup and boil it for a couple of minutes more. Add salt to taste and YUMMY! TIPS The best advantage of eating soups is that all the nutrients from vegetables remains in the stock where we are boiling them so we do not miss anything! Sobaos – Butter sponge cake Sobao is a typical delicacy from Cantabria. This cake has a rich yellow color and tender texture with a darker brown upper surface. Is perfect for breakfast or as an afternoon snack. These cakes are prepared in such a way as to make its flavour unmistakable and giving it a spongy, soft texture ideal for dunking in milk. I like to bake them big so you need more than one glass of milk or coffee to eat one sobao. Do not be deceived by the picture, that cup is a 750ml cup! Now you can imagine the size of the sobaos. INGREDIENTS 2tbsp of rum DIRECTIONS Prepare first the molds. I use a 38x42cm baking paper for four molds, enough for this recipe. You can always prepare smaller sobaos.

Beat together the eggs, sugar, honey and the rum in a bowl, you can use a mixer fitter. Grate the lemon zest and add the butter at room temperature and mix. Add the flour and mix. It should have the consistency of a very thick, sticky batter. Be sure there is no lumps. Use a large spoon to fill the molds. Fill each mold only half full because the batter will double in volume. Bake in the oven to 180º for approximately 15-20 minutes (depends on sobao size). Check if they are ready with a toothpick. You can cover them at the end with aluminium foil if you want them less golden brown. Put the sobaos into a bag when they are at room temperature so they get more tender and YUMMY! To prepare tomato sauce go to yummy basics or follow this link: tomato sauce We can prepare the potatoes while cooking the tomato sauce. Wash the potatoes and cut them into wedges. Put them in a baking dish with a dash of oil. Mash the sesame seeds with the cumin and salt in a mortar.

Sprinkle the mix over the potatoes Bake them in the oven to 180º for 20 minutes (or necessary time for the type or potatoes you chose) and reserve them. Clean the fish and put it in a baking dish with a dash of oil and salt. Cook the cod in the oven to 180º for 15-20 minutes; depends on the thickness of the piece. Five minutes before the cod is ready, we introduce the potatoes in the oven as well. Add the tomato sauce to the cod and serve it garnished with the baked potatoes. TIPS In case you are using salted or frozen cod, slightly flour the cod pieces and fry them briefly. When the tomato sauce is ready, add the cod and cook it in the sauce for 5 minutes each side. If cod is salted, leave the cod to soak for 36 hours (minimum 24 hours), changing the water 3 or 4 times. extra olive oil DIRECTIONS Chop the cloves and sauté them in a pot with three tablespoons of olive oil. Add the chopped onion and the carrot in slices with salt. Cover it while cooking. Chop the tomatoes Add the tomatoes when onion and carrot are ready.

Add salt, cover it and cook it for 5 min medium heat. Add the glass of wine and continue cooking for 15 minutes. Whisk all ingredients with a mixer and add sugar and salt to taste. Continue cooking for 5 minutes more and YUMMY!! *If you use normal tomatoes, you need to peel them, remove the stalks and chop them. Cook them for 10-15 minutes more. I moved from Spain three years ago and have other friends living also abroad and we all agree that there are some myths about Spanish food that are more or less globalized. Five myths about Spanish food that you may think are true: Spanish food is spicy One of the questions I have been asked more times is.. how is possible that you don’t love spicy food? But Spanish food is spicy! Weeeell…no, not really, just a (very) few dishes are. Spain has ancient roots in the Mediterranean and has been influenced by other cultures like Phoenician, Roman, Arabic… After the new world was discovered, some products started to come to Spain from America but Spanish food is mainly defined by Mediterranean sea, Cantabrian sea and its interior area..

However, Spanish dishes are seasoned with a wide range of herbs and spices like oregano, paprika, garlic… but Spanish food is not hot. Spanish food consists of tapas Although tapas are maybe the most famous Spanish food, tapas is not specific food at all, is just a way of eating. Tapa can be anything just served in a very small portion. When we go out and order dishes to share we call them “raciones” Paella is the National dish Paella is from Valencia, east coast of Spain. Of course you will be able to eat Paella in other Spanish cities (although most of Valencians will say that is not real paella) but do not be surprised if you are in Galicia and this course is not part of the menu. We drink alcohol in every meal Is true that you can order one beer or a glass of wine during lunch in a daily day and nobody will look at you as you were alcoholic but does not mean we drink alcohol everyday. Even if this is no related to food I will also add that we do not take a nap either. Siesta is for free time, I personally dont know anybody so lucky to enjoy that during working days Sangría is the most popular drink Nop!

