Southern Spain: Culinary Delights

Discovery-if you enjoy sampling delicious food, southern Spain is the place do do exactly that. First of all, think about where you'll be located-near the Mediterranean with its bountiful assortment of sea food. Add a regional .love of pork and ham. Combine that with a variety of subtle herbs and spices. Wrap it together with a gusto for casual leisurely dining. What more could you ask for?

While breakfasts were good (eggs, various sausages, fresh fruits and bakery goods, excellent strong coffee) none of those samples are shown here I apologize. To be honest, it's difficult for me to take photos or do much of anything else before two cups of coffee have been consumed. By then, breakfast samples have been enjoyed and have vanished. Another factor-it was harder for me to get started in the morning when sunrises waited until 8:30 A.M.to appear

After walking around for hours, the Spanish custom of having the main meal of the day at 1:30 or later seemed very good. Seafood (squid and prawns) were high on my list of things to sample. Paella was near the top (I first had it when I taught in Morocco). A large meal accompanied by either a house wine or a Cruz Campo (beer brand) and then a cafe solo (espresso coffee) was a fine way to spend an hour or so. Then it was back to walking for more miles and then perhaps a siesta.

The last meal of the day was later in the evening, 8:30 PM was an early start and you would see whole families out much later. A way to sample different taste treats is to go with a friend or four to a side-street tapas bar for an extended stay. Ordering a variety of small portions and then sharing will lead you to discover new food likes. Of course a bit more house wine (vino tinto, vino blanco), sangria, or more Cruz Campo is an excellent complement to the evening.

Obviously, I am "passionate" about the tastes of southern Spain.I am NOT being paid to promote them, I just highly enjoyed them. ;-} If you ever have the chance, I recommend that you give the region a visit and freely sample everything in order to have an authentic food experience. I'm taking my own advice seriously, and I did bring back a cook book titled "100 Tapas" to experiment with until my next visit.

Thank you for stopping by, I hope that you enjoyed your visit. Please feel free to come again. In the meantime, may your travels be interesting and enjoyable.

Kerry

p.s. I almost forgot about mid-morning snacks. A cafe solo(espresso) and a decadent confection such as the one shown here (it had a rich, orangey flavor) is an experience to be savored. Remember-you'll be walking for miles and can burn off those calories!