Spanish Food Question For John72

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Jul 26, 2021
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Metro-Detroit
@JOHN72 What do you think is the most interesting Spanish dish that people aren't familiar with outside of Spain? I mean something that isn't paella, setas ala plancha, gazpacho or angulas a la bilbaína?
You named some great Spanish dishes. I am looking forward to other replies.

Hopefully, we hear about various tapas. I'm A big fan of the "little bites, both simple and complex. Not only can they be high end, tapas can be like bar appetizers or a meal in and of themselves.

A decent concept I haven't seen executed properly would be a tapas bar in a college town for those on student budgets.
 
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makhorkasmoker

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 17, 2021
564
1,353
Central Florida
The best meals I’ve ever had in Spain, in no particular order, are:
1 fried fresh sardines with a local cloudy white ribeiro wine (no label on bottle) in Orense, Galicia
2. Pimiento de padron peppers (in the springtime, Not the fall, or you're asking for trouble.).
3. Fried fresh fish (local sorts, just caught) on the beach around Cadiz area, with a cold Spanish lager.
4. A real empanada de bonito, with smoked piquillo red peppers, cooked in an old wood burning oven, in Galicia
5. Fried salt cod (the belly and rib meat) with a glass of valdepenas in Madrid
6. Fried fish (local varieties) in the Canary Islands, with one of the local fizzy white wines
7. A simple salad of fresh local lettuce with a green, cloudy olive oil from Cordoba, a little coarse salt.
8. An olla gitana (a stew of chickpeas, pumpkin, and other things) in a little menu del dia place in Madrid.
9. Salt cured anchovies, on toast, with a glass of oloroso in Madrid. (This pincho is also good when you mix marinated anchovies, boquerones, with the salt cured)
10. Dozens of different types of olives, served all over the country.
11. A big fried hog skin (chicharon) years ago in Galicia
12. Fried eggplant in Cordoba
13. Grilled cuttlefish
14. Grilled goat cheese smeared with carmelized onion marmalade.
15. Grilled baby artichokes, in the spring
16. A caldo gallego: first a cup of super rich broth, then a various things cooked in the broth (grelos--greens--Galician potatoes with white beans--chorizo, hog jowl), all served with the local rye bread, and a glass of red ribeiro
17. Chestnuts, roasted over flames on a streetcorner, served up in a newspaper cone, on a cold autumn night.
18. A good hard sheeps milk cheese with Membrillo (quince paste)
19. A real pulpo gallega: a fresh octopus, beaten, boiled just right, cut up on a wooden plate, drizzled with lots of green cloudy olive oil and smashed garlic, sea salt and smokey Spanish paprika, served with bread and--a red wine (a red ribeiro goes well).

I could go on and on. It's worth pointing out that most of these meals could not have been experienced outside the region where I had them, much less outside of Spain.
 
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JOHN72

Lifer
Sep 12, 2020
5,136
51,565
51
Spain - Europe
@JOHN72 What do you think is the most interesting Spanish dish that people aren't familiar with outside of Spain? I mean something that isn't paella, setas ala plancha, gazpacho or angulas a la bilbaína?
The pinchos replace the old tapas. Better elaborated, a little more expensive, but much better. Then we have a wide variety of specialties. Segovia baked suckling pig, in Andalusia Migas with garnish. Cádiz variety of fish dishes.
 

JOHN72

Lifer
Sep 12, 2020
5,136
51,565
51
Spain - Europe
Good to know, my Grandaughter got picked to study in Madrid Spain starting in Jan, she’s in College and thrilled for the opportunity, told her Spain has probably the best food in what you’re used of.
I am very happy for your granddaughter. Madrid is one of the best and most varied and quality, in terms of restaurants and gastronomy. Also in general leisure, theater, museums, high level events.
 