I personally love sangría and is true that not only tourists drink it but wine, tinto de verano and cañas (beers) is more typical for us. Did you know these myths about Spanish food? Did any of these myths surprise you?🙂 mild olive oil or other mild flavour oil DIRECTIONS Mix some soya sauce with some water in a small-medium bowl. Use the amount of soya you like depending on your preferences. Macerate the salmon in this bowl while you are preparing the rest of the recipe. Cook the noodles in boiling water for 5-8 minutes. This time depends on the type of noodles. Find the instructions in the package. Serve in a plate the rucola and the cut tomatoes and add salt. When the noodles are ready wash them with cold water to cool down and mix them with the rucola and tomato. Prepare the dressing for this salad with one part of soya sauce, two of water and a dash of oil. Add honey to taste to the dressing. If the soya sauce you used is reduced salt you may add more sauce. Grill the salmon in a frying pan. For this salad is preferable that the salmon is not overcooked.

Add the salmon in pieces to the soba & rucola mix and the dressing and YUMMY! TIPS You may also like to add chopped nuts to this salad *** Ensalada de salmón y fideos soba Una de las ventajas de vivir en Noruega es el tener acceso a el mejor y mas fresco salmón noruego. Esta receta es una forma diferente de disfrutar de este pescado rico en Omega 3, tan necesario en estos días de invierno. INGREDIENTES aceite de oliva muy suave ELABORACION Mezcla salsa de soja con un poco de agua para rebajar en un bol. Pon el salmon a macerar en ese bol mientras sigues preparando la receta. Cuece los fideos en agua durante 5-8 minutos. El tiempo de cocción depende del tipo de fideos. Sigue las instrucciones del envase. Pon en un plato la rúcula y los tomates cortados en trozos pequeños con un poco de sal.

Cuando los fideos estén listos, lávalos con agua fría para templarlos y mezclados con la rúcula y el tomate. Elabora el aliño para la ensalada mezclando una parte de salsa de soja por dos de agua. Añade un chorrito de aceite y miel al gusto. Prepara el salmón a la plancha de forma que no quede muy hecho. Trocea el salmón, añádelo a la ensalada con el aliño y YUMMY! CONSEJOS Sirve la ensalada con trocitos de nueces Lentil & chorizo soup – Lentejas con chorizo There is a saying in Spanish; “lentejas, si quieres las comes y si no las dejas” which means: Lentil soup: take it or leave it, your choice. Well… that was never my choice, my family was more like; lentil soup, take it or take it.

If I didn’t finish my plate for lunch I had those leftovers for dinner and so on… I actually had lentil soup for breakfast once (you can imagin the fight at home) Lentils and vegetables are not the favourite children food and I have to admit it, I hated lentils when I was a kid, but I love them now!! Is the perfect meal for cold days… picture this, you come home in the middle of the rain and there is that cozy smell in the kitchen… a warm plate of this tasty soup, perfect! Lentils are rich in iron and when they are prepared together with meat this iron is easier to be assimilated by your body. I don’t think is necessary to tell you how complete is this dish that combines vegetables, legumes and meat, let’s just cook! See video here INGREDIENTS 250gr dry lentils. My favorite for this recipe is pardina lentil, they have thin greenish-brown or greyish skin (do not use red or yellow lentils) Dry lentils a dash of extra virgin olive oil DIRECTIONS *This recipe is to prepare it with a pressure cooker.

If you are planning to use a normal pot you need to add approximately 5 glasses of water and boil everything for 45 minutes medium heat. Chop the onion, the pepper, the cloves, the leek and the tomato. Cut the chorizo into thick slices and the ham into pieces. Put all ingredients in the pressure cooker. Wash the lentils in cold water and add them to the cooker. Add also the bay leaf, the paprika, the water and the olive oil. Add some salt but not too much. Close the pressure cooker and turn the heat hight. Wait for the cooker to gain pressure. Reduce the heat to medium-low level so that the cooker continues to simmer and does not whistle. Keep the heat medium level for 25 minutes. Put the pressure cooker in the sink and pour cold water over it to release the pressure. Open the pressure cooker when is safe, remove the bay leaf, add salt to taste and… YUM! TIPS This soup can be frozen and it tastes really good as well so don’t hesitate to prepare more soup If you have kids that do not like the vegetables, you can just cut them into large pieces instead of chop them.

