Simply Spanish

From open plain to mountain retreat, countryside village to coastal town, there is nothing typical about the vast number of regional specialities Spain has to offer. Underpinned with centuries of culinary tradition, this flavoursome cuisine is as varied in method as it is in ingredient.

Offering irresistible dishes, such as an array of tempting tapas, classic Paella and chilled gazpacho, each Spanish dish is a direct result of its location and history.

Influences

There is an old saying 'in the south they fry, in the centre they roast and in the north, they cook'. Considering the geographical layout of Spain and origins of ingredients used in regional dishes, you can understand why this is partly true.

At one end, Spain nestles itself into the Pyrenees, and at the other it is just a stone's throw from Africa. The country spans from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic and surrounds itself with influences from Arabic cuisine to French nouvelle cuisine. However, Spanish cuisine owes a lot to the first settlers and explorers who ventured onto its shores.

South eastern Spanish cooking derives much from Moorish influences. Many rice dishes, including Paella, owe their existence to the Moors, who also brought with them a love for cooler climate cooking using beans and sausage - hence the widespread use of chickpea and chorizo.

Spanish gastronomy has a lot to thank the Moors for. During their reign from 711 to 1492, the Arabs injected the gift of oranges, sticky sweet deserts, saffron and rice - all of which have made Spanish cuisine famous today, five hundred years on. Even the humble Paella, now a national institution, has transformed itself from a vegetable and chicken rice dish into something more versatile, feeding off locally caught seafood in each region.

Central Spain, home of the wild boar and Manchego sheep, owes its surroundings to glorious lamb stews and roast suckling pig. However, rugged northern Spain is heavily influenced by its readily available seafood and fresh vegetables, including wild mushrooms and pimentos.

Tradition aside, Spain is also seeing a new wave of culinary cuisine, la nueva cocina. Hearty regional dishes have given way to a lighter spin on some of the old favourites, such as almond and garlic soup and octopus and shellfish pie loved by three star Michelin chef, Ferran Adria.