FurCoat

Lifer
Sep 21, 2020
8,764
78,500
North Carolina
I'm a Spaniard so I'll put my two cents in.
Criadillas. Usually served after the bull fight. Echate Pa Ya in Seville was my go to for this dish.
Pico. It's an eggplant dish.
Pringa with bread.
Tortilla de papa con esparrago.
When I want a dish to take me back home though, papas fritas con quevos ajado.
 

makhorkasmoker

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 17, 2021
564
1,353
Central Florida
I'm a Spaniard so I'll put my two cents in.
Criadillas. Usually served after the bull fight. Echate Pa Ya in Seville was my go to for this dish.
Pico. It's an eggplant dish.
Pringa with bread.
Tortilla de papa con esparrago.
When I want a dish to take me back home though, papas fritas con quevos ajado.
Whoa! Criadillas! I’ve had Rabo de toro but never that!!
 
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FurCoat

Lifer
Sep 21, 2020
8,764
78,500
North Carolina
The best meals I’ve ever had in Spain, in no particular order, are:
1 fried fresh sardines with a local cloudy white ribeiro wine (no label on bottle) in Orense, Galicia
2. Pimiento de padron peppers (in the springtime, Not the fall, or you're asking for trouble.).
3. Fried fresh fish (local sorts, just caught) on the beach around Cadiz area, with a cold Spanish lager.
4. A real empanada de bonito, with smoked piquillo red peppers, cooked in an old wood burning oven, in Galicia
5. Fried salt cod (the belly and rib meat) with a glass of valdepenas in Madrid
6. Fried fish (local varieties) in the Canary Islands, with one of the local fizzy white wines
7. A simple salad of fresh local lettuce with a green, cloudy olive oil from Cordoba, a little coarse salt.
8. An olla gitana (a stew of chickpeas, pumpkin, and other things) in a little menu del dia place in Madrid.
9. Salt cured anchovies, on toast, with a glass of oloroso in Madrid. (This pincho is also good when you mix marinated anchovies, boquerones, with the salt cured)
10. Dozens of different types of olives, served all over the country.
11. A big fried hog skin (chicharon) years ago in Galicia
12. Fried eggplant in Cordoba
13. Grilled cuttlefish
14. Grilled goat cheese smeared with carmelized onion marmalade.
15. Grilled baby artichokes, in the spring
16. A caldo gallego: first a cup of super rich broth, then a various things cooked in the broth (grelos--greens--Galician potatoes with white beans--chorizo, hog jowl), all served with the local rye bread, and a glass of red ribeiro
17. Chestnuts, roasted over flames on a streetcorner, served up in a newspaper cone, on a cold autumn night.
18. A good hard sheeps milk cheese with Membrillo (quince paste)
19. A real pulpo gallega: a fresh octopus, beaten, boiled just right, cut up on a wooden plate, drizzled with lots of green cloudy olive oil and smashed garlic, sea salt and smokey Spanish paprika, served with bread and--a red wine (a red ribeiro goes well).

I could go on and on. It's worth pointing out that most of these meals could not have been experienced outside the region where I had them, much less outside of Spain.
Everything on your list sounds delicious. I just ate dinner and I'm getting hungry reading this.
 
Dec 3, 2021
4,791
40,288
Pennsylvania & New York
I'm a Spaniard so I'll put my two cents in.
Criadillas. Usually served after the bull fight. Echate Pa Ya in Seville was my go to for this dish.
Pico. It's an eggplant dish.
Pringa with bread.
Tortilla de papa con esparrago.
When I want a dish to take me back home though, papas fritas con quevos ajado.
Out of curiosity, how did you end up in North Carolina?
 
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FurCoat

Lifer
Sep 21, 2020
8,764
78,500
North Carolina
Out of curiosity, how did you end up in North Carolina?
My mother is from Spain and my father is American. They met while he was in the Navy stationed in Rota. I grew up in Cadiz and Seville. When my father retired from the Navy he had no choice but to come back to the states since he was not allowed to work in Spain as an American citizen. I was born here at Millington Naval air station, so American by birth. I had dual citizenship until I was 18. At that point I had to chose. I made my choice to be an American by signing up for the draft at the post office.