After opening the cooker, take them and the stock and stir it with a mixer. Mix back this mixture with the chorizo, lentils and ham and serve. Other option is to stir the lentils as well and prepare a puree. Arroz con pollo: Spanish Chicken with rice - David Lebovitz Arroz con pollo: Spanish Chicken with rice 01.28.2016 Every time I go back to San Francisco, there is a crush of people that I want to see. In addition to everyone that I want to catch up with, there’s also a whirlwind of places I want to go to visit, from favorite taquerias to new chocolate and pastry places. (Not sure what happened in my absence, but the city has really ramped up the bakery options.) I stopped trying to do (and eat) it all because there’s nothing worse than a vacation where you don’t get to relax and just go for a walk. But I do regret not being able to see all my friends. One such friend is Joanne Weir . Part of the reason I don’t get to see her is because she’s always going off somewhere, traipsing around Greece, Morocco, Italy, or Provence.

And so far, she has declined to take me along. However I feel like I’m with her when I read her newest book, Kitchen Gypsy , stories of her travels around the world, including how she became a cook, starting doing the more elemental task at Chez Panisse – making the daily pasta for the café – to eventually learning to cook with the great, and mercurial, Madeleine Kamman, before becoming a cooking teacher, cookbook author and television personality. And now she even owns a restaurant, Copita , yet another place that I have to put on my list to visit in the San Francisco Bay Area. In her new book, she talks about our time together at Chez Panisse . I remember liking Joanne instantly. We were both New Englanders, young, and eager to cook. And she just has that kind of personality that draws you in. Joanne included a story about me in her book, along with a picture that’s probably twenty years old, when I made an ice cream inspired by Madeleine Kamman , who I both admired and was completely terrified of.

Unlike others who took her cooking program (half the students left right before graduation when Joanne was there), Joanne stuck it out and learned much about cooking from the legendary Madame Kamman. She was a legend because she wrote some of the most highly regarded, outstanding books on cooking and French cuisine. But also earned her reputation for being sharp, difficult, and unpleasant. (She was notoriously irked that Julia Child became so popular writing about French cuisine.) You can read some of the tales in Joanne’s book, along with how finding a fly in a bottle of French wine led to a lifelong friendship with the winemaker in France, why she wanted to become a cooking teacher, and how she came to travel around the world, cooking her way through France, Italy, North Africa, and Spain. Because Joanne has been a cooking teacher for so many years, her recipes are especially well-written. The one that appealed to me most, though, was Arroz con pollo, or Spanish chicken with rice.

I went out and bought a chicken, a few slender red peppers and a tin of pimento-stuffed olives, pulling my paella pan off the shelf, a gift from David Tanis , who we both worked for, and with, at Chez Panisse. Which seemed fitting to use right now. I was super fortunate because at a booksigning I did in the states a year or so ago, a lovely Iranian-American woman pressed a packet of saffron in my hand, which was one of the best gifts I ever got. When I put a picture of it on Instagram, people from Iran told me that it was, indeed, the best saffron. And that’s something, considering that no matter what you use or have, or where you go, if you post a picture of it on social media, someone always tells you there is something better. This saffron is the ne plus ultra of saffron. (And if you write something in French, someone will tell you that it’s nec plus ultra , although Webster’s offers up a different spelling in English.) All I know is that it’s amazing saffron and made a fragrant base for the Spanish-style rice.

Speaking of which, I was a little concerned about the rice. Joanne calls for Spanish bomba rice. It’s not a sticky rice and in fact, in France “round” rice is sold for the cuisine sucrée (desserts), in addition to savory cooking. I don’t have much experience using it for savory cooking and did a little reading up about it as it’s often mentioned in the same breath with its cousin, arborio rice . But it’s worth tracking down short-grain “round” rice for Arroz con pollo. The article I linked to just above gives locavore Russell Moore ‘s trick for turning California Japanese short-grain rice into Spanish-style rice. Russell is another friend who worked with me and Joanne…and David…at Chez Panisse. Amazing how many of my former co-workers I could weave into this one dish, but it’s Joanne that I have to thank here for her friendship over the years, and this hearty Spanish-inspired dish.

