One of the best things about visiting Spain is the amazing number of foods that are offered depending on what area of the country you travel.

Along the coast, as you’d expect, you’ll find absolutely delicious – and super-fresh – fish and seafood. Move inland and you’ll be delighted with the different meat and vegetable dishes on offer – without forgetting the incredible variety of different fruits available.

And the star of Spanish cooking is undoubtedly the tapa, the appetizer or tidbit that is offered along with your drink in a bar, or served as an entree for lunch or dinner.

In most of the small rural areas the tascas (tapas bars) are the only types of restaurants available and will feature different dishes based on what is available. In large cities there will be all different types of restaurants and more likelihood to find the more elaborate presentations and preparations of the traditional foods of the country.

A popular dish for a snack or a main course is calamari, deep fried crispy rings of squid that are served with different dipping sauces. Shrimp are either deep fried or pan fried and spiced, usually served in a peel and eat style, not shelled and prepared as is more common in North America. For those that enjoy spicy foods a sausage called a chorizo or a salami like meat called salchichon is very popular with fresh sourdough bread.

There is a lot of talk about the healthy qualities of the Mediterranean diet, and the traditional Spanish diet fits in well with this. The basic ingredient is olive oil, preferably Extra Virgin Olive Oil. The Mediterranean diet is also rich in cereals, vegetables and fruit. Spanish cooking is also very strong on fish dishes, and Spain has one of the biggest fishing fleets in the world. Strangely enough, in Madrid, which is in the geographic center of the country, over 300 kilometers from the nearest coast, you can find some of the most wonderful fish dishes you’ll ever taste.

Vegetables and fruit make up a very important part of many Spaniards’ diets. A typical entree will be a salad or a vegetable sauted with ham, and fruit is eaten by many people as a dessert. The main course could be meat or fish.

Desserts in Spain may include the traditional Christmas dish of Turron, a sweet dessert made with almonds and honey. The simple yet elegant flan with its caramelized top and rich custard bottom is an ideal dish to have with a cup of coffee after a wonderful Spanish meal.

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