Spain is synonymous with the good life, and this in gastronomy means a wealth of colors, flavors and textures. There are a few countries that have such a diversity of landscapes, wine types and gastronomy as Spain. The eastern coast of Spain—with the three Autonomous Communities of Valencia, Catalonia and the Balearic Islands —is a land full of light, vitality and exuberance, where flowers bloom in abundance and the sun shines almost endlessly. All of this is reflected in the regional gastronomic culture with its vivid colors and flavors.
Catalan cuisine is part of the highly-regarded Mediterranean style of cooking, but has its own personality. It is a form of cooking that still closely reflects its medieval origins. Occupied for nearly seven hundred years by the Romans, followed by several centuries of the Visigoths, and then four hundred years by the Moors, the influences were certainly varied. The first ones brought the wine, the olives and the bread, and the Moors brought the exotic element such as saffron, oranges, dates, raisins, almonds and the combination of sweet and savory. It is soon after the last of these occupiers left that the first known Catalan cooking manuscript, the Libre de Sent Sovi, emerged in the fourteenth century. This was to become quite an influence on Italian and French cooking of the time. One must also remember that the discovery of the new continent by Columbus in 1492 brought many new fruits and vegetables to Spain and helped change the shape of Spanish cuisine before the rest of Europe had the benefit of these new tastes.
Today, basic Catalan cooking has not changed all that much since the days of the Libre de Sent Sovi, but thanks to some innovative chefs many new dishes have emerged, and old ones have become more colorful and subtle. This is what makes this region so interesting for a culinary vacation in Spain. Catalan cooking is based on the use of fresh elements, whether they are vegetables, meat or fish usually purchased from the local market on the same day that they will be used. It is also a healthy cuisine as vegetables, fish, lean meats and fruit are its main ingredients, and cooking fat is almost exclusively olive oil.
Catalan wine was held in high regard as early as Roman times and has undergone considerable improvement in recent decades through the introduction of new grape varieties and new vinification techniques. Cava, or sparkling wine, has been made in Catalonia, especially in El Penedes, for over a century using the traditional French Champenoise Method and it is now exported all around the world.
The most common Catalan cooking techniques either use a cassola (a thick, low sided, earthenware pot), or a paella pan (a low-sided metal pan with two handles located on opposite sides). Also very common is to cook al caliu (on hot coals), or a la plancha (on the griddle). Many dishes start with a sofregit, a base of mainly onion but which can also use garlic, tomatoes, peppers- that is slowly cooked in olive oil until it is caramelized and consistent. This then forms the base upon which the remainder of the dish is built upon. Also typical of many a dish is the use of the picada, a mixture of garlic, olive oil, almonds and /or other nuts, fried bread, herbs and spices crushed together in a mortar and used to thicken and add flavor to the dish near the end of the cooking.
Food Wine Tours organizes traditional Catalan cuisine classes, in Barcelona, Costa Brava and other Catalan towns, specifically designed for groups willing to discover and master the secrets of one of the most refined and varied cuisines of the Mediterranean. We also organize innovative and creative cooking classes as well as courses to learn the techniques used by the famous El Bulli Restaurant, such as spherication, foams, airs….

Tapas were probably born when, due to an illness, the Spanish king Alfonso the 10th, also called the Wise, had to take small bites of food with some wine between meals. Once recovered from the disease, the wise king decreed that no wine was to be served in any of the inns in the country, unless accompanied by something to eat. The tradition of serving tapas with drinks is still found nowadays all over Spain. Another theory of the origin of Tapas probably dates back to the Middle Ages, when field workers would take a small meal with them into the fields, meant to be eaten as they worked, or on a short break. Olives, bread and cheese, perhaps with a small slice of ham or other meat, often comprised this small meal.
A step into a Spanish tapas bar is a wonderful experience even if you don’t speak Spanish. It’s lively and animated as Spaniards like to talk and you may be approached by people wishing to practice their English. Spaniards go to tapas bars before lunch and before supper to meet friends, to converse and, of course, to watch football matches. Conversation ranges from the mundane to the philosophical, and the food ranges from the simple toasted almond to the complex callos (stewed tripe). You will be able to taste snippets of a huge variety of foods just as you would hear snippets of conversation perhaps about the lottery, work, the local football team, or the local politics. In many regions of Spain they are often included in the price of drinks (beer, wine, not soft drinks or spirits) served in bars. In this case, they can amount to as little as a few olives, a piece of cheese, or something more substantial like a pork stew. Bigger portions that are ordered to make up part of a meal are called raciones.
Tapas recipes vary according to the taste and gastronomic traditions of each region and use a wide variety of animal-derived products, such as meat, fish and eggs and agricultural products such as vegetables. Among others, there are fried tapas and tapas prepared with sauces. Here are a few standard tapas to look for: croquetas (béchamel and usually chicken or ham with a bread-crumb crust and deep fried), tortilla de patata (Spanish potato omelet), chorizo (hard pork sausage), gambas (shrimps grilled or cooked in parsley, oil, and garlic), patatas bravas (potatoes in spicy sauce) and boquerones en vinagre (fresh anchovies marinated in salt and vinegar). The best way to discover the world of tapas is through one of our Tapas Tours organized in different Spanish cities. Otherwise, if you wish to learn the secrets of Spanish cuisine, and daze your friends by preparing some succulent tapas, you can join one of our cooking classes.