Food | Brandy Creek Estate PAELLA ETYMOLOGY pa·el·la [pah-ey-luh, -eyl-yuh, pah-yel-uh] –noun a Spanish dish prepared by simmering together chicken, seafood, rice, vegetables, and saffron and other seasonings. There are tales that the word originated from the Arab word “baqiyah” meaning left-overs. However, linguists believe the word came from the Latin word “patella” [puh-tel-uh] (Origin 1665–75; Latin, diminutive of patina, patena pan) literally meaning, something wide open. Head Chef Courtney Websdale Pours the rice into the Paella HISTORY OF PAELLA Valencia on the Mediterranean coast of Spain is where paella initially developed. The Arabian Moors had introduced rice into this region of Spain during their occupation. In the fields of Valencia the workers cooked the delicious rice dish in a “paella” pan over an open file and ate it directly from the pan with wooden spoons. As a peasant food whatever ingredients were cheap and locally available were used in the paella.

Typically early field paella included snails, marsh rats, eels and butter beans. More wealthy Valencians cooked paella using rabbit, chicken, duck, beans, artichokes, tomatoes, rosemary, paprika and saffron - yum. The popularity of Paella spread throughout Spain and many different types developed particularly the popular seafood paellas. Communal Paella cooking and village paella competitions became popular in many regions of Spain. Most families in Valencia have a traditional secret family recipe. Today Paella is regarded by the world as Spain’s national dish but to the Spanish it is just a regional food from the Valencia region. Calasparra Rice CALASPARRA RICE The best traditional paella is made using special short grain rice grown in the Calasparra region of Spain. Calasparra is a small area of the region of Murcia on the Mediterranean coast of Spain. It is between Andalusia and Valencia and was occupied for many hundreds of years by the Moors from Arabia. Although Murcia is generally a hot dry region the Moors introduced irrigation and in the small cool area known as Calasparra where 4 large rivers join together this special paella rice is grown.

In the cool wet climate created by the confluence of the rivers the ancient rice strains mature very slowly and produce a “round” grain that can absorb 30% more liquid than the ordinary rice varieties. This is particularly important as it allows more flavour from the paella stock to transfer to the consumer of the dish. Not only does the rice absorb more flavour it remains separate and does not stick together like other rice varieties. CHURRASCO ABOUT CHURRASCO Churrasco originated in Southern Brazil, in the mid-1500s as the staple food style of the local cowboys or 'gauchos' when they slowly cooked salt-rubbed and marinated beef over emebers of their evening fires. Our Churrascaria de Rodizio is particularly exciting. The meal begins with a shared tasting platter of Turkish bread, freshly made dips and small tapas. When you're ready, the kitchen sends roasted seasonal vegetables to your table and a special 'satisfaction' card - green on one side and red on the other.

From the fire, our 'passadors' (waiters) deliver 'espetos' (small swords) of your favourite, freshly cooked, marinated and basted meats and seafood (fish, calamari, chicken, pork, beef, lamb and chorizo sausage) to your table and carve them directly onto your plate. The food keeps coming while your card shows green. When you have had your fill you turn your card to the red side as a signal to the passadors that you are resting or have finished eating. Churrasco is only $59.50 per person at Brandy Creek Wines (Children's pricing available) Desserts are available at standard prices from our delicious menu. Live Casinos in Spain FULL REVIEW Spain is a sovereign state located in southwestern Europe with coastline on the Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean and the Bay of Biscay. Spain is bordered by France and Andorra to the north and northeast and Portugal to the west. Spanish territory also includes a number of islands such as the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa and the Balearic Islands situated in the Mediterranean Sea. Covering an area of over 195,000 square miles (almost 506 thousand sq.

km.), Spain is Europe's fourth largest country. It has an estimated population of just over 47 million people. Spain's largest city by population is its capital city Madrid (3,228,359 people), followed by Barcelona (1,582,738 people) and Valencia (797,000 people). Spain has several mountain ranges, dominated by the vast Inner Plateau (or 'Meseta Central'), which extends across the heart of the Spanish peninsular. There are also areas dominated by lowlands, rivers and streams, and fertile valleys, as well as extensive coastline and beaches, while coastal plains stretch between Spain's coastal mountains and seas. Spain's highest point is Mount Teide, a dormant volcano located on the Canary Island of Tenerife, which is also the world's largest volcano measured from its base. Due to its geographical location, Spain has a rich cultural history, while it has also become an important influence on other countries, as a result of its global empire that has left the world with over 500 million Spanish speakers.

