Comida y Amigas: an Ode to Spanish Food and Friends

Even with the best of intentions, it’s easy to fall into bad habits when it comes to eating and cooking. It happens to the best of us, including food-blog-writing me, so a trip to visit my friend Arantza in Spain is just what I needed to remind me how important it is to eat well. Arantza has always had a knack for good nutrition, and when it comes to food the Spanish don’t take shortcuts. They use the best ingredients, individually selected from a specific region in Spain, and expertly put it all together in a meal that is long on nutrition and short on process. Join me for a short review of what it means to eat healthily in Madrid, Spain. Come and cook with us!

Right now in Spain, where it is widely believed that a day should start with a nice dose of vitamin C, each morning starts with a big glass of freshly pressed orange juice boosted by the juice of a fresh lemon straight from the garden. This is followed by a bowl of fresh Spanish melon – green on the outside, white and juicy on the inside – sprinkled with more lemon juice to ease digestion.  Finally, to round out the morning, a snack of cortado (café macchiato) with a small croissant to tied us over until lunch. It is a delicious way to start the day, with three mini-meals spaced out across the morning.

Lunch is nearly always a nice selection of tapas, featuring the best that Spain has to offer including white sardines, jambon serrano, manchego cheese, stuffed peppers, frittata, olives and a little glass of gazpacho. And, the evening meal is enjoyed in the company of friends, eaten family-style from appetizer through to dessert. This may be the biggest lesson of my travel here in Spain: friends that eat together stay together! What’s more, as food is a major focus in this country, my fellow dinner guests spent most of their evening dissecting each dish served. The Spanish are particular about their food, and they debate the onion in the frittata (is it from the right region?), the garlic in the gambas (has it been sautéed just right?), and whether the tomatoes in the gazpacho have been picked a tad too early, the olives on the table, a bit too late. Whatever their profession, gender or background, Spanish opinions about food make for a lively discussion, and proof of the importance of quality, nutritious foods in the Spanish diet.

With all of its rich cultural history, this country can teach us a thing or two about how to eat: simple, fresh, the best the country has to offer, according to seasons and, most of all, in good company.  So join me in taking a lesson from the Spanish, have your friends over for an informal meal, and rejoice in the fact that good food can be simple and healthy too! Come and eat with us!

Gazpacho
Broccoli and Potato Frittata

Author: Kathrin

My weekly blog, originally started with my friend Jessica, entices readers to get into the kitchen and cook meals, every day. I provide inspiration, recipes, and reasons to overcome the struggles that keep people from cooking at home: confidence, time, desire, money or priorities. No excuses! Come and cook with us! View all posts by Kathrin