The funny thing, though, is that Spaniards have no idea what to do with their excellent produce. Ordering a salad in Spain makes you lose faith in humanity because the wonderful fresh produce is either drowned in mayo or topped with chunks of canned tuna and pickled veg.
The only edible food in Spain is either ethnic or at the restaurants where you are served a grilled fish with a boiled potato and no additional effort.
That’s strange, I’ve never had problems with Spanish food at restaurants here in the US. I’m surprised you didn’t like the Spanish food, it has to be better than anything in an American restaurant. I don’t understand putting mayo or tuna on a salad, tuna salad is a thing here but that’s noodles with mayo and tuna, not a real salad with tuna. Was the food too spicy or seasoned?
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Spain needs to discover Peruvian food 😀 It’s like they imported potatoes from their colony and then never inquired what to do with them! Clearly Spain needs more Aji and huacatay. And lucuma. Everybody needs more lucuma. And aji panca is one of the good things in life. I’ve tried to grow them, but they don’t like it here. Probably too humid 😦
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I must have lucked out. We had some simple grilled vegetables at a restaurant in a back street in Malaga not far from the Picasso Museum, and they were so good I can still remember them years later. No goop slathered on top.
I agree with the thread below this one that it’s sad that we can’t (or not very easily anyway) get produce that tastes that good in the US.
(commenter formerly known as AcademicLurker)
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Well, the things people like about Peruvian or Mexican food don’t actually come from Spain.
I thought you and N would be enjoying yourself more with all the Iberian ham and N’s dislike of capsaicin.
Klara isn’t fighting a bug, is she?
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What about Paella?
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“What about Paella?”
Years ago I read the book Iberia by James Michener… towards the end he mentions he had never had good paella in Spain (enjoyed it in some other places but although he loved Spain it was a paella bust for him…).
I sympathize. Almost all the paella I’ve had in Spain was ruined by undercooked rice (or bits of shrimp shell or feelers that break off since they toss them in whole).
I far prefer fideus, a similar dish from the Catalan area that uses short pasta instead. At least it’s not undercooked.
I’ve enjoyed lots of food in Spain but a lot of Spanish food/cooking is an acquired taste.
A conservative literary critic and college professor
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