The country's official language is Spanish (officially recognized in the constitution as Castilian, or 'castellano'), although a number of other languages and dialects are also recognized as regional languages: Basque, Catalan/Valencian, Galician and Occitan. Of these languages, 17% of the Spanish population speaks Catalan (or Valencian), 7% speaks Galician and 2% speaks Basque. Spain is the world's 26th richest economy by GDP (nominal) per capita and the Eurozone's fourth largest economy. Tourism is especially important to the Spanish economy. Thanks to Spain's climate, geographical location, beaches, and monuments and buildings of historical and cultural interest, the country's tourism industry is presently the world's second largest and accounts for around 5% of Spain's GDP, while providing substantial employment to the country's population. Principal Spanish exports are motor vehicles, foods, medicines, machinery and pharmaceuticals, while the country's principal export partners are France, Germany, Portugal and Italy.

Spanish food varies from region to region, although in general the daily diet comprises breakfast (usually a milky coffee and sweet rolls or toast served with jam), tapas (small dishes such as omelet, potatoes with spicy tomato sauce and shrimp in garlic), lunch (the main meal of the day, which usually includes several courses and is followed by a traditional afternoon break, or siesta, outside of major cities) and dinner. Lunch usually includes vegetable or seafood soup, a meat-based main course such as roast chicken or rabbit stew served with salad or vegetables, dessert and coffee. Dinner, a lighter meal, is eaten late (usually after 9:00 p.m.) and may include fresh fish, seafood, roast chicken or lamb, served with fried potatoes or rice, and fresh salad or vegetables. A popular dinner meal is 'arroz cubano', a mound of rice topped with tomato sauce and a fried egg. A typical evening dessert is fresh fruit salad or 'flan' (vanilla custard). A Spanish dish extremely well-known around the world is 'paella', a rice-based dish that has its origins in nineteenth century Valencia.

Tinted yellow with saffron, today it usually includes chicken, seafood and chorizo sausage with vegetables, although it is believed to have originated as a humble, laborer's meal that used meat and snails. In Spain, it is still considered a regional dish, although outside of the country it is often regarded as Spain's national dish. Spain has a longstanding reputation as a leading producer of fine wines, especially the red wines from the northern region of Rioja. Several Spanish regions are huge wine producers: Spain is, in fact, the country with the largest area of land for wine production anywhere in the world. Spain's cultural history can be traced back to the Romans, whose legacy can be seen even now. However, Spain's art, architecture, food and music have also been influenced by many countries across Europe and from other parts of the Mediterranean, with Moorish influences still evident in cities such as Córdoba, Seville and Granada, where Arab-style architecture and motifs are still present. The cultures of Italy, Germany and France were particular influential in Spain during the Baroque and Neoclassical periods, with this still clear in older styles of architecture.

More recently, the arrival Modernism produced several leading architects in the area of Barcelona, such as Gaudí. Similarly, Spain's literature has been influenced by several sources, with regional literature (such as Catalan and Basque) still playing a significant role. Spain's most famous writer is Miguel de Cervantes, creator of Don Quixote. In the area of art, Spain has produced several renowned artists, including three Golden Age masters during the 17th century (Cano, Zurbarán and Velázquez), Francisco Goya and – in more recent times – Pablo Picasso, who worked with the French artist Braque to create the concepts of Cubism in the early 20th century, Juan Gris, the central figures of the Surrealist movement Salvador Dalí and Joan Miró, renowned for his abstract creations. Flamenco is a music and dance form associated with Spain, although in actual fact it is not widespread outside of West Andalusia in Southern Spain. Flamenco, which grew from Andalusian and Romani music and dance forms, combines singing, guitars, dance and handclaps.

Spain also hosts several international music festivals during the summer months, including Sonar (focusing mainly on pop and techno music) and Benicassim (featuring mainly alternative rock and dance music). The Spanish movie industry is also world renowned, producing a long string of directors from Luis Buñuel through to Pedro Almodóvar. Spanish cinema has recently enjoyed much international success, with movies such as 'Pan's Labyrinth' and 'Volver' both winning Oscars. OTHER COUNTRIES Brandy Creek Estate Restaurant, Drouin Restaurants & Dining VIC Australia A few words from Brandy Creek Estate Restaurant What is Tapas? Tapas is representative of a relaxed style of eating in Spain, Tapas are tasty little dishes for sharing, to be eaten with friends, as an appetite teaser as light or hearty as it may be, complemented with a glass of wine. The criteria for the success of a tapas dish ultimately are that it tastes good. True traditional Spanish food is based on fresh, simple ingredients and has its roots firmly in home and provincial cooking. Our style is robust and unpretentious, reflecting seasonality and flavour. We have adapted this style in our café here at Brandy Creek Wines, using local and imported ingredients.

Feel free to challenge your palate. Paella: Etymology: pa•el•la [pah-ey-luh, -eyl-yuh, pah-yel-uh] –noun a Spanish dish prepared by simmering together chicken, seafood, rice, vegetables, and saffron and other seasonings. There are tales that the word originated from the Arab word "baqiyah" meaning left-overs. However, linguists believe the word came from the Latin word "patella" [puh-tel-uh] (Origin 1665–75; Latin, diminutive of patina, patena pan) literally meaning, something wide open. History of Paella: Valencia on the Mediterranean coast of Spain is where paella initially developed. The Arabian Moors had introduced rice into this region of Spain during their occupation. In the fields of Valencia the workers cooked the delicious rice dish in a "paella" pan over an open file and ate it directly from the pan with wooden spoons. As a peasant food whatever ingredients were cheap and locally available were used in the paella. Typically early field paella included snails, marsh rats, eels and butter beans.

More wealthy Valencians cooked paella using rabbit, chicken, duck, beans, artichokes, tomatoes, rosemary, paprika and saffron - yum. The popularity of Paella spread throughout Spain and many different types developed particularly the popular seafood paellas. Communal Paella cooking and village paella competitions became popular in many regions of Spain. Most families in Valencia have a traditional secret family recipe. Today Paella is regarded by the world as Spain's national dish but to the Spanish it is just a regional food from the Valencia region. Calasparra Rice: The best traditional paella is made using special short grain rice grown in the Calasparra region of Spain. Calasparra is a small area of the region of Murcia on the Mediterranean coast of Spain. It is between Andalusia and Valencia and was occupied for many hundreds of years by the Moors from Arabia. Although Murcia is generally a hot dry region the Moors introduced irrigation and in the small cool area known as Calasparra where 4 large rivers join together this special paella rice is grown.

In the cool wet climate created by the confluence of the rivers the ancient rice strains mature very slowly and produce a "round" grain that can absorb 30% more liquid than the ordinary rice varieties. This is particularly important as it allows more flavour from the paella stock to transfer to the consumer of the dish. Not only does the rice absorb more flavour it remains separate and does not stick together like other rice varieties. Churrasco: Churrasco originated in Southern Brazil, in the mid-1500s as the staple food style of the local cowboys or 'gauchos' when they slowly cooked salt-rubbed and marinated beef over emebers of their evening fires. Our Churrascaria de Rodizio is particularly exciting. The meal begins with a shared tasting platter of Turkish bread, freshly made dips and small tapas. When you're ready, the kitchen sends roasted seasonal vegetables to your table and a special 'satisfaction' card - green on one side and red on the other.

From the fire, our 'passadors' (waiters) deliver 'espetos' (small swords) of your favourite, freshly cooked, marinated and basted meats and seafood (fish, calamari, chicken, pork, beef, lamb and chorizo sausage) to your table and carve them directly onto your plate. The food keeps coming while your card shows green. When you have had your fill you turn your card to the red side as a signal to the passadors that you are resting or have finished eating. Churrasco is only $59.50 per person at Brandy Creek Wines (Children's pricing available). Desserts are available at standard prices from our delicious menu. Bookings are preferred.

Question: Which meal is regarded as the Spanish national dish, although it is more specific to Valencia?
Answer: Paella